Broadcasters to unveil mobile TV plans at CES in battle over spectrum

Television broadcasters have said they need to keep over-the-air television spectrum for future plans to bring digital television to mobile devices. It's a strategy that the much-beleaguered industry believes will create new revenue streams along with greater entertainment and news options for consumers.

At the Consumer Electronics Show this week, they will showcase some of those technologies in hopes of luring interest by the tech industry. Their exhibits are also a way to convince Washington policymakers -- many of whom will be in attendance -- that they should be allowed to keep spectrum for future mobile and other television plans.

The National Association of Broadcasters said in a statement Monday that more than a dozen mobile digital television will be on exhibit, slated to be delivered to consumers this year. Broadcasteers also will unveil a technology called Sezmi that combines poular content over broadcast and niche content over broadband for viewers.

"Such services represent the vibrant future of broadcast-based services that will greatly benefit the public, and cannot be replicated by broadband," said Gordon Smith, president of NAB in a release. "Their foundation is digital television spectrum."

In a debate over wireless spectrum, broadcasters carry a lonely battle cry as the Obama administration, Federal Communications Commission and wireless carriers agree that more of it needs to be released for mobile broadband services.