WCSH-6 responds to emeil and I respond back - Part 2

Thank you for writing back to me, I appreciate it. I must take issue with the following statement:

 

As to this week's SNL broadcast, NBC master control messaged our local master control just before 11PM on Saturday night to tell us that SNL would be sent as 4x3 centercut on the HD service. Apparently this particular show was shot in 4x3 (not 16x9) and up converted to HD in which case you would see pillars on each side. We do not know why this was the case but that really doesn't matter as it was not available to us in 16x9. 

 

Do you get your NBC HD feed from a different place than WHDH Channel 7 in Boston?  I am lucky enough to receive NBC on both WCSH-DT and WHDH-DT.  Saturday Night Live was in High Definition on WHDH.  So I don't believe that SNL was shot in 4:3 and upconverted.  Either someone fed you a line or you are feeding me a line.  And let me state once again that I have absolutely no background in television or broadcasting.  I am just an average consumer who does my own research.  I will call and email TV stations around New England or around the country (and have on occastion) if it will help me figure some things out.

 

When I toured another television station in Portland that was having similar issues, I was invited to that TV Station to talk to them and see their setup.  On their master control panel, I saw the "button" that had to be toggled to switch over their broadcast from SD to HD. Unless your setup is extremely different from theirs, I just don't understand what process you go through, for example, after the 11:00 pm news when an HD program come on (Whether it be The Tonight Show on weekdays or SNL on Saturday night).

 

So why exactly would WHDH have SNL in HD and WCSH would not?

 

You have to understand why I am, and why others are, skeptical about whether or not we are getting honest answers or the run-around.  I have called WCSH on several occasions.  I would have to estimate that in the past year and a half (it took me a few months after buying my HDTV to figure things out) I have called WCSH at least 25 times or more to say "Hey, you're not in HD and you are supposed to be".   I tell my friends about it and they say "Oh boy, not again, tell us what happened".  On one hand I get frustrated that I have to call, and on the other I feel it is my duty, for some reason.  Maybe it's because a lot of people rely on my research that gets posted on my web site.  When I call I am very nice and professional; I am usually questioned as to my intentions, nobody ever asks for my name or phone number, and as soon as I call, the problem is magically fixed regardless of what is perceived to be some uncontrollable issue.   I usually get hung up on as fast as possible.  Ask some of the folks who are there if they get phone calls about programs not being in HD when they should be.  If you have an honest bunch, they will tell you the truth.

 

While I understand completely that your email was meant to put a fire out, all I really received was 1) an excuse that doesn't make sense, 2) somebody else to call or direct my questions to, and 3) the standard thanks for being a customer.

 

Of all the TV stations in Portland that I have dealt with, I must say that WCSH has been the worst in responding, and only a few minor points behind WMTW.  For some reason, both Doug Finck from WPME/WPXT, and Terry Cole from WPME are supportive of my web site and the work I am doing.  They are open and honest about their deficiencies and achievements and are willing to openly discuss them.  

 

I don't think I know how to get through to you folks, I don't think I ever will.  Television stations are used to answering to advertisers, not the public.  Right now, there are a lot of frustrated people out there and where there is frustration, there are people looking for someone to blame.  Right now, the targets are the FCC and local TV stations.  That is where you come in.  I have contacted the FCC and the Maine Association of Broadcasters.  They were somewhat helpful but to be honest, from the public's perspective, the faces and voices of the local TV station is what the public sees first.  I would think the last thing you want is a bad reputation in the eyes of the public.

 

I will put it right on the table.  I wish that WCSH was more willing to be transparent about the transition to Digital, and the issues around High Definition.  Any programming that is not a simple passthrough from NBC won't be in HD.  You local news isn't in HD. And even the simple passthroughs (and let's not make them more complicated than they are, let's be honest, it is the simplest part of HD broadcasting) seem to still be difficult for your station.

 

I apologize if what I have written comes off too strong, but I am at my whit's end about these issues.  I don't want to be slinging mud; I have better things to do.  I can only hope that you take these issues more seriously than you are right now.

