HD Local news

[Blitzburgh]

How long is it going to be before we can start seeing our local news in HD?

[gparris]

It takes money to add equipment and process the HD signals on local other than just send it through from the networks.
Larger metro areas are beginning to add HD local news, just not Milwaukeeland, yet.
The locals have to see some value-addition in the cost equation,  I would gather.
I would imagine our local NBC affiliate, WTMJ-DT would soon add it, as they have been more of leader in the newer technology with the first in local colour television so long ago and so on, so why not first in HD locals?
This is an assumption, of course, but a hopeful one.:wave:

[waterhead]

Not to be a pessimist, but I doubt that it will happen until anlog broadcast goes away completely.

The funding of two separate broadcasts could be a drain on resources. Maybe that is why some stations are asking to get paid for rebroadcasting their signal.

Paul

[gparris]

Agreed, once they do away with analogue broadcasting, it will be easier, its just that some cities are doing it already from what I have read in avsforums.

[SRW1000]

As a interim step, it would be nice just to get 480p.

Scott

[bubbaridesfast]

A friend mentioned to me just last week that a client of his let slip that one of the locals is going to have HD news soon. This person slipped when saying this and wouldn't confirm anything when pressed for more.

[Blitzburgh]

If that is the case and most of us with HD start watching that channel because of the HD will it force the hands of the other stations not broadcasting HD news?

[Milwaukee12]

I hope that is the case.  WISN's graphics would look good in HD along with 'TMJ.  And I do apologize for being rude.

[jrowland96]

How long is it going to be before we can start seeing our local news in HD?

How long?  About a 45 minute drive south and watch Chicago news.  

[LoadStar]

Let's run down the suspects:

WTMJ: Possible. Their current set was built as a "HD-ready" set, and their fairly new graphics package would also translate well to HD. However, they've not shown any local HD initiative that I'm aware of. NBC is pushing HD pretty bigtime, with primetime and much of late night in HD already... the sore thumb sticking out right now is the local news.

WITI: Laughable, IMHO. As I've mentioned, this news division is run like a (really) small market station. They might have more news than anyone else in Milwaukee, and more local news, but most of it is such poor quality that even if it were to be in HD, it wouldn't look any better.

WISN: Possible, even probable. They've already shown local HD production initiative with the Big Bang show, and they said at the time "you have to start somewhere - this is where we start." I'd bet that they're the first, and that they start with the "On Assignment" program, with the rest of the local news to follow in phases (either the studio first with upconverted field reporting, or vice versa).

WDJT: Laughable, IMHO. They don't even bother to try and compete in the 6:00 timeslot. They seem to know they are and will perpetually be an "also ran" in this market, and I don't see them spending that much money to upgrade their news division.

[Blitzburgh]

How long?  About a 45 minute drive south and watch Chicago news.

LOL. I already enjoy all of my programming from Chicago via OTA

[Blitzburgh]

Let's run down the suspects:

WTMJ: Possible. Their current set was built as a "HD-ready" set, and their fairly new graphics package would also translate well to HD. However, they've not shown any local HD initiative that I'm aware of. NBC is pushing HD pretty bigtime, with primetime and much of late night in HD already... the sore thumb sticking out right now is the local news.

WITI: Laughable, IMHO. As I've mentioned, this news division is run like a (really) small market station. They might have more news than anyone else in Milwaukee, and more local news, but most of it is such poor quality that even if it were to be in HD, it wouldn't look any better.

WISN: Possible, even probable. They've already shown local HD production initiative with the Big Bang show, and they said at the time "you have to start somewhere - this is where we start." I'd bet that they're the first, and that they start with the "On Assignment" program, with the rest of the local news to follow in phases (either the studio first with upconverted field reporting, or vice versa).

WDJT: Laughable, IMHO. They don't even bother to try and compete in the 6:00 timeslot. They seem to know they are and will perpetually be an "also ran" in this market, and I don't see them spending that much money to upgrade their news division.

Agree. They do not care about there viewers. They think they are the cats ass.

[LoadStar]

Agree. They do not care about there viewers. They think they are the cats ass. Well I used to live in Chicago and well CBS58 has along way to go.

How does it feel to be GOD, ask CBS58 they sure are trying.

Uh. How does that "agree" with my point at all? In fact, how does it have anything to do with my post in the first place?

My point was that WDJT seems, at least from my perspective as a viewer, to recognize the fact that they're a 4th place news operation, and that they don't really have a chance to overtake anyone in this market. And because they seem to realize this point, I'd be very surprised if they put in the money it'd require to upgrade the news division to HD, at least anytime soon.

Note that I'm strictly referring to WDJT's news operations, not station operations in general.

[Milwaukee12]

LOL. I already enjoy all of my programming from Chicago via OTA

Because of CBS58 I totally boycott Milwaukee especially with any CBS broadcast :p

How do you pull in Chicago OTA.  I have been trying to for a while now.

[rnelson]

I always used to watch WITI for my morning news.  But I just got to the point where I couldn't handle the American Idol segments anymore.  I just couldn't stomach the clips with wanabee's screeching trying to pretend that they knew how to sing.  Not the thing I wanted to wake up to in the morning.  Had to switch to WISN.

WISN was Ok until they started showing segments of Dancing with the Stars.  Certainly was News that I did not want to see.  More wanabee's falling over each other trying to pretend that they knew how to dance.

I Had no choice but to change to WTMJ.  For Now WTMJ is OK even though the weather doesn't seem the same since Paul Joseph decided to retire rather than put up with .

Anyway, just the thought of watching American Idol segments being telecast as News in HD and the screeching in DD just gives me the creeps.