Oscars to Go Hi-Def

[Gregg Lengling]

John Consoli

JANUARY 08, 2003 -

The Academy Awards telecast, to be broadcast on ABC on Sunday, March 23, will for the first time be televised in high definition.

The Academy Awards is the fourth major event that ABC is planning to air in high definition this year. Last month the network announced that it would air the upcoming Super Bowl in HDTV. It also plans to air the NBA Finals and the Stanley Cup finals in high definition. In addition, Monday Night Football on ABC will be broadcast in HDTV during the 2003-2004 season.

ABC currently broadcasts a majority of its primetime schedule, including all scripted dramas, comedies and theatrical movies, in HDTV. The 2002-03 primetime HDTV broadcasts are sponsored by Zenith Electronics Corp.

Currently, 79 of ABC's owned and affiliated stations are broadcasting digital TV, covering 69 percent of the country, with 65 of them broadcasting in HDTV. All of ABC's HDTV programs are using the 720 Progressive format.