Brazil Opens the Stage, Korea Changes the Game.
"The ATSC 3.0 Era Has Arrived — and K-Content Is Rewriting the Rules.”
Distinguished Prof. Sam-seog Ko (Dongguk Univ.): “The next K-channel must grow as a co-evolution platform connecting the U.S., Korea, and the global market.”
Brazil sounds the opening bell. Korea changes the game. A new global route for K-content — one that bypasses Netflix and YouTube entirely — is opening in the ATSC 3.0 era.
Brazil has adopted ATSC 3.0 (TV 3.0) as its next-generation national broadcast standard, and its Minister of Communications is personally taking the stage at the 2026 NAB Show in Las Vegas starting April 18 to announce the TV 3.0 vision and ATSC 3.0 global expansion plan.
ATSC 3.0 combines higher transmission efficiency, superior indoor and mobile reception, and an IP-native architecture to transform over-the-air broadcasting from a simple channel into a unified platform for UHD, streaming, and data delivery. Born in the United States, this next-generation terrestrial standard is now emerging as the axis of a new global broadcasting order stretching from North America to South America.
Korean broadcasters, who have dominated global markets through K-content, are not standing aside. Korea is the world’s first country to commercially deploy ATSC 3.0, and is now leveraging that technical and operational experience to launch K-Channel 82 — a dedicated K-content terrestrial channel in the U.S. market.
The project places K-drama, entertainment, K-POP, and news on top of Sinclair Broadcast Group’s ATSC 3.0 network — 185 stations, 86 markets, reaching approximately 39% of all U.S. TV households — opening a direct, independent distribution route to American living rooms without passing through any OTT gatekeeper. K-Channel 82 will make its official U.S. industry debut on April 19 at the 2026 NAB Show ATSC Booth, with the Firechat “K-Content Meets ATSC 3.0” and live demonstrations of ATSC 3.0 transmission, Shoppable TV, and Datacasting.
The ripple effects are already spreading to the next continent. With Korean ATSC 3.0 transmission technology being adopted in Brazil’s TV 3.0 rollout, the prospect of the ATSC 3.0 ecosystem expanding through Argentina, Chile, and neighboring South American markets is growing rapidly. Korea and Brazil have already formalized technology and content cooperation in next-generation broadcasting. K-content, now beginning its first experiment on U.S. terrestrial airwaves, is riding this ATSC 3.0 wave — completing preparations for a new global campaign built on the playbook of “validate in America, expand through Latin America.”
Brazil’s ATSC 3.0 Declaration — NAB Show 2026
The National Association of Broadcasters has confirmed Brazil’s Minister of Communications, Frederico de Siqueira Filho, and FCC Commissioner Olivia Trusty as headline speakers for the featured session “NextGen TV and TV 3.0: A Global Conversation on the Future of Broadcasting” at the 2026 NAB Show, taking place April 18–22 (exhibits April 19–22) at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Scheduled for Monday, April 20, from 1 to 3 p.m. PT, the session is part of the Broadcast Management and Monetization Conference and will feature perspectives from the United States, Brazil, Korea, India, and the Caribbean.
“We are facing a profound transformation in the way television is produced and consumed. Brazil’s TV 3.0 will represent the definitive integration of television and the internet, placing Brazil at the forefront of innovation in broadcasting.”
— Frederico de Siqueira Filho | Minister of Communications, Brazil
Brazil is advancing a national TV 3.0 initiative built on the ATSC 3.0 standard, marking the most significant expansion of the standard’s geographic footprint to date. The session will be structured around two panels: “Bridging Standards — From ATSC 3.0 to Brazil’s TV 3.0 Platform,” focused on technical deployment strategy, and “Deploying the Future — International Broadcaster Perspectives on NextGen TV,” highlighting real-world implementations across emerging markets.
Korea participates as the world’s first country to commercially operate ATSC 3.0. NAB Show also maintains global partnerships with the Korean Radio Promotion Association (RAPA) and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).
“NextGen TV is opening a new chapter for free, over-the-air broadcasting. This conversation at NAB Show will spotlight the global momentum behind that future and how policymakers and broadcasters can work together to accelerate ATSC 3.0 deployment.”
— Curtis LeGeyt | President & CEO, NAB
16th, April, Washington — K-Channel 82 U.S. Partner Briefing
Three days before the Las Vegas opening, the real deal-making begins in Washington. Sinclair Broadcast Group will host a K-Channel 82 U.S. partner briefing at WJLA TV, its flagship Washington D.C. station, presenting the channel’s operating structure and roadmap to U.S. partners and businesses for the first time on American soil. Korean broadcasters and core partners who have signed MOUs and cooperation agreements with Sinclair will attend in person, sharing the vision and business model that will carry K-content to American viewers.
