Local News in HD Poll

[WITI6fan]

I was just wondering...

Would you rather have a local TV station...

Option 1: Launch HD newscasts ASAP, but with only graphics and video shot live in the studio broadcast in HD, everything else would be 4:3 SD. (Similar to WGN in Chicago or WCAU in Philly)

or...

Option 2: Wait until the station can broadcast everything in HD.

or...

Option 3: I don't care about this new fangled "HD" news business.

[techguy1975]

How about option 4....  "I'd LOVE HD News when Milwaukee gets some better looking anchors"

[mindmess]

We have news around here? Thought it was only weather and what the made up to scare you.

[jeffski]

To go thru a whole  newscast without hearing/seeing those words 'BREAKING NEWS' would  be great...in HD or otherwise.

[John L]

How about option 4....  "I'd LOVE HD News when Milwaukee gets some better looking anchors"

Yes, all young HOT looking Females, especially when they do sports.

[Bluto]

I picked Option One - if the locals need to walk before they run, I'm OK with that.

[SRW1000]

I voted for option 2.  There's really very little point in only having studio cams and graphics in HD, since the SD footage looks so poor in comparison.  Does it really matter if the anchors are in HD?  Other than providing bragging rights for the first station to do so?  

Or worse, they take SD field shots and stretch them to fit the HD screen.  That would be downright ugly.

I'd suggest a fourth option:  broadcast all news material in widescreen SD.  Most viewers probably wouldn't even notice a difference, and just using all the widescreen real estate would be an improvement.  Of course this couldn't be labeled as an HD broadcast, but consistently providing a full image would set that station apart.

Scott

[Northern Fringe]

WISC-TV in Madison does a great job with their news in HD.  Most everything is in HD, except their feeds from remote trucks and Janesville bureau are in widescreen SD.  The viewer rarely, if ever, sees side pillars.  There are a lot of elements that have to come together for a station to make HD news happen, usually converting Master Control to HD is the first start.  It seems like it's taking a long time for HD upgrades to happen here, compared to other TV markets around the country where these conversions have already happened.

[vegasvic]

Milwaukee is always slow to adapt to, well, everything.

[jeffski]

So true veg.Milwaukee ,as usual ,stays behind the times. To have a city our size with no local news in HD is a disgrace when even Fairbanks Alaska has one local newscast in hd :bang:

[vegasvic]

As soon as one does it the rest will scramble to do the same.  Just as they did with choppers.

[jeffski]

Just talked with my brother in Georgia. He said Atlanta Fox 5 just added  local HD news...this is the 4TH Atlanta station to broadcast local news in hd... sure the market is much larger but dont we even warrant ONE?    Paaaaaaaaa--thetic!:bang: