Stations in St. Louis Fire Up NextGen TV Broadcast Signal

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Nexstar’s KPLR carrying other station’s programming via ATSC 3.0 technology

St. Louis skyline by night
(Image credit: Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

Television stations in St. Louis on Thursday began broadcasting using the new NextGen TV broadcast format.

Stations participating in the rollout are Sinclair Broadcast Group’s KDNL, Meredith’s KMOV, Tegna’s KSDK and Nexstar Media Group’s duopoly of KTVI and KPLR.

According to the switchover plan, KPLR converted to the new NextGen TV format, known as ATSC 3.0. KPLR will transmit its own programming as well as the other stations’ programming using the new format while the other stations continue using the existing digital TV format  As more viewers in the market obtain NextGen TV sets, more of the stations will switch over.

NextGen TV provides viewers with a better picture and improved sound. It also enables mobile viewing and reception of internet based programming.

The switchover plan was developed by BitPath, which is developing data broadcasting services that can be deployed by the stations.

St. Louis is the latest station to begin NextGen TV broadcasting. More than 30 markets already have ATSC 3.0 signals.

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.