Local News in HD

[John L]

Quite a few TV stations in various parts of the United States are broadcasting thier newscasts in HD.  Most of it is basically the news desk and weather reports.  Otherwise on the spot reports, taped reports are in SD.

Here are a list of TV stations carrying Newscasts in HD,

Seattle - KOMO/4 (ABC)
Seattle - KING/5 (NBC).
Denver - KUSA/9 (NBC)
Detroit - WDIV/4 (NBC)
Raleigh - WRAL/5 (CBS)
Cleveland - WJW/8 (FOX)

Whoever the richest Milwaukee TV station, willing to spend money on equipment is either WTMJ-TV, WITI-TV, or WISN-TV.

So who's gonna be first?

You can forget about WVTV, and WDJT since those stations don't make any money at all.

Notice the Sports ratings in yesterday's Milwaukee JS  when NFL Football is on ch. 6 or ch. 12 the local numbers are real high.  Over on WDJT the local number is very low where as the nation it is very high.  Obviously nobody watches Football on WDJT.

-John L.

[smack]

Obviously nobody watches Football on WDJT.

Because Green Bay is always on Fox 6 when they play on a Sunday unless the visiting team is from the AFC then it will be on CBS.  So green Bay will be on CBS maybe 1-2 times a year at most.  This year it will be the Jacksonville game.  The Titans game was a MNF game.  Those are the only two AFC teams to visit Lambeau this year.

Also, the interest in the Packers coincides with the NFC so most people in our viewing area would rather watch a lions, bears, vikings, eagles, cowboys etc on Fox than switch to watch a browns, steelers, raiders, chiefs, broncos etc on CBS.

As for who will be first, my bet will be with FOX as they are an O&O station who will most likely get some money to do the change from big FOX. (no info just a guess)

smack

[StarvingForHDTV]

Which station has money to throw away?  We don't have any stations owned by Mark Cuban in Milwaukee, do we?

Economically I would think the cheapest would be the WB's Newscentral.  Isn't a bunch of that nationally produced?  

I won't hold my breath on any local news in HD for Milwaukee.  The stations owned by networks are probably required to send any profits to the network.  The independant stations probably have owners which don't want to flush money down the toilet.  Maybe when the number of digital viewers is much higher, then it might make sense.

My two cents.

[John L]

Smack,

   I think also because WDJT-DT does not get out well plus airing both HD and WMLW on the side.  Course I am thinking on the HD sense.  They do need to increase their power.  

   But as far as analog TV goes, yes yer probably right if the Packers are on at the sametime it doesn't make any sense for Jim Hall to air a football game either.

-John L.

[mhz40]

Originally posted by smack
As for who will be first, my bet will be with FOX as they are an O&O station who will most likely get some money to do the change from big FOX. (no info just a guess)

smack

I think they should budget for a full-power UHF transmitter first...

[Joseph S]

Obviously nobody watches Football on WDJT.

I'd watch more if they quit showing the Bungles, Browns, and Colts and other crap teams in SD over my Patriots in HD. They almost never show the national games.

[RLJSlick]

No kidding!

[John L]

Originally posted by Jimboy
News to me. I guess I'll start looking for another job.:confused:

No offense!!!  I should take that back.  When you look at the ratings 18/24/58 are a bit lower than 4, 6, and 12.  I think one of the main reasons is they are main well-known network stations, and have been for the most part.  Thou, ch. 18 started out as a ABC Network station, then went to CBS and then ch. 6 came on the air and CBS saw that and sold ch. 18 and moved to ch. 6.  But this was way back in the 50s.  In 1958 ch. 18's daily programming aired from 7:30 am until 1:30 am the next morning.  Course they started out actually on ch. 19 and eventually moved to 18.

But with cable TV I'm sure it has helped the UHF stations to become more profitable.  Course with cable means more stations and more competition.

When ch. 18 was a indie, especially in the 60s and 70s they struggled.  Course their signal coverage wasn't all too great while they transmitted from the Marc Plaza Hotel.  When they finally built the new tower in 1980 on MATC property it has obviously helped bring in a clearer signal and increase audience.  Course when they used to carry Bucks and Brewers game it was also a big thing.

Now the WB and UPN Networks are striving to eventually someday be more competitive against ABC, CBS, and NBC.  At least I hope so.  Perhaps WB and UPN need to promote themselves more.


You have a great job.  I wish I could get a job at ch. 18 and 24.

-John L.

[Bebop]

What's the benefit of local stations switching to HD  news?

[John L]

Originally posted by Bebop
What's the benefit of local stations switching to HD  news?

Cause were HD crazy!

Just think 20 years from now, not only will every program be on TV in HD, so will the commercials, etc. and everything else except for Brady Bunch reruns they will be in SD, or "I Love Lucy" reruns will be not only in SD but also BW.

Just like 30 years ago only SOME programs were in color.  But in those days producing a Color program was very expensive, now today its very inexpensive.  Well in 20 to 30 years from now producing HD programs will be inexpensive and so will equipment.

I would think 30 years from now a 12" wide screen HDTV will probably cost under $100.  Smaller ones less.  Course I paid $129 for my pocket size analog 3.5" screen TV.

-John L.

[Bebop]

Just think 20 years from now, not only will every program be on TV in HD, so will the commercials, etc. and everything else except for Brady Bunch reruns they will be in SD, or "I Love Lucy" reruns will be not only in SD but also BW.

They are on films, so they will be transfered to HD (in 4:3 format or cropped).

You have to keep your crazyness in check until cost comes down..

[720p]

Originally posted by Joseph S
I'd watch more if they quit showing the Bungles, Browns, and Colts and other crap teams in SD over my Patriots in HD. They almost never show the national games.

I like the Pats too but there's no need to include my Colts in that list.

[hdtvtechno]

Originally posted by mhz40
I think they should budget for a full-power UHF transmitter first...

July 2005   full power  FCC Mandated

[hdtvtechno]

An engineer from FOX said that Fox first major O&O Stations will be the first to go to HD news coverage

[wxndave]

The cost of doing local HD production is very expensive.  Not to mention that it is very complicated to design.  You need many up converters and down converters.  My guess is that it would cost somewhere between 100-200 Million to do local HD production.  There is  no way that the local advertisers are going to spend more money to cover these costs.  Even the Major networks are not doing HD newscasts.