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Poll: Do you receive your local news in HD?
As America reached an important (in our eyes, anyway) milestone this week by securing 100 high-def news stations, we began to wonder how many of you readers are actually close enough to tune into one of them. Here at Engadget HQ, we're lucky enough to be near one of those stations, but with the ratio of citizens to HD news outlets being so lopsided, we wouldn't be surprised to see the majority of you still in the dark (read: stuck with talking heads in SD). So, are you able to snag your local newscasts in HD? If so, do you even tune in to take advantage? Oh, and here's a bonus question you can answer in comments: are you close to more than one HD news station? %Poll-17277%
Virginia's WAVY-TV joins the crowd, produces local news in HD
While citizens in the Roanoke-Lynchburg area have been enjoying their local news in high-definition for a few months now, WAVY-TV is bringing the same luxury to mums, dads and offspring in Norfolk / Portsmouth / Newport News / Hampton Roads. The NBC affiliate just flipped the switch this week, marking the first time local news was offered in HD anywhere in the Greater Hampton Roads area. So, are y'all impressed with the quality? [Thanks, Robert and Martin]
NBC11 gives Bay Area residents local news in HD
Well, if it isn't about time. KNTV (the Bay Area NBC affiliate) has just recently switched its local newscasts to high-definition, giving residents of Oakland, San Francisco and San Jose the opportunity to catch up on nearby happenings in glorious HD. There has been no big to-do about it, but a video waiting after the jump shows a clip promoting the refreshed NBC Bay Area HD. So, anyone in the area ditching their favorite talking heads to view others in high-def?[Thanks, John]
San Diego FOX / ABC affiliates taking local news high-def
While KFMB-TV has had a stranglehold on the HD news market in sunny San Diego, that's about to change. Beginning in September, the local ABC affiliate (KGTV) will begin airing its local newscasts in high-definition, and for those impatient souls, the local FOX affiliate (KSWB-TV) will be making the same switch on August 1st. Furthermore, KUSI-TV Channel 51 is expecting to take "everything on the channel, including local news broadcasts," to the high-def realm starting in February of next year. Seems like a few other cities could learn something from this one.[Thanks, Tony]
WMC-TV brings local news to Memphis, Tennessee in HD
The number of US cities that still lack at least one option for seeing local news in HD has just declined by one, as WNC-TV becomes the mid-south's very first high-definition news channel. The Memphis, TN NBC affiliate began showing off its fanciful new equipment this week, which included HD studio cameras, graphics tailored for high-def and even an HD version of its StormTrack Doppler 5. Whatcha got to say about that, Nashville / Knoxville?[Thanks, Marcos and Kyle]
NBC affiliate brings local HD news to Louisville, KY
No longer will Louisville residents have to sit around and wonder when their local news will finally be in HD, as NBC affiliate WAVE-TV has just made the long-awaited transition. This station becomes the first in the city to deliver local newscasts in high-definition, and we're told that three HD cameras will be used in the studio in order to capture anchors in stunning detail. Unfortunately, WAVE won't be replacing the field cameras just yet, so live-on-location reports will still be seen in grainy SD. Oh, and these folks also brought in a makeup consultant in order to handle the whole "now you can see my wrinkles" situation. Sigh.
Charter, LIN TV reach retrans agreement
Charter customers in 11 LIN TV-owned markets can breathe a sigh of relief, the cable company and broadcaster have reached an agreement in principle that should allow them to continue to carry the stations' programming. Check the original post for the affected areas, however since your TV stations won't be going dark June 30, there's no real hurry. Always great when an agreement can be reached and no one has to miss even a second of that sweet, sweet HDTV.
LIN TV-owned stations disappearing from Charter June 30?
Prepare for another round of affiliate owner/cable network squabbles, as LIN TV has announced negotiations with Charter Communications "appear unlikely" to result in a retrans agreement, and that cable customers in Grand Rapids, Green Bay, Hartford-New Haven, Springfield (Mass), Dayton, Providence and Toledo can expect affected stations to be pulled from the lineup when the current agreement expires June 30. Of course LIN TV is taking the opportunity to educate customers about DISH Network where the stations are available courtesy of their recent agreement. Check after the break for a list of potentially affected stations while we hope for an 11th hour reprieve, although with the two sides at odds over what "fair market value" of digital signal is, we're not confident this will turn out any better than the 4 month break Suddenlink customers experienced earlier this year. (Warning: PDF read link.)
Columbus, Georgia's WLTZ debuts HD newscasts
After hopping back in the local news game in November 2007 after a 14 year absence, WLTZ is out to show it means business. The Columbus, Georgia NBC affiliate has just announced that it will be delivering its local HD newscasts in high-definition from here on out, and according to Drew Rhodes, WLTZ general manager, the move "lends [the station] a lot of marketing credibility." In the Peach State, the only other broadcast networks with HD news are located in Atlanta, making this the first in the Chattahoochee Valley. Three HD news stations in all of Georgia -- what's up with that?
Comcast now airing Houston's MyNetworkTV affiliate (My20) in HD
Nothing too exciting about this one -- unless you're a fan of My20, that is. Houston, Texas residents can now find their local MyNetworkTV affiliate in glorious high-definition on Comcast. Aside from airing Astros games, a variety of movies and a good bit of original programming, the channel also becomes yet another available in HD from the local cable carrier. For those who haven't noticed it pop up in the EPG, it can be found on slot 304 right now.[Thanks, Carlos]
KESQ brings HD news to Palm Springs, California
If there was any doubt that ABC affiliate KESQ is Coachella Valley's HD leader (was there any doubt? We're not sure), let it be erased, as it kicked off HD newscasts April 20. Asserting itself as the only HD news station in the Palm Springs, California market, we're hard pressed to see why you'd watch anything else. KPSP, KMIR and KDFX, the gauntlet has been thrown down, it's your move.
