ABC stations in New York (WABC), San Francisco (KGO), and Chicago (WLS) will begin offering local HD newscasts in the next few months, according to network officials at the HD World Conference & Exposition in New York City last week. ABC stations in Los Angeles (KABC) and Philadelphia (WPVI) already air their news in HD.
CBS stations also make the HD leap in coming months with WCBS in Los Angeles, WBBM in Chicago, and KYW in Philadelphia undergoing the final phase of rebuilding projects, according to conference panelists. If all goes according to plan, viewers soon will have at least two local HD news stations to choose from in four of the top five markets, as well as three in Philadelphia, reports TV Newsday.
About two dozen stations currently air their local news in 720p or 1080i. Most stations' HD program elements consist mostly of studio coverage, while field reporting is often aired in 16:9 SD. But as local newscasts convert to HD in the months ahead, some of them (mainly at CBS) are expected to make the leap to provide HD ENG in the field, as well.
