Mobile TV Waking Up in the States

Broadcaster Media General has purchased several transmitters from TV Technology Company Harris, fuelling internal rumblings that the US ASTC M/H handheld market is about to boom.

The Harris system includes a server from Roundbox, a market leader for mobile broadcast software that can create an Electronic Service Guide (ESG).

Media General boasts 18 affiliate stations starting broadcasts in Columbus Ohio and Tampa Florida.

Initial plans are to initiate two mobile TV channels for each channel it already has and after a successful trial period to implement mobile TV throughout it's broadcast catalogue in the U.S.

President of broadcast services for Media General W. Ardell Hill stated Mobile TV has given Media General the opportunity to connect with its audience on an unprecedented scale:

Mobile DTV allows us to take our content to the consumer where they want to receive it.

Hill stated it would be indispensible to the company's ongoing success to keep pace with the Mobile TV phenomenon and adapt to changes in market environment:

The reality is that the consumer has become very mobile, and it's critical that we continue to deliver news, information and local programming to our audience.