Five More San Antonio Television Stations Launch NextGen TV Broadcasts
Story Highlights
San Antonio television viewers can continue to experience the future of broadcast television as five more stations have come together to offer more NEXTGEN TV service. Otherwise known as ATSC 3.0, NEXTGEN TV is a free digital broadcast technology that utilizes the internet and digital applications, presenting viewers with more news and entertainment choices while providing broadcasters with a more compelling and interactive way to deliver their content.
The five additional stations add new services to the San Antonio market. This development delivers total of nine NEXTGEN TV services for San Antonio’s more than one million television households, 48% of which are Hispanic.
Viewers can now access five more channels over-the-air (OTA) for free with NEXTGEN TV: ABC’s KSAT-TV (channel 12.1); PBS’ KLRN-TV (channel 9.1); NBC’s Telemundo KVDA-TV (channel 60.1); CBS’ KENS-TV (channel 5.1); and Univision’s KWEX-TV (channel 41.1). Local viewers can easily tune to each station for information about accessing NEXTGEN TV locally, rescanning information and how to purchase the right television set to receive NEXTGEN TV.
Viewers watching these channels can look forward to enhanced television viewing provided by NEXTGEN TV as a complement to streaming platforms, as NEXTGEN TV doesn’t compete for household bandwidth with over-the-top content but is provided as a free OTA service to elevate viewers’ experiences.
“NEXTGEN TV is in high demand in San Antonio, a top media market where several major networks—ABC, FOX, CBS, NBC, PBS, Telemundo, and Univision—are offering this new service to their viewers,” says Ashley Parker, General Manager of KSAT. “Local broadcasters are dedicated to growing this free service in the San Antonio area and providing valuable local news, sports and entertainment. NEXTGEN TV’s emergency alert and dual language capabilities are essential to residents and we’re proud that we can give them even more options now.”
NEXTGEN TV, a free OTA service, is the first major overhaul to the Advanced Television Systems Committee’s standard for receiving over-the-air signals in 25 years. Now broadcasting in more than 75 markets, NEXTGEN TV currently reaches 75% of U.S. television households.
A feature built into select TV models manufactured by Hisense, Sony, LG Electronics and Samsung—and later this month from TCL—NEXTGEN TV is widely available to consumers at retail starting at a suggested retail price of $479. More than 100 NEXTGEN TV products will be available to consumers this year. While features may vary by device and broadcaster as commercial service expands in local markets, NEXTGEN TV is designed to be “future proof,” enabling a viewer’s television set to advance with technological improvements.
NEXTGEN TV makes possible:
- 4K and High Dynamic Range (HDR) video
- Consistent volume across channels
- Added voice clarity with the Dolby Audio System
- Movie theater-quality sound
- Enhanced internet content on demand
- Advanced emergency alerts and information
- Expanded and hyperlocal news
- Dual language capabilities
KSAT, KLRN, KVDA, KENS, and KWEX join four other stations that launched NEXTGEN TV earlier in June 2022 NBC’s WOAI (channel 4.1); FOX’s KABB (channel 29.1); Dabl’s KMYS (channel 35.1); and MyNetwork’s KCWX (channel 2.1).
