Posts tagged ‘Broadcast’
More Choice for Free – What’s Not to Like?
Now more than ever, people are saying goodbye to their expensive subscription TV service (like cable and satellite) and opting to use new, TV antennas to get dozens of channels, for free. These aren’t your father’s “rabbit ears” either. 
These new antennas are sleek and powerful, so put away the tin foil – you won’t need it to get your local news and favorite broadcast network shows, like Nashville, X Factor, Parks and Recreation and The Good Wife!
If you’re considering joining the millions of Americans who are enjoying the best of broadcast television without a monthly fee, there are a few simple steps you will need to take, as outlined on AntennaWeb.org. This site helps you select the best antenna for your needs.
- The first thing the site will ask you for is your zip code. Your zip code helps calculate the signal strength and location of all the broadcast stations in your area to determine the type of antenna you need.
- AntennaWeb.org will also ask you for your street address. This information is used to determine whether there are terrain features, nearby trees or tall structures that could affect your television reception.
- The last question the site will ask you is where you want to mount your new antenna. This will also determine which antenna will work best for you. The higher you mount your antenna, the better it works (which means even more crystal clear channels for you!)
Using an antenna to get your favorite shows for free may sound retro, but is actually part of the exciting future of broadcast television. With an antenna, viewers are able to enjoy the crystal clear pictures of digital television (often with better picture quality than subscription service delivers), as well as a multitude of subchannels that bring the best of hyperlocal content, such as weather updates, high school sports and foreign language programming, to viewers for free. Some of these additional local channels may not be available on cable or satellite – at any price.
The future of TV is bright, and there are more free broadcast TV services under development today that your same antenna will deliver to your home soon – so stay tuned!
Viewers Choose Broadcast During Election 2012
This fall, Americans not only chose the 44th president of the United States – they also chose broadcasters as their go-to resource for election information. America’s broadcasters played a vital role in the 2012 election, providing viewers with information on candidates and what they could expect at the voting booths, proving the importance of broadcast television in their communities.
From the political conventions to the debates to coverage of the returns on election night, television viewers could watch the road to the White House for free thanks to over-the-air television. More than 37 million Americans turned to broadcast to watch the results of the 2012 presidential election unfold. And in every local community, viewers turned to their favorite stations to get the results of races closer to home, such as board of education seats and congressional members.
In addition to providing live coverage of these important events, many broadcasters took to social media as another way to connect with their viewers. Popular social media channels Facebook and Twitter allowed broadcasters to interact with viewers, contributing to the 31 million tweets sent throughout the day.
No doubt, broadcasters take their commitment to civic responsibility seriously, and viewers know they can count on their local stations to provide the information they need to cast their ballots on Election Day.
Even with numerous choices in today’s digital age, more Americans trust their local TV stations to bring them the information they need, when and where they want it. That’s the future of TV.
Broadcasters Work Nonstop as First Informers to Serve Their Local Communities During Hurricane Sandy
Earlier this week, millions of people turned to broadcast radio and television to get up-to-the minute information on Hurricane Sandy. TV stations up and down the East Coast worked around the clock to ensure their communities had the information they needed to prepare for the storm as well as track the storm to know when it would hit their area.
Stations began providing wall to wall coverage starting at 4 a.m. on Monday. WUSA Washington News Director Fred D’Ambrosi led his news crew, preparing them to be on air for the next several days, ensuring viewers had the lifesaving information they needed. “Everybody left home on Saturday prepared to be gone for five to seven days,” said WBAL Baltimore’s News Director Michele Butt. “You don’t stop covering the storm just because the sun comes out.”
Stations ran non-stop storm tracking radar images and news tickers with emergency information and weather updates, with many reporters pulling 12-hour shifts. Stations also utilized text alerts, social media outlets and updates on their website and mobile apps to provide viewers with critical information.
Many stations lost power during the storm and relied on generators to provide coverage, in addition to relying on satellite, microwave trucks and mobile backpacks to submit stories.
Covering the storm was truly a team effort and affiliate stations joined together to share resources and content. Some affiliates brought in employees from other stations not affected by the storm, including Cincinnati, Tulsa and Phoenix to relieve teams working long hours.
“I salute the remarkable work of our radio and TV station colleagues now putting themselves in harm’s way to keep millions of people safe and informed on the devastation of this deadly storm,” NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith said. “As FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate noted this weekend, in times of emergency there is no more reliable source of information than that coming from local broadcasters. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of those in the path of Hurricane Sandy.”
Watch your local news and visit redcross.org to learn how you can help those affected by Hurricane Sandy.
Don’t Miss the Chance to Cheer for Your Team on Sundays!
Sunday football has been a tradition for millions of sports fans across the country for decades. This past Sunday, more than 15 million Americans tuned into broadcast TV to cheer on their favorite teams along with friends and family.
