CBS Goes Hi-Def for NFL Playoffs

[Gregg Lengling]

CBS has announced it will broadcast its full slate of five NFL playoff games, culminating in the live broadcast of Super Bowl XXXVIII on Sunday, Feb. 1, in high-definition television format. Sony Electronics will sponsor the HDTV broadcasts, which will begin Sunday, Jan. 4, with the CBS Television Network's first AFC Wild Card playoff game.

In addition, the CBS/Sony collaboration will make possible the broadcast of the network's NFL pre-game show, "The NFL Today," from the AFC Championship Game on Sunday, Jan. 18; the Network's Super Bowl pre-game show, "The Super Bowl Today," Sunday, Feb. 1 (2 p.m. to 6 p.m., ET); and the "America Online Super Bowl XXXVIII Halftime Show" in HDTV.

CBS Sports' Super Bowl XXXVIII and AFC Playoff HDTV broadcasts will feature the highest-definition television format -- 1080 lines of picture resolution -- and 5.1 digital Dolby surround sound. The unified productions for the standard-definition and HD telecasts will feature the same camera angles, replays and graphics.

"There is no bigger stage to showcase the HDTV experience than the Super Bowl," said Sean McManus, president, CBS Sports, in a statement. "We're pleased to once again partner with Sony as we continue to believe in the power of HDTV for all viewers."

"There is no stronger entertainment combination than major sporting events in HD and Sony's digital television lineup," said Tim Baxter, senior VP of Sony Electronics' Home Products Division, in a statement. "Sony DTVs bring the big action home. Once consumers experience the AFC playoffs and the Super Bowl in spectacular high-definition sight and sound, they'll never look at sporting events the same way. It's really like no other home theater entertainment."