 

I know this email is long-winded but I will end with the following comment regarding this statement in your email response to me:

 

Please know that the conversion to digital is fraught with details, high in expense and difficult to manage as we run both analog and DT services

  

The details are what you pay your staff to take care of.  There is no reason at all that you have to continue hour analog signal.  As far as the FCC is concerned you can stop any time beginning November 15, 2008 and even earlier if you ask them (and they have said they will not refuse anybody if asked).  Based on your response to me you can't possibly be all that concerned with what the public thinks so why not just pull the plug on analog and wipe that off of your to-do list.  And as for the expense, digital TV and the conversion to it has been around for more than 10 years.  I would think that somebody should have budgeted for some capital expenditures a long time ago.  Did you think that viewers just wouldn't care, or just wouldn't notice?

 

Thanks for your time

WCSH-6 responds to email, and I respond back - Part 1

WCSH's response:

I'm sorry you had a bad experience with our HD service on Saturday night and appreciate your email and comments. Please know that the conversion to digital is fraught with details, high in expense and difficult to manage as we run both analog and DT services. I suspect we'll continue to have issues because it is far more complex than simply flipping a switch. Typically, each transmission incident or failure has multiple issues surrounding it. When these happen outside of regular business hours it is even harder for the few people who are on duty to respond.

First, thanks for noticing the phone message problem. Our telephone vendor is now aware of it and they are working on it. The use of the "5" prompt is intended exactly for people like you who have questions, comments or problems outside of our M-F business hours. It has been worked on unsuccessfully over the past week and was thought to be solved.

As to this week's SNL broadcast, NBC master control messaged our local master control just before 11PM on Saturday night to tell us that SNL would be sent as 4x3 centercut on the HD service. Apparently this particular show was shot in 4x3 (not 16x9) and up converted to HD in which case you would see pillars on each side. We do not know why this was the case but that really doesn't matter as it was not available to us in 16x9. 

For future reference, our point person on our DTV conversion is VP of programming and marketing, Mike Marshall. He usually responds to voice mail or email regarding DTV issues but is on vacation. You can reach him at this email address mike.marshall@wcsh6.com or you can leave him a voice mail in box #214, or in the "5" prompt as he'll be the one checking on those messages. In late night hours there is not usually more than one or two news staffers on duty, sometimes in edit booths working on the morning newscasts.

Thanks for the communications. I hope you notice improvements, albeit slow, in our various HD offerings in the coming months.

 

Steve Thaxton

President/General Manager

WCSH 6

One Congress Square

Portland, ME 04101

direct: 207-828-6605

station: 207-828-6666 ext. 301 - with voice mail

fax: 207-828-6653

cell:207-653-6666

email: steve.thaxton@wcsh6.com 

--read next post for my response to this email

WCSH 6 Portland, Still get get High Definition right

This is yet another example of how Portland's TV stations are so far behind the curve of even basic HD administration.  I wrote this letter on Saturday Night 9/20/08 an sent it to customer realtions at WCSH6.

I have sent emails to WCSH, I have called the station directly, and to be honest I am so frustrated with trying to get some answers.

Once again, yet another television show that is supposed to be in High Definition is not.  Today is Saturday, September 20.  at 11:30 pm I tuned to WCSH 6 to watch Saturday Night Live.  While I realized the show was not being broadcast in HD, I gave it a few moments to see if it would kick in (in other words, maybe somebody would notice and "flip the switch", literally), but to no avail.

So once again I called the station and played the automated attendant guessing game trying to talk to someone.  I noticed there was a new phone option (that shows how often I call) called the "Digital and HD Hotline Mailbox" or something like that, and "Press 5".  Well I tried that, twice, and all I ever heard after pressing 5 was "I'm sorry I didn't hear your response" from the nice lady that does the voice overs for your telephone system.  I also called and tried the news desk.  Usually somebody is there since news happens all the time.  I guess WCSH decided ahead of time there wouldn't be any news overnight so why have somebody there.

In any case after several phone calls and several attempts at the voice mail system, I never got a chance to tell anyone that Saturday Night Live, which should be in HD, was not HD.  I know for a fact after touring another TV station in Portland that it is literally a flip of a switch - a monkey could it.  I am assuming whoever was supposed to be manning the control room needed a Red Bull and a Kit Kat bar or something like that.

