Is your local news in HD? [Text View]

mpgxsvcd

02-02-06, 10:23 PM

I can usually pick up WRAL out of Raleigh and they have been HD for years.

Actually it is not years that they have been broadcasting HD it is more like a Decade. They were actually the first HD channel. Pretty cool that it is a local channel for us. Anyway it is still one of the best HD channels out there. Check it out.

http://www.cbc-raleigh.com/inside_cbc/1998news/980911cbc.html

KruZer2k

02-02-06, 10:40 PM

Actually it is not years that they have been broadcasting HD it is more like a Decade. They were actually the first HD channel. Pretty cool that it is a local channel for us. Anyway it is still one of the best HD channels out there. Check it out.

http://www.cbc-raleigh.com/inside_cbc/1998news/980911cbc.html

I used to live in the Goldsboro area. WRAL is an amazing station. Great news/weather and programming. Awesome with the community. Shoot, I dont know if you have ever seen their broadcast tower off of U.S. 70 close to Selma, but it is HUGE!!!!!!!!!!!! :D :D :D
They claim 250 mile radius i believe on their boradcast.
"2,000-foot tower registers as the heaviest transmitting tower in the world, weighing in at about 723 tons."

KruZer2k

02-02-06, 10:42 PM

Check this out.
Leaders In Technology

WRAL is committed to staying on the forefront of technological innovations. From our award-winning Web site to being the first HDTV station in the nation, WRAL-TV has always remained on the cutting edge.

In June 1979, WRAL-TV became the first TV station in the state to dedicate a helicopter to our newsgathering efforts. Sky 5 became a familiar sight in N.C. skies. The capability to broadcast live from the helicopter was added a year later. A new Sky 5 took to the air in 1999. The Bell 407 carries five on-board cameras, as well as a moving map that can be used on the air to show viewers were the helicopter is.

With the unveiling of an open newsroom set concept in 1982, WRAL introduced the area's first team of professional TV meteorologists.

http://www.wral.com/wralinfo/460085/detail.html

CycloneGT

02-02-06, 10:49 PM

KARE likely means the first in HDTV news in their city. WUSA-DT here in Wash DC also has a big "First in HDTV" banner at the begining of the news, as well as all news promos throughout the day.

TonyW79SFV

02-02-06, 10:54 PM

With Sony just releasing a new HD video format called XDCAM HD at a price comparable to SD broadcast equipment, I wouldn't be surprised if more newscasts go HD.

Here in LA, only KABC-DT broadcasts HD from one of their helicopters, the rest of the newscast is SD. CBS O&O stations are considering upgrading to Sony XDCAM HD equipment and may go HD soon; for LA, that would be KCBS-DT and KCAL-DT.

HDTV-NUT

02-02-06, 11:09 PM

Ya, here in raleigh, we have CBS local news in HD and also fox local news I believe.

Ken H

02-02-06, 11:20 PM

TonyW79SFV

02-03-06, 12:33 AM

Local stations with HD helicopters:
KUSA Denver, CO
KABC Los Angeles, CA
WRAL Raleigh, NC
WABC New York, NY
WNYW New York, NY

Local stations with HD news studios:
WRAL Raleigh, NC
KING Seattle, WA
KOMO Seattle, WA
WJW Cleveland, OH
WUSA Washington DC
KUSA Denver, CO

You can add KUSA's sister station in Atlanta, WXIA-DT, to the list.
http://www.11alive.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=75566

oleus

02-03-06, 06:40 AM

you can add ATLANTA to the list

our NBC affiliate (WXIA) just started HD local news broadcasts this week.

oleus

dsanbo

02-03-06, 07:32 AM

I used to live in the Goldsboro area. WRAL is an amazing station. Great news/weather and programming. Awesome with the community. Shoot, I dont know if you have ever seen their broadcast tower off of U.S. 70 close to Selma, but it is HUGE!!!!!!!!!!!! :D :D :D
They claim 250 mile radius i believe on their boradcast.
"2,000-foot tower registers as the heaviest transmitting tower in the world, weighing in at about 723 tons."
It steams me that, before all the BS attendant on "distant waivers", et al....I "qualified" for "distant" signals, including WRAL....No doubt about it....surely one of THE finest facilities in the nation....both technically and aesthetically!!
It was always interesting to see the car dealership ads from PR....(Se Habla Espanol....) :D
Alas....That's all gone now...Thanks to more beaurocracy..... :(

RScottyL

02-03-06, 07:44 AM

Nothing here in the DFW area is broadcasting in HD yet.

Curious to see who will be the first!

TulsaCoker

02-03-06, 09:13 AM

Tulsa- No. in fact CBS here does not even do DD5.1

udoknow

02-03-06, 10:46 AM

you can add ATLANTA to the list

our NBC affiliate (WXIA) just started HD local news broadcasts this week.

oleus

I saw it and my jaw dropped. Damn it looked good. I could see the gray hair the anchorwoman was previously hiding.

JasonATL

02-03-06, 12:26 PM

According to the previously cited WXIA-DT 11.1 (Atlanta), they were the 6th or 7th (can't recall if they said, "6 others in the country" or, "we're the 6th in the country") to have HD local news.

CCsoftball7

02-03-06, 01:50 PM

danc8379

02-03-06, 01:51 PM

I saw it and my jaw dropped. Damn it looked good. I could see the gray hair the anchorwoman was previously hiding.

Agreed. I was also surprised that most of their remote shots seemed to be in HD as well, not just the studio cameras.

bgall

02-03-06, 02:10 PM

Still Waiting for WPTV in West Palm to announce. They have the cameras, but need everything else

nikeykid

02-03-06, 02:17 PM

bay area??? we have 5 capable news channels: KTVU, KRON, KNTV, KPIX and KGO. They all send hd signals, all have nightly news. you'd think that someone like KRON would go HD first to entice people to watch their awful awful awful hd lineup of mostly old hdnet stuff.

afiggatt

02-03-06, 02:35 PM

Local stations with HD news studios:
WRAL Raleigh, NC
KING Seattle, WA
KOMO Seattle, WA
WJW Cleveland, OH
WUSA Washington DC
KUSA Denver, CO
Ken H, are you keeping track of the go to HD dates for the local new broadcasts? It appears from this thread and the recent announcement about CBS O&O stations news operations being upgraded with new HD cameras that we will see a number of local news go HD this year (in the studio anyway) and probably still more in 2007, 2008. It would be interesting to track by quarter, or half a year breakdowns, the increase in the number of HD local news broadcasts and look back at these numbers a few years from now.

WiFi-Spy

02-03-06, 02:47 PM

One of the first? Sure, that's easy to say. The first? No.

KOMO-DT -full HDTV with some 16x9 SD
KING-DT - studio only HD

both in Seattle (totally spoiled here, you have no idea)

dont foget all the local shows in HD, like evening magazine , NW backroads, NW afternoon ect... :) were spoiled I know.

BTW the KING5 PQ is jaw dropping... and the 720p weather graphics on KOMO are pretty cool.

pgh_hd_aholic

02-03-06, 07:41 PM

Pittsburgh - no HD local news here.

Inundated

02-03-06, 08:16 PM

You can also add WRAZ Raleigh, NC (FOX) as well.

With an asterisk next to WRAL, since WRAZ is a sister station to WRAL.

Inundated

02-03-06, 08:19 PM

As noted above, WJW/Cleveland is doing HD news in our market. I haven't heard of any plans by other stations here, but locally, the NBC affiliate is owned by Gannett...which seems to be doing this in other markets.

And the station (WKYC) recently opened up a new "digital broadcast center", so it wouldn't as be difficult for them to do it. The ABC affiliate (WEWS) is in their original building, though it's been remodeled somewhat over the years. The CBS/UPN combo will probably go HD about the time I'm old enough to retire.

HDTVFanAtic

02-03-06, 08:38 PM

Agreed. I was also surprised that most of their remote shots seemed to be in HD as well, not just the studio cameras.

Check it closely.

It's not just as simple as putting a HD Camera in the field. The REAL expense is back at that station when you have to convert all the edit bays and other equipment to HD etc, etc, etc. The equipment / bandwidth to shoot back a live HD picture is also another astronomical expense when it comes to conversion (and if you read or listen to what most Network People have said, there is really no good transmit HD signals back to Master Control and keep the timing correct in a HD program (which is why Football, Golf etc uses optical to all their remote HD Cameras).

Thus, most everyone is using 16:9 480 for remote shots. Even those who are purchasing HD Camera for remote shots seem to be doing the same at this time.

I have no first hand knowledge of what WXIA is doing, but odds are they are doing the same.

dline

02-03-06, 08:54 PM

KARE likely means the first in HDTV news in their city. WUSA-DT here in Wash DC also has a big "First in HDTV" banner at the begining of the news, as well as all news promos throughout the day.
As far as I know, that's what KARE-11 is claiming ... "Minnesota's First HDTV News," they proclaim on www.kare11.com, even though they won't be until April.

Keep in mind, there is a MASSIVE, nationwide, market-by-market effort to relocate the frequencies TV stations currently use for remotes (live trucks, newscopters, etc.) The new frequencies for these will all be digital, and stations will have to upgrade for that reason. But I don't see any station replacing any of their remotes until the transition reaches their particular market.

At this time, nobody in Iowa is doing local HD except Iowa Public Television, which has produced some HD shows, but I wouldn't be surprised if one of the Des Moines stations switched in the next year or two. Every time I go there, it seems 8 and 13 are in a fight to the death.

gutwrencher

02-03-06, 09:02 PM

Hell no...this is Dead Moines, Iowa. I'm lucky I'm not still on candlepower. :rolleyes: :)

dtro

02-03-06, 10:38 PM

I did read somewhere that the claim was "one of the first in the nation", but I guess this is their official word:

KARE 11 announced Wednesday that it will begin broadcasting its news programs in High Definition beginning in late April.

KARE 11 will be the only station in Minneapolis/St. Paul to broadcast its news in high definition, and only one of a handful - about one dozen - nationwide.

victor_c26

02-04-06, 06:55 AM

Nothing here in Chicago. :(

SJKurtzke

02-04-06, 08:59 AM

Just curious
Here in Minneapolis, KARE 11 (NBC) just announced HD broadcasts in April (studio only). They claim they are one of the first to do so.

Is that true?

Gannett seems to love saying they're the first in HDTV.

Here in DC, W*USA9 claims to be "The First and Only Local News in HDTV"

Rich Peterson

02-04-06, 09:33 AM

KARE 11 announced Wednesday that it will begin broadcasting its news programs in High Definition beginning in late April.

KARE 11 will be the only station in Minneapolis/St. Paul to broadcast its news in high definition, and only one of a handful - about one dozen - nationwide.

I put the KARE11 press release announcing this in this thread (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=640425)

tugknight

02-04-06, 11:07 AM

KSL (channel 5) in Salt Lake City is broadcasting the local news in HD.

TonyW79SFV

02-04-06, 03:35 PM

Gannett seems to love saying they're the first in HDTV.

Here in DC, W*USA9 claims to be "The First and Only Local News in HDTV"

http://www.gannett.com/map/television.htm

KUSA-DT Denver, CO; WUSA-DT Washington D.C.; WXIA-DT Atlanta, GA; and (soon in HD) KARE-DT Minneapolis, MN are all owned by Gannett. It seems the theme "First in HDTV" are bannered on those station's HD newscasts.

