PBS to Launch 'PBS HD Channel' March 1, 2004, Featuring State-of-the-Art, Award-Winni

[Gregg Lengling]

Continuing its decades-long leadership in television technology, PBS today announced the March 1, 2004 launch of the PBS HD Channel, making PBS the first broadcaster to provide a fully packaged 24/7 channel consisting entirely of High Definition and Widescreen content.
The PBS HD Channel will be available from local PBS stations that have transitioned to digital broadcasting, as well as through local digital cable systems that have agreed to retransmit the digital signal of their local public television station.

"The launch of the PBS HD Channel is a significant milestone in PBS' commitment to the digital transition," said Pat Mitchell, PBS President and CEO. "Local PBS digital stations already offer a range of digital services, including unique, groundbreaking multicasting content. The PBS HD Channel will be a key component of PBS' growing digital portfolio."

There are currently 236 local PBS stations on the air with digital signals, reaching more than 85 percent of U.S. TV households. The PBS HD Channel joins a suite of PBS digital services, including PBS KIDS Channel and PBS YOU ("Your Own University") and the VOD cable package, "PBS KIDS on Demand."

The PBS HD Channel will feature a mix of new and library HD and Widescreen programs. New HD and Widescreen programs will simulcast with their analog national PBS premiere broadcast, and will repeat on the PBS HD Channel during the week following their premiere.

Programming highlights on the PBS HD CHANNEL in March 2004 include:

        * NOVA "Hunt for the Supertwister," in which viewers will take a
          thrilling ride with tornado hunters and investigate the ingenious
          new approaches that will one day help forecasters stay one step
          ahead of a devastating twister (HD);
        * GREAT PERFORMANCES "Concert for George" -- the historic Royal Albert
          Hall tribute to the late George Harrison, in its American television
          premiere (HD);
        * INNOVATION "Hi-Tech War," which follows soldiers who used the latest
          in battle technologies in Iraq, and the engineers back home who
          developed them (WS);
        * "CHIHULY OVER VENICE," a documentary on the work of glass artist
          Dale Chihuly (HD);
        * NOVA "Life and Death in the War Zone," covering the Iraq War's
          emergency medical response teams, chronicling doctors, nurses, and
          medics in a frontline Combat Support Hospital (WS); and
        * "JAKERS! THE ADVENTURES OF PIGGLEY WINKS," a PBS KIDS show featuring
          the voice of Mel Brooks (HD).


In the coming months the PBS HD Channel will showcase some of PBS' most renowned signature series, including AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, GREAT PERFORMANCES, NATURE, NOVA, and EXXONMOBIL MASTERPIECE THEATRE, as well as the new drama series AMERICAN FAMILY.

PBS, headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, is a private, nonprofit media enterprise owned and operated by the nation's 349 public television stations. Serving nearly 90 million people each week, PBS enriches the lives of all Americans through quality programs and education services on noncommercial television, the Internet and other media. More information about PBS is available at http://www.pbs.org, the leading dot-org Web site on the Internet.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: PBS

[Tom Snyder]

* GREAT PERFORMANCES "Concert for George" -- the historic Royal Albert

Oh MAN!!!!  I've been watching for that on HDNet...  Very cool!

From MPTV:

Wednesday March 3, 2004

8PM
    Great Performances "Concert for George" 01:56 #2908H PBS

    The star-studded rock concert film, Concert for George, is presented--the historic Royal Albert Hall tribute to George Harrison, organized by the late Beatle's wife, Olivia Harrison. This expanded 120-minute version of the recent theatrical release features additional songs not shown in the original film. Performance highlights include "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," featuring Eric Clapton on guitar, Paul McCartney on piano, and Ringo Starr on drums; and "Taxman," performed by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Other high points are McCartney and Clapton duetting on "Something" with Starr on drums; and Tom Hanks sitting in with Monty Python for a rip-roaring version of "The Lumberjack Song." [TVPG] R on 3/3 11pm; 3/7 8pm; 3/7 11pm

[StarvingForHDTV]

I wonder if MPTV will try to get rid of the WS SD stuff?  That would be a shame....

Starving

[John L]

Originally posted by StarvingForHDTV
I wonder if MPTV will try to get rid of the WS SD stuff?  That would be a shame....

Starving

Starving, I thought you hated SD stuff?  It will be interesting what MPTV plans to do if any.  I'm sure they will carry it, but I'm thinking it will be airing on WMVT-DT since they already provide 24/7 of High Definition.

Otherwise if it's carried on WMVS-DT, then there goes the end of the 3 hour delay of broadcasting Ch. 10 and 36 programming as well as PBSyou.org and KidsPBS.  Maybe they will keep the weather radar maps thou.

By 2006 there will be new openings in the TV Spectrum here in Milwaukee.  By that time they or someone could seek a new TV channel assignment to put up a HDTV station.

-John L.

[kjnorman]

Originally posted by StarvingForHDTV
I wonder if MPTV will try to get rid of the WS SD stuff?  That would be a shame....

Starving

The press release states

a mix of new and library HD and Widescreen programs[/B]

To me that sounds like ths standard definition widescreen will likely be upconverted to broadcast on their HD channel as it is in the right format ratio.  

So perhaps it should be more accurately described as PBS widescreen?

[StarvingForHDTV]

No, I don't hate SD.  I like the 16:9 format.  I prefer it to anything in 4:3 format.  I prefer 1080i or 720p, but I also watch 480p if that will get me the 16:9 format I am after.

I realize that PBS will be passing along WS SD, my concern is that MPTV will not properly pass along the national PBS feed to us.  Sometimes they worry about confusion between 1080i and 480p when they are both shown in 16:9

As far as I am concerned, MPTV should pass along the National PBS feed to us,  whenever there is no local HD content to be shown.

Of course I would prefer to end the 3 hour delay, but hopefully that silly idea will pass when the analog stations are no longer broadcasting.

Starving

[tazman]

Hi Gregg

I was wondering is this PBS anouncement of a 24/7 HD channel mean that Milwaukee will get a second PBS HD channel or does it mean a programming change for channel 35.

Tazman:)

[Gregg Lengling]

There are no plans for a new PBS digital channel in Milwaukee.  They only have the 2 (channel 8 and 35 (analog 10 and 36)).  I'm presuming that this is the feed they will use on 35 (36-1).

[wxndave]

The new PBS digital channel is the same as the loop.  PBS has decided to actually program it now.  Nothing will change on Channel 35.  MPTV will air it's own local hd productions on channel 35 per the website schedule.

Dave