The Open Mobile Video Coalition, an alliance of TV broadcasters dedicated to accelerating the development of mobile DTV service, said today that 63 TV station have committed to launching DTV service this year.

The mix of commercial and noncommercial stations will offer the service in 22 markets covering the 35 percent of U.S. TV homes, the OMVC said at a press conference at the CES in Las Vegas.

The "first wave" of mobile DTV broadcasters includes nine noncommercial stations and 54 commercials stations belonging to Belo, Cox, Dispatch, Fisher, Fox, Gannett, Hearst-Argyle, Ion, LIN, Media General, NBC, Post-Newsweek, Raycom, Schurz, Scripps, Sinclair and Sunbeam.

The commercial stations include 14 NBC affiliates, nine ABC affiliates, nine CBS affiliates, five FOX affiliates, nine ION affiliates, four CW affiliates and four MNT affiliates.

The markets run the gamut from New York City (DMA 1) to Toledo, Ohio (DMA 71).

"Following a very smooth ATSC mobile DTV standard setting process, broadcasters are on track to deliver local and national broadcast television to mobile audiences," said Brandon Burgess, OMVC President and ION Media Networks Chairman and CEO.

"The collaboration and dedication among TV broadcasters on this project has been gratifying, enabling us to meet our goal of making mobile broadcast DTV a reality in 2009."

The new technology enables the broadcasters to provide live, local and national over-the-air digital television to consumers via next-generation portable and mobile devices at pedestrian and vehicular speeds.

"Broadcaster-provided mobile DTV will give consumers local-station programming in a true digital format. It will also give broadcasters the opportunity to participate in this service using their own channels," said David Lougee, president of Gannett Broadcasting.
To showcase the consumer experience of mobile DTV and the technical feasibility of the ATSC candidate standard, the OMVC conducted a live demonstration at CES today.

The demo involved multiple Las Vegas-based television stations broadcasting popular local and national TV programs, music video, along with local sports and public affairs programming, to ATSC compliant devices produced by LG Electronics and Samsung Electronics and using transmission equipment manufactured by Harris Corp.