How ATSC 3.0 Is Driving Public Broadcast Innovation

With its IP-based architecture, improved bandwidth, and robust signal penetration, ATSC 3.0 is ideal for delivering targeted, reliable information, even in areas with limited internet or cellular access. These capabilities enable public broadcasters to inform, educate, and support local communities through new and exciting methods.

Public media organizations across North America are leveraging ATSC 3.0 to serve communities in ways that go far beyond traditional programming.

Municipal Innovation In Calgary

Municipal Innovation Iin Calgary

In collaboration with Humber Polytechnic, the City of Calgary is using ATSC 3.0 to explore how broadcast infrastructure can support municipal communication. One standout application is dynamic digital signage: LED panels placed throughout the city can be updated remotely via broadcast to display public safety alerts, traffic notices, and school zone warnings. This approach eliminates the need for cellular connectivity or manual servicing and reflects a broader interest in using ATSC 3.0 to improve access to public services, education, and emergency information.

Emergency Paging Iin North Carolina

Emergency Paging Iin North Carolina

PBS North Carolina is leveraging a groundbreaking emergency paging system using ATSC 3.0 datacasting. The system replaces legacy analog paging, which has long suffered from limited coverage, poor audio quality, and lack of encryption. These constraints often result in delayed or incomplete dispatches, especially in rural or underfunded areas, putting lives and property at risk.

By contrast, the ATSC 3.0-based system delivers secure, encrypted digital alerts that reach responders instantly, even in buildings or remote areas where cellular service is unavailable. Field tests across North Carolina have shown strong performance, with live dispatches reaching multiple counties and deep signal penetration indoors. The system also supports interoperability across jurisdictions and can transmit additional data such as location-based services, pre-plans, and video.

Expanding Access Tto Education Aand Health

Expanding Access Tto Education Aand Health

In North Carolina and other states, public broadcasters — in collaboration with the Information Equity Initiative — are delivering educational content to underserved students via specialized set-top boxes. These devices are also used in healthcare centers and correctional facilities, offering secure, one-way access to curated information. The same infrastructure is being used to support pre- and postnatal education and public health messaging.

Trials in Washington, Baltimore and Denver are using ATSC 3.0 to deliver ultra-precise time signals — critical for power grids, financial systems, and telecom networks. The Denver site, in particular, is playing a key role in supporting testing at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), a vital step in validating the system’s accuracy and reliability. With high-power broadcast signals, BPS complements GPS and enhances national infrastructure resilience, especially in emergency scenarios where satellite signals may be degraded or spoofed.

These initiatives demonstrate how ATSC 3.0 is offering public broadcasters the opportunity to not only solidify themselves as indispensable civic partners but also become a core part of critical, everyday infrastructure. By complementing existing technologies like cellular and internet, ATSC 3.0 offers a scalable, reliable platform that helps broadcasters fulfill their public service mandate more fully than ever before.

Partnering With ATSC 3.0 Experts Is Key To Moving Forward

For broadcasters ready to explore these opportunities, the first step is connecting with an ATSC 3.0 technology expert who can help assess infrastructure and guide implementation. From there, partnerships with civic agencies — such as departments of transportation, justice, or emergency services — can bring these applications to life. Support is available through ATSC, the NextGen TV Innovation Board and a growing network of subject matter experts who are leading deployments and sharing best practices.

Public media has a long history of experimentation and community service. ATSC 3.0 offers a chance to return to that spirit by imagining new ways to serve, innovate, and lead.

Mark Corl is SVP of advanced technology Development, Triveni Digital, and chair of ATSC’s Specialist Group S38.

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