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The HD News Thread


Ntropolis

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Broadcasting and Cable is reporting that Salt Lake City's KJZZ has scrapped their two "on again, off again" KUTV-produced newscasts in favor of other programming. The last day for the newscast was Memorial Day, 5/31. You can read the complete story here: http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/453232-KJZZ_Scraps_Newscasts.php

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According to a recent press release from WTVR (via VARTV), Local TV LLC is investing $2 million in new equipment to allow the station to go HD beginning this July. That means WTVR-CBS6 will become the only TV station in Richmond to broadcast its news in high definition from both the studio and the field.

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Tonight WPRI (CBS/Providence) produced a gubernatorial debate in 16:9 SD. They have also aired numerous other special presentations in HD and 16:9 SD, some of them live, and some of them taped, and they are airing almost all of their promos and IDs in HD now. Yet news remains SD, so I guess they could be maybe added to the rumor mill.

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Per Richard Ransom, and after weeks of technical problems, WREG plans to launch HD newscasts on June 13.

 

 

WREG now has an official "go" to transition over on Sunday Night, June 13th per latest from Richard Ransom. Still saying they will be the first Memphis station to have all locally-produced material in HD (a few national segments may remain 4:3 SD for some time I imagine).

 

Part of the long delay has been that basically every piece of equipment they have has been replaced as they also move to automation during this process and rehearsals had not been going very well with the new systems (some of it spilling over into the actual newscasts as well). Ransom indicates things are getting much smoother now but probably there will still be a few issues in the first week or so.

 

Their new weather graphics package actually made an early debut this week though its still not going out in HD/Widescreen until Sunday. Nice improvement over their old look there at least.

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WREG now has an official "go" to transition over on Sunday Night, June 13th per latest from Richard Ransom. Still saying they will be the first Memphis station to have all locally-produced material in HD (a few national segments may remain 4:3 SD for some time I imagine).

 

Part of the long delay has been that basically every piece of equipment they have has been replaced as they also move to automation during this process and rehearsals had not been going very well with the new systems (some of it spilling over into the actual newscasts as well). Ransom indicates things are getting much smoother now but probably there will still be a few issues in the first week or so.

 

Their new weather graphics package actually made an early debut this week though its still not going out in HD/Widescreen until Sunday. Nice improvement over their old look there at least.

I noticed that when I was watching their newscasts this week. They replaced the monitors over in the weather center as well, though I wish they could've done more with the newsroom set other than some minor updates to the studio.

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I noticed that when I was watching their newscasts this week. They replaced the monitors over in the weather center as well, though I wish they could've done more with the newsroom set other than some minor updates to the studio.

 

Yeah, I was hoping for a few more changes to the newsroom set as well, most of it has just been cosmetic in order to make sure things look good enough for the HD resolution. Unless something changes over the weekend it seems even the anchor desk is not changing, which I'm fairly sure is the same one they've been using since adopting the newsroom set in the late 90s. I would have thought that its gotten worn/outdated in all these years to where it wouldn't be appropriate for HD.

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Bad luck for WREG on their HD Transition. They had been planning a 5 PM launch Today in order to maximize viewership coming out of the St. Jude Classic coverage on CBS out of Memphis, but the tournament was forced into a 4-hole playoff that took the entire 5 PM hour to finish, pre-empting their entire newscast. Ironically enough the playoff ended just mere minutes before the 6 PM hour and the start of 60 Minutes and CBS Primetime preventing a delay there.

 

Now WREG has to count on the Tony Awards for increased viewership for a 10 PM debut, and while there is a locally-inspired play called "Memphis" nominated for several major awards, I doubt it will help them get the numbers locally that the tournament would have gotten for them.

 

In any case, happened to see a promo WREG ran touting their two MS newsrooms with Claudia Barr standing in their control booth and monitors with the new graphics can be seen in the background. Looks like an enhanced/updated version of the current look with a red/blue/white color scheme they've been using for several years now.

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Being a Memphian myself, I'd *REALLY* love to see some screencaps of the first broadcast if anyone could get them.

 

You can watch the newscast for yourself here:

 

http://www.wreg.com/news/livestreaming/

 

The next time I head back home, I'll try to upload video of their new look in HD (along with WHBQ if I can manage to get a signal).

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That was very bumpy...

 

Not sure it carried over into the internet stream but the HD feed on television was filled with all sorts of technical difficulties in the first portion. Most major was no sound in HD at all, forcing them to drop back to SD for a time, and then another handful of times where they switched back and forth trying to restore sound but with no success. Lots and lots of audio and graphic glitches in the entire first block.

