Channel 12 cuts off HD

[Kenoman]

Channel 12 continues to cut off the HD during prime time shows so they can tell us what is coming on their News at 10. This is stupid. Just to let you folks at 12 know, I refuse to watch your 12 news because of this. Of all the channels on tv, channel 12 is the most irritating to watch. Why don't they get a clue. :bang:

[Bluto]

Ditto everything you just said.  It irritates the crap out of me that they drop out of HD to promo the news.  I'm also boycotting their news until it's resolved.

[jjallou]

They did this during the CMA Awards last weekend. Every time a segment would start it would be in SD and they would put in their stupid graphic. Then when it switched to HD there was a 1-2 second loss of audio which made it difficult to follow what was being said because of the interruption. The same thing happened during Brook's & Dunn's final CMA performance.

It bad enough there's no HD but to mess up the audio too?
If you can't do it right........don't do it at all!  :bang:

[Jack 1000]

It's very annoying I agree,

Maybe when channel 12 goes to HD for its newscasts, we will be seeing less of this problem.  Does anyone know when this is expected to happen?

Jack

[Mark Strube]

How is this still an issue? They were pulling this crap during episodes of "V" as well.

Everyone was more understanding during the early days of HD when they were getting to know the format and glitches were almost a daily occurrence.

At this point, to PURPOSEFULLY switch over to standard-def, just to add a lame plug of your programming (which is annoying EVERYONE with HDTV's), and then to cause an audio drop when switching back, causing us to miss dialogue is completely unacceptable.

Get your act together WISN! This is going to turn me to downloading the show in HD instead of watching it legitimately on their network. (In my opinion, broadcast television will soon go the way of terrestrial radio - to hell in a hand basket because they can't make enough money.)

[Jack 1000]

How is this still an issue? They were pulling this crap during episodes of "V" as well.

Everyone was more understanding during the early days of HD when they were getting to know the format and glitches were almost a daily occurrence.

At this point, to PURPOSEFULLY switch over to standard-def, just to add a lame plug of your programming (which is annoying EVERYONE with HDTV's), and then to cause an audio drop when switching back, causing us to miss dialog is completely unacceptable.

Get your act together WISN! This is going to turn me to downloading the show in HD instead of watching it legitimately on their network. (In my opinion, broadcast television will soon go the way of terrestrial radio - to hell in a hand basket because they can't make enough money.)

Mark, (and everyone)

I agree with you 100%.

For those with issues and concerns about the loss of HD signals for promo plugs, I would recommend a letter (not an e-mail) to the station manager.  According to WISN channel 12's website, the address is:

WISN TV
P.O. Box 402
Milwaukee, WI 53201-0402

Letters a lot of times work better than e-mails because they allow more time to say what you want to say.  I write at the professional level, and have gotten very favorable results using this approach:

Your letters should directly address the problem that you are writing about, but should also be polite.  Don't say, "You're station really sucks and I am going to stop watching because you keep cutting off the network's HD signal to promote your stupid news plugs."  Because the problem is, management THINKS that they are doing a good thing, and your letter should convince them why cutting off the HD signal is not a good thing.

Say something like,

"Given the sophistication of today's technology with so many viewers owning HD TV sets, it is very frustrating that WISN chooses to cut off the high-definition network signal at important moments of the broadcast.  In addition, I am losing network audio during this time.

Many neighbors and friends are concerned about this and I share their frustration.  I hope WISN will work to address this problem in the future."

I think if enough people address the technology problem instead of criticizing people at the station,  things will change.  A one-page word processed letter should be fine.  Don't forget to proofread, and run the letter through spelling and the grammar check!

I hope this helps!

Jack

[Nels Harvey]

It's pretty obvious that Ch. 12 doesn't yet have capability to insert things into an HD program.  It requires a new character generator and HD switching ability.  That stuff is very expensive, and I'm sure the budget climate in any station these days is pretty dire.  Don't forget about operator training!

While it is annoying to watch, and/or record, I can assure you that no Program Director is satisfied with such a poor appearance.

All stations have been hit with major upgrade costs just to keep transmitting.  In most cases the combination of that initial expense and the current economy have limited the pace of completion that will finally end things like the need to switch to a 4/3 format and dismal SD newscasts.  I think some of us are too hard on the efforts of our local TV outlets.

Nels....

[Mark Strube]

If it's such a dire budget climate for local television right now, perhaps they shouldn't be driving viewers like us away by screwing up their biggest money maker - network programming.

[jjallou]

It's pretty obvious that Ch. 12 doesn't yet have capability to insert things into an HD program.  It requires a new character generator and HD switching ability.  That stuff is very expensive, and I'm sure the budget climate in any station these days is pretty dire.  Don't forget about operator training!

While it is annoying to watch, and/or record, I can assure you that no Program Director is satisfied with such a poor appearance.

All stations have been hit with major upgrade costs just to keep transmitting.  In most cases the combination of that initial expense and the current economy have limited the pace of completion that will finally end things like the need to switch to a 4/3 format and dismal SD newscasts.  I think some of us are too hard on the efforts of our local TV outlets.

Nels....

The hit in the audio bothers me more than the SD video to insert the news promo.
When the audio drops out it's difficult to follow what is being said.

The locals do a good job when they don't mess with the intended product from the network. It doesn't cost any extra to just pass it through.

If they can't afford to do it right.....then don't do it.

[foxeng]

If it's such a dire budget climate for local television right now, perhaps they shouldn't be driving viewers like us away by screwing up their biggest money maker - network programming.

Actually stations make very little on network programming and in many cases have to pay the network to run their programming. Stations make the most money with newscasts these days.

[Bluto]

I did see at least one HD insert during Flash Forward, about Portia Young's weight loss.

But during the same episode, they'd also drop out of HD for inserts.

Maybe someone at the station is dropping the ball?

[Mark Strube]

Actually stations make very little on network programming and in many cases have to pay the network to run their programming. Stations make the most money with newscasts these days.

Correct me if I'm mistaken- the majority of viewers are brought in during network programming, and it's the local channel's hope that a lot of them stick around for the 9 or 10 o'clock newscasts - hence the lame advertising during said network programming. They wouldn't pay the networks unless it was worth their while.

[foxeng]

They wouldn't pay the networks unless it was worth their while.

They pay the networks because if they don't, they are not affiliate with said network. End of story.

[Mark Strube]

If they could make more money not being an affiliate, they'd do it. Therefore it's in their best interest to pay the networks if that's their agreement (and to do a good job presenting the network's programming). End of story.

[VictorWI]

I agree with audio drop out being the problem.  I don' know if it is my HT receiver or what but the audio drops out of DD and that causes a drop in the audio for me.  The image is not what gets my attention so much as the audio.  What about writing to the network directly to complain about how Ch. 12 is airing their programs?  I'm sure they don't care but obviously neither does Ch. 12 management.  BTW, haven't watched V tonight but maybe they didn't do it?  Here's hoping anyway.