Fox6 News HD: 1 month review

[trev57]

It's been just over a month since Fox6 news went HD. What did you like, what didn't you like, what would you like to see be done in the future?

Personally, I think the majority of things have been done well so far. Especially HD field shots and HD weather. I would like to see them finally get the time and temp in HD and use the side picture and headline more. :OnAir:

[WITI6fan]

The lighting in Studio A needs to be overhauled, or the cameras need to be charted better or something. It's too... even? The anchors need to be lit more, or the set itself needs to be lit less, or maybe it's just the duratran behind the main desk creating the illusion of darkness...

And for the record, I'm comparing the lighting at WITI against the lighting commonly seen on the FOX O&O set. Specifically from this video and this video.

[trev57]

Those do look better than WITI. Even TMJ4's anchors and set look better, as far as lighting goes.

[AA9VI]

I'd say it sucks only for one reason.
I can't watch it.  

Yes, I have had co-channel interference from WCHU as of late November/December or whatever it was. I contacted WITI and they don't seem to care.  To heck with me since I'm on the southern edge of their grade-B contour I suppose.  It was nice watching their news until they allowed WCHU to trample them in my neck of the woods. WITI was coming in brilliantly after the antenna upgrade.... WAS

Now I watch WTMJ.

[techguy1975]

I'd say it sucks only for one reason.
I can't watch it.  

Yes, I have had co-channel interference from WCHU as of late November/December or whatever it was. I contacted WITI and they don't seem to care.  To heck with me since I'm on the southern edge of their grade-B contour I suppose.  It was nice watching their news until they allowed WCHU to trample them in my neck of the woods. WITI was coming in brilliantly after the antenna upgrade.... WAS

Now I watch WTMJ.

Last time I checked...WITI was not the FCC..  It was the FCC who allowed this station to interfere with WITI.  All They can do is object to the allocation, and say explain why they object to the assignment, it does not mean that the FCC  will listen to those objections, or the other station can file more compelling paper work showing otherwise.

In other words...this has nothing to do with WITI, if they station is already on the air, there is little WITI can do.  They cannot increase beyond their allocated power or directional pattern.  I don't know the FCC on Grade-B contours, depending on where you are in relation to their countours, they may not even be able to object based on FCC rules.

Here is a idea...how about complaining to the station that is causing the interference??

[troyriley]

Here is a idea...how about complaining to the station that is causing the interference??

I'm not sure that would do any good. That station's response will be, "we are in compliance with FCC guidelines and are not required to change our broadcasting power or pattern". They're not going to say, "oh, we're sorry... we'll cut back our power so you can watch another station instead of us."

I would say the best thing to do is what you did... contact WITI. If they receive enough complaints that their station is not being received, the FCC would listen to them a lot closer than any individual viewer.

[AA9VI]

Last time I checked...WITI was not the FCC..  It was the FCC who allowed this station to interfere with WITI.  All They can do is object to the allocation, and say explain why they object to the assignment, it does not mean that the FCC  will listen to those objections, or the other station can file more compelling paper work showing otherwise.

Right, but if the station complains it carries much more weight and warrants a greater response than a consumer complaint.  Don't get me wrong, I put 90% of the blame at the FCC's feet.

In other words...this has nothing to do with WITI, if they station is already on the air, there is little WITI can do.  They cannot increase beyond their allocated power or directional pattern.  I don't know the FCC on Grade-B contours, depending on where you are in relation to their countours, they may not even be able to object based on FCC rules.

Never asked them to increase power, just stand up for themselves in the face of harmful interference, which they have not done.

Here is a idea...how about complaining to the station that is causing the interference??

If I could find some contact information for this ma and pop station with owners in California, I would.  I have already posted 3 complaints with the FCC.  They are ignoring me which is why I turned to WITI.  Besides, WCHU has been forced to switch channels 2 times since the digital transition, you think they'll want to listen to me and switch again before the planned transition to VHF 7 after WLS signs off?

[WITI6fan]

If I could find some contact information for this ma and pop station with owners in California, I would.

Venture Technologies Group, LLC
5670 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1300
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Tel. (323) 965-5400
Fax (323) 965-5411

http://ventechgroup.com/index.php?page=contact_us

Same address as the FCC's License databse entry for WCHU.

[AA9VI]

Thanks for the info.  I am 99% sure they will laugh in my face, since they received FCC approval, but I will try.

If WITI stepped up to the plate, this issue has a far greater chance of being resolved.

[foxeng]

Thanks for the info.  I am 99% sure they will laugh in my face, since they received FCC approval, but I will try.

If WITI stepped up to the plate, this issue has a far greater chance of being resolved.

I have no knowledge at all, but are you sure WITI HASN'T tried? You sound as if you have first hand knowledge that someone there said they weren't going to try?

[trev57]

I know it's a minor detail, but one of the only problems I have with the Fox 6 HD newscast is that they still haven't gotten the time and temp in HD. A while ago Chuck from Fox said that they were working on it, but I still haven't seen a change. WITI did have the time in HD for at least one night, as can be seen in this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qz9StJI9PzI&feature=related

[LoadStar]

One major issue I have with the newscast is with the music package they're using -- or, rather, MIS-using.

I've noticed that on multiple occasions, instead of allowing the music segment to play out as it should, they're abruptly chopping off the end. It sounds like the sound engineer accidentally cut the end off... but it happens so regularly, it's definitely not an accident. It sounds amateurish and silly.

If they're not going to use the graphics package that goes along with it, and not going to use the music as it's designed to be used, they should go out and either find a package that fits better, or get one custom-made for them.

[LoadStar]

The lighting in Studio A needs to be overhauled, or the cameras need to be charted better or something. It's too... even? The anchors need to be lit more, or the set itself needs to be lit less, or maybe it's just the duratran behind the main desk creating the illusion of darkness...

And for the record, I'm comparing the lighting at WITI against the lighting commonly seen on the FOX O&O set. Specifically from this video and this video.

I would agree with this. The set is being lit way too evenly. If the set isn't going to be replaced, which it doesn't look like it will, then they should make the set they've got "pop" with more use of accent lighting, less overall lighting... let the rest of it be a little darker. The set isn't the star, the anchors are, and they should be lit accordingly.

I don't know too much about lighting, but it also seems that they're using a fairly narrow spectrum of lighting... they need to use more gels to really 'warm up' the picture. For example, when you compare the WITI video posted earlier in this thread to the two examples above, the WITI one looks very blah, where the other two have some visual interest, with more use of reds and blues. The anchors in the other videos have a lot more "warmth" to them than the WITI one does.

[foxeng]

One major issue I have with the newscast is with the music package they're using -- or, rather, MIS-using.

I've noticed that on multiple occasions, instead of allowing the music segment to play out as it should, they're abruptly chopping off the end. It sounds like the sound engineer accidentally cut the end off... but it happens so regularly, it's definitely not an accident. It sounds amateurish and silly.

If they're not going to use the graphics package that goes along with it, and not going to use the music as it's designed to be used, they should go out and either find a package that fits better, or get one custom-made for them.

I don't know this for a fact for WITI, but many of the CG boxes now will play audio along with the effects and usually the box will end the audio when the alpha channel transparency ends. Just extend that out and the audio could fade out naturally. But I am sure they know that if I know that.

[LoadStar]

I don't know this for a fact for WITI, but many of the CG boxes now will play audio along with the effects and usually the box will end the audio when the alpha channel transparency ends. Just extend that out and the audio could fade out naturally. But I am sure they know that if I know that.

Possibly.

It actually sounds like a longer audio cue, possibly a music bed or loop, that they're trying to chop down themselves into a stinger or bumper.