Fox Sports racing toward 480p

[Gregg Lengling]

Broadcasting & Cable
1/19/2003 9:38:00 PM
   Fox Sports will turn its wide-screen 480p (progressive) production machine toward the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing.
The programmer capped its wide-screen football offerings Sunday with the NFC Championship game.

Now, the network will turn its wide-screen 480p production machine toward its next big sport on the docket: NASCAR.

The Daytona 500 will be broadcast Feb. 16, and a Fox executive said the network is committed to scheduling more 480p wide-screen productions, which probably means Major League Baseball is in the mix, as well.

Fox wouldn't comment on whether there is any chance of stepping up to 720p for next year's National Football League season.

[Kevin Arnold]

I don't think it will be too long before Fox is forced to upgrade to 720p or 1080i. As the number of HD sets increases and side by side comparisons of Fox's and other network offerings become commonplace (as it was on Sunday), it will become embarassing to them to have a non HD product on the air.