NAB News Technology Lab funds interactive local news via ATSC 3.0
NAB's PILOT has established the NextGen TV News Technology Lab, backed by a $2.5 million Knight Foundation grant, to help local broadcasters develop and test ATSC 3.0 applications. Initial projects include an AI-powered weather streaming initiative at WKMG and advanced emergency alerting systems at WJLA.
Key Takeaways
- WKMG in Orlando is testing an AI Weather Streaming Show that combines continuous AI-assisted hyperlocal forecasting with interactive viewer responses.
- WJLA in Washington, D.C., is piloting Advanced Emergency Information (AEI) systems to deliver richer, localized alerts during critical public safety events.
- The initiative is backed by a $2.5 million grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and is scheduled to run through 2028.
- Participating stations are required to launch real-world prototype products for testing during the multi-year program to identify scalable workflows.
Why It Matters
Broadcasters are moving beyond simple 4K simulcasting to justify the expense of ATSC 3.0 via specialized data-driven services. By shifting from linear broadcasts to interactive, IP-based experiences, local stations can better compete with digital rivals for audience attention and specialized advertising revenue. This lab serves as the industry’s primary incubator for proving whether advanced features like hyperlocal weather and multimedia alerts can drive consumer demand for NextGen TV receivers. Watch the project status reports due annually through 2028 for verified audience engagement metrics from these pilots.
Additional Context
The launch of the News Technology Lab coincides with a pivotal regulatory shift. Per The Desk in October 2025, the FCC voted unanimously to eliminate mandatory simulcasting requirements, granting broadcasters more autonomy over their ATSC 1.0 shutdown timelines. While this flexibility allows stations to prioritize NextGen TV infrastructure, the NAB continues to lobby for a structured national transition plan for 2028 to 2030 to prevent market fragmentation. Hardware adoption remains a significant bottleneck for these advanced services. According to NewscastStudio (February 2026), only about 10% of U.S. households currently possess at least one ATSC 3.0-capable device. To bridge this gap, industry consortium Pearl TV has focused on a low-cost digital-to-analog converter box initiative to expand the reachable audience for NextGen features without requiring a full television upgrade. Technical interoperability is also under intense scrutiny as these interactive apps move into newsrooms. Sinclair’s ONE Media reported in June 2026 that their annual interoperability event in Baltimore will focus specifically on Run3TV framework testing and Digital Rights Management (DRM) validation. These technical hurdles, particularly regarding the reception of encrypted signals on portable devices, are critical to the success of AEI and AI weather projects being developed within the NAB Lab.
Read full article at nabpilot.org