Media and Broadcasting

Houston Television Stations Launch NEXTGEN TV

Television viewers in Houston, the eighth-largest TV market in the United States, can now experience the future of broadcast television as 10 local TV stations today launched NEXTGEN TV, a revolutionary new digital broadcast technology based on the same fundamental technology as the internet and digital apps. The new standard presents viewers with more news and entertainment choices while providing broadcasters with a more compelling and interactive way to deliver their content.
NEXTGEN TV is the first major overhaul to the Advanced Television Systems Committee's standard for receiving over-the-air (OTA) signals in 25 years. Now broadcasting in 35 markets, NEXTGEN TV is expected to reach 45% of U.S. television households by the end of the year. Today's launch marks a significant milestone, as it is the largest number of stations to transition in a single market at one time.

NEXTGEN TV can deliver: 

  • Consistent volume across channels
  • Added voice clarity with Dolby's Voice +
  • Stunning 4K, High Dynamic Range (HDR) video
  • Movie theater-quality sound
  • Enhanced internet content on demand

NEXTGEN TV is a feature built into select new TV models manufactured by LG Electronics, Samsung, and Sony—and widely available to consumers with a rapidly growing number of television sets in homes across the U.S. While features available on NEXTGEN TV will vary by device and by broadcaster as commercial service becomes available in local markets, it is designed to be future-proof, enabling a viewer's television set to advance in lockstep with technological improvements.
"Houston will now get the most out of live news, events, and sports programming, as NEXTGEN TV merges over-the-air antenna TV with the internet, enhancing its information and entertainment value," stated Ralph Rendon, vice president of creative services and programming for KRIV/KTXH, the FOX-owned duopoly in Houston. "Through a combined effort of investment, meeting critical deadlines, and deployment of powerful new technologies, we're able to provide a better and more engaging audio and video experience for our viewers."

"This launch took an extraordinary amount of collaboration among the 10 TV stations involved and is a clear demonstration of the entire industry's commitment to NEXTGEN TV". "Viewers will quickly notice the brilliant video and improved audio delivered by NEXTGEN TV. But along with these enhancements come important upgrades in broadcaster's ability to provide new customer experiences and services, allowing us to explore new business opportunities to meet the challenges of today's evolving digital world."

-Brett Jenkins, EVP and chief technology officer for Nexstar Media Group, Inc


Houston viewers can now find 10 channels over-the-air with NEXTGEN TV: FOX Television Stations' KTXH (My Network, channel 20) and owned-and-operated KRIV (FOX, channel 26); Nexstar Media Group, Inc.'s KIAH (CW, channel 29); Univision's KFTH (UniMas, channel 67) and owned-and-operated KXLN (Univision, channel 45); ABC owned-and-operated KTRK (ABC, channel 13); Graham Media Group's KPRC (NBC, channel 2); TEGNA's KHOU (CBS, channel 11); NBCUniversal-owned KTMD (Telemundo, channel 47; and University of Houston's KUHT (PBS, channel 2). Viewers watching these channels can look forward to enhanced television viewing provided by NEXTGEN TV as a complement to streaming platforms, as NEXTGEN TV is provided as a free OTA service to viewers.

About Pearl TV:
Pearl TV is a business organization of U.S. broadcast companies with a shared interest in exploring forward-looking broadcasting opportunities, including innovative ways of promoting local broadcast TV content and developing digital media and wireless platforms for the broadcast industry. Pearl's membership, comprising more than 750 TV stations, includes nine of the largest broadcast companies in America: Cox Media Group, Graham Media Group, Gray Television, Hearst Television Inc., Meredith Local Media Group, Nexstar Media Group, Sinclair Broadcast Group, the E.W. Scripps Company, and TEGNA, Inc.