Frankly, I am exhausted.  I am so fed up with calling WCSH and WMTW and WGME to inform them their HD programming isn't in HD.  Each and every time I have made one of these phone calls and talked to someone, the problem was fixed immediately, most times while I was on the phone and before I even finished explaining the issue.  Whoever would answer knew quite well what the problem was as soon as the words started coming out of my mouth.

But if there is no way to contact you, how will the problem ever get fixed.  The hot line was installed to deal with people using digital converter boxes and people complaining about shows not being in HD, I assume.  What other reason could there be?

For over two years, since the day I bought my HDTV and bought an antenna that would receive digital/HD programming over the air for free, this exact same issue has been haunting me.  I don't understand.  Why does it take an average consumer to oversee what is going on at the network affiliates in my area.  And If I am overseeing it, why can't I get through to talk to somebody about the problem.

At this point isn't anybody at WCSH 6 ashamed of their own station?  They can't seem to keep up with the most menial of tasks that come along with high definition, like flipping the switch.  And is nobody watching their own TV station to ensure that the public is getting the HD they are entitled to?

I run a Blog about high definition TV and media in general.  This, along with the pile of other situations just like this, will go on the blog and feed the fire that is already smoldering out there.  The public is angry, the digital conversion is a mess.  There are people out there who have bought and installed their digital converter boxes and have lost your signal.  Digital is nowhere near as strong as analog so by these simple facts you are already losing thousand of viewers, which in turn leads to lower ratings, which in turn leads to fewer revenue dollars.  I would think that you don't want to add more fuel to the fire for the people who are already disappointed and frustrated already.

Sincerely,

Ron Caron

http://mainehdtv.blogspot.com

Metrocast Cable in Southern Maine offers very few HD choices

Dear Readers:

The following is an open letter I wrote to Metrocast Customer Support in the hopes of getting some answers on when Metrocast will actually up its game in this High Definition world.

-----------------------------

High Definition programming has taken off like a shot recently.  I believe it is due to this being the first full season of television that will overlap the February 17, 2009 cutoff date for analog TV.  Consumers are getting ready and those producing programs and distributing programs are getting ready as well.  For those of us who already have HDTV capabilities, we've been waiting for the explosion of HD programming on the edge of our seats.

 

I do not need cable TV or satellite or anybody else to receive high definition programming.  I have an HDTV with a built in HDTV tuner.  I can receive ABC, CBS, PBS, NBC, the CW, MyNetwork, and the ION network all over the air with without paying anybody.

 

I began subscribing to Metrocast mostly for the DVR, it is just easier to use than a VCR and it can record HD programming.

 

In the current year, 2008, Metrocast has added a total of 8 new HD channels.  Not one of those channels is more than a reality based TV network.  The Weather Channel, Outdoor Channel, HGTV, Discover, Science, Animals, Food, do you get the picture?

 

I am getting very frustrated with my channel lineup.  None of the above channels offer anything in the line of comedy or drama. It's just one reality show or information TV show after another.  

What happened to some of these channels:

• A&E HD 
  
• ABC Family HD 
  
• Biography Channel HD 
  
• Bravo HD 
  
• Cartoon Network 
  
• CNBC HD+ 
  
• Disney Channel HD 
  
• Fuel TV HD 
  
• FX HD 
  
• History Channel HD 
  
• MTV HD 
  
• Nick HD 
  
• Speed Channel HD 
  
• Spike HD 
  
• USA Network HD 
  
• VH1 HD 
  

Not to mention that Sanford has no Fox channel available in HD.  I understand the limitations behind that but are we going to have Fox HD ON FEBRUARY 17, 2009 WHEN FOX 23 does a flash-cutover to digital?  And also not to mention the National Geographic channel.  Why is that we can get it in standard def as part of of basic cable but have to pay extra to get it in HD.  It is the only channel in our basic cable lineup that has an HD channel that we have to pay for.  All of the other networks in your so-called "Ultra HD" package are channels specifically designed as High Definition networks.  I guess I understand that since they were so far ahead of the curve it makes sense to pay extra for channel of that caliber who were HD 24/7 long before anybody else.  But as for the channels listed above, these are networks that have been around forever, we've always had them in analog, now what's the problem with providing them in digital, what exactly is the problem and what can the public to, if anything about it.

