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The Countdown to NextGen TV Starts Now

Plus, IHOP tries to flip 20,000 flapjacks

March 07, 2025

Welcome to The TV Room. Your weekly digest of television, streaming, and digital media insights that matter.

This week we're covering:

  • 📡 NAB Wants NextGen by 2030

  • ✂️ Amazon Takes a Prime Cut

  • 🎥 Creative Spotlight: Chipotle: “Unfolded:60”

  • 🥞 IHOP Goes for Guinness

NAB Proposes TV Transition to NextGen by 2030

The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) is making a bold move to revolutionize television broadcasting, petitioning the FCC to establish firm deadlines for shutting down current TV signals in favor of NextGen TV technology.

The proposed two-phase transition would require:

  • Top 55 markets (covering 70% of US population) to switch by February 2028

  • All remaining stations to transition by February 2030

NextGen TV broadcasts already reach over 80% of US households - but the current requirement to simulcast in both old and new formats limits its full potential.

What needs to change?

The NAB's petition calls for several key updates:

  • Requiring all new TV sets sold after February 2028 to include NextGen TV tuners

  • Adjusting cable "must-carry" rules to account for technical differences

  • Coordinating market-wide transitions to ensure all commercial stations switch simultaneously

"The time for half-measures is over," NAB declared in its petition. "Next Gen TV is here, and it is delivering real benefits. But to realize its full promise, the FCC must take decisive action."

The challenge? Only about 10% of new TVs shipped in 2024 contained NextGen TV tuners, despite support from major manufacturers like Sony, Samsung, and Hisense. The proposed mandate aims to accelerate adoption and ensure no viewers are left behind when the old signals sunset.

The aggressive proposal presents a complex task ahead for the FCC and the nation's 1,767 full-power stations to fully shut off ATSC 1.0 and embrace the NextGen TV future. The NAB argues that clear deadlines and updated regulations are essential for the industry's future competitiveness in an increasingly digital media landscape.

Read More:

The Watchlist: The Black Box Algorithms

Google and Facebook revolutionized advertising, but their dominance comes at a cost: opacity. Marketers pour billions into these platforms without truly knowing if their investments are driving real growth. And they are not the only ones. From RocketFuel’s hidden margins to AppLovin’s AI secrecy, the industry is full of black boxes that leave advertisers guessing whether these platforms work optimally, drive incremental sales, or operate with integrity.

What if there were a better way? A transparent, AI-powered ad platform that actually shows you what is working?

Dive into the full piece to uncover the risks of black-box advertising—and why transparency is the key to smarter marketing.

TV Industry Updates

  • Streaming ad prices sink: Amazon's entry into streaming TV advertising has dragged down ad rates across the industry.

  • Technicolor's troubles: Technicolor Group annouced it is shutting down operations globally due to severe financial challenges.

  • Hims catches heat: Hims & Hers' Super Bowl ad promoting its weight loss medications flopped, sparking continued online backlash.

  • MLB streaming shift: The league revealed it is in talks with Amazon and Netflix regarding streaming post-2025 when it parts ways with ESPN.

  • Ads sell prescriptions: A new survey found that 50% of patients who ask their doctor about a drug they saw advertised get a prescription for that medication.

Stay up to date on the latest in TV advertising by joining our Slack community!

Creative Spotlight: Chipotle: “Unfolded :60”

Chipotle premiered "Unfolded," an animated short film featuring Halsey's cover of "She's a Rainbow," showcasing the transformation from industrial to sustainable farming through an innovative paper-folded world that unfolds from a Chipotle bag.

The Details:

  • The 60-second spot made history as the first national TV ad to debut in the metaverse, launching in Roblox's Chipotle Burrito Builder virtual world with a special cinema experience

  • The creative featured a unique paper-craft animation style, following a Chipotle truck that transforms gray industrial farmland into vibrant, sustainable agricultural landscapes

  • The campaign integrated purpose-driven messaging with real-world impact, coinciding with a $2 million donation to support sustainable agriculture programs at major universities

What We Loved: The ad playfully merged artistic innovation with meaningful purpose, using imaginative paper-fold animation to make sustainability storytelling both visually captivating and emotionally resonant while breaking new ground in metaverse-first advertising.

Marketing Mix

  • IHOP's in-house creative: IHOP remixed its creative functions in-house as part of a bid to return to cultural relevance by bringing marketing in-house.

  • Kim's Nike deal: Kim Kardashian has signed a significant deal with Nike called NikeSKIMS to boost her profile as her reality show ratings decline.

  • Rémy Martin's music milieu: Rémy Martin celebrated the hip-hop histories of Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, and NYC with limited-edition bottles and live events.

  • Levi's gets nostalgic: Levi's has teamed with Beyoncé for a new campaign titled "Reiimagine" that will reinterpret several of the brand's iconic advertisements.

  • Sports streaming competition: Deloitte reported on the state of sports organizations facing growing competition for fan attention in 2025.

The TV Room is your go-to source for staying ahead in the world of television and digital media. Want to chat about these stories with other industry pros? Join our Slack channel to continue the conversation.