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TelevisaUnivision and Charter Communications Announce Strategic Renewal, Expanding Distribution of Linear Networks

Charter Communications | January 25, 2024

TelevisaUnivision and Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: CHTR) today announced a multi-year agreement to extend and expand their partnership. This agreement provides Spectrum customers with continued access to the most-watched Spanish-language news, sports and entertainment programming in the country. The modern deal framework is designed to enhance Spectrum's ability to serve the massive U.S. Hispanic audience with expanded access to an unprecedented amount of Spanish-language content. As part of the arrangement, TelevisaUnivision will create a new ad-supported premium subscription version of ViX, set to launch later this year. It will be available at no additional cost to Spectrum customers who receive TelevisaUnivision channels as part of their Spectrum TV Select or Mi Plan Latino packages. ViX's "Premium with Ads" offering will give viewers access to the entire ViX Premium content offering, including exclusive original series, novelas, comedies, movies, thousands of live exclusive soccer matches and tens of thousands of hours of library content with a moderate advertising load. The combination of ViX's premium streaming programming with TelevisaUnivision's market leading linear channels will create an unmatched Spanish-language content offering available to Spectrum customers at no incremental cost. In addition to giving Spectrum customers access to the forthcoming ad-supported premium version of ViX, the agreement enhances Charter's flexibility to offer its video customers high-value linear and over-the-top TV packages. TelevisaUnivision's U.S. channels will be included as an integral launch partner in a new, innovative, low-cost Spanish-language internet-delivered video package that Spectrum will launch in the coming months. "We're pleased to enter into an innovative deal with Charter that underscores a shared commitment to the growing Hispanic market and prioritizes their needs and interests, ensuring TelevisaUnivision's leading content remains available to viewers for years to come," said Mike Angus, Executive Vice President, Global Distribution and Streaming Partnerships at TelevisaUnivision. "This deal demonstrates the value we can deliver to our partners and consumers by continuing to invest in both the linear and streaming platforms to create a complementary Spanish-language content ecosystem." "We appreciate TelevisaUnivision's willingness to fully support our new distribution framework, which is good for customers and a significant step forward for the video ecosystem," said Tom Montemagno, Executive Vice President, Programming Acquisition for Charter. "With this agreement, our customers will continue to enjoy access to TelevisaUnivision's extensive Spanish-language programming, including entertainment and live sports, across multiple platforms. This furthers our goal of providing value to customers by including streaming apps with Spectrum services." Spectrum provides customers with access to TelevisaUnivision's networks, including Univision, UniMás, Galavisión, TL Novelas, TUDN, FOROtv, Bandamax, De Película, De Película Clasico, Telehit and Telehit Música. About TelevisaUnivision TelevisaUnivision is the world's leading Spanish-language media company. Powered by the largest library of owned Spanish-language content and a prolific production capability, TelevisaUnivision is the top producer of original content in Spanish across news, sports and entertainment verticals. This original content powers all of TelevisaUnivision's platforms, which include market-leading broadcast networks Univision, Las Estrellas, Canal 5 and UniMás, and a portfolio of 38 cable networks, which include TUDN, Galavisión, Distrito Comedia and TL Novelas. The company also operates the leading Mexican movie studio, Videocine, and owns and operates the largest Spanish-language audio platform in the U.S. across 35 terrestrial stations and the Uforia digital platform. TelevisaUnivision is also the owner of ViX, the largest Spanish-language streaming platform in the world. For more information, please visit televisaunivision.com. About Charter Communications Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHTR) is a leading broadband connectivity company and cable operator serving more than 32 million customers in 41 states through its Spectrum brand. Over an advanced communications network, the Company offers a full range of state-of-the-art residential and business services including Spectrum Internet®, TV, Mobile and Voice. For small and medium-sized companies, Spectrum Business® delivers the same suite of broadband products and services coupled with special features and applications to enhance productivity, while for larger businesses and government entities, Spectrum Enterprise provides highly customized, fiber-based solutions. Spectrum Reach® delivers tailored advertising and production for the modern media landscape. The Company also distributes award-winning news coverage and sports programming to its customers through Spectrum Networks.

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