 

After the first break, things got a lot better, most of the glitches were fixed and the newscast was able to go on in HD with audio restored, though the audio is still not perfect, something needs to be further adjusted, its sounds somewhat hollow to me. There was a mic problem with Tim Simpson at the beginning of weather, but other than that the last 2/3 of the newscast went much better than the first.

 

They almost made a major screwup right at 10:00 when they cut to black and a promo for the St. Jude Classic came up right as the Tony for best musical was being announced, for which "Memphis" won. It was restored back just moments before the announcement came, though CBS audio dropped out during the entire credits as the "Memphis" cast performed, which I assume was related to the sound issues on WREG's end when in HD that forced them to drop to SD.

 

Otherwise, the look is quite good, IMO. The graphics are fairly minimalist, which I'm liking so far, especially compared to the huge, bulky graphics on WMC. A couple of camera shots did look a bit blurry, but I recall WHBQ's looked the same at first as well, and over time as things were adjusted it ended up looking quite excellent, much better than anything WMC is still pulling off, and I imagine WREG will jump into that category fairly soon once the bugs are worked out.

 

Now, just to see if WPTY/WLMT will ever make the jump. Maybe by 2015 the way they're going? :D

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Now, just to see if WPTY/WLMT will ever make the jump. Maybe by 2015 the way they're going? :D

As far as those two stations go, management will need to change over there first before that happens as they've become a "revolving door" for talent as of late.

 

Someone even did a video expressing his own displeasure working for the duopoly:

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As far as those two stations go, management will need to change over there first before that happens as they've become a "revolving door" for talent as of late.

 

Someone even did a video expressing his own displeasure working for the duopoly:

Wow on that video. But it really is not surprising, and the fact they just got all new management (GM, ND, etc) this time last year, they are really in dire straits at this point, and needless to say remain, as they always have been, the bottom feeders in the ratings race. Watching their newscast sometimes you would think its not being produced in a top-50 market. It will be eight years this coming fall since the last massive makeover they did (where they nearly fired everybody at the station). With them continuing to fail, you have to wonder if that's coming again soon. Being the revolving door they are, and as low-budget they've been running things for years, who knows if HD is even on their radar right now.

 

Working right now on trying to upload a few screencaps from WREG. They won't be HD-resolution by any means but may give a first impression on the look.

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As promised, a handful of captures from WREG This Evening. Also as mentioned, these are pretty low quality, so no impressions on the HD itself should be made from it. Selection to choose from was pretty low because of all the technical issues so not a lot was actually shown off tonight.

 

wreg0.th.png

 

wreg1.th.png

 

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wreg3.th.png

 

wreg4.th.png

 

wreg6.th.png

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Second day much smoother from WREG, but not without problems, mainly still audio related. However, their field shots, live and taped, are most definitely HD, far and away much better than anything else in the Memphis market. WHBQ usually does have good 16:9/SD live field reports (and taped/edited reports within the building are HD), but still very noticeable that WREG is pulling off true HD live in the field as well, whether 5 or 50 miles from their studios. WMC doesn't even belong in a comparison anymore, as their 16:9 SD from the field can be, at times, horrific (though their taped/edited reports within building are HD too).

 

Only minor quip WREG will have touting 100% HD, which after the bugs are worked out I'm very sure they will, is that their Live@9 show from Peabody Place, in a separate building Downtown, was not in HD Today, it was 4:3 SD with pillar bars. Perhaps that was a technical error, but as of now its technically not 100% HD from WREG.

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WHAM in Rochester, NY could be going HD... They just started a renovation project on their studio, and when one of the main reporters was asked on facebook whether or not they'd be going HD, she gave off pretty clear hints that they would in fact be going HD.

 

Here's a link to the blog that announces they are getting a revamp or new look... whatever you want to call it lol:

 

http://www.13wham.com/content/blogs/story/Back-To-The-Future-Again/8DmxLPTBmkemEAGobb2H5Q.cspx

 

This would also be the first HD news station in Rochester, and I believe only the 2nd in Western NY (I think WGRZ (Gannett Station) in Buffalo is already in HD).

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Actually, just over half are (WXIA/WATL, KUSA/KTVD, WUSA, WKYC, First Coast News, WTSP, KPNX, KARE)...still a long way to go. As far as I know WGRZ is the only Gannett station in 16x9 (someone correct me if I'm wrong) and might be next to go HD.

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Actually, just over half are (WXIA/WATL, KUSA/KTVD, WUSA, WKYC, First Coast News, WTSP, KPNX, KARE)...still a long way to go. As far as I know WGRZ is the only Gannett station in 16x9 (someone correct me if I'm wrong) and might be next to go HD.

WZZM does its news in 16:9 SD as well, so that makes at least two Gannett stations that are in digital widescreen/enhanced definition format.

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