A compact wideband internal antenna based on an epsilon negative (ENG) zeroth-order resonator (ZOR) is proposed to operate in the ultra-high frequency (UHF) band (470–771 MHz) for ultra-high-definition television (UHD-TV) applications. The antenna having a compact size of 9 × 220 mm2 is placed on the top edge of the 49-inch TV model. The bezel frame of the TV model is used as the substrate of the antenna. The antenna is fed by a coplanar waveguide with a ground plane (CPWG). A shorting plate was added to expand the ground plane of the CPWG structure to achieve resonance at lower frequencies. The ENG structure is formed by a meander line that generates zero-order resonances at higher frequencies in the UHF band. Based on analysis, the proposed antenna is fabricated and tested. The measurement results show that the reflection coefficient (S11) is under − 6 dB in a wide frequency range from 440 to 910 MHz covering the entire UHF band. The fractional bandwidth is extended up to 69% with a peak gain of 4.8 dBi, and the average radiation efficiency of the antenna is 75%.