CTA, NAB Agree to Run Cleveland Tribune Facility as ATSC 3.0 ‘Living Laboratory’

CTA and NAB will team to run a transmission facility at WJW, Tribune Media's Fox TV affiliate in Cleveland, as a “living laboratory” to support implementation of ATSC 3.0, said the groups Tuesday in an announcement a little more than a week before FCC commissioners are expected to authorize 3.0's voluntary deployment (see 1710270063). The FCC granted NAB an experimental license to operate a full-power Channel 31 transmission facility at the site to help broadcasters and consumer tech companies prepare to deliver 3.0 products and services, the groups said. The associations will “oversee and manage the station’s activities,” they said. CTA told us a year ago it was in “the planning phase” for field-testing 3.0 reception at WJW (see 1611280030), which also ran the first live 3.0 broadcast of a major professional sporting event when it beamed Game 2 of the World Series between the Cleveland Indians and Chicago Cubs from Cleveland's Progressive Field in October 2016 (see 1610260072). The Tribune station for years also has hosted 3.0 technology field trials (see 1507130007). NAB has had an experimental license from the FCC for operating the Cleveland test station for over a year, spokesman Dennis Wharton said Tuesday. The license was renewed in September for a two-year extension, he said. As for whether the CTA-NAB initiative at WJW would continue under the station's Sinclair ownership if Sinclair's Tribune buy is approved, "we’re not commenting on potential future business transactions involving the Cleveland test station," said Wharton.