Sinclair and Nashville PBS Launch Virtual ATSC 3.0 Channel
Sinclair Broadcast and Nashville PBS have launched a virtual ATSC 3.0 channel on WNPT-VC Nashville, allowing the PBS station to offer viewers access to ATSC 3.0 capabilities without requiring the station to commit the resources necessary to broadcast an ATSC…
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3.0 signal. “Viewers with NEXTGEN TVs can view and select WNPT-VC in their programming guide and access the channel seamlessly over the internet,” said a joint release from Sinclair, Nashville PBS and America’s Public Television Stations. The programming on WNPT-VC mirrors that of Nashville PBS’ main channel, “while providing enhanced accessibility for those with NEXTGEN-enabled televisions,” the release said. Sinclair and APTS have committed to launching such virtual channels for APTS member stations in markets where Sinclair has deployed ATSC 3.0, but the public station hasn’t. The Nashville launch is the program’s second; the first debuted in Nebraska in October. Noncommercial educational stations have faced difficulties deploying 3.0 signals because of a lack of capacity in their markets. The transition requires stations to host the content of other stations, and commercial stations have tended to pair with other commercial stations (see 2203300052). “As we bring our trusted educational, cultural and civic programming into the ATSC 3.0 ecosystem, we are excited to enhance the viewer experience and expand the reach of public television in Middle Tennessee,” said Becky Magura, CEO of Nashville PBS, in the release.