 

What specifically are you plans for high definition expansion in the future.  I you could add even half of the channels I have listed above as part of the standard High Def package, I would consider staying (or at least stop bad-mouthing Metrocast).  Heck I would be happy if even just four of the ones from my list (A&E, Bravo, FX, and USA) were added to the lineup.  I feel that Metrocast in Maine is way behind the curve.  Your HD capabilities when I look at other cable providers and satellite providers is at best, sub-standard, and at worst, a joke.

 

I apologize for being long winded but I had a lot to get out.  Again what exactly and specifically are your plans for future HD channels being added to the Metrocast line-up.  Second, what is the fate of Fox 23 in HD.  When do we get it, when should we get it.  And finally, why don't you provide Maine's PBS, Maine's CW, and Maine's MyNetwork to the lineup for people you service in Maine.  If we can't get Fox 25 in HD because that is a Boston Fox channel and Maine isnt' "allowed" to have it.  Then why aren't we "allowed" to have ALL of the networks who broadcast from Maine in HD.  Even WPXT and WPME, who are in my opinion, the little engine that could, are ahead of the curve in cutting off their analog signal earlier this month.

 

I appreciate you time and would appreciate even more some answers to these questions and issues.  I believe the public deserve to now what is going on.   Thank you for your time.

 

Portland, ME, TV Stations need to get with the program

For the big networks who have affiliates around the country, there is Network Programming, and then syndicated programming.

Network Programming includes the morning shows (Today, GMA, The View) and syndicated programming includes shows like Oprah, Ellen, Dr. Phil, etc.

Local affiliates simply transmit high definition programming to its viewers by pass through a live network feed (like Today, GMA, The View).  For syndicated show like Oprah, Ellen, etc, they can either record the feed and play it back in HD at whatever time they are approved to show it, or transmit the show in standard definition at the appropriate time if they don't have the capability to records HD feeds for later playback.

So there is the big difference.  Some TV stations CAN record HD programming fed to them, and some can not.  

Right now, all of the big 3 Networks out of Boston can record HD programming and play it back when appropriate for them.  So you will see Oprah, Dr, Phil, Ellen, The Bonnie Hunt Show and even "The Insider" and "Entertainment Tonight" in high definition.  If you watched these same shows on our local Portland Maine television stations, you will NOT see any of them in high definition.  Oprah is on WCVB-Boston and on WGME-Portland, Maine, at 4:00 pm.  WCVB shows it in high definition and WGME does not because it can not record/playback high definition shows.

The local affiliates in Portland continue to use the excuse that they can't afford the equipment to record/playback high definition.  My opinion is how can they afford NOT to invest in the equipment.

Let's assume that you have and HDTV or you plan to get one.  About 25% of households have HD capabilities and in the next few years, it is save to assume that most American households will have HD capability.  So if you had the choice to watch the same program in High Definition or regular old standard definition, which would you watch.  If you have HD you know what I mean.  People who have HD are in love with HD.  You will be too if you haven't experienced it yet.

So the television stations have competition where I live.  We have access to TV based out of Portland, Maine, and out of Boston, Mass.  If we're all watching the Boston channels because they are all broadcasting in HD and all of the Portland stations are not, which ones do you thing will get the higher ratings which convert to advertising revenue.

And even more than than, I think the Portland Maine TV stations should be ashamed of themselves.  They have had years to prepare for the onslaught of digital and high definition TV but have done nothing about it.  Digital and HD television has been around now for almost 10 years.  You would think that somewhere in their annual budget they would have at least started to plan for this.  But no.  Do they think the public is dumb, or that we can't afford a High Def TV, or that we won't notice the difference between SD and HD.  I think the Portland affiliates have taken a lot for granted.  For almost 2 years now I have been petitioning them, encouraging them, sometimes even tried to bully them, but to no avail.

The Portland television stations just don't seem to care.  Even the network shows that they CAN transmit in HD don't actually make it to television sets in HD because the staff running the control room can't quite figure out how to flip the HD Switch (yes, it is that simple).  I call my local affiliates at least once a week to remind them that a particular TV show should be in HD but is not.  Then they go flip the switch and everything is OK.  But why do I have to call them.  I am just a regular old TV watcher not involved in the industry in any way, shape, or form.  I have now started calling the Boston affiliates as well because they make the same "forgot to flip the switch" mistake too.  I think it is deplorable that I have to call TV stations about this.