Although they may not be able to agree on a favorite team, all sports fans can agree there’s nothing worse than having to miss a game when you are on the go during game time. Thanks to mobile TV, you may never have to miss watching a live game again!
In addition to being able to watch a game no matter where you are, with mobile TV you don’t have to worry about buffering since it doesn’t depend on an Internet connection. Mobile TV uses the same TV airwaves as the big screen in your house, so you can be in a stadium with tens of thousands of people and watch the game on your mobile TV for instant replays without buffering or dropped signals. In fact everyone could watch the same replay at once on mobile TV and there wouldn’t be a problem. The TV signal is always out there, just waiting on your mobile TV enabled device to receive it. Meanwhile, if you used your smartphone or tablet to stream video in a crowded stadium, you would likely run into buffering issues – online traffic jams – since – different devices are struggling to get the same signals at the same time.
But whether you choose to watch your favorite team on the go or gathered around your set in the comfort of your own home, rest assured America’s TV broadcasters will continue bringing you the great sports and shows you love, when and where you want it.
Americans Continue to Turn to Broadcast TV During Election Season
From award shows to local football games to great shows – broadcast TV really does have it all! And election season is no exception.
In fact, according to a recent study by Pew Research, TV stations are still “the most popular source” for local news in the U.S., despite a plethora of options available in the information age.
In addition to keeping viewers informed on a daily basis with local news and weather, local TV stations have been hard at work this year to provide their viewers with coverage to ensure they are ready to cast their ballots on Tuesday, November 6.
Local broadcasters in Charlotte, N.C. and Tampa Bay, Fla. dedicated significant airtime and resources to cover the political conventions and broadcasters across the country also provided coverage of the events.
Last week, 67.2 million people watched President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney take part in the first presidential debate of this election. The major broadcast networks dominated the coverage, with ABC garnering 11.25 million viewers, NBC 11.07 million and CBS 10.58 million. Since the first nationally televised general-election in 1960 with Senator John Kennedy and Vice President Richard Nixon, Americans have turned to broadcast TV to educate themselves on important issues.
Don’t miss the opportunity to tune into your local broadcast stations for coverage of the rest of the debates, which will take place from 9-10:30 p.m.:
- October 11, 2012 – Vice President Joe Biden and Congressman Paul Ryan will debate foreign and domestic topics.
- October 16, 2012 – During this “town hall meeting” format, President Obama and Governor Romney will debate foreign and domestic policy.
- October 22, 2012 – In the final debate, President Obama and Governor Romney will debate foreign policy.
Regardless of who you’re pulling for, you can rest assured local broadcasters will deliver the information you need to be fully educated before heading to the polls in November.
Your Favorite Fall Shows Are Back on Broadcast TV!
There’s no denying the fun that comes with summer days and how it always seems to go by too quickly. But the return of fall means the return of your favorite shows on broadcast TV – as well as a few new ones! Whether it’s ABC’s “Modern Family,” NBC’s “Parks and Recreation” or FOX’s new show “The Mindy Project,” there’s much to look forward to this season.
Millions of Americans turn to broadcast TV not only for lifesaving information but for entertainment as well. Broadcast channels are your local channels and major networks – ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and Univision. You can get these channels for free without paying a cable or satellite bill, all you need is an antenna.
And broadcast TV has it all: comedies, dramas, award shows and local news! In fact, Americans choose broadcast shows more than any other. Each week, more than 90 of the top 100 primetime shows are on these channels. And thanks to the launch of mobile TV, many viewers can now take their favorite shows on the road, or anywhere they go!
Click here to find out when your favorite broadcast shows will return! Which new broadcast TV shows are you most looking forward to? Let us know in the comments!
What This Week’s FCC Meeting Means for TV Viewers
On Friday, September 28, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will meet to discuss the first steps toward implementing the upcoming spectrum incentive auction. What does that mean, and how could it impact your access to free, local broadcast television? Read on.
The government is encouraging TV stations to put their airwaves up for bid and in return share in the profit. Why? Because wireless companies want more airwaves (also called spectrum), and spectrum is a finite resource. To learn more about spectrum click here.
As part of this process, your local broadcast TV stations must make the decision to keep their airwaves and stay in business, give up part of their airwaves and share spectrum with another TV station, or put all of their airwaves up to bid and cease broadcasting.
A lot of questions remain unanswered, and TV stations continue to seek clarification on how you – the viewer – are likely to be affected by the spectrum auction. Because after the auction is complete, the FCC will ask some stations to relocate to new channels (this is called “repacking”). During that process we want to ensure that your local television stations remain available to you with no disruption in service.
