WB Goes 80% HD - What about Ch. 18/61?

[Kevin Arnold]

WB Ups HDTV Hours

John Consoli

SEPTEMBER 03, 2003 -

The WB will air 11 1/2 of its 15 hours of prime-time programming, or 77 percent of its schedule, in high-definition when the new season begins his month.

That is more than twice the total of HD programming as this past season.

The shows that will air in HD include returning dramas Everwood, Smallville, Angel and Gilmore Girls; new dramas Tarzan and One Tree Hill; returning sitcoms Reba and What I Like About You; and new sitcoms All About the Andersons, Like Family, and Run of the House. The HD programming will be sponsored by RCA.

"Cable operators have expressed an interest in compelling HD programming, and this network schedule provides that, through original scripted series," said Hal Protter, senior vp, distribution development for the WB.

So with this news on the table, where does that leave us?  WB18/61 may have the digital channel but they don't have the equipment to transmit HD thanks to their parent tightwad Sinclair Broadcasting Group. I wonder what the timeline is for showing what WB has in HD.  Might be a nice story for the WB18 news at 9 to look into. All they'd have to do is walk down the hall......

PS:  Ironically Hal Protter used to manage the station in the 80's. As I recall he was quite an innovator.

[StarvingForHDTV]

Originally posted by Kevin Arnold
I wonder what the timeline is for showing what WB has in HD.  Might be a nice story for the WB18 news at 9 to look into. All they'd have to do is walk down the hall......

LOL  I went to to their website and could not find a phone number to call or an email address.  I guess they don't want people to contact them.  Sinclair's phone numbers were all long distance, and I'm not willing to pay to ask the question.  Their email addresses were for investor relations and website concerns.

Maybe Fox 6 could do a story on when their digital signal will be ready for more than 2 viewers and they could perhaps check in on the HD progress at WB18-DT?

Starving

[The Law]

A step in the right direction...all they need, though, is interesting shows to watch.  I'm sure we all didn't spend all this money to watch the Gilmore Girls.:eek:

[Tom Snyder]

Typical corporate attitude...

"Don't bother us, just shut up and take what we decide we're gonna give you... and be thankful we're even giving you that!"  :p

[wisconsin00]

Most WB shows are junk anyways.

[John L]

I noticed a few days ago at the WB18 website that they have a selection of 2 grids for their program schedule, one program schedule for WVTV-TV, the other WVTV-DT.  On the WVTV-DT one of the icons on the bottom is a code signifying Hi-Def.  Comparing the 2 program grids between the TV and DT they are the same.
Does that mean that whenever WVTV can broadcast in Hi-Def that one would use the DT program grid to see if the program is listed in Hi-Def?  Worse that could happen is if the WB is in hi-Def and they list it as such, I would assume then they will transmit it in Hi-Def.

We will have to wait and see what happens.  WVTV could surprise us, you never know.

Someone mentioned Hal Protter?  Yes I'd say he was the terrific manager, but that was back when Gaylord Broadcasting owned and operated the station.  I didn't care for his running Sexually explicit R-Rated movies on late night weekends, but he upgraded the hardware to improve picture quality and it was also at the sametime Stereo was being added to TV audio and WVTV was one of those in front with Stereo audio.  I also think he had them replace the transmitter antenna to further improve the signal in fringe areas and increase the power to 5,000,000 watts.

-John L.

[John L]

Originally posted by StarvingForHDTV
LOL  I went to to their website and could not find a phone number to call or an email address.  I guess they don't want people to contact them.

They have on their website a spot to write them email.  I have attempted to write them email a couple times but get web page errors.  If thats teh case, if they are wondering why nobody is writing them they should look into and test their website.  Either its inadvertently not working or not working on purpose cause they don't want to hear complaints?

I believe Tim Cuprisin has some contact with them as well as other local TV stations. Since he frequents this site, I hope he can send the message to WVTV/WCGV management that we have viewers who care about their programming and broadcasting.

I operate a public access station in Muskego, ch. 14 and even I enjoy hearing complaints now and then about what I air on ch. 14. It not only tells me I have viewers, but that they care and what they like to see or not.  It keeps me busy.

-John L.

[techguy1975]

Originally posted by StarvingForHDTV
LOL  I went to to their website and could not find a phone number to call or an email address.  I guess they don't want people to contact them.  Sinclair's phone numbers were all long distance, and I'm not willing to pay to ask the question.  Their email addresses were for investor relations and website concerns.
Starving

The mailing address for Ch 18 and 24 is:

4041 N. 35th St
Milwaukee, WI 53xxx  (whatever the zipcode is)
The phone number is in the yellow pages.

[RobbQ]

Right now I NEVER watch the local UPN or WB channels.  I watch them off of the satellite because it is convenient and the picture is just as good or better.

So if anyone from Sinclair or their ADVERTISERS!! are reading this... I WOULD LOVE TO WATCH THE LOCAL SINCLAIR STATIONS BUT I WILL NEVER DO SO UNTIL THEY ARE IN HD.

Oh sorry, please excuse me for yelling.  I don't know what came over me.

Robb

[FreQi]

HD would attract me as a viewer as well.  Right now the only show I'd watch is Angel, and at least the analog broadcast of that is in Wide-Screen.  HD would be great...