TonyW79SFV

02-04-06, 07:37 PM

OK, I just saw this, but now the whole newscast on KABC-DT's Eyewitness News is in HD, not just Air 7 HD. Ken, you can add KABC-DT to having news studio in HD now.

ddinsm

02-04-06, 08:15 PM

TonyW79SFV

02-04-06, 08:24 PM

Yep, ABC7 in LA is now in HD. Tony were you watching when it started at 4:30?? I don't remember it being in HD yesterday so I think either this show or the morning show had to be the "debut".

Some of the remote camera's seem to be in HD now instead of just the copter.

Dave

I'll post screencaps later. I don't remember it being HD earlier this morning, so I believe 4:30pm was their first HD newscast. This goes in conjunction with their new set, graphics, and bumper music. Prior to all this, they were in the newsroom doing the newscast. It seems all remotes are SD, but they are 16:9. 4:3 SD videos are OAR with side bars. Weather graphics are 16:9 SD, only the 7 day forecast graphic is HD, along with any in-house graphics.

ddinsm

02-04-06, 08:43 PM

From my novice eye it looked like one of the remote reports (think she was down in Cerritos) looked much better than the stretched shots (especially the feed from Detroit). Glad to see one of the LA stations finally made the jump, I was figuring KTLA would be the first...

TonyW79SFV

02-04-06, 09:19 PM

KABC-DT Eyewitness News HD 4:30pm & 5:00pm newscast screencaps

http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/6781/eyewitnessnewshd012il.th.jpg (http://img375.imageshack.us/my.php?image=eyewitnessnewshd012il.jpg)
http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/9241/eyewitnessnewshd027di.th.jpg (http://img375.imageshack.us/my.php?image=eyewitnessnewshd027di.jpg)
http://img378.imageshack.us/img378/5711/eyewitnessnewshd036gf.th.jpg (http://img378.imageshack.us/my.php?image=eyewitnessnewshd036gf.jpg)
http://img378.imageshack.us/img378/7268/eyewitnessnewshd045ny.th.jpg (http://img378.imageshack.us/my.php?image=eyewitnessnewshd045ny.jpg)
http://img483.imageshack.us/img483/707/eyewitnessnewshd057oc.th.jpg (http://img483.imageshack.us/my.php?image=eyewitnessnewshd057oc.jpg)
http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/4691/eyewitnessnewshd063ve.th.jpg (http://img133.imageshack.us/my.php?image=eyewitnessnewshd063ve.jpg)
http://img483.imageshack.us/img483/5088/eyewitnessnewshd072ee.th.jpg (http://img483.imageshack.us/my.php?image=eyewitnessnewshd072ee.jpg)
http://img483.imageshack.us/img483/7181/eyewitnessnewshd081im.th.jpg (http://img483.imageshack.us/my.php?image=eyewitnessnewshd081im.jpg)
http://img374.imageshack.us/img374/4897/eyewitnessnewshd093wg.th.jpg (http://img374.imageshack.us/my.php?image=eyewitnessnewshd093wg.jpg)
http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/7561/eyewitnessnewshd115xe.th.jpg (http://img140.imageshack.us/my.php?image=eyewitnessnewshd115xe.jpg)

TonyW79SFV

02-04-06, 09:20 PM

KABC-DT Eyewitness News HD 4:30pm & 5:00pm newscast screencaps

http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/7561/eyewitnessnewshd115xe.th.jpg (http://img140.imageshack.us/my.php?image=eyewitnessnewshd115xe.jpg)
http://img477.imageshack.us/img477/7813/eyewitnessnewshd129bu.th.jpg (http://img477.imageshack.us/my.php?image=eyewitnessnewshd129bu.jpg)
http://img477.imageshack.us/img477/3889/eyewitnessnewshd131vo.th.jpg (http://img477.imageshack.us/my.php?image=eyewitnessnewshd131vo.jpg)
http://img477.imageshack.us/img477/4609/eyewitnessnewshd146uq.th.jpg (http://img477.imageshack.us/my.php?image=eyewitnessnewshd146uq.jpg)
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/2369/eyewitnessnewshd159bm.th.jpg (http://img152.imageshack.us/my.php?image=eyewitnessnewshd159bm.jpg)
http://img477.imageshack.us/img477/866/eyewitnessnewshd168ml.th.jpg (http://img477.imageshack.us/my.php?image=eyewitnessnewshd168ml.jpg)
http://img487.imageshack.us/img487/1456/eyewitnessnewshd174aj.th.jpg (http://img487.imageshack.us/my.php?image=eyewitnessnewshd174aj.jpg)
http://img487.imageshack.us/img487/2690/eyewitnessnewshd180am.th.jpg (http://img487.imageshack.us/my.php?image=eyewitnessnewshd180am.jpg)
http://img487.imageshack.us/img487/5223/eyewitnessnewshd196px.th.jpg (http://img487.imageshack.us/my.php?image=eyewitnessnewshd196px.jpg)
http://img487.imageshack.us/img487/8964/eyewitnessnewshd207sf.th.jpg (http://img487.imageshack.us/my.php?image=eyewitnessnewshd207sf.jpg)

TonyW79SFV

02-04-06, 09:23 PM

Last one.

http://img487.imageshack.us/img487/4205/eyewitnessnewshd217fr.th.jpg (http://img487.imageshack.us/my.php?image=eyewitnessnewshd217fr.jpg)

Looking at the newscast, it seems that the only stuff in HD is the in-studio camera shots and in-house graphics. Stuff in 16:9 SD are truck and helicopter remotes. They didn't use Air 7 HD today, the SD copters were set to 16:9. It probably won't be until Monday before we see Air 7 HD being used with the new HD studio for the first time; meaning that overlay graphics will now be possible with Air 7 HD.

JTAnderson

02-04-06, 09:31 PM

Remember, you heard it here (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=633848) first.

TonyW79SFV

02-04-06, 09:38 PM

Remember, you heard it here (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=633848) first.

I remembered that post; I kept that in the back of my mind and hoped that their new set would include equipment upgrades. I didn't expect to see this until Monday. I was surprised to see them debut it this afternoon, albeit without much fanfare, unlike Air 7 HD.

Larry Parker

02-04-06, 11:31 PM

WOW the KABC screencaps look nice. Too bad I only get about 52% signal strength on KABC down here in Huntington Beach. Too bad, I really want to admire the lovely Michelle Tuzee and the beautiful Ellen Leyva in high definition:) Now that you have the local news in HD, KABC, turn up the transmitting power!

Cover

02-04-06, 11:56 PM

KABC newscasts now in HD. Caught the last 15 minutes of the 6pm newscast today. Outstanding.............

Ink Noise

02-05-06, 01:27 AM

Tony, may I use one of your screenshots for a blog post? You will be credited.

And on the original subject: woot. This will get me watching my local news again until there is CNN HD or something of the like. I was confused about the promo for the 11PM news during the Harry Potter movie 'til I check AVS.

sneals2000

02-05-06, 07:50 AM

Looking at the newscast, it seems that the only stuff in HD is the in-studio camera shots and in-house graphics. Stuff in 16:9 SD are truck and helicopter remotes. They didn't use Air 7 HD today, the SD copters were set to 16:9. It probably won't be until Monday before we see Air 7 HD being used with the new HD studio for the first time; meaning that overlay graphics will now be possible with Air 7 HD.

The Montclair live looked like it was SD analogue - with lots of lovely multi-path, or some very dodgy analogue video gear somewhere in the path. There are also NTSC composite artefacts. Certainly not HD, not even SD digital!

The ringing on the verticals is pretty bad - I know many transmission managers who would question whether such a source was suitable for broadcast - though news values obviously inform this decision.

The Detroit live shot also seemed to have NTSC artefacts as well, and was pretty soft (low bit rate SNG, or low bandwith microwave ?)

The studio shots look very nice though.

celticpride

02-05-06, 09:59 AM

The 11 p.m.newscast saturday night and the 5a.m.newscast sunday morning on kabc in los angeles were also in HD. I guess all their newscast are in hd not just the primetime news cool !!

TVOD

02-05-06, 11:46 AM

The Montclair live looked like it was SD analogue - with lots of lovely multi-path, or some very dodgy analogue video gear somewhere in the path. There are also NTSC composite artefacts. Certainly not HD, not even SD digital!

The ringing on the verticals is pretty bad - I know many transmission managers who would question whether such a source was suitable for broadcast - though news values obviously inform this decision.

The Detroit live shot also seemed to have NTSC artefacts as well, and was pretty soft (low bit rate SNG, or low bandwith microwave ?)

The studio shots look very nice though.Montclair is way east of LA, so I can see why there might be some analog microwave issues from there. Digital links will likely be common soon, so we can enjoy new artifacts. Detroit is certainly a low bit rate satellite feed. But the studio, HD helicopter and roof camera video is beautiful. It'll probably be a while longer before the field material is all HD. None of the nightly network news broadcasts are in HD yet.

Hopefully this will open the floodgate to convert all the network O&Os in the larger markets. I wonder how far off WABC is from conversion.

I guess we'll know that HD is truely mainstream when we see Cal Worthington's dog Spot (http://www.mydogspot.com/scrapbook.htm) in HD.

Inundated

02-05-06, 05:09 PM

Looking at the newscast, it seems that the only stuff in HD is the in-studio camera shots and in-house graphics. Stuff in 16:9 SD are truck and helicopter remotes.

WJW (FOX) does the same here. All live shots outside of the studio are upconverted 16:9 SD - actually, analog, I presume. They do have one HD camera during drive time news shows, pointed out their roof at the nearby I-90 traffic. They have a nice view of it there, since their studios are right along I-90 just east of downtown Cleveland.

And if Gannett likes to use "First in HDTV", they won't be able to do it whenever they convert WKYC/3's local news to HD, due to WJW. :D

fjerina

02-05-06, 07:44 PM

I heard rumors that the Albuquerque stations will be going HD for local news in 2056. Can't wait !!!

RandyWalters

02-06-06, 12:27 AM

I remembered that post; I kept that in the back of my mind and hoped that their new set would include equipment upgrades. I didn't expect to see this until Monday. I was surprised to see them debut it this afternoon, albeit without much fanfare, unlike Air 7 HD.Yeah the anchorpeople have been talking about the new HD studio for a few weeks and it's up and running. Tonight's broadcast after the Superbowl had a spot that explained what they were doing, showing the HD cameras in-studio and showed off the new widescreen standard-def cameras that they're now using in the field on location shoots. They also explained the blue pillarbox bars (they call them "wings") added to 4:3 feeds from other sources. They make it sound like all the broadcasts throughout the day will be in HD from now on. That would be cool to have local news in HD when i get home from work!

DrCrawn

02-06-06, 12:34 AM

Yeah the anchorpeople have been talking about the new HD studio for a few weeks and it's up and running. Tonight's broadcast after the Superbowl had a spot that explained what they were doing, showing the HD cameras in-studio and showed off the new widescreen standard-def cameras that they're now using in the field on location shoots. They also explained the blue pillarbox bars (they call them "wings") added to 4:3 feeds from other sources. They make it sound like all the broadcasts throughout the day will be in HD from now on. That would be cool to have local news in HD when i get home from work!

Yeah I saw this and thought KABC did an excellent job explaining the surface of an otherwise confusing subject matter. The "wings" reference also made me laugh too. The studio shot wasn't all that impressive IMO though. Pretty good, but not great. Although I did watch from D* so...