K-Channel 82, slated for a soft launch targeting the Washington D.C. area in September 2026 (tentative), is designed to reach 30 million U.S. households through Sinclair’s terrestrial broadcast network — 39 percent of all American TV homes.
Del Parks, Sinclair’s EVP of Technology, made the channel’s ambition clear at a Seoul briefing in March: “This channel targets all American viewers, not just the Korean-American community. The goal is to open a free, over-the-air distribution route for K-content — accessible by TV remote, with no streaming subscription required.”
The Washington event carries particular weight as the first time the K-Channel 82 concept is being formally presented to U.S. partners, press, and businesses — moving the conversation from Korean boardrooms to American soil. Sinclair will share its scenario for expanding the K-broadcast platform to mainstream U.S. audiences and, in a subsequent phase, to Brazil and Latin America. Following performance assessment of K-Channel 82, Sinclair is also exploring redistribution via FAST platforms and cable television.
April 19, NAB Show — Firechat: “K-Content Meets ATSC 3.0”
Washington sets the foundation; Las Vegas makes the announcement. On April 19 — the opening day of the NAB Show exhibition floor — Sinclair will host a Firechat panel at the ATSC Booth titled “K-Content Meets ATSC 3.0.”
The session opens with Sinclair CEO Chris Ripley’s official declaration of the K-Channel 82 launch, followed by a 30-minute panel discussion and live technology demonstrations.
Three themes anchor the panel debate.
First, reclaiming content sovereignty: how a free over-the-air distribution channel reshapes the negotiating power that Korean broadcasters hold against streaming gatekeepers.
Second, market opportunity: a global Hallyu fandom of 225 million, a FAST market projected to reach $10.6 billion by 2030, and Gen Z and millennial audiences who already consume K-culture as mainstream.
Third, global scalability: how the U.S. model becomes the reference architecture for K-content expansion into Brazil, India, and other ATSC 3.0-adopting markets.
The live demos that follow will walk the floor through ATSC 3.0 live transmission, Shoppable TV, Datacasting via BROADSPAN, and the ROXi interactive entertainment service — demonstrating that a terrestrial broadcast channel is now a data, commerce, and interactivity platform, not just a signal.
“What matters most is that the K-broadcast platform has moved beyond serving the Korean-American diaspora. Through ATSC 3.0, it is now targeting U.S. mainstream audiences and next-generation markets like Brazil and Latin America simultaneously. This is not content export. This is designing a co-evolution model — where K-content and partner-country platforms grow together.”
—Distinguished Prof. Samseog Ko | Dongguk University Distinguished Chair / Presidential AI Committee Member/Former Commissioner of Korean Communications Commission
2026 NAB Show Brings Together Creators, AI, Streaming, News and Sports — A Snapshot of Media’s Ongoing Evolution
The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has announced the latest lineup of speakers and sessions for the 2026 NAB Show, taking place April 18–22 (exhibits 19–22) at the Las Vegas Convention Center. This year’s program spans the creator economy, filmmaking, streaming platforms, artificial intelligence (AI), broadcast technology and journalism, with headline participation from YouTube superstar Markiplier (Mark Fischbach), legendary cinematographer Sir Roger Deakins and CNN anchor John Berman, among many others.
Karen Chupka, executive vice president of Global Connections and Events at NAB, said, “At a time when technology, creativity and business are all evolving at once, the 2026 NAB Show brings the entire ecosystem together to explore the future of content creation, distribution and monetization.”
1. Creator Economy in Focus: Expanded “Creator Lab”
The 2026 NAB Show significantly expands Creator Lab, a dedicated zone for the creator economy and digital-native creators, presented in partnership with Adobe and Blackmagic Design. The space brings together creators, brands and platforms for hands-on sessions that focus on business models, impact and AI.
Key sessions include:
“Beyond Views: Measuring Creator Impact” – Explores how to define and measure creator success beyond simple view counts, focusing on influence and long-term value.
“Creator Survival Guide: Contracts, Burnout and the Business of Building Content” – Addresses contracts, burnout, team management and sustainable creative careers.
“Are We Nervous Yet: A Creator’s Guide to AI” – Examines how AI is reshaping content production, fan relationships and creators’ long-term viability.
According to NAB, registration shows a 200% increase over 2025 in attendees who identify as content creators, influencers or podcasters, and about a 150% increase in those producing social media content, underscoring NAB Show’s rapid evolution into a hub for both traditional broadcasters and creators.
