Local news viewership dominates Mobile DTV trial

Sixty-five percent of Washington, D.C.-area consumers taking part in a Mobile DTV trial access the service each day, with 22 percent tuning in three or more times per day, according to the Open Mobile Video Coalition, the U.S. broadcasting industry association spearheading the test. Nine regional broadcasters are participating in the Mobile DTV trial, which launched in May and transmits 23 TV channels of local content to about 400 participants accessing the service via phones and portable DVD players equipped with Mobile DTV chips. Local news viewership dominates all other content access, the OMVC notes.

About 45 U.S. stations are now streaming Mobile DTV service, the OMVC reports--the organization's executive director Anne Schelle tells The Wall Street Journal about 70 stations will roll out service by the end of 2010. At present, just one Mobile DTV-enabled device, an LG portable DVD player, is available for sale, although the OMVC anticipates roughly 20 new devices will debut at the CES show early next year. "By the end of 2011 or by the first half of 2012, I think you'll see most of the U.S. population covered in terms of Mobile DTV offerings," said Ronen Jashek, vice president of marketing for digital mobile TV receiver chip supplier Siano Mobile Silicon. "But it just takes time. Everyone is making sure they get everything right."

For more on the Mobile DTV trial:
- read this Wall Street Journal article

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