TV stations need to get on the ball.  You can forgive a mistake here or there but I am sick of calling TV stations.  And for Portland Maine TV stations, they really need to get their act together, make the investment to record and playback high definition shows or risk an incredible loss of viewers and revenue.  It's not that complicated.

We are at the dawn of a new age in television.  For those who did not take the change seriously, well you are going to be out of luck.  Like it or not, television makes the world go round.  It is the primary source of news for America, and the primary source of entertainment.  People can't afford to go out any more.  They are staying home and investing in quality home entertainment.

So come one folks.  Help me out.  Call the local affiliates in Portland or write to them from their web sites and demand high definition.  Again, if you have HD now, you know what I am talking about.  And if you don't, you will soon.

TNT-HD should be ashamed of themselves

"We know drama".  That is TNT's slogan.  Well, they may know drama but they certainly aren't up on their technology.

With the wide variety of HD programs available to them (as part of the Turner family of networks) they continue to show NON-HD programming in their lineup like "Charmed".  Did anyone ever watch that show when it was on the first time?  Along with that they show reruns of "Angel" and several movies as well which are not in HD. 

TNT-HD shoes the same programs as regular TNT.  TNT broadcasts the standard definition programs and TNT-HD broadcasts the same program but in HD.  That makes sense to me.  TNT has access to all of the one-hour-dramas like Law and Order, Cold Case, and Without a Trace in HD.  They have access to an untold number of movies in HD.  I can not for the life of me figure out why they continue to "sneak in" to the line-up these non-HD programs.  

It has already been proven that High Definition means High Ratings, which in turn means higher revenue.  So there is no reason I can think of why TNT-HD, which was specifically set up to broadcast HD programming, is not showing HD programming 100% of the time.

And they are not dealing with syndicated shows fed to them via satellite and then passed through to the viewers.  These are shows in their library.

If local broadcast television stations can figure out how to broadcast satellite feeds like Oprah and Ellen (which began producing their shows in HD just a week ago) in HD, you would think that TNT can figure out how to broadcast HD shows right out of their library.

My cable company does not offer any other HD networks other than TNT and TBS (same company) so I don't know what USA, A&E, or BRAVO are doing.  My cable company only shows the two I mentioned in HD plus a bunch of reality networks like ESPN, Discovery, and Food Network.  Those other network that I get have their problems as well and try to pass off standard definition programming as HD by stretching the picture and hoping we don't notice but that is another post.

Oprah in HD

Well things are starting to come together.  Sort of.

I wrote about "Ellen" being in high definition and now Oprah is as well.  I can see the Oprah show on Channel 5 out of Boston, and Channel 13 out of Portland, Maine, both at 4:00 PM.  Channel 5 has it in HD and Channel 13 does not.

It proves the power of the TV station.  WCVB invested a lot of money to convert their broadcasting capabilities to full HD.  Smaller stations like WGME in Portland don't have that kind of capital.

So again, if you had the choice to watch the same program in HD or not in HD, which would you watch?  If I could only get TV stations to understand this concept and invest the money to go all the way with HD.  

At least I have the ability to watch more and more TV in High Definition.  TV station who don't keep up with the trends will just get lost in the shuffle.

Ellen in HD

Finally, somebody is on the ball.  I can't tell you how excited I am to finally start seeing some REAL high definition outside of prime time.  

This whole big "conversion to digital TV" is convoluted.  Television stations must change their signal from analog to digital by 2/17/09.  All that really means is they are changing the way they deliver their signal.  "High Definition" has nothing to do with the digital conversion.  It is just a by-product of it.  If HD didn't exist, television stations would still go through this conversion to free up some of the airwaves (as dictated by the FCC).  Once a TV station converts to a digital signal, they then have the capability, or option I guess, to further expand their capabilities to be able to transmit high definition.  Most TV stations have not yet made the full leap to be able to record HD  television shows transmitted to them via satellite and then replay them in HD.  The equipment needed to do this is very expensive.  So most TV stations can only relay programs in HD directly from the network back out over their tower.  It is just a passthrough.  Even if they wanted to, they could not capture that program in HD and replay it later.

A few TV stations in larger television markets have made the HD investment.  In my area, WCVB (ABC Boston) has made the jump.  Their local news is in high definition as well as other programs that they produce themselves.  WHDH (NBC Boston) has also just recently made the transition to local HD.  In my area of the country, which includes all of central and northern New England, that is about it.