Robert Deckman

02-06-06, 11:54 AM

KABC in Los Angeles started their HD news yesterday after SuperBowl.

teamfx

02-06-06, 12:45 PM

KABC has probably taken it one step closer. Virturally all local news reports shown on Good Morning America are presented in 16:9 format, as well as the weather cut-aways. Still a few bugs during that segment, however. This happens mainly because of the half-a-second delay in the ABC 7 digital feed. Hopefully this will improve once they figure out the timing structure. If other stations are doing this as well, I wouldn't be too surprised. All in all, kudos to them for making our mornings blissful.

chris062

02-06-06, 04:15 PM

I liked the explanation and demonstration of HD that they provided, but they also said that an HD feed will look better on a non-HDTV. Is that really true? Doesn't make much sense to me.

SJKurtzke

02-06-06, 04:41 PM

I liked the explanation and demonstration of HD that they provided, but they also said that an HD feed will look better on a non-HDTV. Is that really true? Doesn't make much sense to me.

It's the same reason old episodes of "Friends" look worse than the newer episodes on a normal TV.

ripster

02-08-06, 07:21 PM

Like the rest of you kudos to KABC!!! My only initial complaint is the logo is too far left and they should move it to the "wings" like the net does on GMA..... :)

o2manyfish

02-08-06, 07:38 PM

KABC has been pitching their HD pretty hardcore.

While the instudio stuff looks great. They did a big promo showing all the new HD field cams, traffic cams, etc etc

And yet the shots from the field have been horrible.

And this morning the broadcast of the Malibu fire - with the Air 7 HD logo was in SD with sidebars....

Its a great start, but they are very misleading about being entirely HD.

Dave B

hockeynut

02-08-06, 10:27 PM

In St. Louis, KSDK (NBC) just went HD on Monday, 2/6/06. It's the first HD local news in our area. They had been hyping it for months. It looks pretty good!

Inundated

02-08-06, 10:29 PM

In St. Louis, KSDK (NBC) just went HD on Monday, 2/6/06. It's the first HD local news in our area. They had been hyping it for months. It looks pretty good!

Yet another Gannett station, I believe.

I wonder if they're gonna do WKYC here...it wouldn't be the first in the market (WJW/FOX 8 is).

hockeynut

02-08-06, 10:43 PM

Yet another Gannett station, I believe.

I believe you are correct sir. I seem to remember seeing that name at the end of each broadcast.

UHForever

02-09-06, 03:42 AM

Yet another Gannett station, I believe.

I wonder if they're gonna do WKYC here...it wouldn't be the first in the market (WJW/FOX 8 is).

The man who managed the Gannett NBC affiliate here in Denver (KUSA) was promoted to head the entire Gannett Broadcasting division a while back. He was in charge of KUSA when they converted to HD in 2004, as well as the FIRST HD helicopter pics in the country for KUSA then as well. Suffice it to say, he's a BIG believer in HD, and I think you can attribute the recent HD conversions of the Gannett stations in Washington, Atlanta, St. Louis, and soon Minneapolis to that. So although you're right, that the Gannett affiliate in Cleveland will not be 'first' in HD in your market, I would have to believe that WKYC's conversion is not too far off in the future.

oldavman

02-09-06, 01:37 PM

Hockeynut, do you know when other stations in St. Louis will convert their news to HD.
KSDK Channel-5 looks very good.

surf_fun85

02-09-06, 03:45 PM

In St. Louis, KSDK (NBC) just went HD on Monday, 2/6/06. It's the first HD local news in our area. They had been hyping it for months. It looks pretty good!

Yup http://www.ksdk.com/life/programming/hdtv/default.aspx

mrock12

02-09-06, 04:30 PM

One of the first? Sure, that's easy to say. The first? No.

KOMO-DT -full HDTV with some 16x9 SD
KING-DT - studio only HD

both in Seattle (totally spoiled here, you have no idea)

KOMO in Seatle and KATU in Portland are owned by Fisher.
KING in Seattle and KGW in Portlans are owned by Belo.

It would sure be nice if Fisher and Belo would upgrade their Portland newsrooms to HD. Especially since KGW, KING, and Northwest Cable News share video footage.

hockeynut

02-09-06, 10:12 PM

Hockeynut, do you know when other stations in St. Louis will convert their news to HD.
KSDK Channel-5 looks very good.

Oldavman, no other St. Louis local news has mentioned anything at this point. I'm sure this will push the other stations to make the switch sooner rather than later now. Competition is good!

HDTVFanAtic

02-10-06, 01:34 AM

The man who managed the Gannett NBC affiliate here in Denver (KUSA) was promoted to head the entire Gannett Broadcasting division a while back. He was in charge of KUSA when they converted to HD in 2004, as well as the FIRST HD helicopter pics in the country for KUSA then as well. Suffice it to say, he's a BIG believer in HD, and I think you can attribute the recent HD conversions of the Gannett stations in Washington, Atlanta, St. Louis, and soon Minneapolis to that. So although you're right, that the Gannett affiliate in Cleveland will not be 'first' in HD in your market, I would have to believe that WKYC's conversion is not too far off in the future.

I can't wait for him to come in and fire the numbnuts in Tampa so we can get HD done right.

JohnS-MI

02-12-06, 04:56 PM

homcom

02-12-06, 05:22 PM

In Detroit, Fox (channel 2) news is now HD. I just noticed it today in guide, although it may have been on for a few days. Sunday is a half-hour at 6 PM. Weekdays next week are all 2 hours at 5 PM and 6 PM.
Have you actually seen this in HD? I don't watch their news so I wouldn't know, but with no announcement of any kind from them, this sounds like faulty guide data.

surf_fun85

02-12-06, 08:05 PM

Have you actually seen this in HD? I don't watch their news so I wouldn't know, but with no announcement of any kind from them, this sounds like faulty guide data.

Titantv states its in HD

http://wjbk.titantv.com/apg/ttv.aspx?siteid=52681

JohnS-MI

02-12-06, 08:25 PM

Have you actually seen this in HD? I don't watch their news so I wouldn't know, but with no announcement of any kind from them, this sounds like faulty guide data.

No. In fact, I watched it tonight to see if it was in HD, and it wasn't.

I reviewed the TV guide data, and for all next week, it shows the 5-6:30 PM and 10-11PM news in HD, as well as some, but not all the morning segments.
The 11AM news doesn't show as HD.

I wonder if they fed this data to Titan and then weren't able to meet the schedule.

I don't normally watch them either, but I will check a few more days and see if they start.

Inundated

02-12-06, 08:32 PM

So although you're right, that the Gannett affiliate in Cleveland will not be 'first' in HD in your market, I would have to believe that WKYC's conversion is not too far off in the future.

Another hopeful sign - WKYC, the aforementioned Gannett-owned NBC affiliate, is running HD promos for their weather during the Olympics.

They've run HD news promos before (I think in the last Olympics), but it's a sign they at least haven't forgotten HD viewers! I wouldn't be surprised to see 'em do it sometime in the next year or so, at the rate Gannett seems to be going.

Unlike the local CBS/UPN affiliate combo, their building is fairly new (past 5 years) and it wouldn't require as much overhaul to go HD. I think they're already all digital, just SD as far as news production goes.

homcom

02-12-06, 09:01 PM

Titantv states its in HD

http://wjbk.titantv.com/apg/ttv.aspx?siteid=52681
Wouldn't be the first time TitanTv was wrong.

Ken H

02-12-06, 09:03 PM

No. In fact, I watched it tonight to see if it was in HD, and it wasn't.

I reviewed the TV guide data, and for all next week, it shows the 5-6:30 PM and 10-11PM news in HD, as well as some, but not all the morning segments.
The 11AM news doesn't show as HD.

I wonder if they fed this data to Titan and then weren't able to meet the schedule.

I don't normally watch them either, but I will check a few more days and see if they start.
TitanTV is not perfect. WJBK has no announced plans for HD news.

aviators99

02-13-06, 03:33 AM

WTVJ - NBC6 in Miami has completed their HD studio, but is still not using it.

caernavon

02-13-06, 08:44 AM

I sent email inquiries to both WBZ and WCVB here in Boston, and while only WCVB replied they said that the local news could be transitioning to HD after Chronicle, which would happen in the fall. Could be that was all just slang for "don't hold your breath," but who knows. Not sure I want to see Dick Albert in hi-def, but Lisa Hughes in HD at WBZ would be nice...

SJKurtzke

02-13-06, 11:26 AM

WTVJ - NBC6 in Miami has completed their HD studio, but is still not using it.

WTVJ is an NBC O&O, right? This could open the door for other NBC O&Os to go HD. (In fact, I'm hoping this will be much like KUSA going HD, many other Gannetts went HD after that, like WUSA in DC)

Brian Conrad

02-13-06, 12:59 PM

KGO in San Francisco is running promos that their news will soon be in HD.

celticpride

02-13-06, 01:49 PM

I couldn't believe kabc 7 in L.A. didn't show the superbowl highlights in HD , on their hd newscast, this after televising the game in hd!

Inundated

02-13-06, 03:29 PM

I couldn't believe kabc 7 in L.A. didn't show the superbowl highlights in HD , on their hd newscast, this after televising the game in hd!

Not a surprise. WJW FOX 8 here doesn't do any tape/recorded stuff in HD. Even if a FOX sporting event is in HD before them, the news will show highlights in SD.

They just aren't set up to edit HD tape/recorded video, I would assume. From what I've read of WJW's plans, this will change in the next year or two.

On the rare event that WJW has to show a recorded newscast (like a "halftime update" during a sporting event), it's in SD as well.

TonyW79SFV

02-13-06, 09:28 PM

KGO in San Francisco is running promos that their news will soon be in HD.

That should be no surprise; ABC O&Os are agressively getting HD-something for local newscasts. Looks like KGO 7 SF is going a different route by getting the studio in HD first. KABC 7 LA got the HD copter before the studio in HD; they are the only ABC O&O to have both the studio and copter in HD. WABC 7 NYC has an HD copter and WPVI 6 Philly will get an HD copter soon.

aviators99

02-13-06, 09:41 PM

WTVJ is an NBC O&O, right? This could open the door for other NBC O&Os to go HD. (In fact, I'm hoping this will be much like KUSA going HD, many other Gannetts went HD after that, like WUSA in DC)

Yes, it is an O&O, but I'm not sure how it will impact others. It was a unique situation in that they moved their studios from Miami to Miramar, FL, about 15 miles away. Since they had to build a new facility anyway, they built it as HD.

Inundated

02-13-06, 10:03 PM

Yes, it is an O&O, but I'm not sure how it will impact others. It was a unique situation in that they moved their studios from Miami to Miramar, FL, about 15 miles away. Since they had to build a new facility anyway, they built it as HD.

That will probably be the norm for new local TV studio facilities built from now on...it'd be kinda silly for a station to start building an analog studio, considering the digital conversion is about 3 years down the road.

IndigoBlu

02-13-06, 10:25 PM

That should be no surprise; ABC O&Os are agressively getting HD-something for local newscasts. Looks like KGO 7 SF is going a different route by getting the studio in HD first. KABC 7 LA got the HD copter before the studio in HD; they are the only ABC O&O to have both the studio and copter in HD. WABC 7 NYC has an HD copter and WPVI 6 Philly will get an HD copter soon.

Actually the KGO promos have just been for the HD copter coming soon (Sky7HD), haven't seen anything yet about the studio. So hopefully studio HD will follow soon after.

