Fresno-Visalia Market Starts Getting NextGen TV Broadcasts

By Jon Lafayette
( Broadcasting & Cable )
published

Sinclair’s KRFE carries programming from five stations using ATSC 3.0 format

NextGen TV

Fresno-Visalia, the fourth largest market in California, became the latest market to begin to receive television broadcasts using the new NextGen broadcast signal.

Five stations in the market cooperated to start the transition, with Sinclair Broadcast Group’s KFRE-TV converting to the ATSC 3.0 format. KFRE’s signal is carrying its own programming as well as programming from KMPH-TV, another Sinclair station, Nexstar’s KGPE-TV and KSEE-TV, and Telemundo’s KNSO-TV.  

All of the programming in the market continues to be available on the current ATSC 1.0 digital signal for over-the-air and cable TV viewers. As more viewers acquire sets that receive ATSC 3.0 signals, more of the stations will convert to NextGen TV.

NextGen TV offers better picture and sound quality, reception by mobile devices, and access to internet based programming. It can also be used to deliver other digital services that are expected to generate substantial revenue for station owners.

Also: NextGen TV Slowly Finds Its Direction

The Fresno launch was coordinated by BitPath, which is developing new data broadcasting services.

NextGen TV is now available in about 45 cities across the country. ■

Jon Lafayette
Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.