The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has partnered with The E.W. Scripps Company, IT consultancy Fincons Group and The News Literacy Project to create a demonstration of how news companies can “embrace the interactive content opportunities of NextGen TV to fight misinformation.”
The demonstration focuses on “how local TV newsrooms can utilize NextGen TV – also known as ATSC 3.0 – to create dynamic and interactive content on important topics like news literacy, helping to combat one of the biggest problems facing our democracy – and the media industry – today: misinformation,” the NAB announcement says.
The 8-minute demo shows real-life examples of how consumers can take an active role in researching credible news sources and testing their own news literacy skills by engaging with interactive content via live programming, thanks to a NextGen TV-compliant application that presents quizzes, polls, tips, a video-on-demand library and additional resources.
Why NAB Relies on NextGen TV
The demonstration is part of an NAB Show Premiere session at 12:30 p.m. ET on April 21.
Following the demonstration, leaders from the participating companies – experts across technology, journalism and news literacy – will engage in an interactive Q&A and networking session at 1 p.m. to discuss the issue of news literacy, what broadcasters can do to help dispel misinformation and how NextGen TV can be activated within newsrooms to engage viewers in this topic and others.
“The important role broadcasters play in educating and engaging American viewers is more vital than ever as we look at the landscape of misinformation that has permeated our culture,” said Sam Matheny, chief technology officer of NAB, in the association announcement.
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“NAB is proud to partner with Scripps, Fincons and the News Literacy Project on this session, which uses best-in-class technology to showcase real-life uses of NextGen TV capabilities, inspiring newsrooms and media decision makers on how we can collectively move the conversation on news literacy forward while embracing this new broadcasting standard,” said Matheny.
“NextGen TV is a terrific opportunity for companies like Scripps to further our mission to inform, engage and entertain our consumers,” said Scripps president and CEO Adam Symson in the announcement. “I’m proud of the work Scripps and our partners carried out to innovate with this technology to support our goal to enhance news literacy – critical to the future of our democracy and the news business at large.”
“We’re excited that news literacy is the focus of this demonstration that shows how new technology can be used in innovative ways to educate people to recognize fact from fiction,” said Darragh Worland, VP of creative services for the News Literacy Project. “We’re grateful to our partners in this demo and hope this takes off as an exciting new way for people to check and interact with the information they’re receiving.”