TonyW79SFV

02-13-06, 10:34 PM

Actually the KGO promos have just been for the HD copter coming soon (Sky7HD), haven't seen anything yet about the studio. So hopefully studio HD will follow soon after.

OK, I must have misunderstood the first post about KGO. So I guess the HD copter is a trend with ABC O&Os. KGO will be the 3rd or 4th (depending on whether WPVI has it yet) to have an HD copter. I guess KABC's studio upgrade would be a good indication as to what should happen with WABC, WPVI, and KGO soon.

ak3883

02-15-06, 10:48 AM

IndigoBlu

02-15-06, 08:35 PM

10 days after KGO's HD chopper promos started (super bowl sunday), tonight came the first shots from it. they showed some evening shots of the golden gate bridge & alcatraz as they came in from commercials & ended the newscast. hopefully the studio follows soon.

http://img314.imageshack.us/img314/4458/kjhkjh9pm.th.jpg (http://img314.imageshack.us/my.php?image=kjhkjh9pm.jpg)http://img314.imageshack.us/img314/897/cgf7ue.th.jpg (http://img314.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cgf7ue.jpg)http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/637/iolkl9qj.th.jpg (http://img530.imageshack.us/my.php?image=iolkl9qj.jpg)http://img494.imageshack.us/img494/1791/kjl9rk.th.jpg (http://img494.imageshack.us/my.php?image=kjl9rk.jpg)

bgall

02-15-06, 08:43 PM

WESH an NBC Affiliate of Orlando has made a couple HD promos about one of their anchors and their morning sunrise news, but the live shows are not HD. hopefully those HD spots actually lead to something

themonc

02-15-06, 09:11 PM

There have been rumors here in Charlotte, NC that the NBC station (WCNC) might start doing their news in HD by the end of the year.

ak3883

02-17-06, 03:40 PM

surf_fun85

02-17-06, 08:14 PM

PhillyGuy

02-17-06, 09:34 PM

KYW3(CBS O&O) here in Philadelphia just announced yesterday that they will be moving to a brand new building, to house both the KYW station/studios and the new CW network coming this fall as well.

I can't imagine them building this thing, and not wiring it up/installing HD equipment. That seems like such a golden opportunity. But I haven't seen any specific mention of building the studios to accomodate HD.

That's great news! I guess we won't get local news in HD for another year.

sekots

02-18-06, 01:04 AM

During the superbowl, commercials were airing tooting about WPVI's new HD chopper that is "coming soon". It will be interesting to see how they do HD shots before the full newscast is in HD, I don't think they have the studio done yet or anything, but probably working on it.
They just started broadcasting from there new studio and it looks like it will be pretty nice in HD for whenever they switch over.

HDTVFanAtic

02-18-06, 01:31 AM

Very surprised KYW did not decide to move out of the city like everyone else to City Line Avenue.

TonyW79SFV

02-18-06, 03:38 AM

kevin j

02-18-06, 11:22 AM

WLS in Chicago's rumored to be going to HD for its news starting next month.

DrCrawn

02-18-06, 01:46 PM

Seattle's KING5 local news hottie, Carolyn Douglas :p

http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/8606/king5weekendmorningnewsfeb1803.th.jpg (http://img220.imageshack.us/my.php?image=king5weekendmorningnewsfeb1803.jpg)http://img396.imageshack.us/img396/8606/king5weekendmorningnewsfeb1803.th.jpg (http://img396.imageshack.us/my.php?image=king5weekendmorningnewsfeb1803.jpg)http://img396.imageshack.us/img396/3986/king5weekendmorningnewsfeb1801.th.jpg (http://img396.imageshack.us/my.php?image=king5weekendmorningnewsfeb1801.jpg)

surf_fun85

02-20-06, 12:46 AM

KYW3(CBS O&O) here in Philadelphia just announced yesterday that they will be moving to a brand new building, to house both the KYW station/studios and the new CW network coming this fall as well.

I can't imagine them building this thing, and not wiring it up/installing HD equipment. That seems like such a golden opportunity. But I haven't seen any specific mention of building the studios to accomodate HD.

And now You can imagine :)

CBS stations in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia are also in the midst of overhauling their facilities and won’t launch HD news until those rebuilds are completed.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=6948030&&#post6948030

surf_fun85

04-16-06, 02:17 AM

I dont know, but i also found this

WXYZ-TV Channel 7 Helicopter: Chopper 7 HD (http://www.wxyztv.com/wxyz/about_7/article/0,2132,WXYZ_15898_4527927,00.html)

JET99

04-16-06, 02:21 AM

Fox 25 News in Boston (out of Dedham, MA) as broadcast via Comcast HD appears to very close to HD when the main anchors are on - except its not broadcasting in 16:9

TonyW79SFV

04-16-06, 04:02 AM

Fox 25 News in Boston (out of Dedham, MA) as broadcast via Comcast HD appears to very close to HD when the main anchors are on - except its not broadcasting in 16:9

You're experiencing true digital component standard definition video from the studio cameras; it's common with a lot of TV stations where the studio shots looks cleaner than the remote shots.

CPanther95

04-16-06, 08:09 AM

Seattle's KING5 local news hottie, Carolyn Douglas :p

Wow, that's some big hair.

Marcus Carr

04-16-06, 09:50 AM

ak3883

07-24-06, 01:19 PM

6abc(WPVI) was the first local news in high definition in the state of PA, on July 23rd with the 6pm broadcast. I didn't see this myself, but will be tuning in tonight to see for myself. Will try to get some caps posted here as well(sorry, no eye candy here as the anchor is a guy who has been there for a loooong time)

They put up a webpage touting they are the first HD news broadcast (http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=stationinfo&id=4394989) in the Philadelphia market as well as PA(obviously the only other competition being in Pittsburgh).

wmcbrine

07-24-06, 02:50 PM

Keep in mind, there is a MASSIVE, nationwide, market-by-market effort to relocate the frequencies TV stations currently use for remotes (live trucks, newscopters, etc.) The new frequencies for these will all be digital, and stations will have to upgrade for that reason. But I don't see any station replacing any of their remotes until the transition reaches their particular market.
Interesting... is there a schedule for this?

maharg18

07-24-06, 03:49 PM

Interesting... is there a schedule for this?

Check out www.2ghzrelocation.com for all the info.

celticpride

07-24-06, 10:42 PM

to clarify kabc news 7 in los angeles has been broadcasting in HD since feburary 2006.

drpepper

07-25-06, 09:36 AM

JohnSt

07-25-06, 10:17 AM

At least one station is here in SLC.

Stryker412

07-25-06, 10:34 AM

6abc wpvi- Phila, PA...."sorry, no eye candy here as the anchor is a guy who has been there for a loooong time)"...True...but weather girl Cecily Tynan is another story...(anchor Jim Gardner made comments to the effect ...the reason why they went HD- ok Cecily.. the weather... on last nights broadcast)

Great that they are on right track with HD news...but we will need HD cams in field not just in studio..in time...maybe I should lone them my Sony HC1...

I'm waiting for CBS3 to go HD, to see more Alycia Lane. :)

http://img.viacomlocalnetworks.com/images_sizedimage_037180610/xl

SJKurtzke

07-25-06, 02:35 PM

6abc wpvi- Phila, PA...."sorry, no eye candy here as the anchor is a guy who has been there for a loooong time)"...True...but weather girl Cecily Tynan is another story...(anchor Jim Gardner made comments to the effect ...the reason why they went HD- ok Cecily.. the weather... on last nights broadcast)

Great that they are on right track with HD news...but we will need HD cams in field not just in studio..in time...maybe I should lone them my Sony HC1...

Do you know of any stations that do have HD field reports? AFIAK, there was some problem with transmission of the content back to the studio. It might not just be that, however. WUSA still can't play back HD content, just WS SD.

SJKurtzke

07-25-06, 02:37 PM

BTW, it was rumoured back in May/June that WTTG (a Fox O&O in DC) got an HD-ready set, and had plans for an HD newscast in Fall 06.

ak3883

07-25-06, 08:20 PM

As promised, here are some captures. They were sent over firewire from my 6412 and I captured frames during playback, so they don't look as good as someone with a PC HD tuner card.

http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/183/capture1dl3.th.jpg (http://img119.imageshack.us/my.php?image=capture1dl3.jpg)

http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/1601/capture2kz0.th.jpg (http://img119.imageshack.us/my.php?image=capture2kz0.jpg)

http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/1151/capture3eg6.th.jpg (http://img119.imageshack.us/my.php?image=capture3eg6.jpg)

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/8431/capture4ej3.th.jpg (http://img85.imageshack.us/my.php?image=capture4ej3.jpg)

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/4936/capture5bm8.th.jpg (http://img85.imageshack.us/my.php?image=capture5bm8.jpg)

JaxFLBear

07-25-06, 10:49 PM

WFTV in Orlando started broadcasting news in HD the end of June.

SJKurtzke

07-25-06, 11:01 PM

So, do we now have reason to believe that ABC is going to upgrade ALL (10) of its O&Os in the near future? KABC and WPVI have already done it, so I would assume something like KGO or KTRK is next.

I think that ABC will hold off on WLS and WABC, simply because that would mean that they would have to upgrade their Live with.. and Oprah sets, as well (?).

(BTW: If WABC gets upgraded, as well as the Live set, does that mean they could do that show in HD, especially since it is broadcast live, and would have no need for a tape delay?)

In case anyone is wondering, here's a list of the ABC O&Os:

Market:____Station:___HD Chopper?___HD Set?___HD Field?
New York___WABC________Yes________No________No
LA_________KABC________Yes________Yes______SD/HD
Chicago_____WLS________Yes___No (HD Ready?)___No
Philly______WPVI_________Yes________Yes_______No
SF_________KGO_________Yes________No________No
Houston____KTRK_________No________No________No
Raleigh____WTVD_________No________No________No
Fresno_____KFSN_________No________No________No
Flint, MI____WJRT_________No________No________No
Toledo, OH_WTVG_________No________No________No

(If someone knows how to make a real table, please feel free to do so)

EDIT: Fixed some Field data.

bgall

07-25-06, 11:17 PM

put what you want inside code tags and vbulletin will maintain the spacing

fljeremy

07-26-06, 09:47 AM

No local HD news in Jacksonville, FL just crappy simulcast with black bars on the side which looks horrible.

TakeFlight

07-26-06, 04:43 PM

WPVI - Philly field cameras are 4:3 SD not widescreen. Although they have said they intend to upgrade these to HD in the future.

SirJW

07-26-06, 04:48 PM

I'm pretty sure KABC7 has one or two HD Field Cameras. The reason why is that not all local reports are presented in widescreen. It's usually the lead local story presented full screen and the other local stories during the broadcast are presented in letterbox...

Side note, it’s too bad that during the sports reports only ESPN and ABC HD highlights are presented. For instance last night the Dodgers played the Padres and the local SD FOX highlights were used instead of the local Padre HD (KGO?) highlights.

So, do we now have reason to believe that ABC is going to upgrade ALL (10) of its O&Os in the near future? KABC and WPVI have already done it, so I would assume something like KGO or KTRK is next.

I think that ABC will hold off on WLS and WABC, simply because that would mean that they would have to upgrade their Live with.. and Oprah sets, as well (?).

(BTW: If WABC gets upgraded, as well as the Live set, does that mean they could do that show in HD, especially since it is broadcast live, and would have no need for a tape delay?)

