NextGen TV has launched in Houston, Texas, the eighth-largest TV market in the U.S., with ten stations now broadcasting with the NextGen TV transmissions standard.
The stations in Houston include:
- FOX Television Stations’ KTXH (My Network, channel 20)
- Fox owned-and-operated KRIV (FOX, channel 26)
- Nexstar Media Group, Inc.’s KIAH (CW, channel 29)
- Univision’s KFTH (UniMas, channel 67)
- Univision’s owned-and-operated KXLN (Univision, channel 45)
- ABC owned-and-operated KTRK (ABC, channel 13)
- Graham Media Group’s KPRC (NBC, channel 2)
- TEGNA’s KHOU (CBS, channel 11)
- NBCUniversal-owned KTMD (Telemundo, channel 47)
- University of Houston’s KUHT (PBS, channel 2)
“Houston will now get the most out of live news, events, and sports programming, as NEXTGEN TV merges over-the-air antenna TV with the internet, enhancing its information and entertainment value,” stated Ralph Rendon, vice president of Creative Services and Programming for KRIV/KTXH, the FOX-owned duopoly in Houston. “Through a combined effort of investment, meeting critical deadlines, and deployment of powerful new technologies, we’re able to provide a better and more engaging audio and video experience for our viewers.”
With NextGen TV, viewers will get an improved TV experience including consistent volume across channels, added voice clarity with Dolby Voice+, stunning 4K HDR video, movie theater-quality sound, and enhanced internet content on demand. NextGen TV is provided as a free OTA service for viewers and is described as a complement to streaming platforms, giving viewers free access to local channels.
NextGen TV is a feature built into select new TV models from LG, Samsung, and Sony. The features available with NextGen TV will vary by device and by broadcaster as commercial service becomes available in local markets, it is designed to be future proof, enabling a viewer’s television set to advance in lockstep with technological improvements.
In an announcement about the new broadcasting standard expanding to Houston today, “NEXTGEN TV is expected to reach 45% of U.S. television households by the end of the year. Today’s launch marks a significant milestone, as it is the largest number of stations to transition in a single market at one time.”