That was an awfully long introduction to tell you that the "Ellen" show is now in HD on WCVB Boston at 9:00 AM.  Ellen comes on again on WMTW (ABC Portland, ME) at 4:00 PM but since that TV station has not converted to full HD mode, poor Ellen will be in regular old standard definition.  So which would you rather watch if you had the choice?  Which one would you record on your DVR or TIVO if you had the choice?  Well, the High Definition version, of course.

I saw the new Bonnie Hunt show which was in wide screen on WCVB but not in HD.  I don't know if the show is produced in HD but even if it were, it is not being sent to WCVB in HD.  I would think that any new TV show would be produced in HD and if it is in wide screen, I really have to assume the Bonnie Hunt show is.  So that means that somewhere between production and delivery, there is somebody in that mix that doesn't have HD capabilities yet.

Now comes the "cart before the horse" argument.  TV stations that broadcast these syndicated TV shows in HD will have a higher viewership.  Bigger ratings mean bigger revenue.  Bigger revenue means TV stations can recoup their investment in HD much quicker.  But smaller stations don't have the capital to invest in HD equipment.  But if they don't convert, they will miss out on revenue.  Also, since there are not a lot of syndicated shows in High Definition, why would a station spend the money to convert to full HD if they don't have the programming to take advantage of it.  Do you see the chicken/egg problem?

This is the first TV season that will overlap the final conversion date to digital in February 2009.  Since stations have that deadline, some will choose to take the leap to full HD at the same time and some will not.  We'll just have to see how this plays out and who wins the ratings and revenue game.

Right now, "Ellen" is the only syndicated how I have seen that has changed to HD.  But it's a new season and all of the new shows have not debuted yet.  I'm keeping my eyes and ears open.  If anyone sees some HD stuff out there, let me know, I'd love to hear about it.

WCSH 6 - NBC NIghtly News not in HD

September 4, 2008, I called WCSH 6 in Portland, ME, to let them know that the NBC Nightly News, which has been in HD for a long time now, was not being broadcast in HD.

I was asked by "Rob" if Time-Warner was my cable provider because there were "some problems" with that carrier.

When I told him I received his HD signal via antenna and that I checked on WHDH, NBC from Boston which was not having any problems so it wasn't a network feed issue, he told me he would check.

By the time I hung up the phone and looked at the TV, it had been fixed.

So many TV stations just can not get this HD thing right. Channel after channel, night after night, some station somewhere in my TV market isn't broadcasting in HD when they should be. WMTW out of Portland, ME still isn't broadcasting Nightline (ABC) in HD even though that show started being produced in HD a few weeks ago. ABC from Boston does but my local Portland stations doesn't, or should I say won't.

The Maine HDTV Forum needs your help - WMTW is not keeping up with HD

During the Democratic National Convention ABC decided to make the move on both its nightly evening news cast at 6:30 and on its late night new magazine "Nightline" to high definition.



I get WCVB, Boston's ABC channel, as well as WMTW, ABC in Portland, Maine so it is easy for me to compare the two.



First, WCVB does air the ABC World News Tonight show in high definition. WMTW does but only when it remembers to to do, essentially, remembering to flip the switch to go over to HD. It's not rocket science.



As for Nightline, WCVB broadcasts it in high definition; WMTW does not.



One more thing, Nightline is a live network feed. It is considered network programming, not programming that is or can be recorded by affilaites and played back later. Nightline is broadcast to you at the same time the network is uplinking it to the affiliates.



I have written to WMTW and asked why Nightline is not in high definition and have received no response. I am asking that the visitors/viewers/members of the Maine HDTV forum write to WMTW at the following addresses and ask why Nightline is not in HD. I would also request that you ask when Nightline will be in High Definition:



Bill Greep is the lead engineer, his address is BGreep@hearst.com.

The main email address for WMTW is wmtw@wmtw.com.

The main phone number is 207.782.1800.



I don't ask for help from the visitors of this site unless I feel there is a real need. I am hoping that we can pressure WMTW into meeting their obligations to the community by supplying High Definition programming whenever possible. And this one should be a no brainer for them, it is a simple network feed translation.