CBS To Use 42 HD Cameras For The Masters This April

[Raj Asarpota]

For the first time, the standard analog and HDTV productions of the 2003 Masters Tournament will be unified and will provide 18-hole coverage in HDTV's highest definition format.

In the largest HDTV production ever, CBS Sports will use 42 high definition cameras and 10 hand-held 16x9 standard definition cameras. The unified productions will be produced in HDTV's highest definition format, 1080i, and downconverted for the CBS Television Network's analog broadcast. This production technique also produces a better quality analog picture. Whether watching in widescreen HD or traditional 4x3 analog, viewers hear the same golf announcers and see the same camera angles, replays and graphics.

The 2000 Masters was the first golf tournament presented live in HDTV on network television, and it is still the only major tournament broadcast in high definition.

CBS Sports will broadcast the 2003 Masters on the CBS Television HD Network on Thursday, April 10 and Friday, April 11 (4:00-6:30 PM, ET, each day) and Saturday, April 12 (3:30-6:30 PM, ET) and Sunday, April 13 (2:30-7:00 PM, ET) live from Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. The third and final rounds of the Masters will be broadcast simultaneously in standard definition by CBS Sports on the analog CBS Television Network.

"We are happy to be working with CBS to provide another first in television coverage," said Hootie Johnson, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament. "This year's Masters will be outstanding with the top players in the world competing and Tiger going for an unprecedented three wins in a row. We are proud to bring this year's event to our many fans in HDTV's highest definition format."

Beginning in 1993 the Masters experimented with HDTV on a limited basis to discover how the new system could improve the presentation of the tournament to the television audience. The 2003 Masters broadcast will be presented in the highest form of HDTV with 1080 lines of resolution and over two million picture elements which makes it six times sharper than standard definition television.

In addition to the HD coverage, CBS Sports will broadcast live third-and final-round coverage on Saturday, April 12 (3:30-6:30 PM, ET) and Sunday, April 13 (2:30-7:00 PM, ET) on the CBS Television Network. Highlights of early-round play will be presented by CBS Sports on Thursday, April 10 and Friday, April 11 (11:35-11:50 PM, ET, both nights).