International. To celebrate America's 250th anniversary, Advanced HDR by Technicolor announced that seven public television stations have implemented ATSC 3.0 and are enabled with Advanced HDR by Technicolor, marking an important milestone for accessible, free, and open (OTA) public television.
Maryland Public Television (MPT) in Baltimore, Maryland; WPTD in Dayton, Ohio; WXXI in Rochester, New York; PBS Reno in Reno, Nevada; Nebraska Public Media in Omaha, Nebraska; Nashville PBS in Nashville, Tennessee; and KBTC in Tacoma, Washington, now offer content in Advanced HDR by Technicolor.
This is a significant development for public broadcasters, which were initially excluded from the channel-sharing agreements signed by commercial stations in major markets at the start of ATSC 3.0 implementation. As the implementation of ATSC 3.0 with Advanced HDR by Technicolor has spread, numerous commercial broadcasters, as well as public television stations, have begun to implement it. Currently, more than 150 ATSC 3.0 channels/services broadcast in Advanced HDR by Technicolor daily and around the clock.
"Advanced HDR by Technicolor backward compatibility allows public broadcasters to improve picture quality without creating barriers to ensuring equitable services," said Ling Ling Sun, vice president of technology for Maryland Public Television.
"The Advanced HDR by Technicolor solution is fully in tune with the mission of public broadcasting. From an operational standpoint, Advanced HDR by Technicolor does not require significantly higher bandwidth or parallel transmissions. This technology allows Maryland Public Television to enhance broadcast television, reconnect with our audience, and reinforce the relevance of this free, universally accessible public medium."
Public television stations are currently undergoing a rapid technological transformation. Nebraska Public Media launched the nation's first Broadcast-Enabled Streaming TV (BEST) channel, a hybrid Full HD (1080p) OTA and broadband broadcast with Technicolor Advanced HDR, which consumers can find on connected TVs as a virtual channel or access over the internet.
Nebraska Public Media also implemented a custom streaming app based on RUN3TV on its BEST channel, which integrates linear programming, on-demand content, and interactive services into a single native IP interface. Maryland Public Television is currently in the process of acquiring a license for the RUN3TV app.
The Advanced HDR by Technicolor solution is the ideal solution for public media. Thanks to Advanced HDR by Technicolor's single-stream streaming, consumers with HDR-compatible TVs, receivers, or set-top boxes can enjoy multimedia content with the rich contrast and vibrant colors offered by High Dynamic Range (HDR) capabilities.
Consumers with standard dynamic range (SDR) TVs receive high-quality SDR without interruption, accessing the same stream, said Rick Dumont, director of business development for Advanced HDR by Technicolor.
The implementation of ATSC 3.0 with Advanced HDR by Technicolor is a crucial infrastructure upgrade for public media, enabling public broadcasters to offer a hybrid broadcast (OTA) and over-the-air (OTT) service.
The Advanced HDR by Technicolor solution enables public broadcasters to continue connecting with viewers wherever they are, while keeping HDR TV free for the long term. It is clear that public television networks are innovating rapidly and shaping the future of television, Dumont concluded.
