WISN 12 News... new set, no HD

[SRW1000]

For the vast majority of local viewers, the current WISN newscast probably looks like it's already in HD.  Afterall, it's widescreen.  

Not to mention that one of the other local stations that loves to remind us that they're news is in HD regularly shows live remote footage that's clearly SD, or 4x3 material that's stretched to 16x8.  That's in spite of the little HD bug at the bottom of the screen.

I'm in favor of HDTV as much as anyone else here, but we're in the minority.  I'd rather that they concentrate on giving us high-quality network programming, where a lot of money has been spent on Hollywood production values, instead of insisting on multicasting old or irrelevant content.  That's a bigger issue to me than fleeting local news.

Of course, ideally we'd get both.

Scott

[ArgMeMatey]

That's a bigger issue to me than fleeting local news.

Of course, ideally we'd get both.

I agree.  I don't see what value HD adds to location stand-ups at fires, outside the jail, at car crashes and at hostage situations.  I can get HD weather radar on my computer on demand, and if I were a sports fan I'd already have more sports highlights than I could handle on my DVR.  HD is nice, no doubt about it, but it does not add much to most news stories.  

Now, if sweeping panoramic lake and scenic views were news, that would be a different story.  Maybe politicians and public officials should start calling news conferences on Bradford Beach or in front of the art museum.  

In the current economic environment, I'll take what I can get, but local news and advertorial programs are not going to be the places for the state-of-the-art.

[jjallou]

My neighbor was talking to a TWC tech last week. The tech thought WISN's news was also in HD. TWC is really messed up!

[Talos4]

Excellent content is worthless if your eyes are getting molested the entire time. When the picture quality isn't up to par I consider the quality of the content to be greatly degraded.

At this point, it's just not worth my time to watch anything that's still in standard definition. I don't care how "good" the content is. There is far too much great stuff in high definition these days to watch in a lifetime.

So The Wire, earlier seasons of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and local SD newscasts - pass.

REVM1M I will refuse to watch ch12 & 58 as long as their news cast is not HD. Why would you have a new set but not HD broadcast

HD snobs. If the end of the world isn't broadcast in HD It aint on in my house!!! :rolleyes:

You guy's crack me up. Are cars the same? If it's not a Bugatti Veyron, it's not worth driving?

[REVM1M]

HD snobs. If the end of the world isn't broadcast in HD It aint on in my house!!! :rolleyes:

You guy's crack me up. Are cars the same? If it's not a Bugatti Veyron, it's not worth driving?

:confused::confused:

[Jack 1000]

I agree. I don't see what value HD adds to location stand-ups at fires, outside the jail, at car crashes and at hostage situations. I can get HD weather radar on my computer on demand, and if I were a sports fan I'd already have more sports highlights than I could handle on my DVR. HD is nice, no doubt about it, but it does not add much to most news stories.

Now, if sweeping panoramic lake and scenic views were news, that would be a different story. Maybe politicians and public officials should start calling news conferences on Bradford Beach or in front of the art museum.

In the current economic environment, I'll take what I can get, but local news and advertorial programs are not going to be the places for the state-of-the-art.

I agree that HD news is important,

But news content is more important.  Study after stufy of general population TV viewers have shown that they are more interested in programing content than picture quality.

I think the criticisms of non-HD are warranted when a quality program that would benefit from HD is not shown in HD. (i.e major sports, movies, nature and science shows that are devoted to detail, where HD makes an impact on the program.)

But HD as a news priority, not so much.  I mean unless your trying to look for moles on someone's face, or how their hair and makeup looks to a news anchor sitting behind a desk or covering a story.  That's the time when I don't care all that much.  If spending more money for HD content would force them to fire quality newscasters because of budget constraints, I would say, just work gradually to the HD news set-up, until you can make sure that other issues are not going to be of negative consequence because of the change-over to an HD service. This might be what they are doing now.

Generally, I think newscasts are more important for their content and quality of how stories are presented, as opposed to whether or not they are in HD.

Jack

[Talos4]

:confused::confused:

What's confusing?

Your point was if it's not HD, it's not worth watching.

If a newspaper article has no pictures it's not worth reading?

If a TV news report shows SD surveillance video of a crime that was committed it's not worth watching?

If/when video of the raid on OBL's compound is released and it's SD and stretched when broadcast, Is it your argument that it's not worth watching?  

News is all about content. Period.

I don't care about pretty bubble headed talking heads, super duper HD viper eye in the sky, pretty pictures in the background of the news set or Betty news talkers crows feet.

If I'm watching Planet Earth you're darn right I want it in HD.

[ArgMeMatey]

Study after stufy of general population TV viewers have shown that they are more interested in programing content than picture quality.

At risk of appearing to contradict myself:

I can't quote any specific analyses or published research, but I would guess people say they are more interested in content, but when actual viewing habits are assessed (i.e. from a "duck blind"), viewers will look for pretty surroundings and pretty people.  

In other words, appearance counts in TV, even though most viewers will not admit they are that shallow.  I had a discussion about this years ago when Greta van Susteren got herself fixed up.  One of my co-workers said, "Who wants to look at old ugly people on TV?  She's investing in her future."  

Some stories are made for TV, and who doesn't like watching an attractive anchor, reporter, sports or weather body person, explosion or a police chase?  But let's recognize that most of what TV news is good at is reality entertainment, not conveying unique information that makes us more informed.  We're all a step ahead if we recognize our biases and base instincts, which is why I watch local TV news, but get most of my news, local and otherwise, from online and printed text and radio.

OK, maybe I should stop watching local TV news, or maybe I should just stop talking about it in public forums.