Tablet Television Moves Toward Commercial Launch

LAS VEGAS, April 7, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Tablet Television LLC [www.tablet-tv.com], America's first broadcast TV service for tablets, announced today during a press conference at the 2014 NAB Show briefing room #N242 that Tablet TV is available for live demo at the 2014 NAB Show taking place April 7-10^th at the Las Vegas Convention Center Booth N2439 in the North Hall.  The Company also announced today plans for its first beta market test in San Francisco and start of commercial operations in the fall 2014.

Tablet TV LLC, a joint venture of Motive Television plc and Granite Broadcasting Corporation, truly puts television a touch away for portable devices with no subscription fee, cable, satellite or Internet required. Utilizing existing ATSC distribution viewers will be able to receive direct, free over-the-air television transmissions to their portable devices. This first broadcast TV service for tablets will enable viewers to watch and record live broadcast content in high definition in every market in the U.S. and, in association with local broadcasting partners, will be able to provide on-demand packages. Additional features such as fully-integrated social television will be available to Internet connected viewers.

Tablet TV will conduct its first full market beta test this summer in San Francisco. The beta test will be conducted in partnership with Granite's KOFY-TV. Leading up to the San Francisco launch, Tablet TV expects to work with Frank N. Magid Associates, Inc. to fine tune its feature and service offering, as well as its consumer marketing efforts. Tablet TV expects to commence commercial operations in fall 2014.

Leonard M Fertig, CEO of Motive commented, "We are extremely pleased with the successful testing of the commercial design, which utilizes Motive's proven technology in use in markets around the globe, and the continued progress toward the launch of Tablet TV. Tablets are the fastest growing media device in U.S. history and the ability to directly watch and record over-the-air HD television and receive VoD with no broadband connection creates a compelling proposition for anytime, anywhere, any device viewing."

Granite Chairman Peter Markham commented, "Tablet TV is a unique service that we envision making available to every viewer in the U.S. with a tablet and access to a local television station signal where the most popular programs on free Over the-Air (OTA) television are found. It is a broadcaster friendly offering that requires no capital investment and enhances local broadcaster's business models by extending their brand and content, leveraging their existing digital distribution network, and creating new revenue opportunities. With a compelling offering for viewers and broadcasters, we look forward to our beta launch in San Francisco later this year, a technology savvy market that we believe will be very receptive to Tablet TV."

Tablet TV will be the first complete television service for the U.S. market of 140 million tablet users using the current over the air high definition (HD) ATSC broadcast television signals that will provide access to current HD broadcast television prime time TV and sports, plus on-demand movies and programs. The new television service will be marketed in cooperation with participating broadcasters in each market as it rolls out across the United States, starting with the television markets that Granite Television serves.

With patented and proprietary technology, tablet owners in every market will be able to watch and record all the programming currently broadcast over all the digital terrestrial channels and networks. Additionally, Tablet TV subscribers will be able to download a selection of video-on-demand movies and programs without the need for Internet access and, when they are connected, use integrated social networking and access anything available over the Internet.

Video viewing on tablets is rapidly increasing, with recent figures from GFK showing that 33% of Americans own a tablet and watch at least one hour of video every day on them. According to the DRG U.S. Personal Computer, Tablet, & Mobile Phone Historical Baseline and Forecast, U.S. Tablet users exceeded 140 million in 2013 with active tablets in use projected to exceed 340 million by 2017.

About Motive Television
Motive Television is the developer of innovative patented software solutions for the television industry that enable our clients to offer on-demand content over any network to any device. We have the knowhow and ability to customize our software to work with existing networks, saving our clients substantial expenditures. Our customers are broadcasters, satellite platforms, cable operators, and telecoms.

About Granite Broadcasting
Granite Broadcasting Corporation is a market-leading owner of local media properties in the U.S. The company's operations include broadcast TV stations, local cable TV channels, and local online and mobile media properties. Television network partners include Fox, NBC, CBS, ABC, The CW and My Network TV. Granite's local media operations are characterized by innovative, best of breed management and market leading franchises.

SOURCE Tablet Television LLC