- Katy Bachman, Mediaweek

NEW YORK Sometime this year, millions of viewers will be able to watch free over-the-air TV on a number of mobile devices, from cell phones to laptops.

Sixty-three TV stations in 22 markets reaching 35 percent of U.S. households plan to launch mobile DTV, providing live, local, over-the-air TV to next-generation devices equipped with the new capability.

The news came Thursday in Las Vegas at the International Consumer Electronics Show during a press conference held by the Open Mobile Video Coalition, an alliance of broadcasters working to accelerate the development of mobile DTV.

The alliance showcased several new devices that will be able to receive the mobile TV broadcasts, such as a new portable DVD/CD player from LG.

Of the 63 stations, many are in some of the nation's largest markets such as WNBC-TV, NBC's flagship in New York; WFLD, Fox's owned-and-operated station in Chicago; and WXIA, Gannett's NBC affiliate in Atlanta. In total, there will be 14 NBC affiliates, nine ABC affiliates, nine CBS affiliates, five Fox affiliates, nine Ion affiliates, four CW affiliates and four MyNetworkTV affiliates, along with nine additional PBS stations in discussions with the OMVC to join the 2009 launch.

After working for the past year to gain approval of the mobile DTV standard by lawmakers, Brandon Burgess, president of OMVC and chairman and CEO of Ion Media Networks, declared mobile DTV a reality. "Broadcasters are on track to deliver local and national broadcast television to mobile audiences," Burgess said.

For broadcasters, the promise of mobile DTV is larger audiences. "Mobile DTV will expand the reach of our content, provide consumers with more flexibility in how they access news, sports and entertainment programming, and open the door to a new world of possibilities for advertisers," said John Eck, OMVC executive committee member and president of NBC TV Network and Media.