MIAMI — For some industry observers, the arrival of next-generation digital broadcast TV through the use of the ATSC 3.0 standard has a worrisome corollary to that of HD Radio in the U.S.
Will it flop, given the huge surge of OTT consumption and the pending arrival of 5G technology? Or, will consumers flock to crystal-clear coverage of live events including sports and local news, along with network fare across the once-coveted prime-time hours?
Broadcast TV owners say the latter will keep companies such as Nexstar Media Group, Sinclair Broadcast Group, The E.W. Scripps Co., and Hearst Television, among others, in the black for years to come.
An International Telecommunications Union (ITU) decision may have very well solidified that belief.
