As the Federal Communications Commission considers next steps on the nation’s transition to ATSC 3.0 television broadcasting, Pearl TV today announced the NEXTGEN TV Converter Box Program, an industry-led effort focused on ensuring that over-the-air TV households have an affordable and user-friendly way to access NEXTGEN TV services while continuing to rely on free, local broadcast television.

The Pearl Converter Box Program is designed to support a new category of affordable, basic NEXTGEN TV converter boxes that connect to existing televisions and antenna products, allowing consumers to enjoy NEXTGEN TV broadcasts without the need to purchase a new NEXTGEN TV set. The initiative aligns with key policy considerations raised in the FCC’s ongoing proceeding, including consumer access, affordability, and continuity of service as NEXTGEN TV broadcasts become more widely available.

“Pearl’s NEXTGEN TV Converter Box Program specification is being developed now and will be informed by consumer research, broadcaster requirements, retail pricing requirements, labeling and certification specifications, and ongoing discussions with device manufacturers. The program establishes a common certification and interoperability framework to support a range of eligible receiving devices across participating manufacturers. The program is open to any qualified converter box manufacturer that aligns with the program's baseline device profile and affordability goals,” said Pearl TV managing director Anne Schelle.

“We anticipate that the first affordable NEXTGEN TV converters could be available later in 2026. As NEXTGEN TV adoption expands and the FCC considers future policy frameworks, these affordable devices are expected to play an important role to bridge consumers who rely on over-the-air television,” Schelle added.

At CES 2026, Pearl TV is showing early converter box examples in collaboration with industry partners. Representative NEXTGEN TV devices will be on display at next week’s CES in Las Vegas, starting Tuesday in the ATSC exhibit booth in the Central Hall Grand Lobby and include an example developed with set-top manufacturer ADTH as well as a second example developed by Skyworth (a high volume global device manufacturer) and iWedia (a certified ATSC 3.0 software stack developer). Pearl TV is also engaged in discussions with additional manufacturers, including Zinwell, as part of its broader market engagement.

The NEXTGEN TV Converter Box Program will be shaped by recent qualitative consumer research conducted by Magid indicating that consumers value affordable options that allow them to retain existing televisions while continuing to access free local news, weather, sports, and entertainment.

“We have been partnering with Pearl TV and their partners to provide key consumer insights as the NEXTGEN TV service was launched and continues to scale across all local markets in the U.S. Our work together began a decade ago, in 2016, and the results from this qualitative research are consistent with the earliest insights. This study shows that consumers are open to purchasing a converter box and many are excited about the idea of it providing a higher quality, more reliable viewing experience,” said Bill Hague, Executive Vice President at Magid. The Pearl Converter Box Program is focused on essential viewing functionality, prioritizing simplicity, familiarity, and cost-effectiveness. Magid has also begun quantitative consumer research to further inform key consumer messaging, pricing, and feature options.

To provide options for consumers and support affordability goals, the NEXTGEN TV basic receiving devices will join a roster of more advanced offerings from other companies that offer features such as digital video recording and whole home networking capability.

About Pearl TV: Pearl TV is a business organization of U.S. broadcast companies with a shared interest in exploring forward-looking broadcasting opportunities, including innovative ways of promoting local broadcast TV content and developing digital media and wireless platforms for the broadcast industry. Pearl’s membership includes Cox Media Group, Graham Media Group, Gray Television, Hearst Television Inc., Sinclair Broadcast Group, The E.W. Scripps Company, and TEGNA Inc.

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The Pearl Converter Box Program is designed to support a new category of affordable, basic NEXTGEN TV converter boxes that connect to existing televisions and antenna products, allowing consumers to enjoy NEXTGEN TV broadcasts without buying a new TV.