Hey guys. I started this thread because I wanted more HD in Erie. I have been in the media community for 30 years and some of you may recognize my name. I wrote many of you (maybe some twice by accident) to write the Erie Times. we need to create awareness about the problem or we will all be left behind. No commercial Erie station is broadcasting any network affilate HD broadcasts. Period. That is expected to stay that way since only two corporattions control the 4 commercial TV channels. You might also consider writing Tom New At WQLN and thanking him for the PBS HD channel. PBS has recently been charging them ore to carry it and it might be enough for them to opt out. let's not make that happen. If you contribute to WQLN, make sure to tell them it is for the HD channel.
just sent the following letter to the Erie times about 2 weeks ago. It has not been published. If you agree with me, you might consider also writing to get more focus on the issue locally.
Dear Editor,
When it comes to new consumer technology, Erie is again taking a back seat to the rest of the America. How many consumers realize that when you are watching the local commercial channels and a program says that it is In High Definition Where Available, that the translation means everywhere but Erie. The Erie consumers are being left in the dark thanks to either a collaborative effort of the Erie commercial TV stations and the Erie Times-News or the journalistic ignorance on the part of the latter.
In about 18 months, current law says that the analog channels, (12, 24, 35, 54 and 66) all have to go bye-bye in favor of their digital counterparts, (52, 58, 16, 50 and 22). All these digital channels are currently on the air except WSEE (D16) with a minimal digital non-high definition signal. Pardon me. WQLN channel 50 broadcasts 24/7 High Definition thanks to the American taxpayer. That's one way we are getting value for our tax dollar. Yet looking at the TV schedules or the editorial pages of the Erie-Times you would never know this or that an analog deadline is approaching. Consumers are buying High Definition receivers in record numbers because of its life-like quality and being put right into the action of the Masters or the Super Bowl.
Has the Times-News warned consumers that if you are buying one of the older analog only sets that you might be throwing your good money down the drain or what the alternatives congress is exploring to ease the pain to consumers? This is a big story that is being intentionally ignored. The commercial TV stations will tell you that the digital-High Definition investment is substantial and they are correct. However, nobody told the two corporations that control all local commercial television that they had to intentionally buy these stations at inflated prices knowing, in advance, that a digital transition was going to be mandated.
The CBS network prides itself on the number of hours of High Definition programming it offers its viewers. A CBS executive at the recent Consumer Electronics Association Awards presentation this past March boasted that their affiliates now offer CBS High Definition to 98% of America. Guess who is included in the last 2%?
Jack Tirak 814-868-1589
I added DISH nework so I have 14 channels of HD and have requested waivers for CBS HD New York but WSEE says f*ck me.
Write the paper . if we all do it we might make something happen. To this day none of the local stations have any plans to be able to carry their networks in HD.
just sent the following letter to the Erie times about 2 weeks ago. It has not been published. If you agree with me, you might consider also writing to get more focus on the issue locally.
Dear Editor,
When it comes to new consumer technology, Erie is again taking a back seat to the rest of the America. How many consumers realize that when you are watching the local commercial channels and a program says that it is In High Definition Where Available, that the translation means everywhere but Erie. The Erie consumers are being left in the dark thanks to either a collaborative effort of the Erie commercial TV stations and the Erie Times-News or the journalistic ignorance on the part of the latter.
In about 18 months, current law says that the analog channels, (12, 24, 35, 54 and 66) all have to go bye-bye in favor of their digital counterparts, (52, 58, 16, 50 and 22). All these digital channels are currently on the air except WSEE (D16) with a minimal digital non-high definition signal. Pardon me. WQLN channel 50 broadcasts 24/7 High Definition thanks to the American taxpayer. That's one way we are getting value for our tax dollar. Yet looking at the TV schedules or the editorial pages of the Erie-Times you would never know this or that an analog deadline is approaching. Consumers are buying High Definition receivers in record numbers because of its life-like quality and being put right into the action of the Masters or the Super Bowl.
Has the Times-News warned consumers that if you are buying one of the older analog only sets that you might be throwing your good money down the drain or what the alternatives congress is exploring to ease the pain to consumers? This is a big story that is being intentionally ignored. The commercial TV stations will tell you that the digital-High Definition investment is substantial and they are correct. However, nobody told the two corporations that control all local commercial television that they had to intentionally buy these stations at inflated prices knowing, in advance, that a digital transition was going to be mandated.
The CBS network prides itself on the number of hours of High Definition programming it offers its viewers. A CBS executive at the recent Consumer Electronics Association Awards presentation this past March boasted that their affiliates now offer CBS High Definition to 98% of America. Guess who is included in the last 2%?
Jack Tirak 814-868-1589
I added DISH nework so I have 14 channels of HD and have requested waivers for CBS HD New York but WSEE says f*ck me.
Write the paper . if we all do it we might make something happen. To this day none of the local stations have any plans to be able to carry their networks in HD.
(Well, I do have some friends up there, but as far as I know they don't have HD equipment yet)