In case anyone is wondering, here's a list of the ABC O&Os:

Market:____Station:___HD Chopper?___HD Set?___HD Field?
New York___WABC________Yes________No________No
LA_________KABC________Yes________Yes_____WS SD(?)
Chicago_____WLS________Yes___No (HD Ready?)___No
Philly______WPVI_________Yes________Yes_____WS SD(?)
SF_________KGO_________Yes________No________No
Houston____KTRK_________No________No________No
Raleigh____WTVD_________No________No________No
Fresno_____KFSN_________No________No________No
Flint, MI____WJRT_________No________No________No
Toledo, OH_WTVG_________No________No________No

(If someone knows how to make a real table, please feel free to do so)

NetworkTV

07-26-06, 07:00 PM

In case anyone is wondering, here's a list of the ABC O&Os:

Market:____Station:___HD Chopper?___HD Set?___HD Field?
New York___WABC________Yes________No________No
LA_________KABC________Yes________Yes______SD/HD
Chicago_____WLS________Yes___No (HD Ready?)___No
Philly______WPVI_________Yes________Yes_______No
SF_________KGO_________Yes________No________No
Houston____KTRK_________No________No________No
Raleigh____WTVD_________No________No________No
Fresno_____KFSN_________No________No________No
Flint, MI____WJRT_________No________No________No
Toledo, OH_WTVG_________No________No________No

Well, if NY and LA have HD choppers, Channel 34 in Binghamton, NY had better get on it. Otherwise, they're just wasting all that open front lawn....

surf_fun85

07-29-06, 06:33 AM

SJKurtzke

08-02-06, 06:14 PM

WTTG (FOX O&O in DC) has just announced they have ordered HD equipment. They plan to do the full HD setup (studio, field, chopper, sky cams, etc.).

Spencer1812

08-03-06, 10:56 AM

Why is it my E* ABC News in HD looks all washed out? When I had D* ABC News HD was crystal clear...Lip-Sync was off, but a very detailed PQ.

SJKurtzke

08-04-06, 01:26 AM

WTTG (FOX O&O in DC) has just announced they have ordered HD equipment. They plan to do the full HD setup (studio, field, chopper, sky cams, etc.).
Anyone think they'll do syndication in HD? (They run Seinfeld)

surf_fun85

08-04-06, 09:28 AM

WTTG (FOX O&O in DC) has just announced they have ordered HD equipment. They plan to do the full HD setup (studio, field, chopper, sky cams, etc.).

Got an site link to press release ?

SJKurtzke

08-04-06, 11:25 AM

Got an site link to press release ?
No press release now, but the website http://www.dcrtv.com/ posted this:

9 Renames News Now, Loses HD PR Battle To 5 - 7/27 -
DCRTV hears that Gannett is renaming its "9 News" as "9 News Now." Says a 9er: "Seriously, it took three years to come up with that. Soon, you will hear the reporters saying, 'I'm Joe Blow, 9 News Now'." That doesn't necessarily mean WUSA's news, which is slumping in some key time slots, will be doing more live, breaking news. We're told: "If you recall rather than spending money on gathering news, (WUSA) spent a fortune on being first in HDTV. Now even that is being taken away from them. Fox 5 will be the first station in the market to really be HDTV. They will be showing us the outside world in HD, not just the studio. They have ordered Panasonic HD cameras for all of their crews, theirhelicopter, and a downtown roof camera. Now, that is being really first in HDTV".....
I know it's not official yet, but this site has a reputation for being almost always accurate, so I guess the press release should come soon. WTTG just got a new set, graphics, logo, etc. about a month ago, so the HD transition would seem like a natural step.

Inundated

08-05-06, 01:45 AM

Since my posts in this thread back in February, WKYC/3 Cleveland (Gannett/NBC) converted its newscasts to HD.

Unlike WJW/8 (FOX O&O) here, WKYC's field video is all 16:9, though in SD for now. WJW uses 16:9 SD live shot video, but 4:3 recorded.

The move makes Cleveland one of the few two-HD-newscast markets.

foxeng

08-05-06, 07:49 AM

Last week I saw an article in one of the trade rags that said that there are 10 stations nationwide on the air that do some form of HD news.

tommy122

08-05-06, 08:10 AM

The news on WRAL in Raleigh, NC has been in HD for quite a while. In fact, I think they were the first station in the US to go HD. Not only is their news in HD, but all of the remote shots, including shots from their helicopter are HD. Needless to say, they are the only local news show that I watch. The other channels around here just don't get it.

foxeng

08-05-06, 12:27 PM

They get it. The cost to comversion is what is driving it. WIth WRAL is it an ego thing. With the other stations Goodman owns they aren't anywhere NEAR the HD level WRAL is. Not even WRAZ. If WRAL didn't already do WRAZ's news, it wouldn't be in HD. There isn't any money in it yet but as time goes on, you will see more stations moving in that direction as the cost of equipment comes down and replacement cycles come up.

Forceflow

08-05-06, 12:28 PM

Anyone think they'll do syndication in HD? (They run Seinfeld)

Was Seinfeld shot in something other than 480i? I doubt they used film and then chopped it up. I figure most syndication was shot using 480i 4:3 cameras (b/c of cost) and I really have to assume that Seinfeld was not an exception.

foxeng

08-05-06, 12:34 PM

Was Seinfeld shot in something other than 480i? I doubt they used film and then chopped it up. I figure most syndication was shot using 480i 4:3 cameras (b/c of cost) and I really have to assume that Seinfeld was not an exception.

It was shot on film, edited in SD video. Was re-edited from the original film to HD. A very expensive process to have to re-edit.

Ken H

08-05-06, 01:09 PM

This is from the HDTV Programming Synopsis:

Local stations with HD news studios:
WRAL Raleigh, NC (VIPIR HD weather radar)
KING Seattle, WA
KOMO Seattle, WA
WJW Cleveland, OH
WUSA Washington DC
KUSA Denver, CO
WXIA Atlanta, GA
KARE Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN
KABC Los Angeles, CA
WKYC Cleveland, OH
WPVI Philadelphia, PA
WFTV Orlando, FL

Local stations with HD helicopters:
KUSA Denver, CO
KABC Los Angeles, CA
WRAL Raleigh, NC
WABC New York, NY
WNYW New York, NY
KGO San Francisco, CA
WLS-TV Chicago, IL

Let me know if this needs updating, thanks.

SJKurtzke

08-05-06, 01:28 PM

SJKurtzke

08-05-06, 01:43 PM

WGN and KTLA both produce select events (Cubs Baseball and Rose Parade...so far) in HD. Although they've been doing this for YEARS, could we expect HD newscasts from them in the near future?

rcodey

08-13-06, 11:45 PM

Looks like WCBS-Ch2-NY will have helicopter shots in Hd in the near future.On the news tonight(Aug.13) they ran a commercial showing a helicopter and ending with this graphic- "Chopper2HD to be continued".

Inundated

08-14-06, 12:20 AM

Cleveland may have three out of four local news operations with HD studios later this year. A local media blog reported that WEWS/5 (ABC) is planning to go HD sometime this year, per their own website. As you can see from the list above, WKYC/3 (NBC) and WJW/8 (FOX) are already in HD.

That leaves only CBS affiliate WOIO/19 out in the SD cold, though as the item commented, they're barely on the air in color. :D

No HD copters here yet. At least two stations are either said to be getting them, or refitting their existing copter for HD video.

jrcorwin

08-14-06, 04:36 PM

Nothing here yet. I emailed our ABC, CBS, and NBC affliates. WTHR-NBC gave me the same old line that they had been shopping recently for equipment. WRTV-ABC said that I should be seeing "some 16x9 content within the next year." (whatever that REALLY means). No response from WISHTV-CBS...

ak3883

08-14-06, 05:11 PM

TravelFan1

08-14-06, 05:49 PM

It's a huge surprise to me that no tv channel here in NYC DMA market has started broadcasting their local news in HD. C'mon, we're the number 1 DMA market!

Also, even though Fox 5 has a Sky-HD chopper, I've noticed that a lot of times the chopper pictures been shown in 4:3 - to be honest, not sure whether that's a problem with the Fox-5 station or Comcast, my cable co.

Ken H

08-14-06, 06:20 PM

WRTV-ABC said that I should be seeing "some 16x9 content within the next year." (whatever that REALLY means).Could mean stretch-0-vision, could mean 16:9 SD, could mean HD.....

Ken H

08-14-06, 06:20 PM

...to be honest, not sure whether that's a problem with the Fox-5 station or Comcast, my cable co.Almost for sure it's not Comcast.

SJKurtzke

08-14-06, 06:55 PM

I found this on the KABC wiki:

Due to current logistical and equipment limitations, video from "Air7HD" is occasionally only available in SDI. When this occurs, the helicopter is re-branded as "Air7".

This same problem could be occuring at WNYW.

rcodey

08-15-06, 12:12 AM

About half the time I watch WABC the helicopter is in 4:3.

Sevenfeet

08-15-06, 12:59 AM

Talked to a cameraman filming a story for WTVF (CBS) here in Nashville and I asked the question about going to HD news. The response? Two years. Well, at least t was honest. I suspect there will be some competition eventually between them and WSMV (NBC) for first HD newscast bragging rights. WSMV just upgraded their entire editing suite, so they can likely edit HD, but as we all know, it's only part of the story.

Curiously the cameraman did ask me whether I ever watched WKRN (ABC) local newscast and I said "occasionally". He asked me if the picture really sucked as bad as they thought it did over there. I would have to agree with him...the local ABC SD newscast picture is terrible, even upscaled to 720p on Comcast. Well, at least the CBS local guys are caring about quality.

coyoteaz

09-08-06, 10:40 PM

Add KPNX (NBC Phoenix, owned by Gannett) to the list for both HD news and an HD helicopter starting 11/2.
http://www.azcentral.com/12news/news/articles/hdnewsrelease0908-CR.html

SJKurtzke

09-08-06, 11:11 PM

Add WNBC to the list starting 9/13, and the other NBC O&Os to be done within the year.
WRC is last, BTW. Probably due to the fact that only about 5% of the anchors are under 40.

(Mods, merge in the WNBC thread)

wyattg

09-09-06, 01:33 AM

KXTV in Sacramento did a local sports piece in HD Thursday night. Looked good. Too bad the studio is not in HD. Maybe soon they will be....

ak3883

09-09-06, 11:59 PM

WPVI(ABC) here in Philly now does outside weather shots in HD, and tonight I noticed "StormTracker6 Radar" is now 16:9 on all their screens in the studio and when shown live on TV. The radar still isn't as detailed or modern looking as KYW but it is in 16:9 :)

Plus a report from Houston for the Eagles game tomorrow was in 16:9, didn't look HD though. The news operation is looking great and getting better, too bad the 2 substations starve bandwidth, and it really really shows on fast moving sports.

GeorgeLV

09-16-06, 09:26 PM

KLAS in Las Vegas goes HD on September 18th.

http://www.klastv.com/Global/link.asp?L=206505
(hat tip to Demodave for catching the official link)

spike jones

09-28-06, 09:45 AM

WSB 2.1 in Atlanta just started HD news. That makes two stations here now...what would really be nice is if the local PBS stations could show HD.

davidhildreth

10-08-06, 03:48 PM

Add KPNX (NBC Phoenix, owned by Gannett) to the list for both HD news and an HD helicopter starting 11/2.
http://www.azcentral.com/12news/news/articles/hdnewsrelease0908-CR.html

i cant wait, i hope they can pull off the transition by the 2nd
the rest of the market will probably follow next year

atperson100

10-08-06, 05:29 PM

Rumour is that KTVU will do hd news starting this week.

