NBC, Fox and 10 other major broadcasters are teaming up to create a joint venture that will bring nationwide television service to mobile devices.
This is a pretty major push for mobile TV in the United States because the companies will use existing spectrum to deliver programming across the nation and it will include live programming and on-demand content. Along with Fox and NBC, the initiative includes Belo, Cox Media Group, E.W. Scripps, Gannett Broadcasting, Hearst Television, ION, Media General, Meredith Corp., Post-Newsweek Stations and Raycom Media. The service will use ATSC-M/H to broadcast and the companies will have the ability to hit nearly 150 million people at launch. No word on when it will launch, the name of the entire joint venture, or costs, but the future looks bright for TV on the go.
“It’s the consumers who are the big winners,” said David Lougee, president of Gannet broadcasting, in a prepared statement. “From news and entertainment to emergency information, virtually all U.S. consumers will soon be able to bring their most valuable content with them wherever they go.”
So, we’re looking at a bit of a battle when it comes to mobile TV, as the Open Mobile Video Coalition is also pushing for a mobile DTV standard. Flo TV is ahead of all of them in terms of coverage and brand awareness, I’d say, and it just announced a plethora of new features that may make it more attractive.
[Via Phone Scoop, photo via Ars Technica]
