WDTV 5 broadcasting news in 16x9 widescreen

[WV Newsnut]

Not sure when they began, but it seems that WDTV 5 is broadcasting their news in enhanced 16x9 widescreen format. Reports from the field are still 4x3, but studio shots, weather green screens and sports scores all seem to be in widescreen format now. It sure does make a nice difference when watching local news. The question now is when will WBOY 12 follow? My guess would be the day before NEVER.

[RADIOHEAD 1]

IF BRAY CARY HAD OWNED A TV STATION WHEN COLOR BECAME AVAILABLE IN THE MID 50'S..HIS STATION WOULD HAVE BEEN IN BLACK AND WHITE TILL'
THE 70'S...

[genlock]

His station was the first and still the only WV station to operate a news helicopter.

[cgarison]

His station was the first and still the only WV station to operate a news helicopter.

Funny! Bray continues to stroke his ego with a helicopter while big news outlets in major markets are trying to get rid of their birds because of the huge cost. There are at most 3 news choppers in Philly (most events only have two with the feeds being split among multiple news organizations) compared to 6+ in 2006. It is nice to not have that swarm in the sky chasing events.

[oldtvman2]

is bray still running a helicopter ?? I believe he dropped that one back around 2005. it was costing them a large amount of money, I believe it was one Million a year. but he used it and had some great pictures. the other owners used it more than bray. at the company picnics the employes would get a ride in it over the Milton area. these were good caring owners not like bray. the station went down hill after he bought it. the other owners would treat the employes right they would work a trade out with locak stores and then sell purchas orders to the employes at a discount, like $20.00 orders for $16.00 or a $10.00 for $8.00 took a lot of them to B&B food market. you had to buy more that the purchas order as they would not give change on it, but that wasn't a problem. they also gave out hams and turkeys each year. Gateway and others realy cared about us. I was even given either 5 or 7 day cruse . back when Gary Richie was the station Manager. great fun and no vacation time lost on it.

[Hoss]

[quote]His station was the first[quote], sorry Genlock but WCHS was the first. A Hughs 300 two seater. With me and gear and the sheriff deputy pilot, forget his name, we were at the max weight limit but we definitely flew and with permanent affixed logos. It was a contrat lease deal with some local taco owner, I think it was Pacos Tacos. Once for the Charleston Distance Run we shot the runners in the hill section and then dropped the tape to a waiting person in the parking lot over on Piedmont. Wasn't LIVE or almost LIVE, TV great in the good old days?

[genlock]

I did not realize that channel 8 had a chopper.
What years did it run? Back in the Rollins era?

[oldtvman2]

I didn't remember about channel 8 ever having a chopper. we had a hard time tracking the 13 chopper then they installed a tracking system that would point it's antenna to the transmitter site and since it was used mostely in Charleston we didn't have to move the receive antenna very much. it was fun ridding in it.

[oldtvman2]

I just checked with someone that should know and I was told that 13 is not using a chopper. as cheep as bray is I can't see him putting out the money for it. It was a big job fitting out the chopper for live shots

[Hoss]

[ did not realize that channel 8 had a chopper. What years did it run? Back in the Rollins era?

Right around the transition time from Rollins to Heritage, 1989.

[oldtvman2]

I don't know when wowk first used the chopper but I found on the internet in an article written in April 1997 where Terry Cole stated that the wowk chopper was in the air at the Scottown fireworks fire on July 3rd 1996 so it must have been before that time. still looking for the start up date.

[Mr. Tom Jones]

PMFJI, but it seems to me WTRF in Wheeling had a helicopter at some point in the mid or late 1970's.

Don't think they did live broadcasting from it, though.