SJKurtzke

10-08-06, 06:10 PM

It's taking FOREVER for WTTG to get their HD news. They ordered equipment back in July, but has yet to make a formal announcement. The equipment order followed the Fox News upgrade that the other O&Os got and a new set, along with adding an 11PM newscast. They also did a major tower upgrade in September for WTTG and sister station WDCA. They clearly have HD studio cameras and HD monitors.

What could be the hold up? It seems like everything is ready for at least an announcement from them.

Also, does anyone have a status update on the NBC O&Os? I don't think any other station besides WNBC has made the upgrade, and that mine (WRC) is last on the list. Is there a timetable for this thing?

nikeykid

10-08-06, 09:57 PM

Rumour is that KTVU will do hd news starting this week.

where did you hear this rumor?

atperson100

10-08-06, 10:08 PM

In the newsroom chatter across the country.
It does make sense to me as I've heard they've been doing the news in the news room lately.. And the new header on their website, which looks very similar in style to the graphics of WSB (which also went HD recently). We shall see if this rumor pans out..

SJKurtzke

10-08-06, 10:09 PM

where did you hear this rumor?
Well this press release says that they've ordered something...
http://www.thomsongrassvalley.com/news/2006/20060907-HD-News-Momentum.html

jabbathespud

10-10-06, 07:13 PM

KTVU (FOX SFBA) local news went HD today. However, while in studio is HD, remote looks to be 480p widescreen.

sandiegojoe

10-10-06, 07:31 PM

KTVU (FOX SFBA) local news went HD today. However, while in studio is HD, remote looks to be 480p widescreen.

wow, wish it coulda been HD when Leslie Griffith was a bit younger. I had the biggest crush on her when I was a teenager.

jabbathespud

10-10-06, 07:51 PM

HD is not flattering to Julie Haener. HD reveals more wrinkles that SD just can't show.

KTVU (FOX) is the only non-O&O station of the big four. I am surprised it is the first to go HD.

keenan

10-10-06, 07:59 PM

HD is not flattering to Julie Haener. HD reveals more wrinkles that SD just can't show.

KTVU (FOX) is the only non-O&O station of the big four. I am surprised it is the first to go HD.
The network owned stations may have more corporate money, but KTVU is the premier station in the bay area in many areas including probably viewers and valuation. IIRC, it's the crown jewel of the Cox TV station network.

Marcus Carr

10-11-06, 01:14 AM

Looks like local HD newscasts are picking up a tiny bit of steam. Three new ones in the last two weeks. Waiting on WTTG in DC, hopefully before the end of the year.

IndigoBlu

10-11-06, 01:43 AM

JohnS-MI

10-11-06, 11:27 AM

In Detroit, Ch. 7, WXYZ, (ABC affiliate) is HD at least in the studio. Remotes are a mixed bag.

Ch 4, WDIV, (NBC) is using Stretch-O-Vision to give us "fathead news" which does not look too good.

goldrich

11-16-06, 12:13 PM

Yesterday at 5 p.m., WTHR-DT (NBC), Indianapolis, officially launched its Eyewitness News in HD. WTHR-DT is utilizing new Ikegami HD studio cameras along with an HD graphics generator and an HD portable camcorder. During the next six months or so, the station will install a digital HD master control room and begin utilizing HD digital field cameras for newsgathering. The station's helicopter will also be updated with HD equipment.

Steve

HDTVFanAtic

11-16-06, 07:35 PM

KTVU 10pm - most of the upconverted field shots alright.

http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/8565/1dc3.th.jpg (http://img91.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1dc3.jpg)http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/2743/2hw6.th.jpg (http://img91.imageshack.us/my.php?image=2hw6.jpg)http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/3348/3nu6.th.jpg (http://img175.imageshack.us/my.php?image=3nu6.jpg)http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/1572/4ou1.th.jpg (http://img101.imageshack.us/my.php?image=4ou1.jpg)

The network owned stations may have more corporate money, but KTVU is the premier station in the bay area in many areas including probably viewers and valuation. IIRC, it's the crown jewel of the Cox TV station network.

For those counting, thats 3 Cox Stations in essentially 3 months (Orlando, Atlanta, San Francisco). I guess Gannett is the only other company that has 3 stations doing HD Newscasts and no one is certainly converting this many as fast.

keenan

11-16-06, 10:30 PM

KTVU looks great, I actually even watch the news now. :p

HDGreg

11-16-06, 11:19 PM

I have been watching KTVU for 3-4 weeks. I love it. My local ABC (KGO) seems to be close to going HD, as they keep talking up their HD traffic camera, even though it is being shown in that 4+x3 screen that ABC uses, not yet 16x9.

tombarry

11-17-06, 05:22 PM

Here in Atlanta we actually have a third station with an HD newscast, WATL, a sister station of WXIA. They have their own news folks, but share the WXIA facilities. They do their news at 10 and then we get WXIA and WSB at 11.

bvader

11-17-06, 05:57 PM

KABC in LA is HD... I am sure someone has said that already... never liked our local ABC News, because it was very...sensationalized...BUT...now we watch because HD and get this...they have an HD camera in the 'Copter...Famous LA Chase Scenes in HD...How great is That! ;)

sneals2000

11-17-06, 06:11 PM

KTVU (FOX SFBA) local news went HD today. However, while in studio is HD, remote looks to be 480p widescreen.

Suspect it is 480/60i widescreen - AIUI 480/60p isn't a widespread production format (Fox used 480/60p for distribution prior to the move to 720/60p - but most of this was either 480/24p captured material or 480/60i captured material upconverted - as 480/60p gear is pretty rare outside multi-standard HD cameras that also do 1080/60i or 720/60p)

TVOD

11-17-06, 10:25 PM

The network owned stations may have more corporate money, but KTVU is the premier station in the bay area in many areas including probably viewers and valuation. IIRC, it's the crown jewel of the Cox TV station network.Now with HD they should bring back Creature Features.

HDTVFanAtic

11-18-06, 03:17 AM

Suspect it is 480/60i widescreen - AIUI 480/60p isn't a widespread production format (Fox used 480/60p for distribution prior to the move to 720/60p - but most of this was either 480/24p captured material or 480/60i captured material upconverted - as 480/60p gear is pretty rare outside multi-standard HD cameras that also do 1080/60i or 720/60p)

Virtually every stations doing HD Newscasts except those few with dedicated HDTV Helicopters cameras are using 480 16:9 Widescreen for all remote live shots.

TonyW79SFV

11-18-06, 04:51 AM

Virtually every stations doing HD Newscasts except those few with dedicated HDTV Helicopters cameras are using 480 16:9 Widescreen for all remote live shots.

For KABC-DT in LA, some of their remote "skycams" that can be as far as 40 miles away and some in the mountains are in HD, plus they have an HD helicopter too. In rare occasions, they would file a report in HD during one sweeps period and they once went HD from New Orleans for the first anniversary of Katrina, most likely using a rented or even shared HD satellite ENG truck.

HDTVFanAtic

11-18-06, 04:57 AM

For KABC-DT in LA, some of their remote "skycams" that can be as far as 40 miles away and some in the mountains are in HD, plus they have an HD helicopter too. In rare occasions, they would file a report in HD during one sweeps period and they once went HD from New Orleans for the first anniversary of Katrina, most likely using a rented or even shared HD satellite ENG truck.

Yes, their remote cameras at LAX, the Harbour, Downtown, Burbank, etc are in HD but those are stationary cameras - not mobile field reports.

As stated, yes their chopper is HD, but they appear to use it less today than they did a year ago :confused:

Their remote reporting is in 16:9 480p. They have done it from Honolulu (after the Hawaii Earthquake) and today from North Carolina (from where the tornado hit). I have yet to see any live ENG HD and I skim several hours of their HD Newscasts daily.

jabbathespud

11-18-06, 09:46 AM

wow, wish it coulda been HD when Leslie Griffith was a bit younger. I had the biggest crush on her when I was a teenager.

Leslie Griffith disappeared from KTVU news about three months ago. Only yesterday was her departure finally announced, but not explained. I find it intriguing that her unexplained absence started shortly before the switch to HD. Coincidence? One of the more interesting quotes is:

"I really never want to be on TV again. From here on out, I want people who meet me to see me for who I am -- not someone in a box."

TonyW79SFV

11-18-06, 08:05 PM

Yes, their remote cameras at LAX, the Harbour, Downtown, Burbank, etc are in HD but those are stationary cameras - not mobile field reports.

As stated, yes their chopper is HD, but they appear to use it less today than they did a year ago :confused:

Their remote reporting is in 16:9 480p. They have done it from Honolulu (after the Hawaii Earthquake) and today from North Carolina (from where the tornado hit). I have yet to see any live ENG HD and I skim several hours of their HD Newscasts daily.

I should state that only ONCE they went HD remotely from New Orleans. Other remotes are the usual 480i 16:9, basically using the same analog remote infastructure no different than any SD setup, except the camera is set to amorphic widescreen. Lots of SD newscams have anamorphic SD capabilities. Also, KABC will let the viewers know when their shot is HD, using that same yellow HD logo, which was how they identified the New Orleans shot and one of their special reports dealing with immigration at Mexico's south border.

HDTVFanAtic

11-18-06, 08:54 PM

I should state that only ONCE they went HD remotely from New Orleans. Other remotes are the usual 480i 16:9, basically using the same analog remote infastructure no different than any SD setup, except the camera is set to amorphic widescreen. Lots of SD newscams have anamorphic SD capabilities. Also, KABC will let the viewers know when their shot is HD, using that same yellow HD logo, which was how they identified the New Orleans shot and one of their special reports dealing with immigration at Mexico's south border.

I wouldnt go by their logo as there has been plenty of times they have used it with the SD Chopper.

Their shot from Honolulu and North Carolina also said HD on the graphic - but they were not.

sneals2000

11-19-06, 04:07 PM

Virtually every stations doing HD Newscasts except those few with dedicated HDTV Helicopters cameras are using 480 16:9 Widescreen for all remote live shots.

Yep - my comments were to clarify that it is likely to be 480/60i 16:9 SD upconverted, NOT 480/60p 16:9 upconverted.

I'd expect the cameras involved to be Sony DVCam, XDCam or possible Beta SX camcorders, Panasonic DVCPros etc. - all in SD. These are 480/60i camcorders that optionally come with 16:9/4:3 switchable outputs. They don't deliver 480/60p 16:9 - just 480/60i.

In the UK - the BBC and Sky are 16:9 SD for News - using 50Hz 576/50i versions of the gear I'd expect to be in use in the US for local news. (Sony DSR500 series DVCam camcorders are the workhorses of national and local news for the BBC - with a few Beta SX camcorders in Scotland, Ireland and Wales, and overseas)

(The 480/60p confusion stems from Fox broadcasting their early digital network in this format, though they didn't originate much - if anything - in it, it was mainly a distribution format.)

Confusingly - some DVCam camcorders now boast 24p/30p or 25p acquisition - so may shoot 480p or 576p - but only at 24/30p or 25p, not 60p or 50p.

