Local HD PBS vs. Everyone

[duncantuna]

I'm new to the HD world, just bought a new HDTV ten days ago, so am still learning.  I have HD thru TWC.

I was surprised to see that none of the local newscasts are in HD, 4, 6, 12, 58.  Zip.   I'm not sure the technical description .. the news is on the digital HD channels (500 series on TWC) .. it may be a touch sharper than the regular SD channel, but it's 4:3, so it does nothing for me.

But to my surprise, PBS has their local "Interchange" show .. which is in full HD.

So my question is .. if little old public donation funded local PBS station can afford the HD infrastructure, why can't the local NBC, ABC, CBS and Fox affiliates for their all-important cash-cow local newscasts?  

I'm also surprised there isn't a race to start a HD local news.  Last figure I saw, 25% of households have HD TVs now.   I can't speak for everyone, but I'm addicted.  The channels I frequent has gone from 100 down to the few dozen that are HD.  --  If ANY local newscast went HD, I would instantly become their viewer.    I'd guess doing a HD local newscast would bump any station up 10% in the ratings very quickly, as all the HD starved folks would tune in.

You'd think that'd be worth the cash.  The PBS station came up with the $$ to do it, and they are relatively "poor".

Additionally, I'd love to know what kind of investment we're talking to do HD, since .. crap, consumer HD cameras are sub-$1000 now.    I realize pro cameras are far more spendy, but the prices have had to have dropped for that segment, too.

Thanks in advance for any informative thoughts!

[tencom]

Some of the cost of for channel 10 convertsion to HD was borne through a federal grant. All though there was talk of the local commericiall OTA statione being able to produce local programming in HD so far nothing has happened. One thing that you maybe aware of is the commercial tv stations, in this area are very bottom line orientated, snd don't like to spend money unless they have to. It may take just  one station to break the Ice and the rest may jump in.

[milwaukee]

PBS also doesn't kill the HD feed or use highly annoying banners to hype up the weather. They use a nice little icon that's mostly transparent, looks great.

I don't even watch local news anymore, all of the local stations are garbage as far as I'm concerned. Pbs has a great nightly news program, although NBC nightly news looks great in HD. Also really really like to watch Frontline if it's on. I live in an apartment, and I refuse to give TW a penny, and the eastside sucks for Uverse (not close enough to the vrad by Wholefoods) so I tend to watch a lot of what Pbs has on.

I thought the same thing when I got my HD tv, where the hell is the news in HD? then I started to read this forum. All you have to do is look at what a joke the local cbs station is, and it all comes clear.

[Tom Snyder]

All the locals (except 6 because they're being sold) have announced plans to upgrade to HD for local news in 2009..probably first or second quarter. Right now the locals are broadcasting two signals, digital and analog. It would make sense that the savings that will come from turning off the analog signal will free up some $$$ for the digital equipment.  And unlike MPTV, they'll have to do it without help from the Government.

MPTV didn't stock up on HDTV Cameras selling signed prints and and steals of the night on the Auction. MPTV is part of MATC, so they have the double benefit of Public Broadcasting funds and Federal Educational funds.

But even with the extra money they'll save only broadcasting one signal, it's still gonna cost the local commercials stations a TON of cash to upgrade. For a broadcast facility to film, record, edit, produce and transmit HD is not an inexpensive proposition. Commercial gear is a completely different creature than consumer equipment, both in durability and price.  Look how long it's taking the Networks to upgrade their own nightly news and other studio shows to HD.  

I read that WWE's upgrade to HDTV cost them $20 million. Not chump change.

It will come... and while you're eager, imagine what it's like for those of us who first saw HDTV being demo'ed at the National Association of Broadcasters conventions in the early 90's!

[js6751]

About a month ago I emailed channel 4, asking them when they would debut local news in HD. I got a response from an engineer there, and he said that they were "well on their way to producing local HD content" and that they were the "first in color and stereo and they would continue that trend with HD newscasts". Of course I can't find the email anymore, but I clearly remember that in the response. I know nothing about how the Milwaukee TV market works, but I remember reading on EngadgetHD two weeks ago that NBC would be sending tons of HD promos and pushing the stations to go HD in time for the Summer Olympics. Just wanted to share that.

