FOX to go HD !!

[Todd Wiedemann]

From the NY Times:

Fox Television to Add HDTV to Primetime by Fall 2004
By ERIC A. TAUB


LOS ANGELES, June 24, 2003
The Fox Television Network, which previously shunned high-definition broadcasting, plans to transmit at least 50 percent of its prime-time schedule in HDTV by the season that begins in the fall of 2004, a company official told federal regulators today.

The move brings the network into line with its three main broadcast competitors, which already transmit the bulk of their prime-time dramas and comedies in HDTV, the highest available quality of digital television, or will do so shortly.

Fox, owned by the News Corporation, tempered its pledge by stating that it was unhappy about introducing HDTV, however, before the adoption of a "broadcast flag" agreement aimed at protecting those programs from piracy.

Under a proposal being considered by the Federal Communications Commission, digitally transmitted programs, which would include HDTV, would be embedded with a broadcast flag which could be used to prevent retransmission over the Internet. Consumers, however, would still be able to make copies for personal use. The agency has not indicated when it will rule on the issue.

The decision to begin the transition to the high-definition format was revealed in a letter from Peter Chernin, president of the News Corporation, to W. Kenneth Ferree, the chief of the F.C.C.'s media bureau.

Josh Bernoff, principal analyst for Forrester Research was quoted as saying "This is a significant development, a sign that the acceptance of HDTV is accelerating."

The transition to high-definition TV will require Fox to change all its digital equipment at the network and its 182 local affiliates. In his letter to the F.C.C., Mr. Chernin pledged to have the job done by the fall of 2004. The company declined to say which programs it would transmit in high-definition. It said that it hoped to broadcast HDTV either later this year or early in 2004.

For its high-definition broadcasts, the network will use a 720p transmission, the same as that used by ABC.

Currently, only 20 percent of the nation's digital broadcast channels are carried by cable TV operators. So, to see the broadcast networks' high-definition offerings, viewers must often erect an outdoor antenna or use rabbit ears, but only 6 percent of digital set owners have done so, according to Mr. Bernoff of Forrester Research. The problem, according to the cable industry, is that many of the broadcasters' digital channels are not showing high-definition programming, so there is little impetus for cable to offer them.

"With Fox's embrace of HDTV, the company should now be able to strike carriage deals with cable operators for its digital broadcasts," Mr. Bernoff said.

Early this month, Fox announced that it would offer local National Basketball Association, National Hockey League and Major League Baseball games in HDTV to Time Warner Cable subscribers. The company said that it expected to announce similar agreements with other cable companies, which would lead to the production of 200 events, or 500 hours of high-definition programming. "News Corporation is committed to becoming a leader in the production of high-definition programming on broadcast and cable television," Mr. Chernin stated in his letter.

[StarvingForHDTV]

Originally posted by Todd Wiedemann
From the NY Times: "News Corporation is committed to becoming a leader in the production of high-definition programming on broadcast and cable television,"

Now there is a reason to try and get 6-1's signal in the future.  I'm glad they caved in, no more smoke and mirrors.  The new equipment should fix the jitters at our local station.

Starving

[Matt Heebner]

That is great news to the 6 or so people that can actually get our local FOX signal. Hey FOX, it's now almost July.....are we ever going to see a signal ? Anyone heard of any timetable yet ?

Matt