HDinHouston

11-28-06, 11:18 AM

ABC O&O KTRK now has a chopper in HD

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/index?section=sci_tech&id=4750137

humdinger70

11-28-06, 11:40 AM

Just saw a blurb on local San Diego HDTV web forum site that our CBS affiliate, KFMB, will be going to HD for the news program in early (mentions January) 2007. :D

Here's the link: http://www.tvpredictions.com/localhdnews112506.htm

Firehawk295

12-03-06, 09:43 AM

WABC in NY lauched yesterday

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=761773

SJKurtzke

12-03-06, 04:14 PM

MWJones

12-03-06, 09:50 PM

LOL:
From the KTRK Press Release:

"The detail and clarity of an HD picture is stunning. Complete with an IMAX size 17 inch screen, it makes reporting more accurate and viewing more real. "

So, are stations now just launching out of the blue? That's werid, if I were a station manager, I'd want one of the largest investments to be hyped up a little bit.

If you watched the video on the website, you would understand that the helicopter reporter only had about a 7 inch 4:3 screen to look at the camera's feed, so a 17 inch 16:9 display for the HD camera is quite an upgrade by comparison.

Also, this is only an HD helicopter. The studio has not yet gone HD, but I take it on good sources that it will be happening in the coming months. The station is pushing a lot of on-air promos as of late for the HD helicopter, and I suspect as the newscasts come closer to their full HD debut KTRK will make the countdown a big deal.

I just shudder to think of seeing Marvin Zindler (The consumer/investigative reporter that Dom DeLuise's Melvin P. Thorpe in "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" is based on) and his too many to count facelifts will look like in HD as he talks about "Slime in the Ice Machine".

KKyuubi

12-07-06, 08:24 AM

Big news, WABC is sorta going HD, they haven't changed anything else yet, but the studio shots are in HD (well, not as crisp as NewsChannel4HD but still, a big jump). No HD studio or Graphics yet (ironically, they are STILL using their current graphics!), but still, quite an achievement! Now, we just need to get WCBS out of the dark ages...

ENDContra

12-07-06, 11:31 AM

cthame1

12-07-06, 01:08 PM

ABC O&O KTRK now has a chopper in HD

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/index?section=sci_tech&id=4750137

Hey, I live in Chicagoland,and ABC, WLS, Channel 7, for us, has had a HD chopper camera since last April. Its funny because none of the other parts of the news are in HD but the traffic scences.

I saw Jose Sanders, (ABC chicago anchor of the morning news), in a store I went to for lunch back in September, and I asked him when the news would be broadcast in high definition. He told me that he thought it already was. ;) (But it really isn't).

It'll be really interesting how this is handled, because with my digital cable the news isn't HD, but it looks really nice, (with black bars on the side), but when they move to some video footage it looks terrible. No doubt this is a main reason why the change isn't that simple to make. You'd need a lot of expensive HD cameras, that perhaps havn't been aquired yet. Sets/lighting,etc. are probably issues as well.

Also, the news is nothing but close up shots for the newscasters. Everyone has heard about the Barbara Walters/Diane Sawyer, softening thats going on, so are high definition news casts really that good?

On another note, it kinda baffles me why the National news isn't HD. I'd say just let one of the major nextworks make the commitment, and the other two will probably follow suit.

coyoteaz

12-07-06, 04:18 PM

HD cameras are usually one of the first things purchased since they have been available for a while now, are relatively cheap and will work just fine with all existing equipment. The switching and production equipment is where the real cost of HD comes in to play.

KPNX's HD news is only HD for the studio and taped HD chopper shots. I would have to say that the best parts of their going to HD news are that they fixed the audio corruption that occurred when switching between HD and upconvert, and they got rid of the 4:3->14:9 stretch-o-vision on upconverts.

SJKurtzke

12-07-06, 07:39 PM

For those of you current receiving HD broadcasts, what is the level of HD video to SD video used? Is it only video most likely shot by that station? Do they use HD sports highlights where available or of other HD programming (network shows, etc).

Im wondering how far off is an HD video delivery service similar to CNN Pathfire, or even just a feed. The number of local news broadcasts in HD is on the rise, and they would all benefit greatly from something like this. If CNN moves to HD in the near future, will that push something like this into happening?
Well, WUSA looks awesome (it was one of the earlier stations to go HD). Compared to their ancient SD system, it was quite an upgrade. It kind of looks like CSI-type quality. At least, when they're in-studio. They use widescreen SD cameras for field, and that makes it look like Fox Widescreen (think Saturday Baseball) Plus, they don't seem to be filtering anyone, so the quality STAYS great.
They seem to have the capability to display HD highlights (they usually do so for football games, but sometimes not, even when it was HD), but I've never seen any non-CBS (their network) or WUSA broadcast in HD or 16:9.
CNN has said (not officially, but I went to their NYC bureau once and asked someone that worked there) that the only thing keeping them from launching an HD network is that they still gather news on Betamax. They said that, when they upgrade the system, they would also upgrade their distribution system to HD for distributing clips to affiliates.

dan_o_00

12-07-06, 10:00 PM

None out of Madison, WI that I know of.

SJKurtzke

12-12-06, 04:39 PM

WRC (NBC4) in Washington, DC announced an HD upgrade last night. They hope to be HD by the end of the year. They're an NBC O&O.

This is the second HD newscast for the DC area, with WUSA making the switch last year. WTTG (FOX5, O&O) has ordered HD equipment, but no formal announcement has been made. This would just leave WJLA to do anything. Our local CW affiliate lacks a newscast, but that may change since it's owned by Tribune and thus is likely to be sold to Gannett, the owner of WUSA.

engineer760

12-13-06, 11:43 AM

What's your source for WRC?

I see an article from NBC4's site where they talk about upgrading the studio's lighting in anticipation of HDTV, but they dont say they're going HD here - ie spending the $2 to $3 million on a new switcher, router, cameras, distribution, monitor and control equipment etc.

Am I missing something?

HDTV888

12-13-06, 11:54 AM

nikeykid

12-13-06, 12:09 PM

I wish KGO would get going on HD Jeopardy first.
And yes, KTVU is now the News station to watch.

eh... KTVU was the news station to watch before HD anyway. now they've only solidified it further with HD. i love watching the morning show in HD.

every other bay area news station are followers.

SJKurtzke

12-13-06, 07:54 PM

KeithAR2002

12-13-06, 10:30 PM

Yes I agree that WNBC looks a lot better... it's a shame WCBS is stuck in a rut... they go through anchors like water, at least when it comes to noon and 5 :)

Brahmzy

12-13-06, 11:08 PM

None in Colorado Springs, CO here, unfortunately. That'd be wonderful. I'd actually watch the news again.

atperson100

12-13-06, 11:14 PM

Heres a article you might be interested in.. talks about abc's plans to have KGO and WLS go HD within 90 days.. And how CBS will have remote hd shots when they launch
http://72.14.209.104/search?q=cache:5RlpUnj92J0J:www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2006/12/01/daily.2/&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=5&client=firefox-a

Marcus Carr

12-15-06, 12:18 PM

Chicago Station Goes HD

By Rebecca Stropoli and Garth Johnston -- Broadcasting & Cable, 12/15/2006 9:57:00 AM

Starting Jan. 6, WLS Chicago will become the first station in Nielsen's No. 3 market to broadcast its complete local news and programming lineup in high-definition.

Converting from 4:3 standard-def to 16:9 hi-def, the station will air 33 hours of local news per week—along with its other programming—in the HD format, providing more hours of HD viewing than any other station in the market. It is already the only Chicago station with an HD helicopter.

Said President and General Manager Emily Barr about the move to HD, "We've had to rebuild our entire plant. From an engineering perspective, it has been a tremendous amount of work."

Kal Hassan, VP of engineering, said, “[WLS] has one of the most advanced, all-digital facilities in the country,pioneering the way here with an all-HD infra structure that includes HD control rooms, HD studio and remote cameras, HD graphics weather system and HD-capable live trucks."

http://broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6400303.html?display=Breaking+News

steverobertson

12-15-06, 03:52 PM

I read that Boston's ABC station will be doing the news in HD I believe this spring I hope this forces others in our area to do the same

SJKurtzke

12-16-06, 06:42 PM

I read that Boston's ABC station will be doing the news in HD I believe this spring I hope this forces others in our area to do the same
For more info on WCVB, go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WCVB-TV
It appears to be a Heart-Argyle-owned station that serves the Boston metro area and had a big push on HD when digital first started, being the first in the DMA to broadcast the John Glenn space launch in HD. It has one subchannel, broadcasting a weather radar.

When KGO goes HD, that would mean that 6 out of the 7 top ABC affiliates do HD news. (I'm looking at you, WJLA executives!)

AAF

12-16-06, 08:06 PM

Also, this is only an HD helicopter. ....

I just shudder to think of seeing Marvin Zindler (The consumer/investigative reporter that Dom DeLuise's Melvin P. Thorpe in "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" is based on) and his too many to count facelifts will look like in HD as he talks about "Slime in the Ice Machine".

Is it wrong that I'm hoping for a 2 hr car chase around the loop or a disaster so I can catch some of the HD chopper coverage?

As far as Marvin in HD goes....I doubt he'll let that happen least we see the animatronics controlling his face :-) I kid, I love Marvin and was delighted to see him still on the air when I came back home to Texas. I figured for sure they'd have him on ice at the museum or something.

engineer760

12-18-06, 11:11 AM

SJKurtzke

12-18-06, 06:58 PM

WRC is not going to an HD newscast in the near-future - they have merely altered the lighting. Sometimes, actually a lot more than you think, journalists and reporters don't really know what it means to truly be doing a newscast in HD.

In fact, I believe the reporter said something to the effect of the new lighting grid will put them in a better position for HDTV. Again, they have no plans as of yet to pay the few million dollars required to put the news in HD.
You're right, sorry. Here's the closest thing to an official release:
From DCRTV:

HD News For 4 - 12/12 - NBC may not have the bucks to hold onto all of its longtime employees, but it does have the funds to upgrade Channel 4's news studios to high-def (right). Network-owned WRC plans to unveil at least some of its HD news look by the end of the year. However, we also hear that the station is only doing lighting upgrades now and will unveil more HD stuff later in 2007.....

But, from what I've heard going around, those other upgrades should come sooner in 07 rather than later.

Marcus Carr

12-20-06, 12:17 PM

KRNV Beats KREN To The HD Punch

By Glen Dickson -- Broadcasting & Cable, 12/20/2006 11:02:00 AM

KRNV, the NBC affiliate in Reno, Nev., is declaring victory in the race to offer high-definition news in the 110th-largest market.

The Sunbelt Communications-owned station began broadcasting news in 1080-line interlace (1080i) HDTV with its noon newscast Tuesday, and will now be offering 3.5 hours of HD news each weekday, including a 90-minute morning show, and 1.5 hours daily on weekends. A 30-minute public affairs program, "Nevada Newsmakers," will begin broadcasting in HD next month from Monday to Thursday, following the 30-minute noon news.

KRNV spent $4 million converting its news operations to HD, which included building a new set and replacing Sony Betacam SX cameras with Canon XL H1 HDV-format high-definition camcorders. The station had initially tried to launch HD news on Nov. 15, but ran into audio synchronization problems with the HD signal and aborted the attempt. The second go-round has been much smoother, says news director Jon Killoran.

"Everything went very, very well," says Killoran. "We are now on the air, and expecting to stay on the air, in HD."

