'Plans' Afoot for Live ATSC 3.0 Broadcasts in Vegas for CES 2021 Demos, Says Samsung

No one knows what “the level of consumer confidence will be,” post-pandemic, said Taylor. There's the "importance of television” during the crisis, he said. TV is “going to take on even more importance as NextGenTV continues to grow,” he said.

Samsung is “meeting demand” for NextGenTV, said Dan Schinasi, director-product planning. “It’s a little bit challenging.” It's “a very dynamic situation,” he said. “We hope there’s brighter days ahead.” All presentations we viewed Wednesday appeared to be prerecorded in late April and early May.

It’s critical that a 3.0-compliant TV set certified with the NextGenTV logo “meets or exceeds” consumer expectations, said Schinasi. “A certified receiver is conformant with over 50 test streams, and that constitutes over 100 different tests.” The tests involve “dozens of video formats” and multiple audio platforms, including “selectable languages,” he said. Details publicly remain murky from CTA on what minimally qualifies a 3.0-compliant TV to bear the NextGenTV certification logo (see 1909260021).

There's no clear vision eight months out about what CES 2021 might look like, but Schinasi expects “expanded lineups” of 3.0 sets on display at the January show, he said. “We hope to see additional screen sizes. But most of all, I’m hopeful -- and I think it’s in the plans right now -- that we see live broadcasts in the Las Vegas market so we can actually demonstrate this live.” Samsung has demoed 3.0 many times, but “it’s something else to see it live,” he said.

Sony Electronics expects that by CES 2021, “we’ll be in an environment where there’s strong uptake” of 3.0 technology, said Nick Colsey, vice president-business development. NextGenTV services will be in 40 U.S. markets by then, and with that will come “increased consumer awareness,” he said. Colsey hopes to see plentiful 4K over-the-air content from 3.0 broadcasters, because that will be one of 3.0's “key differentiators.”

Broadcasters are “also embracing” the NextGenTV logo, said Taylor. “As we get into the second half of this year, heading into CES 2021, you’re going to see some collaborative efforts between broadcasters and TV manufacturers, really promoting the service.” NextGenTV is “a big tent, and we welcome more and more manufacturers to put more and more models out there,” he said.

Research that Magid Associates did around Halloween for Pearl TV’s 3.0 Phoenix model market project found consumers didn't like much about the NextGenTV logo, said Bill Hague, executive vice president of Magid’s Media Strategy Group. The research was done about a month after CTA unveiled the logo, after what it said were at least two rounds of consumer testing eliminating other candidates.

Respondents told Magid they thought the logo looked too “busy” or “retro” and didn’t do justice to 3.0's capabilities, said Hague. “CTA and some other folks worked on the logo,” he said. The logo is “fine,” he said. “It’s not going to drive them away,” he said of consumers, and in an apparent left-handed compliment of the logo.

Pearl Managing Director Anne Schelle, an avowed supporter of the logo, appeared on split screen not to react to Hague's comments. She extolled the logo’s virtues as the “common message” that will dominate 3.0's go-to-market promotional activity beginning this summer. “When a consumer sees that icon, that logo, they generally know that this is the future of television,” she said. “When this bug shows up on the programming, they know they’re on a NextGenTV channel.”

Hague later tried to walk back his firm's finding about consumer dissatisfaction with the logo. “Our researchers are a little blunt at times,” he said. Canvassing Phoenix consumers about the logo “was done in a vacuum," he said, without explaining. "As we create greater messaging around the functionality and the advantages of NextGenTV, it’s all off and running.”