Quote:
Originally Posted by bnsfjth /forum/post/20299086
KCCI is now advertising 4/26/11 as the date they will start HD newscasts.
Watching the 6 PM newscast tonight. Studio shots definitely appear to be HD now. Still looks like a lot of the remotes are VERY soft -- they have to be 480p.
Super Doppler HD looks pretty awful scaled up to HD resolution, but the rest of the weather charts look very nice.
It's the same graphics package they've been using since they went to the 16:9 480p broadcast a few years ago.
Overall, it seems like the only thing that's new is the studio shots in HD, the better weather graphics, and Super Doppler HD output is sharper and clearer. Remotes still soft, same graphics package, same studio. Ho hum. Color me surprised, I expected more than just studio shots in HD for being the last to launch.
I was a KCCI devotee for years, but WHO's newscast is just so professionally done with a slick graphics package, great weather graphics, and all remotes in HD. WHO's newscast looks like something you'd expect to see in a Top 10 market. KCCI's looks like they put in just enough effort to say "See guys, we're in HD now."
KWWL went HD a year ago in the Cedar Rapids market for studio shots, but at least they revamped their set, revamped their graphics, and revamped the weather graphics. Remotes were still 4:3 SD, but with as much effort as was put into the rest of the HD upgrade, I'd argue KWWL did a lot more to get ready for HD than it appears KCCI has, so far.
I wouldn't be so harsh on KCCI, but with as good as their ratings are, and being "Iowa's News Leader" in Iowa's largest market, this HD launch is overshadowed by many other stations in this state, including WHO, KWWL, KWQC, heck, even WOI.