Meanwhile, Pappas station KREN, the CW affiliate in Reno, experienced technical difficulties that postponed the scheduled Dec. 18 launch of its own HD newscast. The 10pm newscast, now slated to launch next week, will be the station's first local news product.

Sister station KAZR, a low-power station and Azteca America affiliate, is already on the air with its own 30-minute HD newscast. That HD newscast, which launched last month, is the first in Reno and the first Spanish-language HD newscast in the U.S.

http://broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6401667.html?display=Breaking+News

KKyuubi

12-21-06, 06:18 PM

You're right, sorry. Here's the closest thing to an official release:
From DCRTV:

HD News For 4 - 12/12 - NBC may not have the bucks to hold onto all of its longtime employees, but it does have the funds to upgrade Channel 4's news studios to high-def (right). Network-owned WRC plans to unveil at least some of its HD news look by the end of the year. However, we also hear that the station is only doing lighting upgrades now and will unveil more HD stuff later in 2007.....

But, from what I've heard going around, those other upgrades should come sooner in 07 rather than later.

That will be interesting, right now WRC uses the Pyburns that WNBC used before they went HD, I wonder if they will move up to the WNBC HD graphics, or get something completely different.

SJKurtzke

12-21-06, 08:18 PM

That will be interesting, right now WRC uses the Pyburns that WNBC used before they went HD, I wonder if they will move up to the WNBC HD graphics, or get something completely different.
Pyburns are the graphics, right? (Ick. I hate those)
The WNBC ones will probably be used, given how "NBCU 2.0" they're being these days.

atperson100

12-27-06, 04:45 PM

According to http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com/2006/12/christmas-weekend-potpourri.html WEWS should start sometime next month.

SJKurtzke

01-07-07, 04:37 PM

WEWS and WLS recently launched HD.
http://www.newsnet5.com/news/10689501/detail.html
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=stationinfo&id=4853892

BTW, WRC is taking an awful long time to replace a *lighting grid* , maybe they're doing other upgrades. It's been a month since they left the old studio.

engineer760

01-12-07, 09:34 AM

However in next 2 months, it seems KCBS (LA), KYW (Philly), WTXL (Tallahassee), KFMB (San Diego), KCRA (Sacramento), WFAA (Dallas) and KGO (San Francisco) are good candidates to upgrade.

ddinsm

01-16-07, 02:40 PM

Didn't see it mentioned anywhere on the HD site but as of Saturday it looks like KTLA in Los Angeles is now all HD for its morning and evening news. I remember seeing a commercial during their Rose Parade coverage about them changing everything to HD and I've always thought their Clippers games and Parade coverage looked awesome. Sure enough I pick it up OTA and it looks fantastic. They seem to have at least one of their traffic copters filming in HD (it is painted orange) and the morning crew set looks completely different.... great to have another local news in HD because the ABC group was kinda boring.

ddinsm

01-16-07, 02:45 PM

5w30

01-16-07, 07:00 PM

WNBC has studio-only news in 1080i HD. Remote live shots are 16x9 480i. 'Cause there isn't a microwave frequency out there that can handle 1080i ENG transmission and acquisition. Their satellite live shots are also 480i 16X9.

They also have new SONY ENG cameras, but as of now they're still testing them and they aren't HD for now, in fact they still edit disk-to-tape in their trucks. Final Cut Pro to come.

SJKurtzke

01-17-07, 04:48 PM

Found a link where it also talks about some new music channel they are offering OTA:

http://ktla.trb.com/entertainment/hidef/?track=footer

I'll have to update my directory listing to see if it gets added.
That's The Tube, which most Tribune-owned stations have been running since late summer. It's a nonstop music video channel, like the old MTV.
Anyone have screencaptures of KTLA's news? Hopefully they didn't change those awesome graphics.

atagert

01-17-07, 07:48 PM

Is it me, or is the local Fox news in Philly HD?

Adam

fistofsouth

01-18-07, 04:12 AM

Still waiting for local HD News here in Dallas. KXII in the Sherman-Ada market now broadcasts local news in HD. I think it’s sad that numerous smaller DMAs (Cleveland, Seattle, Reno) have HD local news before Dallas (DMA #6), but the fact that Sherman (DMA #161) has HD news before Dallas is downright insulting.

JCL

01-18-07, 10:09 AM

So you thought .. only in the U.S.A? City-TV in Toronto have been doing their 6:00am morning show, plus 6:00pm and 11:00 pm news in HD since October 2006.

1080i in the studio, and 16:9 SD from the remotes.

Ryan21

01-18-07, 11:26 AM

WPVI offers studio and most reports in HD. WTXF offers studio HD no reports in HD.

JCL

01-18-07, 11:34 AM

I was able to see 2 Seattle stations' HD news. They would have the studio cameras wired for HD. When a clean shot of the anchor is on, it's HD. It drops to 4:3 SD whenever there are bottom-third text graphics or photos over their shoulders.

City-TV's studio shots stay 100% HD whether or not there are any graphics on screen.

HDTV-NUT

01-18-07, 11:38 AM

Yep, WNBC New York via comcast or OTA.

humdinger70

01-19-07, 11:33 AM

Reports on my local HD forum (hdtv.forsandiego.com) has news on KFMB (channel 8, CBS, San Diego) possibly having the news in HD starting this coming Monday (January 22).

OrleansDawg

01-20-07, 10:42 PM

No and I am hoping they are HD by the mid-end of 07

NBCHD doesn't exist at all down here due to NBC station down here still crying about Katrina and money.

Very annoying.

Inundated

01-20-07, 11:36 PM

WEWS/5 (ABC) in the Cleveland market did indeed go HD with local news earlier this month.

That makes Cleveland a 3 HD newscast market. Is Cleveland the only one with three stations doing news in HD?

KKyuubi

01-22-07, 08:26 AM

Okay...they are already in HD, but to all people who were dissapointed that there was no redesign at WTXF when they went HD...today's your lucky day! They have switched to a new variation to the Fox O&O graphics today!

qaiser007

01-22-07, 11:58 AM

CBS (Khou) in Houston will start broadcasting its news in HD starting on Superbowl Sunday.

engineer760

01-24-07, 01:43 PM

With KHOU, and WFAA (Belo ABC in Dallas), I wonder if Belo is upgrading several affiliates to produce the news in HD in February. Anyone know anything?

survineer

01-24-07, 03:06 PM

I hope this is as good as any other place to post my question. Why do my local HD stations (Cleveland) have to switch to SD when scrolling weather bulletins across the screen?

JCL

01-24-07, 03:15 PM

I hope this is as good as any other place to post my question. Why do my local HD stations (Cleveland) have to switch to SD when scrolling weather bulletins across the screen?

I'm not a technology expert, but usually it's a matter of software or hardware generating the graphic, and the integration into the picture. At some point during the chain there's still an analog piece.

Someone with a technology background can articulate this better than me.....

shortkud

01-24-07, 03:38 PM

Here in Wellington,Florida no news is in HDTV :(

mdonnelly

01-24-07, 03:58 PM

No HD news in the OKC market. I emailed the KWTV (CBS affiliate) engineers, and they said they would need to spend millions more to upgrade the local sets to HD. At the same time, they constantly brag on the air that their new helicopter is HD capable, and call it "News9 HD". Laff.

humdinger70

01-24-07, 10:53 PM

Reports on my local HD forum (hdtv.forsandiego.com) has news on KFMB (channel 8, CBS, San Diego) possibly having the news in HD starting this coming Monday (January 22).

Well, no HD for KFMB, yet. (Hey, I made a rhymie :D)

atperson100

01-25-07, 12:18 PM

Here's a entry on KGO's site
http://newsdirectorblog.abc7news.com/2007/01/pardon_our_dust.html

bierboy

01-25-07, 12:21 PM

None here in the Quad-Cities. We're about 92 DMA I believe.

ak3883

01-25-07, 05:49 PM

WPVI offers studio and most reports in HD. WTXF offers studio HD no reports in HD.

Partially correct, WPVI has 16:9 SD field reports. They do the weather outside though in HD, and have an HD sky cam(Skycam 6HD) on top of the bldg looking North towards the river.

WTXF used to only have HD studio, and plain old 4:3 SD reports, I'll have to check them out again since a poster reported they have a new graphics set.

Jeremy W

01-25-07, 11:53 PM

I was able to see 2 Seattle stations' HD news. They would have the studio cameras wired for HD. When a clean shot of the anchor is on, it's HD. It drops to 4:3 SD whenever there are bottom-third text graphics or photos over their shoulders.
Wow, what a crappy way to do HD news. They should just do the whole thing in 4:3 SD until they get the rest of their equipment upgraded.

humdinger70

01-26-07, 01:49 PM

Well, no HD for KFMB, yet. (Hey, I made a rhymie :D)

New update from hdtv.forsandiego.com...

Starts Jan 28 (Sunday) with the 5:00 PM newscast. Will wait and see.

km-in-houston

01-26-07, 02:01 PM

Here in Houston, we have 2 HD news stations out of the 5 total news stations. KTRK-TV/DT (ABC 13) now has an HD news helicopter (in addition to their SD helicopter), and also has an HD "Tower Cam" to get HD views of Downtown Houston and the Galleria (Williams Tower). KHOU-TV/DT (CBS 11) announced that on Superbowl Sunday (2/4/07) they will begin local studio news in 1080i HD - a first for Houston.

humdinger70

01-28-07, 08:09 PM

New update from hdtv.forsandiego.com...

Starts Jan 28 (Sunday) with the 5:00 PM newscast. Will wait and see.

Update. KFMB news did start their HD broadcasting with the 5:00 PM Sunday news (January 28). Officially, commercials are announcing that they start on Monday.

Some recorded material is 4:3 upconvert, but some live remotes are 16:9.

cnickersonjr

01-28-07, 11:17 PM

Ou8thisSN

01-29-07, 08:37 PM

well I'm happy to say that Nashville, Tennessee is joining the ranks of the HD-elite (for local news anyway). Just saw an ad for the local CBS NewsChannel5 (WTVF-DT) affail about the news being in HD, starting following the superbowl.

http://www.wtvf.com/global/Category.asp?c=92320

Sevenfeet

01-30-07, 11:03 PM

Nashville's CBS affiliate WTVF (the station that first put Oprah on the air as a reporter) is launching HD for their local news broadcasts during the Super Bowl. It's a reported $10 million effort that includes everything from cameras to servers to a new make-up artist. They will be the first station in Tennessee to go HD for local news.

This launch guarentees them maximum exposure when a large number of middle Tennessee's HD televisions will be tuned into their station. Is any other station in the country using the Super Bowl to launch a local HD news upgrade?

celticpride

01-31-07, 01:11 AM

I emailed cbs in los angeles they said they hope to go HD late april 2007.

CPanther95

01-31-07, 11:14 AM

Threads merged.

bryan.lynch

02-02-07, 09:49 AM

WFAA in Dallas, TX just flipped the HD switch this morning on their news. They had a featured story showing their new production room and equipment that they are now using to make the switch to a 16:9 HD format.

scowl

02-02-07, 12:52 PM

KOIN in Portland (CBS affiliate) has just gone widescreen. Yeah definitely not HD but that still puts them ahead of everyone else in town. All the 4:3 material (i.e. everything outside the studio) has "KOIN News" curtains on the sides. The graphics are 16:9 but 100% center-cut safe of course and the halos around the graphics to make them look better on NTSC sets are really distracting. Someone must have set those to maximum.

I'm hoping that another station will see this move as a challenge.