(From Todd Epp, Northern Plains News)
South Dakota Public Broadcasting faces another funding challenge while it faces a substantial cut to its federal funding.
But the new technology could also provide new opportunities for SDPB and South Dakotans.
SDPB is evaluating “NextGen TV,” or ATSC 3.0, to potentially transform its service across the state. The upgraded standard promises 4K broadcasts, stronger mobile reception, and geo-targeted emergency alerts. But modernizing SDPB’s nine full-power transmitters and six low-power translators could cost millions, prompting critical discussions over funding and timing.
Why It Matters
ATSC 3.0 merges internet-style delivery with over-the-air broadcasting, opening doors to richer programming, targeted warnings, and public-service data—like educational content in broadband-poor areas.
Nationwide, approximately 76 percent of U.S. households now receive NextGen signals, according to the Advanced Television Systems Committee. However, South Dakota stations, including SDPB, remain on ATSC 1.0. SDPB’s decision on whether and when to convert could reshape how it serves education, emergency response, and rural communities.
How ATSC 3.0 Works and What It Costs
ATSC 3.0 supports high-efficiency codecs like HEVC, HDR visuals, immersive audio formats such as Dolby AC-4, interactivity, and mobile reception, according to ATSC technical documentation.
Conversion costs vary. PBS engineering briefs estimate that minor transmitter upgrades run around $300,000, while advanced systems—such as single-frequency networks—may reach $4 million per site.
Triveni Digital, a broadcast technology firm, launched a program this year to help public broadcasters manage those expenses, according to TV Technology. CPB estimates the typical upgrade for public stations ranges from $600,000 to $3 million.
Benefits for the Public
One significant advantage is advanced emergency alerting. ATSC 3.0 can deliver geo-targeted warnings with text, maps, and video instructions and wake up compatible receivers, according to an ATSC white paper.
The AWARN Alliance, a public-safety advocacy group, told the FCC earlier this year that ATSC 3.0 requires a full 6 MHz channel to realize its emergency capabilities, calling it a “game-changer” for rural states where cell service is unreliable.
Datacasting is another benefit. Public stations elsewhere are testing ways to deliver school lessons, telehealth information, or encrypted data for first responders over broadcast signals. The National Association of Broadcasters says this could fill gaps in communities lacking reliable internet.
National Rollout
The FCC approved ATSC 3.0 in 2017. ATSC reports that nearly three-quarters of U.S. households are now in markets with at least one NextGen TV station. Broadcasters in Minneapolis and Denver already air the signal. At the 2025 ATSC NextGen Broadcast Conference, industry leaders said a timeline to phase out ATSC 1.0 will be essential to unlock the new system’s full capabilities.
Some public TV stations have already implemented ATSC 3.0. Arizona PBS in Phoenix was among the first public broadcasters to adopt the new standard in 2018, as part of the Phoenix Model Market project. WKAR-TV in Michigan, operated by Michigan State University, also launched an experimental ATSC 3.0 service in 2018 and later received a $1 million Department of Education grant to expand educational uses of the technology.
By mid-2022, at least 12 public stations had adopted ATSC 3.0, according to TV Technology. CPB and FEMA together awarded $1.8 million in 2024 to support emergency alerting upgrades tied to ATSC 3.0 deployments in four states.
Where South Dakota Stands
SDPB operates nine full-power transmitters—Vermillion, Sioux Falls, Brookings, Aberdeen, Lowry, Pierre, Eagle Butte, Martin, and Rapid City—and six low-power translators in Belle Fourche, Edgemont, Pine Ridge, Pringle, Spearfish, and Wagner. Despite this extensive network, as of August 2025, no FCC filings or industry reports indicate that SDPB or any other South Dakota commercial TV station has begun ATSC 3.0 broadcasts.
What This Means for SDPB
ATSC 3.0 presents SDPB with an opportunity to expand its mission in education and safety. But the high upfront costs and the loss of federal funding for public media mean the decision carries risks. Whether SDPB moves ahead proactively or waits for mandates, its choice will shape how South Dakota residents receive information, warnings, and educational content in the decades to come.
