NBC to add HD to it's prime time fall line up (1 Viewer)

[Mike I]

NBC to Add HDTV in Primetime
Broadcasting & Cable
5/9/02 10:58:00 AM
NBC will do more of its primetime lineup in high-definition television next season, according to network officials.
The network has been criticized as an HDTV laggard relative to CBS and ABC for offering only one primetime show, Crossing Jordan, in HDTV ( it also does The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in late-night).
NBC officials said no final decisions have been made on which shows will be offered in HDTV, but the orders will be made soon after Monday's upfront.
Privately, NBC officials were a little touchy on the criticism they've received over their HDTV offerings. Sure CBS and ABC offer most of their primetime in high-definition, they said, but NBC has been a leader in sports, which, along with movies, is expected to be a better driver of HDTV viewership than regular series.
In partnership with Mark Cuban's HDNet, NBC has carried the Olympic Games, several National Basketball Association games and now the Triple Crown in HDTV. More high-definition sports programming is on the way, as well, network officials said.
http://www.tvinsite.com/index.asp?l...ay=breakingNews

 

[Mike I]

I applaud NBC for finally bringing more HD to it's prime time line up, but I really have to laugh about the part of this news release where they claim to be a leader in sports offering in HD....

 

[VicRuiz]

Putting aside the blatantly false "leader" claim, sports will certainly drive HDTV, but movies? Not on network TV they will not! The people that really want movies will get the premium HD movie channels, where you can see the movies uncut and unedited. How can these people not see that their ticket is in their original programming, which is not available anywhere else? Are they myopic or simply just stupid?

 

[Marque D]

After June they wont even have one major sport. NASCAR doesn't count.

 

[Steve Schaffer]

I couldn't agree more with Vic. I don't watch movies cut up and with commercials, period.

All 4 major networks have regular series programming that is top notch entertainment and needs to be in HD.

I only have one local broadcast HD station, an ABC affilliate. I don't watch movies in HD on it, but do watch NYPD Blue and a few other series.

NBC has ER, the Law and Order series, West Wing, Ed, and any number of other great series that need to be in HD. I'd watch these in HD on NBC rather than a mediocre movie on HBOHD or Showtime HD.

HD for good series television could easily lure viewers away from cable and premium stations and put the broadcast networks back on the map.

And whether one regards Nascar as a sport or not, it would be killer in HD.