Local HD

[Scott Fybush]

Mark Laurence wrote:
> Channel 5 is advertising that Chronicle will soon be going all HD.   
> WNBC, channel 4 in New York, started broadcasting local news in HD about 
> a month ago.  I wonder which Boston station will be the first to 
> broadcast local news in HD?

My money's strongly on WCVB. I don't believe any CBS O&Os have made the 
switch to HD local news yet, and Ed Ansin's spending heavily on buying 
WLVI, so I suspect he won't be ponying up for HD gear at WHDH right 
away. Fox does HD at one O&O - WJW in Cleveland - but isn't rushing to 
convert its larger stations yet.

I wouldn't be in the slightest bit surprised to see at least one station 
in a smaller New England market make the leap before any Boston stations 
do. Fewer cameras to replace, fewer ENG and satellite trucks and receive 
sites to upgrade, no helicopters to upgrade. It's no coincidence that 
the first stations to do HD local news have been in smaller markets - 
WRAL in Raleigh, KARE in the Twin Cities, etc.

(In fact, given that Gannett, which owns KARE, has been in the forefront 
of local HD news, WCSH could easily beat the Boston stations to HD. The 
need to upgrade WLBZ as well - and to transport HD between Bangor and 
Portland - might slow that down a bit.)

s