2. Media Power and Platforms: “Media and Entertainment Theater”
The Media and Entertainment Theater, produced in partnership with The Ankler, will host insider conversations on the shifting power dynamics between content, platforms and capital.
Highlights include:
“The Scary-Smart Business of Horror” – Creators and Hollywood executives explore how horror IP, digital-native talent and new financing models are redefining franchise building and scaling.
Speakers include Markiplier (creator-filmmaker behind feature film Iron Lung), Akela Cooper (screenwriter of M3GAN and Malignant), and Michael Clear, president of Atomic Monster, known for The Conjuring franchise and the upcoming The Backrooms.
“The Cost of Bearing Witness: Journalist Safety in a Polarized America” – Moderated by CNN anchor John Berman, the session addresses journalist safety and reporting challenges in increasingly polarized and high-risk environments.
Additional sessions in this track include:
“The Evolving Paradigm of Broadcast News” – Veteran journalist Deborah Norville and Perry Sook, chairman and CEO of Nexstar Media Group, discuss how news organizations are adapting to new technologies and business models.
“Who Controls the Pipe? Platform Distribution, Power and the New Deal Economics” – Executives from NBCUniversal and Roku dissect power shifts between platforms and content companies in distribution.
“Putting the New Back in News” – Executives from CBS LA, CBC News, Hearst Television and Gray News explore how to reframe TV news output across multiple platforms to remain relevant and resonant with audiences.
3. Filmmaking Craft in “CineCentral”: Sir Roger Deakins in the Spotlight
The CineCentral program will highlight the art and craft of filmmaking, offering an interactive space for cinematographers, directors, camera operators and creators.
On April 20 at 1:30 p.m., Sir Roger Deakins and his wife and collaborator James Deakins will appear in a live discussion to share insights from their careers and their book “Reflections: On Cinematography.”
CineCentral programming features live demonstrations, expert-led training and hands-on workshops, focusing on practical cinematic storytelling techniques.
Workshops such as “The Storyteller’s Guide to Production on a Tight Budget” cover planning, resource management and maintaining creative intent within constraints.
4. AI, Cloud and New Workflows: AI Pavilions and Enterprise Video
Another pillar of the 2026 NAB Show is AI and cloud-enabled production. Reflecting how rapidly AI has moved from experimentation to everyday use across media workflows, NAB has added a second AI Pavilion on the show floor.
The new Enterprise Video Strategies track focuses on how organizations are scaling video across communications, marketing and operations.
“Architecting ROI: Scalable Virtual Production for Enterprise Teams” – Examines how enterprise teams are building efficient, repeatable virtual production models that deliver measurable ROI.
Notable AI and technology sessions include:
“The Augmented Studio: Supercharging Creativity with the Power of AI” – Anil Jain (Google Cloud) and Márcia Mayer (Google DeepMind) discuss how AI is transforming production, editing and visual storytelling workflows.
“Powering Intelligent Media: From AI Experimentation to Real-World Impact” – Silvia Candiani, VP of Telecommunications, Media and Gaming at Microsoft, outlines how media organizations are moving AI from pilot projects into operational deployment.
“Securing Distributed Broadcast Operations: Field Safety, Infrastructure Protection and Modern Media Networks” – A Broadcast Engineering and IT Conference session addressing cybersecurity and operational resilience in distributed broadcast environments.
“Transforming Media Delivery: Live Sports Innovation and Broadcast-Broadband Convergence” – Explores how hybrid broadcast-broadband architectures are reshaping the scale and delivery of live sports.
“Imaging at Unprecedented Scale for Sphere” – Andrew Shulkind (Sphere Entertainment) and Rich Welsh (SMPTE president) showcase ultra-high-resolution imaging and the Big Sky camera system powering immersive experiences at Sphere.
5. Four-Day Sports Summit: A New Era of Sports Media
As previously announced, the Sports Summit, powered by Lumen Technologies, expands to four days in 2026. Held in the Sports Theater in the West Hall, the summit brings together league executives, media companies and technology platforms to examine the rapidly evolving sports media landscape, from production innovations to new revenue models and fan engagement strategies.
6. “A Lineup that Mirrors Where the Industry Is Right Now”
“The 2026 NAB Show lineup truly reflects where the industry is right now: a powerful mix of emerging creators and world-class storytellers, alongside the technologies shaping how content is made and delivered,” said Karen Chupka. “We’re seeing that same momentum in our registration, with a significant influx of new voices joining established leaders from across the global media ecosystem.”