Sinclair is rolling out a localized marketing and education campaign in Columbus, Ohio aimed at accelerating consumer awareness and adoption of NextGen TV, the broadcast industry’s next-generation television standard based on ATSC 3.0 technology.
The initiative combines on-air promotion, digital outreach, consumer giveaways and a dedicated online resource hub designed to help viewers understand the benefits of NextGen TV and the equipment required to access it.
The campaign marks one of Sinclair’s latest efforts to drive adoption of the technology, which broadcasters view as a critical upgrade to traditional over-the-air television. While NextGen TV has launched in dozens of markets across the United States, consumer awareness and receiver penetration remain key challenges as broadcasters work to expand usage of the platform’s enhanced capabilities.
“NextGen TV is the most significant upgrade to broadcast television in decades, delivering a superior viewing experience with enhanced picture quality, immersive audio, and interactive capabilities,” said Del Parks, the President of Technology at Sinclair, in a statement on Tuesday.
“With this campaign, we are focused on simplifying the path to adoption, providing consumers with clear, practical information and showing them firsthand how to access and experience what’s next in television,” Parks added.
Sinclair selected Columbus as the focus of the campaign because of the market’s strong sports viewership, changing media consumption habits and the company’s existing local station presence.
At the center of the effort is a Columbus-specific microsite that serves as an information hub for consumers interested in accessing NextGen TV services. The website includes tools that allow users to determine local availability based on ZIP code, verify whether their television equipment is compatible with the standard and access step-by-step setup instructions.
The site also provides recommendations on compatible televisions, antennas and converter devices that can be used to receive NextGen TV signals.
To further encourage adoption, Sinclair is partnering with Channel Master on a series of promotional giveaways that include converter boxes and antennas. The campaign is scheduled to run through July 3. (A spokesperson for Sinclair confirmed the giveaway involves Zinwell-built NextGen TV converter boxes.)
NextGen TV represents the most significant technical upgrade to over-the-air broadcasting since the transition from analog to digital television. The ATSC 3.0 standard enables broadcasters to deliver higher-resolution video, improved color and contrast, immersive audio formats and interactive features that are not possible with the current ATSC 1.0 standard.
Broadcasters have also promoted the technology’s ability to provide more reliable reception, localized information services and enhanced emergency alerts, positioning the platform as both a consumer upgrade and a public safety tool.
Despite those advantages, adoption has been gradual as consumers often need a compatible television or external converter device to access the new signals. Broadcasters and industry groups have increasingly focused on consumer education campaigns as they seek to build awareness of the technology and encourage viewers to upgrade equipment.
