Weigel to invest 2 million dollars in...

[WITI6fan]

Their low-power South Bend, Indiana ABC affiliate.

https://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/2010/11/30/47353/weigel-makes-bold-news-move-in-south-bend

At a time when other broadcasters are downsizing or consolidating newsrooms, Weigel Broadcasting is pouring “many millions” into building a multiplatform news operation in the already competitive South Bend, Ind., market (DMA 91), where it owns three TV stations.

Next steps include hiring at least 25 staffers, turning a newly purchased building into a 21st century news studio (fully HD capable) that can produce content for broadcast, online and mobile applications and compete against three other stations

And here we have WDJT, run out of an old warehouse, barely capable of keeping a signal up during moderate rain, broadcasting news in SD using studio cameras from 1989 and a switcher that's about 15 years past it's prime.

:huh?::mad::bang:

[Nels Harvey]

Their low-power South Bend, Indiana ABC affiliate.

https://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/2010/11/30/47353/weigel-makes-bold-news-move-in-south-bend


And here we have WDJT, run out of an old warehouse, barely capable of keeping a signal up during moderate rain, broadcasting news in SD using studio cameras from 1989 and a switcher that's about 15 years past it's prime.

:huh?::mad::bang:

We also have a dedicated group of personnel there who do their best to bring their product to us under those adverse conditions.

[LoadStar]

Maybe with this upgrade, WBND can start supplying a newscast to WDJT instead of the other way around like it is now.

[techguy1975]

And here we have WDJT, run out of an old warehouse, barely capable of keeping a signal up during moderate rain

That "moderate rain" FLOODED THEIR TRANSMITTER BUILDING!!  It has nothing to do with inferrior equipment or bad engineering.  Transmitters and water do not mix!

[Xizer]

How underfunded do you have to be for rain to be more than a minor nuisance here in the year 2011? Especially in Wisconsin of all places. :huh?:

I thought floods were something of the past... or third world countries. (yeah, ok, I'll admit that America is practically a third world country, I'm not sure where I'm going with this now)

[WITI6fan]

That "moderate rain" FLOODED THEIR TRANSMITTER BUILDING!!  It has nothing to do with inferrior equipment or bad engineering.  Transmitters and water do not mix!

I was talking about when they lose the CBS network signal (basically, rain fade). It's happened a couple times last year in the spring when we had all that rain. I've heard people say their receive dish is smaller than what the other stations use.

We also have a dedicated group of personnel there who do their best to bring their product to us under those adverse conditions.

I realize that, and I definitely give them credit for doing their best with what they have.

I just don't like how their low power ABC affiliate in a small market in Indiana with more than enough local news as it is (If you live near the lake, try to get WNDU on a clear day. Typical small-town news from what I've seen) is getting a multi-million dollar upgrade and "state of the art" broadcast facilities while WDJT can't even offer news in 16:9 SD.

[wxndave]

Having been on the original design team for the station.  I can tell you that we did work with what money was available.  Of course we wish that we could have done better.  

At the time of installation the 4.5 meter network dishes worked very well.  We were dealing with analog signals.  Most affiliates have a 7 meter primary and a 6 meter backup.  However CBS changed their transmission modulation.  They now transmit DVBS2 signals.  However it has cause a problem with smaller dishes.   The margin is just not there.  As an uplink engineer I can tell you that the nothing you can do except install a bigger dish.  I would trade their problems with CBS than dealing with NBC and PBS ku signals.

As for putting the money into South Bend, why not.  If you have decided to startup  news why would you spend money on SD equipment.  Yes Milwaukee needs an upgrade.  But remember they are a small company.  They don't have the deep pockets as others.  Plus do you really think them going HD will really increase ratings?

[Xizer]

I can tell you that I don't even consider watching WDJT's news an option on the table simply because of the fact that they aren't producing it in HD.

[Talos4]

I can tell you that I don't even consider watching WDJT's news an option on the table simply because of the fact that they aren't producing it in HD.

Well, there you go...

Forget the content, personalities etc it's all about Super Viper and Danny Gokey In glorious HD!!!!!