We already reported that in communities were HD has been available from the major networks, consumes are buying HD sets at a rapid pace and demanding more HD.
The cable and satellite networks are trying to keep up with the demand within their limited bandwidth availability. This summer, the Food Network signed on with a separate HD channel as well as Home and Garden HD. The NFL HD NETWORK is replaying games from the previous week in HD.
All this new programming development may just make a bad situation worse in markets like Erie where false economies may actually cause traditional network stations (WICU, WFXP, WSEE and WJET) to lose more and more viewers because that can’t provide the product consumers want. Once you’ve seen true HD it is very difficult to watch standard TV. It is like the 60’s with color. If you had a choice of watching a black and white program or a mediocre program in color, color usually won out. And the HD experience is like no other.
Many of you have visited the local Best Buy or Circuit City stores and think you are watching full HD. In those stores, they usually use a feed from Direct TV which does not broadcast full resolution HD but a hybrid. Some call this HD-Lite. (Last week a subscriber to Direct TV won the right to sue for false advertising on this very issue.)
To see true HD in Erie you have only one source right now and that is WQLN and what a stunning picture chief engineer Ed Upton provides. In fact, most HD enthusiast will tell you that today the best HD comes from an antenna on top of your roof. I can’t speak to the quality on Time-Warner cable because I haven’t seen it or know if they are doing any compression, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they were. (perhaps someone can enlighten me on that.)
Right now only two network local stations could be in the position to take advantage of HD and market that advantage rather than see viewership continue to tumble. They are WSEE and
WFXP. Nothing but money and the management commitment stand in their way. In the case of WFXP, FOX is even supplying, at no cost to the station, a special piece of equipment (called the spicer) that allows them to transmit FOX programming in HD. The station has to supply the supporting elements. WSEE has the network that leads all others in technology and HD programming. CBS wants WSEE and all of its affiliates to be able to supply HD to its viewers. CBS looks at it from a very base pocketbook perspective. Upgrade or continue to wither on the vine.
WICU and WJET have a special situation. They both have been assigned digital channels (at their request) that are the same as their current analog, 12 and 24 respectively. That is the ideal situation for them. But they can’t sign those digital stations on until they sign-off from the analog. So from a cost and practical viewpoint, they must wait and continue with their low power digital standard definition at DT 52 and 58 respectively.
Again, this waiting creates a phenomenal opportunity for WSEE and WFXP to have the growing HD market they can exploit. Remember over 60% of the sets being sold in 2006 are HD. This Christmas (or should we be politically correct and say holiday season) the roof is really expected to come off on HD sales.
In Erie, the issue is the old chicken or the egg. Stations don’t’ want to go HD because of cost and the perception that there is no demand. Retailers say that the demand will be there if the stations broadcast HD. I side with the retailers. The bean counters at NEXSTAR and SJL/Lilly and friends are laying eggs that can’t hatch. (Even the proud peacock is too ashamed to show his feathers without HD now)
It is interesting that the media, and I include all of them, are the worst examples of self advertising for their advertisers on how marketing can increase your market share. If the media can’t advertise and market for themselves, how can they possibly do it for advertisers? So the advertisers follow what the media bean counters themselves do and save those marketing dollars and put it in the bank. In short, the media shaft themselves through shortsightedness. I would never recommend advertising on a medium that didn’t know how to be the best example of its advertising product..
As a writer for Jack Paar used to say, “Heaven help the naked bus driver who can make sense of that.”
The cable and satellite networks are trying to keep up with the demand within their limited bandwidth availability. This summer, the Food Network signed on with a separate HD channel as well as Home and Garden HD. The NFL HD NETWORK is replaying games from the previous week in HD.
All this new programming development may just make a bad situation worse in markets like Erie where false economies may actually cause traditional network stations (WICU, WFXP, WSEE and WJET) to lose more and more viewers because that can’t provide the product consumers want. Once you’ve seen true HD it is very difficult to watch standard TV. It is like the 60’s with color. If you had a choice of watching a black and white program or a mediocre program in color, color usually won out. And the HD experience is like no other.
Many of you have visited the local Best Buy or Circuit City stores and think you are watching full HD. In those stores, they usually use a feed from Direct TV which does not broadcast full resolution HD but a hybrid. Some call this HD-Lite. (Last week a subscriber to Direct TV won the right to sue for false advertising on this very issue.)
To see true HD in Erie you have only one source right now and that is WQLN and what a stunning picture chief engineer Ed Upton provides. In fact, most HD enthusiast will tell you that today the best HD comes from an antenna on top of your roof. I can’t speak to the quality on Time-Warner cable because I haven’t seen it or know if they are doing any compression, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they were. (perhaps someone can enlighten me on that.)
Right now only two network local stations could be in the position to take advantage of HD and market that advantage rather than see viewership continue to tumble. They are WSEE and
WFXP. Nothing but money and the management commitment stand in their way. In the case of WFXP, FOX is even supplying, at no cost to the station, a special piece of equipment (called the spicer) that allows them to transmit FOX programming in HD. The station has to supply the supporting elements. WSEE has the network that leads all others in technology and HD programming. CBS wants WSEE and all of its affiliates to be able to supply HD to its viewers. CBS looks at it from a very base pocketbook perspective. Upgrade or continue to wither on the vine.WICU and WJET have a special situation. They both have been assigned digital channels (at their request) that are the same as their current analog, 12 and 24 respectively. That is the ideal situation for them. But they can’t sign those digital stations on until they sign-off from the analog. So from a cost and practical viewpoint, they must wait and continue with their low power digital standard definition at DT 52 and 58 respectively.
Again, this waiting creates a phenomenal opportunity for WSEE and WFXP to have the growing HD market they can exploit. Remember over 60% of the sets being sold in 2006 are HD. This Christmas (or should we be politically correct and say holiday season) the roof is really expected to come off on HD sales.
In Erie, the issue is the old chicken or the egg. Stations don’t’ want to go HD because of cost and the perception that there is no demand. Retailers say that the demand will be there if the stations broadcast HD. I side with the retailers. The bean counters at NEXSTAR and SJL/Lilly and friends are laying eggs that can’t hatch. (Even the proud peacock is too ashamed to show his feathers without HD now)
It is interesting that the media, and I include all of them, are the worst examples of self advertising for their advertisers on how marketing can increase your market share. If the media can’t advertise and market for themselves, how can they possibly do it for advertisers? So the advertisers follow what the media bean counters themselves do and save those marketing dollars and put it in the bank. In short, the media shaft themselves through shortsightedness. I would never recommend advertising on a medium that didn’t know how to be the best example of its advertising product..
As a writer for Jack Paar used to say, “Heaven help the naked bus driver who can make sense of that.”
"Congress passed a law on February 1, 2006, setting a final deadline for the DTV transition of February 17, 2009. Most television stations will continue broadcasting both analog and digital programming until February 17, 2009, when all analog broadcasting will stop.." FCC http://www.dtv.gov/
A Special Note: If You Ever Pray... Please Pray for a Newborn Named Maggie.
1 comment:
Yeah... "never trust a naked busdriver"... that's what my dad says...
I sure hope that we get more HD channels soon instead of naked busdrivers.
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