Add Western New York’s second-largest market to the list of locales where ATSC 3.0-powered NEXTGEN TV is now available to those with a television capable of receiving the signals, or consumers that have a new add-on feature that brings access to current-model TV sets.
The ABC, CBS, FOX and PBS stations in the Rochester, N.Y., DMA are now airing NEXTGEN TV signals.
Noticeably absent: Hubbard Broadcasting-owned WHEC-10. That’s the NBC affiliate that’s been making ratings inroads of late, and is another market where Hubbard has opted not to move forward with ATSC 3.0-powered broadcasts as of yet.
The stations that are airing NEXTGEN TV signals are WHAM-13, the ABC affiliate licensed to Deerfield Media and operated by ATSC 3.0 shepherd Sinclair Broadcast Group and Sinclair-owned FOX affiliate WUHF-31; WROC-8, the CBS affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group; and PBS powerhouse WXXI-TV.
WUHF is the “lighthouse” station housing the NEXTGEN TV signals.
Broadcast data network BitPath managed the launch in Rochester, N.Y., with stations that reach the northern tip of the Finger Lakes Region and communities including Brockport, Canandaigua and Victor.
BitPath President John Hane said, “Stations have far exceeded the FCC’s requirements to protect viewers who rely on older digital TVs, while bringing improved television service to those with new ATSC 3.0 sets. In addition, the advanced digital broadcasting services we’ll be launching on ATSC 3.0 will help keep local broadcasting strong, while providing new, high value services to people, businesses, and public agencies – all without any compromises to television service. We’ve also committed to make our groundbreaking NavPath precise navigation service available for free to Rochester’s first responders. This is a win-win-win for viewers, stations, and the entire metro area.”
