A consortium of mobile broadcasters have announced that Washington, DC will be the pilot city in a new endeavor to sponsor free mobile DTV (digital TV) broadcasts to cell phones. The DTV broadcasts will cover the Metro DC area, and be available on mobile phones, notebook computers, and Web-enabled car communications systems.
While the launch date is still fuzzy, the broadcasters say mobile access DTV will likely be rolled out late July, and will include content from the local DC affiliates for CBS, Fox, NBC and other major broadcasters.
The broadcast content will be the same as that available to local cable subscribers, and unfortunately, will include all the usual commercial advertising spots.
Though the rollout is well underway, there is still some question about which devices will be able to receive the DTV signal. Video enabled mobile phones are of course the most likely candidate, but PDAs, net books and other mobil devices may also be included.
Dell, for example, will be releasing a new net book later this year, according to company sources, which will include a mobile DTV receiver. Kenwood and other car entertainment system manufacturers are also developing products using mobile DTV receivers. Samsung, LG and other mobile device manufacturers are also jumping on the DTV bandwagon, and hope to have products out by the fourth quarter of 2009.
The Washington, DC mobile DTV project is just the first step in a nationwide plan to beam mobile television signals throughout dozens of American cities. The broadcasters plan to have DTV up and running in New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, Atlanta and other major metropolitan areas by the end of 2009.
So what exactly is driving the rush to rollout mobile DTV? One word: advertising.
Broadcasters are hoping to increase advertising revenue by targeting consumers on the go with mobile DTV ads. Broadcast television advertising revenue has been on a downward trend lately, due mainly to the increased popularity of the Internet. Polls show that Americans are spending less time in front of the “boob tube,” and more time online. Obviously, the broadcasters want to be wherever the consumer’s eyeballs are, so financing mobile DTV throughout the United States could be a solid investment.
But like any new technology, there are bound to be problems and legal hurdles. For example: how long will it be before specific states begin enacting laws forbidding watching television while driving a car? Once the usual broadcast TV signals are freely available in cars, you can bet your bottom dollar that there will be careless drivers who attempt to ”multitask” by watching “The View” while negotiating rush-hour traffic…
And of course, there are cultural considerations. Many media critics feel that average Americans spend way too much time in front of the television already. Once it is available 24-7, everywhere that you go, it will be that much harder to avoid mindlessly vegging out in front of the tube. But that’s progress for you…
