WSAZ-HD News

[genlock]

I got to see about 15 seconds of it.
Picture looked clean.
Are they using Parkervision/Ignite yet?

[rfhertz]

Grey has installed the Ross Overdrive production automation at other properties.

[Tim Tyler]

I can’t believe that WSAZ would let a major opportunity like the switch to HD pass and not have a new set, new graphics, new music and even new branding, getting away from the old NewsChannel 3. There was not one mention by the anchor on the newscast that they were now in HD. Only signs were the addition of “HD” to some of the graphics.

[genlock]

I wonder how much production stuff wsaz bought.
robot camera heads and pedestals, motor fader console, switcher.
Maybe they got new routers and a multi display monitor wall.
Those are way cool, with audio level displays, tallies and labeling.
I assume the servers, grafx and news systems would already interface.
I hope they bought a spell checker for grafix.
They won't need an intercom system or very many chairs.
A ups would be nice. Wonder how long the thing takes to re-boot after a disruption?
Does wsaz have a prompter op or does the talent do that?

Progress.

[Mr. Jones]

I can’t believe that WSAZ would let a major opportunity like the switch to HD pass and not have a new set, new graphics, new music and even new branding, getting away from the old NewsChannel 3. There was not one mention by the anchor on the newscast that they were now in HD. Only signs were the addition of “HD” to some of the graphics.

The graphics were new-ish. My guess was not to mess around and make drastic changes.

[genlock]

Lots of small mistakes this morning.
Nothing major.
Learning day, for sure.

[chloesdude]

Definetely a learning day. I was cracking up watching this morning. Very nice picture though, and the set looks alot better in HD too...---- Now the real test, What will Jessica Ralston look like in HD?

[AS400]

Guess there will always be those who watch the race for the wrecks..

If you keep up with the trades
http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/2011 ... del/page/1

the entire playbook is right there on the first 2 pages

news cameras - editors, production stuff - graphics ..

personally Im happy that they took the lead and invested the time and money into our area -
So far ... well its only been a day .. Give it a few weeks then critique.. Im sure thay will get better - dont forget that when wowk launched parkervision they had their share of troubles but got them sorted out over time..

[Mr. Tom Jones]

Rumors have it WSAZ was letting go five people as part of the HD upgrade.

Dunno if installing Ross's Overdrive has or had anything to do with it. IMO, it's a better system than Ignite or whatever they're calling it these days. If the automation goes ker-blam!, you can still switch a show with it.

Also haven't heard about Sinclair's news HD upgrades. At last report WVMH's HD upgrades were awaiting funding. I'm told they want to spend too much money on Sony crap.

[fearpeddler]

Sinclairs upgrades will be going in sometime the end of this year first of next year, and people WILL be let go.....

[CoolBreeze]

WSAZ channel 3 and channel 3.2 was froze this morning. Channel 3 froze (in the middle of a commercial) at 5:55am and lasted until 6:20. Channel 3.2 is still froze (showing a scene from Seahunt) as of this post.

[Big Media]

I watched a few minutes of the evening news yesterday, but it was almost unwatchable due to all the master control errors. I am sure the new bells and whistles are sometimes difficult to figure out, but what's it been now, 2 weeks? Come on!

[genlock]

I thought they had improved somewhat.
What's with the bland grafix?
I did see the freeze escapade this morning.
Sometimes the cable freezes, but today it was frozen off-air too.
Last night on the 6, it was freezing on the Charleston feed.



Market leader, Indeed.

[Mr. Tom Jones]

Here's what I know or have been told about news HD upgrades in the surrounding areas.

In Columbus, I'm told all stations are on Panasonic P2 for news, and running Avid Newscutter for playback.

In Cincinnati, WCPO (IIRC, that's the Scripps station) is running JVC ProHD, dunno what they're using for playback.

In Pittsburgh, WPXI is on P2 for news, and Avid for playback. KDKA has a bunch of Sony crap sitting in a room at last report awaiting a server upgrade. WTAE is in the same cloud as WVMH.

[Tim Tyler]

With WSAZ’s switch to HD the video is wonderful, but the newscasts have become totally unbearable to watch. Back in the day I was responsible for the production of my station’s newscasts. Sure it was old school and I had a crew of 14. But never once would I tolerate such errors like I have seen on NewsChannel 3 in the past week. The audio is horrible with nat sound running long after the video has been switched back to a studio camera. Does this system also switch the audio? Also, the still frames drive me crazy. I have tried watching WCHS and WOWK but the content is awful. WSAZ has the content in the market. The question is, no matter what brand of auto system and servers they are using, what is it going to take to make it work correctly and for WSAZ to have a product that is worth watching in HD?

[Cameron]

Audio from the Huntington Newsroom sounded like there was some type of jazz music crosstalk in Carrie's mic.
It didn't sound like a local station getting into the audio...lot's of horns/brass in the crosstalk.
Charleston is in dire need of some type of baffles, acoustical foam, or a gate. There's a lot of fan/blower noise and reverb.
(...and that's what could be heard in the streaming-video).