TVJ switches on its second NextGenTV site

Television Jamaica (TVJ) switched on its second NextGenTV transmitter on Sunday as it continues rolling out the latest global standard in television transmission, ATSC 3.0.

The second site was commissioned into service at Flower Hill in Montego Bay, St James. This follows the launch of the first at TVJ’s Lyndhurst Road location in St Andrew in January, which made Jamaica the third country – behind the United States and South Korea – to switch on a NextGenTV transmission service.

The state-of-the-art NextGenTV experience promises much for Jamaican viewers, as the strength of the over-the-air reach from broadcasters becomes enhanced with Internet capabilities.

Signals from the new site will be showcased at a special workshop conference on ATSC 3.0 at the Ocean Coral Spring hotel in Trelawny, from July 11 to 14. The conference – which is being presented by Advanced Television Standards Committee (ATSC) Inc in partnership with the Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica and the Spectrum Management Authority – will feature a boot camp delivered by members of the ATSC Inc, an organisation of which TVJ is a member.

Pleased with progress

Gary Allen, chief executive officer of the RJRGLEANER Communications Group, of which TVJ and The Gleaner are members, is pleased with the progress of the roll-out.

“The team has been working well in pulling together all that is required to achieve a structured and systematic deployment of this new digital transmission standard for Jamaica,” he said. “Having switched on our first site in the nation’s capital, the island’s Second City was the next logical choice.”

Michael Henlin, chief technology officer of the RJRGLEANER Communications Group, is satisfied with the strength of the local team in rolling out the new technology.

“We continue to learn and grow with each execution of this roll-out and we are very excited about the improved service being offered and the additional services that we will be able to offer to our audiences,” he said.

TVJ General Manager Dr Claire Grant is eager to see local audiences experience, not just TVJ, but also RETV, JNN and TVJSN over the air.

“NextGenTV will be available on some mobile devices without needing data. Advertising can be targeted to specific areas and viewership figures can be received in almost real time. Emergency warning messages will be embedded and, through their home antenna, consumers will get multiple channels free of charge,” Grant said.