Local HD News ???

[Richard H.]

Last month while I was in Minneapolis I noticed that one of their local stations do their daily news in HD. Does anyone know what the plans are for Milwaukee?

[LoadStar]

Last month while I was in Minneapolis I noticed that one of their local stations do their daily news in HD. Does anyone know what the plans are for Milwaukee?

None, I'd expect.

Frank Biancuzzo from WISN was quoted by Tim Cuprisin as saying that the fireworks were their way of getting started somewhere with HDTV... but it was a trial run at best. If WISN makes a move to HD, I'd bet it'd be first with their "On Assignment" prime time news package, rather than any of the daily newscasts.

WTMJ's news set and graphics have been described someplace I can't quite recall as being "HDTV-ready," but again, I don't see them many any moves into daily HDTV news gathering.

WITI is so laughably behind the technology curve. They'd need a serious graphics and set makeover before they do anything HDTV, in my opinion. I mean, they're still heavily using Sony CRT televisions (not even broadcast monitors - they're using a television they could have picked up at American or Best Buy) for on-set graphics.

Finally, WDJT has a tiny news budget as it is. They don't even have a 6:00 newscast. I just don't see them doing anything HD.

[techguy1975]

We will probably see it eventually, but I would guess its probably still a few years down the road.  Its a huge investment for any staiton to make, since they would need to buy alot of new equipment.  I believe though, that all stations are at least editing and recording on DV equipment and editing digitally.