Local News in HD

[gb4fan92]

Originally posted by wxndave
 My guess is that it would cost somewhere between 100-200 Million to do local HD production.  

That just seems astronomically way too high of a guess.  If that were the case I don't think there would be any local HD news anywhere in the country!  However, I have no knowledge of HD production costs so I really don't know. I just think you could build a football stadium for that price and have money left over.

[smack]

Like the first post in this thread said, there are already some local stations doing local HD news.  It would not even be considered if the cost was as high as 100-200 million and they are already doing it.

We will see local news in HD, how soon who knows.

smack

[foxeng]

WRAL in Raleigh, NC converted to HD news, with not only studio, but microwave trucks and sat trucks and news editing and it was reported to be about $15 million dollars to convert. Not a small sum even for major market stations in LA or NYC.

[techboy]

Way, way back, at least 10 years ago, maybe more, I forget exactly, I was working as a TV maintenace engineer at WTMJ.  (I am now retired).  Anyhow, I installed extended deffinition, wide aspect ratio (16x9)CCD pick-ups in all three of the studio camera's.  Back then, engineering management was at least thinking about a future of local HD.  These pick-ups are not true 1080i HD; but rather 480p SD wide screen.  Nobody at that time knew how real HDTV would evolve.  And it was thought at that time that SD wide screen might be a interim standard.  Those pick-ups are still in use in those cameras today, they just are never used in the wide screen mode.  Wide screen ENG capable cameras were also purchased at added expense.  Well, my point is that things don't always turn out as you plan.  Wide Screen SD didn't happen.  But those wide screen CCD's cost a lot of money, and worse, the old 3x4 pickup's (removed) were just put on a shelf and forgotten about.  I'm sure that today's management has examined and weighed the costs of doing local HD news.  Doing a full plant at 1080i is indeed a monumental expense; well into the millions of $.  I expect that when you actually see a demand on the part of advertisers to have their spots run in HD at a premium $ , there'll be more incentive for local broadcasters to produce local HD material.  And really, will the news be any better in HD?

[Nels Harvey]

hdtvtechno said:

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

Historically, WTMJ has tried to be the first in everything new in the Milwaukee market.  They very seldom get beat out.  Don't be suprised to see WTMJ news go HD just before Fox, or anyone else around here!

[hdtvtechno]

i don't know,  but ask foxeng, hes the one who said that in AVS Forum.

[John L]

Originally posted by Nels Harvey

Historically, WTMJ has tried to be the first in everything new in the Milwaukee market.  They very seldom get beat out.  Don't be suprised to see WTMJ news go HD just before Fox, or anyone else around here!

I have to agree with Nels Harvey.

You know I should have made this a poll.  

-John L.

[wxndave]

I don't know if I'm that  far off with the total cost.  Maybe it is more like $25-50 million.  The point is that it is expensive to do local HD production.  When your field  cameras cost $40 K and you need 6 or more of them.  You also need to change out all the microwave trucks and receiver sites equipment.  A brand new microwave for standard def can cost around $175K.  Not to mention the new studio cameras and switcher.  It adds up quick.

WTMJ probably will be the first one to do local HD.  Channels 10/36 so far are the only ones who can now produce local HD studio and remote programs live or taped.


Dave