For the second time in a week, I had to call WGME, Channel 13 in Portland, Maine, to let them know, gently, that even though they should be broadcasting in high definition, someone didn't "hit the switch".
For those of you who may not be aware, local network broadcasting stations must control their HD programming from the Master Control panel. When HD programming is available from the network feed, they literally flip a switch (like an On/Off switch) to allow HD programming to be broadcast from their tower.
This all happens because local TV stations can't record and play back HD programming. The equipment to do that is very expensive. So they must rely on a person to "flip a switch" when the HD programming starts coming through the network feed so that their tower broadcasts the programming in High Definition.
That's how simple it is. Eventually, when local TV stations get the proper equipment, and most programming is in HD or at least digital format, this won't be an issue.
But until then, TV stations must hire some young kid named Justin, or Kyle, or Jason, or whatever, who's munching on a Kit-Kat bar and downing a Red Bull, to pretend he knows what he's doing.
That's where I come in. I call that station and ask for Justin, ask him to put the Kit-Kat down, and flip the HD switch. It all happens so fast that by the time I get the sentence out of my mouth, it has been fixed, I'm happy, and Justin is embarrassed.
6 comments:
I have Dish and their HD package. I have a question regarding NESN and their HD broadcasting. A couple time recently the NESN HD change wasn't broadcasting a 'live' red sox game. It was only on their non HD NESN channel. I emailed NESN both times and did not receive a answer to either email.
I know that when the re-run a game its not in HD but both times I noticed it wasn't on NESN HD it was a live game.
Any suggestion on what to do next time?
Interesting. I now have the basic HD package through my cable outlet, Metrocast Cable, based out of NH but serves several towns in Southern Maine. I have not had the same experience. I must admit I don't check their non-HD channel much but ALL of the games I see on the NESN HD channel, live or replays are in HD. Once exception, there was one time last week where I saw an older game (not just last night's game like the do so many time) from back in 2007 and it wasn't in HD but that's the only one I noticed. I'll have to keep a closer eye on it. The problem you are experiencing may not be NESN, have you checked with DISH Network to get their take just to go through the process of elimination. If things still point to NESN I would contact them again. But here's the deal. I rarely email anymore regarding situations like this. I call. If you have read my blog you will see that I call my local TV stations when they are not broadcasting in HD and should be. Good luck and let me know what happens. Thanks for stopping by the site.
Hi Vicki, I did a little more research and this is what I think. Older games, like tonight from 6/26/06 may not have been originally recorded in HD. Many HD outlets were still transitioning back then. Also, there are a few games a year to which NESN does not have rights. So they end up being shown on FOX or ESPN. Now if NESN has the rights to broadcast the re-run of the games they did not originally broadcast, they would have to purchase the video from Fox or ESPN and the game may have not been available in HD or it may have been too expensive to purchase it in HD. I don't think that NESN would pay a lot of money for a re-run of a game from another network.
Thank you very much for getting back to me.
Both situations where I tuned into NESN to watch the game they were live games. I actually went to my pc to check the red sox's website to make sure (I really didn't want to watch a rerun:)).
I will definitely take you're advice and call NESN next time I see that happening. I will also check with Dish was well.
You've got a great website. Keep up the great work here!!
I live in Port Clyde, ME and have Dish Network. Fox(WPFO) is currently not available in HD. It is available in HD on DIRECTV as well as Time Warner. So they are capable of broadcasting in HD, yet Dish Network does not offer it. I get CBS, NBC, and ABC all in HD. My locals are all Portland, ME channels. I have called Dish Network about this and they have no idea when it will be available. This is very frustrating. Maybe you could call WPFO for me and have them "flip their switch" to turn on Fox in HD for Dish Network.
Actually, WPFO can NOT broadcast in HD. They can only provide an HD signal via fiber optics to certain vendors (i.e. DishTV or Time Waner) with whom they have a contract.
WPFO came online as a Fox affiliate in 1999. At that time, channel assignments that would allow a TV station (like WCSH for example) to broadcast their analog signal on one channel and their digital signal (and therefore HD) on another channel. Every TV station (except for those like FOX 23 that came on too late) have this two channel set up. (See my article: http://mainehdtv.blogspot.com/2007/12/high-definition-hd-digital-channels-in.html)
On 2/19/09, Fox 23 will do what is called a "flash-cutover", essentially flipping the big switch and converting everything they broadcast Over the Air from analog to digital. That is when it will be available to you.
Other Portland stations (and Bangor) will probably run both analog and digital until 2/17/09 when they MUST stop analog.
Two channels in Portland (WPXT and WPME) have already stopped analog broadcasting and only broadcast in digital.
Here's what is kind of funny. My cable system doesn't offer Fox in HD either. However, just this morning at about 5:30 AM, my cable company added Fox 25 out of Boston to our digital lineup. Keep in mind that it is not Fox HD that you want, it is Fox Digital TV. You need digital to then get HD.
Anyway, unless there is some agreement between your Dish Network and Fox 23, you'll have to wait until 2/17/09. Sorry.
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