Live from InterBEE Japan: NAB's Gordon Smith Highlights ATSC 3.0 and Importance of Live Sports Broadcasting By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director
Thursday, November 14, 2019 - 12:14 am
Print This Story
Story Highlights
In a year when international sports are dominating Japan it is only fitting that sports broadcasting and production was the main theme of Inter Bee 2019, Japan's major broadcasting and digital technology exhibition. Gordon Smith, NAB, president and CEO, took to the stage to discuss the tight relationship between sports content, over-the-air broadcasting, and the future deployment of ATSC 3.0.
NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith discussed the important relationship between sports and broadcasting at Inter BEE, Japan's annual broadcast exhibition.
It's obvious to all of us that live sports content remains the most popular broadcast content worldwide, said Smith. The most watched events are the Olympics and the World Cup and in the U.S. 18 of the top 20 primetime telecasts in 2018 where sports related with the NFL ranking the top spots. And all but one of those 18 shows aired on broadcast TV.
Smith tied together the need for broadcasters to invest in innovation in order to serve local communities. Those investments expand and improve the quality of the content that viewers and listeners value.
No other medium connects and supports the sports we love to fans and neighbors across the country, he said. Here in Japan the same broadcast community provides the best sports content and [broadcasters in the U.S and Japan] have a deep respect for each other and forums like this where we share ideas and technologies. At NAB last year we had over 1,000 Japanese attendees and we appreciate our close working relationship with NHK at the NAB show where they have been a consistent exhibitor of advanced technology. The first HDTV system was shown in the U.S. at NAB in the late 1980s. Their contributions along with NEC on things like 8K, UHD, hybrid broadcasting displays, and other demos allow our attendees to see technological wonders they otherwise would no see anywhere.
Stating that broadcast sports is the economic anchor for broadcasters in the U.S., Smith discussed the new opportunities around ATSC 3.0, the next-generation over-the-air broadcast standard that opens the door to reach sports fans in new ways.
Gordon Smith said ATSC 3.0 will be deployed in 70 percent of U.S. markets by the end of 2020.
It's the world's first broadcast standard with both broadcast and broadband together, he explained. Broadcasters will be able to deliver UHD video quality with theater-like sound along with interactive applications and mobile reception. And the U.S. is committed to deploying it with 61 stations covering 70 percent of the U.S. to begin ATSC 3.0 broadcasting in 2020.
The type of exciting next-gen applications that it will allow include things like giving sports fans the ability to pull up statistics on the same screen as the game itself. And the ability for reception on the go has caught the eye of rental car companies like Avis and Budget while the ability to geo-target can provide a lifeline by allowing for targeted public warnings to be delivered as efficiently as possible. And NAB is doing what it can to make sure broadcasters have maximum freedom in terms of the type of services that can be deployed.
We are working with the government to ensure there is as much flexibility as possible for broadcasters to provide the very best services to viewers, said Smith.
He also gave the Japanese broadcasters, cellular service providers, and consumer electronics manufacturers credit for placing FM receiver chips in cellular phones and allowing for consumers to receive FM signals on phones. In times of emergency, when cellphone networks can be unreliable, those efforts could save lives.
Technologies are changing the game for sports broadcasters, he said, adding that artificial intelligence will make it easier for the creation and distribution of sports highlights. Broadcasting is becoming more immersive, more interactive, and a more personalized experience and it will continue to evolve and transform the experience and also create new revenue streams.
North America Stories
08/01/2026
At CFP Semifinals, ESPN Again Flexes Its Operational Muscle With 20+ MegaCast Vi...
08/01/2026
SVG Students To Watch: Sophie Fowler, University of OregonThe Portland product has honed her skills as a producer, director, and TD at Quack VideoBy Brandon Cos...
08/01/2026
Follow the Money, Episode 3: Inside the Sports-Media Biz With Sam McCleery and K...
08/01/2026
SVG New Sponsor Spotlight: Qualstar's Jeff Sengpiehl on the Enduring Power a...
08/01/2026
Legendary February: Production Leaders at NBC Sports Pull Back the Curtain on Ol...
08/01/2026
The Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) today announced several updates to its Board of Directors. As part of HPA's annual governance cycle, new leader...
08/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
08/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
08/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
08/01/2026
Spain's national public broadcaster, RTVE, has upgraded one of its main television production facilities in Madrid with the installation of two Alfalite NEO...
08/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
08/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
08/01/2026
Maxon's new release of Cinebench features performance enhancements and adds support for the latest Nvidia and AMD GPUs as well as Apple Silicon.
Maxon is t...
08/01/2026
Zixi, the industry leader in IP-based video transport and orchestration, today announced the appointment of Heather Mellish as Vice President, Global Sales.
In...
08/01/2026
Pebble, the leading automation, content management and integrated channel specialist, has provided a complete update of its installation at Canal Sur in Spain. ...
08/01/2026
iWedia, a global leader in software solutions for connected TV devices, proudly announces the success of its collaboration with Panasonic on the Z95B OLED TV, o...
08/01/2026
Secuoya Chile, a leading provider of television content creation and supporting services, has invested in Ikegami UHK-X600 and UHL-X40 broadcast cameras as the ...
08/01/2026
Kiloview, a global leader in AV-over-IP solutions, will showcase its latest innovations at ISE 2026, highlighting the continued evolution of its complete, light...
08/01/2026
iWedia, a global leader in software solutions for connected TV devices, and Realtek, a leading global SoC design house, today announced the next phase of their ...
08/01/2026
CJP Broadcast has completed a new pitch-side media installation for Cinderford RFC, creating a flexible production setup that supports match coverage, coaching ...
08/01/2026
PlayBox Neo further drives momentum in Playout, Streaming, Media Management and Delivery
"With a brand new year at PlayBox Neo already off to a flying start, I...
08/01/2026
Boston Conservatory at Berklee Presents Second Annual Commercial Dance BFA Conce...
08/01/2026
Back to All News
New Korean Series Beauty in the Beast' (WT) in Production...
08/01/2026
The next universal technology since the smartphone is on the horizon - and it ma...
08/01/2026
In the rolling hills of Berkeley, California, an AI agent is supporting high-stakes physics experiments at the Advanced Light Source (ALS) particle accelerator....
08/01/2026
NVIDIA is wrapping up a big week at the CES trade show with a set of GeForce NOW...
07/01/2026
SVG Summit 2025: All General Sessions Now Available To Watch on SVG PLAYThe SVG Summit celebrated its 20th edition with a loaded agendaBy Brandon Costa, Directo...
07/01/2026
NBCU's Brings Rinkside Live' and Courtside Live' Features to Peaco...
07/01/2026
NASA's Space Launch System rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft launches on the Artemis I flight test, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, from Launch Complex 39B at ...
07/01/2026
For the first time ever, new C' variants allow international users to interoperate with U.S. personnel via NSA-certified cryptography....
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Back to All News
The Trailer of Paparazzi King: The 5-Episode Docuseries Coming...
07/01/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Supports Warner Bros. Discovery Board's Commitment...
07/01/2026
Back to All News
What Next? Netflix Reveals Series, Films and Games Coming in 2026
Entertainment
07 January 2026
Global
Link copied to clipboard
Download ...
07/01/2026
AI has transformed retail and consumer packaged goods (CPG) operations, enhancin...
Live from InterBEE Japan: NAB's Gordon Smith Highlights ATSC 3.0 and Importance of Live Sports Broadcasting By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director 
