TV on the go ready to hit the small screen

Rabbit ears on a mobile phone? Well, not exactly, but broadcasters and gadget manufacturers are working to beam live television to portable devices.

The broadcast industry has been developing mobile digital TV for several years, and a small number of stations are on the air, but the platform's availability remains limited. In 2011, the technology is expected to gain momentum as the Mobile Content Venture, a group of 12 major broadcasters, will be upgrading stations to start delivering mobile DTV in 20 markets covering more than 40 percent of the U.S. population. In the initial rollout, viewers in such metropolitan areas as Chicago, Los Angeles and Orlando, are scheduled to receive at least two free channels during the second half of 2011.