[bubbaridesfast]

Welcome Duncantuna :wave:

Think about it from this angle. You just finally got into HD a few days ago. Why the wait? Perhaps you couldn't justify the cost 3 years ago, the locals are still apparently in the same boat you just got out of.

FWIW, I used to think I really wanted to see HD news but you know what? I really could care less if the news is ever in HD, I'd rather all of the entertainment on TV was in HD.

I hear Channel 12 is broadcasting the Big Bang in HD this week so they must have some HD equipment already.

[jjallou]

I believe last year channel 12 used MPTV's truck.

[LoadStar]

I believe last year channel 12 used MPTV's truck.

Correct. The last two years have had extensive assistance from MPTV. From this post about last year's show:

Equipment was rented from MPTV, but the majority of the staff was WISNs. The camera ops were theirs, the director, Technical Director, Audio, producer, and a few other engineering positions were all WISN. MPTV did send an A2 (audio assist), tape operator, shading and uplink engineer.

I can't find it now, but I clearly remember that last year there was reference to some (very limited) assistance from WCVB Boston. It might have been limited to sending a camera or two.

[Nels Harvey]

About a month ago I emailed channel 4, asking them when they would debut local news in HD. I got a response from an engineer there, and he said that they were "well on their way to producing local HD content" and that they were the "first in color and stereo and they would continue that trend with HD newscasts"

Oh, by the way, Ch. 10 was the "First" to do stereo TV.  I'm the guy that did it!

Nels....

[Bebop]

In the last 25 years, local PBS was probably the first with the latest technology.

[Talos4]

Is the local news in HD really a big deal?

Seriously, The only HD they are going to have are the studio shots.

The local stations are not going to drop the bucks for HD trucks, cameras and all the processing equipment for each truck so that we can see the "overhyped" weather damage right away.

Not to mention the helicopters. New York has HD news copters, Big deal, the local news isn't in HD so what's the point.

If you have D* watch Fox 5 out of New York, the local news is SD, yet they make a big deal out of their chopper being HD. So what, you can't show it.

Local news in HD much ado about nothing,

[Jayflap]

MPTV is also expected to be cutting edge since we are an educational facility. The local stations and post houses want the students coming out of the program to have education on the latest and greatest, and that is what makes the Television Production program at MATC one the premier programs the college offers. Being an educational facility makes the demand for HD to be high so when the other stations come online with it, the new hires from the MATC program will already be up to speed on the latest technology.

[duncantuna]

Is the local news in HD really a big deal?

Seriously, The only HD they are going to have are the studio shots.

Local news in HD much ado about nothing,

Um .. the same could be said about the nightly national news.   80+% (probably even higher) of their HD is studio shots.  It's rare they have HD video from outside the building, since they are covering the world, where most on-location video is in SD.

I still say .. the local news-cast that goes HD will leapfrog one to two of their competitors in the ratings game while their competition is in SD.  

e.g. .. I dislike Fox6 news.  But I'd watch them if it was HD.

[Jayflap]

Um .. the same could be said about the nightly national news.   80+% (probably even higher) of their HD is studio shots.  It's rare they have HD video from outside the building, since they are covering the world, where most on-location video is in SD.

I still say .. the local news-cast that goes HD will leapfrog one to two of their competitors in the ratings game while their competition is in SD.  

e.g. .. I dislike Fox6 news.  But I'd watch them if it was HD.

And you know that as soon as once station does it, it will be pretty quick to get the others online.

[ButtonPuncher]

IIRC, didn't MPTV also sign a contract with TWC so that they wouldn't compress or alter their signal in any way?  (Besides re-modulating it in QAM that is.)

You also have to look at how many subchannels that 36.1 has...  NONE.

Compressing 1.5Gbps down to 19.4Mbps is an incredible feat done with extremely powerful and expensive compressors.  When the local news stations go and take a great looking network feed, decompress and recompress it with cheap hardware, AND strip off data only to insert their crappy weather channel...  Thats why everyone but PBS looks like crap.

I really wish that the locals would broadcast just the primary feed during primetime.

Just my $0.02

Later,
         BP