WRAL-TV News Operation Goes All-HDTV With Panasonic DVCPRO HD
World's First All-HD Newscast Set for October 13th from North Carolina State Fair
LOS ANGELES, CA (October 10, 2000) -- Panasonic Broadcast & Television Systems Company today announced that Capitol Broadcasting Companyís WRAL-TV (Raleigh, North Carolina) has made a multi-million dollar purchase of DVCPRO HD equipment to convert its field news operations to high definition. WRAL-TV and Panasonic Broadcast also announced that DVCPRO HD equipment will be used to produce the worldís first all-HDTV newscast on October 13th. High Definition Television offers viewers greatly enhanced picture quality, a wide-screen 16 X 9 ratio versus the current 4 X 3 ratio, and CD quality sound.
WRAL will broadcast the historic all-HDTV newscast at 5 p.m. on Friday, October 13th, from the North Carolina State Fair. News stories will be acquired and played back in the DVCPRO HD format. The newscast will originate live from the fair, but also preview WRALís new 24,000-square-foot, all-digital news facility and demonstrate to viewers the benefits of high-definition television.
Jim Goodmon, CEO of Capitol Broadcasting, said, "Local news is all about putting the viewer on the scene, and nothing does that better than high-definition television. Our viewers will get a wider view, a clearer picture, more detail and CD quality sound--the only thing better is actually being there!"
While this high-definition signal can only be fully appreciated on a wide- screen, high-definition television set, even the current analog sets will receive a better picture. "Because these new HD cameras are so high resolution--over 6 times the definition of our current cameras--folks who watch it on a standard set will notice a difference. It's just better TV," said Goodmon.
Warren Allgyer, President, Panasonic Broadcast, said, "From its start as the nation's first HDTV station in 1996 to its groundbreaking HD coverage of entertainment and sports and its advanced testing of datacasting linked to local programming, WRAL has made the investment to be on the cutting edge of television's future. By investing in compact DVCPRO HD equipment to produce news in high definition, WRAL has once again assumed a leadership role in demonstrating the commercial viability of over-the-air HDTV broadcasting.
"We admire WRAL for its bold leadership and for proving that full HDTV operations can be implemented in a mid-size market. Panasonic is committed to providing WRAL and other broadcasters who are investing in HDTV with the leading-edge equipment to make them successful."
Under the agreement, WRAL, a pioneer in high definition broadcasting, will purchase 89 pieces of DVCPRO HD equipment and related Panasonic products to become the first television station to produce complete newscasts in high definition. WRAL is currently using Panasonicís 50Mbps DVCPRO50 format for newsgathering. Starting in January 2001, CBS affiliate WRAL will begin shooting, recording and editing its daily newscasts in DVCPRO HD. The station will broadcast the newscasts in high definition on its digital channel (WRAL-Digital, Channel 53) and downconvert the newscasts to standard definition for air on its analog channel (WRAL-TV, Channel 5). WRALís high-definition signal is also carried on Time Warner Cableís digital cable service on Channel 255.
The WRAL purchase includes 59 AJ-HD150 DVCPRO HD Studio VTRs, 29 AJ-HDC20A DVCPRO HD Camcorders, an AJ-HDR150 DVCPRO HD video server, three AJ-UFC1800 Universal Format Converters, an AV-HS3110 10-input 1080i switcher, AT-H1915DA 19î HD monitors, 32î DT-M3050W HD monitors and related accessories.
WRAL was the first station in the country to broadcast in the Federal Communication Commissionís new digital television standard. It was granted the nation's first high definition television (HDTV) experimental license in 1996, which allowed the station to transmit the nationís first high definition television signal. WRAL continues to broadcast HD on a daily basis on WRAL-Digital and has accomplished a number of firsts in the industry, including a local documentary, sporting events and live news coverage.
Panasonicís DVCPRO HD is the new cost-effective high definition recording format for news and production that provides an effective path for broadcasting of DTV and HDTV programming while remaining backwardly-compatible with all DVCPRO50, DVCPRO, DVCAM and DV digital formats.
The AJ-HD150 studio VTR delivers high-density high definition recording with eight digital audio channels, and breaks the boundaries of conventional VTR design with its playback compatibility of all professional DV-based formats. The AJ-HD150 will allow WRAL to integrate its archived DVCPRO50 footage into news and local programming.
Fully operational at 15 pounds, the AJ-HDC20A 2.2 million-pixel 3-CCD camcorder offers 46-minute recording in 1080i. The AJ-HDR150 Video Server offers multi-resolution recording, and supports operation in DVCPRO HD, 50Mbps DVCPRO50/DVCPRO Progressive and 25Mbps DVCPRO resolutions.
Headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, Panasonic Broadcast & Television Systems Co. is a leading supplier of broadcast, professional digital video and presentation products and systems. Panasonic Broadcast is a division company of Matsushita Electric Corporation of America, the principal North America subsidiary of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (NYSE: MC), one of the world's leading producers of electronic and electric products for consumer, business and industrial use. For more information on Panasonic Broadcast products, access the companyís web site at www.panasonic.com/broadcast.
In a related move designed to encourage the growth of HDTV broadcasts, Panasonic announced on September 26th that it has entered into an agreement with CBS Television to underwrite the conversion of analog 35mm film-based programming to HDTV. Under the agreement, Panasonic will underwrite the conversion of 17 prime time shows to the 1080i HDTV format during the 2000-2001 television season.
Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc. is a diversified communications company which owns and/or operates WRAL-TV (http://www.wral-tv.com), WRAL-Digital (http://www.wral-hd.com), WRAL-FM (http://www.wralfm.com), Microspace Communications (http://www.microspace.com), DTV Plus (http://www.dtvplus.com), the North Carolina News Network (http://www.ncnn.com), Capitol Agribusiness (http://www.ncnn.com/capag/), Capitol Networks (http://www.ncnn.com), and Capitol Sports in Raleigh, NC; WRAZ-TV (http://www.fox50.com) and the Durham Bulls Baseball Club (http://www.dbulls.com) in Durham, NC; WJZY-TV (http://www.wjzy.com) and WFVT-TV (http://www.wb55.com) in Charlotte, NC; WILM-TV in Wilmington, NC; and the Myrtle Beach Pelicans Baseball Club (http://www.myrtlebeachpelicans.com) in Myrtle Beach, SC. Capitol Broadcasting Company also founded Local TV on Satellite (http://www.localtv-satellite.com) in Raleigh, NC.
Panasonic Questions & Answers on WRALís Purchase of the DVCPRO HD Equipment
Q.) What's the significance of WRAL's purchase of DVCPRO HD to the overall broadcast community?
A.) The vast majority of television stations are not creating HDTV-native programming. Most stations broadcasting HDTV are simply passing through HD programming supplied to them by their affiliated network. WRAL's purchase of Panasonic DVCPRO HD equipment is a major commitment by a station to produce local HD programming. They will shoot, record and edit full newscasts with DVCPRO HD. WRAL, located in the nationís 27th largest television market, is proving that HDTV for news can be implemented in a mid-size market.
Q.) Does WRAL gain a competitive advantages by shooting its newscasts in HDTV?
A.) Yes. All WRAL's viewers will experience improved picture quality. The video quality of its analog channel (WRAL-TV, Channel 5) will be visibly improved, and viewers of its digital channel (WRAL-Digital, Channel 53) will now receive their local news in full HDTV-native resolution, not just up-converted from standard definition. All WRAL viewers will see a better newscast immediately.
Q.) What benefits does DVCPRO HD provide to a broadcaster like WRAL?
A.) DVCPRO HD permits WRAL to be more competitive today with improved SD image quality while gaining the competitive jump on the future of over-the-air HDTV broadcasting. DVCPRO HD allows WRALís viewers to receive a wider 16x9 viewing image, a clearer, more detailed picture; and CD quality sound. DVCPRO HD features an open systems design providing maximum compatibility with other formats, data networking and MPEG-2 digital transmission assuring a graceful DTV migration. DVCPRO HD is the cost-effective high definition recording format for news and production.
Q.) Does Panasonic believe that WRAL can earn additional revenue by broadcasting in HDTV?
A.) In the immediate term, we donít believe that WRAL will be able to charge more for its commercials just because they are in HDTV. However, DVCPRO HD will immediately improve the picture quality and therefore the revenue-generating potential of WRALís existing newscasts. The phenomenal image quality of DVCPRO HD provides WRAL with the means to be more competitive and increase revenue. Better pictures, more viewers. More viewers, more revenue. At some television stations, news programs generate 40% of the stationís revenue.
Q.) What is the timetable for WRAL transitioning to complete HDTV newscast?
A) WRAL will broadcast the historic all-HDTV newscast at 5 p.m. on Friday, October 13th, from the North Carolina State Fair. News stories will be acquired and played back in the DVCPRO HD format. By January 1, 20001, WRAL will be broadcasting using the Panasonic DVCPRO HD format from its new 24,000-square-foot, all-digital news facility.
Q.) Does WRAL have a history of being a leader in implementing HDTV?
A.) From its start 44 years ago, WRAL has been dedicated to being the market leader and at the cutting-edge of broadcast technology. WRAL has a prominent history of technology firsts and being the number one rated station in its market. In 1983, WRAL was the first station in the country to begin a regional television news network; in 1984; WRAL was the first on the East Coast to have a portable satellite truck for news; in 1988, WRAL was first western TV station to offer a view of Chinaís last pristine wilderness.
In HDTV, WRAL was the first station in the country to broadcast in the Federal Communication Commission's new digital television standard. It was granted the nation's first high definition television (HDTV) experimental license in 1996, which allowed the station to transmit the nationís first high definition television signal. WRAL continues to broadcast HD on a daily basis on WRAL-Digital and has accomplished a number of firsts in the industry, including a local documentary, sporting events and live news coverage.
WRAL's purchase of DVCPRO HD continues this leadership, making it the worldís first news organization to acquire, edit and transmit its newscasts in full HDTV-native resolution.
Q.) How do television stations in smaller markets than WRAL-TV prepare themselves for their HDTV future?
A.) By making sure they use a digital format that allows for easy migration to DTV and HDTV. Today, over 750 U.S. television stations use DVCPRO or DVCPRO50 to produce their news and local programming. Panasonic Broadcast offers these stations comprehensive, highly-affordable product lines in the 25Mbps DVCPRO and 50Mbps DVCPRO50 format. These stations will able be to utilize their valuable digital video archives in their HDTV future, because DVCPRO HD is backwards compatible with all Panasonic DV-based formats -- DVCPRO Progressive, DVCPRO50, DVCPRO, DV and Mini-DV. For example, the AJ-HD150 DVCPRO HD studio VTR will allow WRAL to integrate its archived DVCPRO50 footage into HD newscast and programming.
When television stations are ready for HDTV, the phenomenal image quality and economy of DVCPRO HD is ready to provide a station with the revenue-generating, competitive news advantage for today and tomorrow