New York's The CW 11 (WPIX) takes newscasts to HD
Just over three months after Albany's CBS affiliate took its news to high-def, New York's The CW 11 is joining the parade. As of Sunday, the station is now broadcasting its news in HD, though there's been no big announcement made from WPIX itself. Hey WNYW and WWOR -- feel like hopping on the bandwagon, or is SD treating you two okay?[Thanks, Uchendu]
Kansas City's KSHB-TV takes local news high-def
As the nationwide commitment to HD news continues to blossom this week, Kansas City's own NBC affiliate (KSHB-TV) has too made the switch. As you'd expect, every single newscast from the station's studios will be aired in high-def, from the 5AM - 7AM Action News Today to the Action News at 10PM broadcast. Those interested in seeing what the talking heads have to say in glorious HD can tune via OTA (41.1), Time Warner Cable (1441), Everest (630), Sunflower (202), Comcast (232) or U-verse (1041). Any others around the country going to get in while the getting's good?[Thanks, Sean]
Raleigh's ABC11 Eyewitness News goes HD... eight years too late
Seeing a couple of news stations make the leap to HD within one week was pretty cute at first, but this is becoming downright scary. The Triangle's own ABC11 has become the fifth network within the past seven days to transition its local newscasts to high-def. Comically enough, the station is diving in extraordinarily late, as cross-town rival WRAL-TV has been airing its news in HD since 2000 -- yeah, eight years ago. Raleigh residents won't hesitate to boast of having the nation's first HD news station, and at this point, we're wondering if ABC11 can pry the critical eyes of residents away from the station they've been viewing for so long. But hey, we won't kvetch about added competition.
Virginia's WDBJ7 hops on HD news bandwagon
Let's keep the trend alive, shall we? Following in the footsteps of Salt Lake City's 2NEWS, Detroit's WJBK and Denver's CBS4, Virginia's own WDBJ7 has also made the transition to air its local newscasts in high-definition. The CBS affiliate serves the Roanoke-Lynchburg area, and suffice to say quite a bit of work went on behind the scenes to pull it all together. Thankfully, the network journaled the process for us in pictures, so be sure to hit the read link for a gallery of off-camera shots.[Thanks, Dariusz]
Detroit's FOX affiliate falls in line, flips news to HD
Early last year, Cleveland became the first city to boast of having a trifecta of HD news channels. Now, however, the Motor City is making sure it keeps up. Reportedly, Detroit's own WJBK / FOX 2 just started serving up newscasts in high-def, but it's not like residents weren't already getting their HD news fix from either WXYZ / ABC 7 or WDIV / NBC 4. Still, there's nothing like a little competition to keep everyone honest, so feel free to take your pick now that the playing field is all leveled up.[Thanks, Jeremy]
Salt Lake City's 2NEWS makes the switch to HD
Just weeks after Comcast users in the greater Salt Lake City, Utah area were gifted with five new HD channels, residents of SLC now have one more reason to flip on the evening news. This past Saturday, the city's 2NEWS (KUTV, a local CBS affiliate) made the leap to high-definition, as its 5:30PM newscast was shown for the first time in HD. Additionally, HD cameras were used to capture clips from the Salt Lake City Marathon, and an all new HD-ready control room is being used to make the magic happen. Another news channels gets with the times -- can't complain with that.
South Florida's CW affiliate (WSFL-TV) shows up on DirecTV
There's been quite a lot of HD action down in South Florida of late, and out of seemingly nowhere, here comes a bit more. As of now, DirecTV subscribers in the region can tune to channel 39 WSFL in order to watch WSFL-TV in high-definition. Just last week, the region's The CW affiliate was still not viewable in HD via DirecTV, and while the station's own website still assures you that you'll need an OTA antenna in order to receive its HD signal, we've got photo evidence proving otherwise. We've no idea what sparked the addition, but hey, we certainly aren't complaining.[Thanks, Michael]
Topeka, Kansas CBS affiliate and Cox finally come to terms
It sure seems like we've been watching this war between Topeka, Kansas' CBS affiliate (WIBW-TV) and Cox Communication wage for an awful lot longer than half a month, but just over a fortnight after this tiff came to a head, everything is seemingly back to normal. As of last night, the station and the carrier have reached an agreement that will enable CBS to remain on Cox's lineup, and just as expected, the terms of the deal are being kept under wraps. Now, if only Topeka could just get those six HD channels that are already available in many other parts of Kansas, all really would be well.[Thanks, Kevin O.]
Charleston, WV NBC affiliate looking to broadcast news in HD
As local news stations slowly make the move to HD around the country, we're taken to a rather surprising locale to find what could be the next to take the high-def plunge. WSAZ-TV, the NBC affiliate in Charleston, West Virginia, is reportedly "planning a transition to broadcast its local news in high-definition," but a bit of consolidation has to go down first. The studio staffs in Huntington and Charleston will purportedly be merged into one, whereby the "Charleston studio will be controlled from Huntington." Unfortunately, eight Charleston-based employees will be losing their jobs in the process, and while we know the transition is imminent, a definitive timetable has yet to be established.