In Friday’s meeting, the FCC will vote to suggest the best approaches for the logistics of the upcoming auction: conducting the initial airwaves purchase; the reassignment of stations in markets around the country; and the auction to wireless providers. We look forward to learning more from the FCC about the auction process so that we can best advocate on behalf of our viewers. We want to ensure that your ability to access the local news, information and entertainment you value is not compromised.
Following the September 28 meeting, and as the FCC moves forward with implementing the auction, we’ll keep you up to date here, so check back frequently.
Television at its Best: The 64th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards Air on Sunday!
This Sunday, September 23, millions of Americans will be watching broadcast television to see which of their favorite TV actors take home the statues at the 64th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards. Before you watch the ceremony on Sunday, take a deeper look at the award show’s history.
The Emmy Awards have honored the best in television since 1949. Many of the best broadcast shows have received critical acclaim – from M*A*S*H to Modern Family. It might surprise you to learn that even with the hundreds of TV channels available in some homes, shows on broadcast TV continue to be the most popular by far. On any given week, more than 90 of the top 100 primetime shows can be found on broadcast channels (your local channels and major networks).
While waiting to see who claims top honors, have you ever wondered where the iconic statuette of Emmy comes from? The winged woman holding an atom has remained the same since the award ceremony’s inception. Academy members went through a total of 47 proposals before selecting the statuette design from television engineer Louis McManus, which he modeled after his wife. The wings on the statuette represent the must of art while the atom represents the electron of science, successfully representing The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, which oversees the Emmy’s.
It was suggested the award be named “Immy” after the term used for the early image orthicon camera. “Immy” was later changed to “Emmy” to better fit the female statuette.
The R.S. Owens company in Chicago is responsible for creating almost 400 statuettes for the primetime Emmys. While the number of categories has changed slightly over the years, the Academy makes sure to order extra statuettes in the event of multiple winners. The extra statuettes are stored until they can be used during the following year’s ceremony. Each Primetime Emmy statuette weighs six pounds, 12 and a half ounces and is made of copper, nickel, silver and gold. It takes five and a half hours to make one statuette, and those making them wear white gloves while handling to prevent fingerprints.
Sesame Street has taken home more of these statuettes than any other show – 108 Daytime Emmys; seven Primetime Emmys; and one Lifetime Achievement Award. With 37 statuettes, Frasier has won the most Primetime Emmys in the award show’s history.
From Big Bird to Fraiser, iconic characters leave an indelible impression long after the show is over. Will you be watching the Emmy’s on Sunday? Which broadcast TV show are you rooting for?
How Will You Cheer On Your Team This Fall?
While we still have a few days to go until fall officially begins on September 22, nothing announces the arrival of fall like the first football game of the season for sports fans!
From mobile TV to the new 4K TV, viewers have a variety of options when it comes to watching their favorite teams this football season. Mobile TV (launched just last month in several cities across the country) allows you to watch the big game on the go, and because it doesn’t require an Internet connection, there’s no buffering… even if 65,000 of your closest friends are in the stadium watching TV coverage at the same time!
In addition to airing college and NFL games, local TV stations are increasing their coverage of local high school football games, many airing them in their entirety on their multicast side channels. What is that, you ask? All local TV stations began broadcasting digital signals following the 2009 Digital Television Transition (DTV). Because digital signals are more efficient, stations are able to broadcast additional channels with niche, local content (still free to viewers with a TV antenna). Want to know which stations in your area are broadcasting high school sports? Check their websites or follow them through social media to learn more.
Broadcast TV continues to provide Americans with more options for how they can watch their favorite TV programs. How will you watch your favorite teams this season?
The Political Conventions: Want to Join the Party? Local Broadcasters Have You Covered
The signs are all there. Back to school commercials. Discounted offers for last minute vacations. The welcomed respite from 100 degree days. Summer is drawing to a close. But as one season ends, another begins… election season!
The race to the White House is well underway, and you’ll be hearing more about the candidates and the issues as Democrats and Republicans hold their respective political party conventions in the coming weeks.
Worried that you’ll miss out on the party? Don’t be – your local broadcasters have you covered. Stations will be providing extensive coverage of the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa Bay, Fla., August 27-30 and the 2012 Democratic National Convention September 3-6 in Charlotte, N.C.
Preparations have been underway for Charlotte stations before the city was officially selected to host the Democratic Convention in February 2011. Stations are budgeting for overtime for staffers to work up to 12 hours a day to ensure they are providing viewers with complete coverage of the convention. Broadcast stations in Tampa Bay have surveyed stations in previous convention host cities and contacted additional employees to prepare for the influx of convention attendees. Stations in both cities are busy working with their networks and other media so coverage of the conventions is robust across the country.
Don’t miss out on the fun. Make sure to check out your local broadcast stations’ Facebook and Twitter pages for more information on what you can expect from them this election season.
