CW5 KTLA-HD because of space?

[Scott Greczkowski]

ummmm the western arc that is supposed to roll out later this year early next....

Western Arc is already launched and chances are you are using it already.

Western Arc is 110 / 119 / 129

 

[dlsnyder]

The question on the Charlie Chat was about KTLA and KCAL, so I think he understood it in the context of adding local HD channels. Ciel 2 will be going to 129 later this year, and will give the extra capacity needed to start providing more than the basic four network channels for HD-LIL. KCAL and KTLA would probably both be on their short list to add because of the sports coverage and KTLA's CW affiliation. Most people in LA would probably be satisfied on the HD front if these two were added.

As for me, I have an OTA antenna, which gives me a better picture than what I get off of Dish anyway.

 

[tempVAdish]

Western Arc is already launched and chances are you are using it already.

Western Arc is 110 / 119 / 129

too funny

 

[DodgerKing]

The question on the Charlie Chat was about KTLA and KCAL, so I think he understood it in the context of adding local HD channels. Ciel 2 will be going to 129 later this year, and will give the extra capacity needed to start providing more than the basic four network channels for HD-LIL. KCAL and KTLA would probably both be on their short list to add because of the sports coverage and KTLA's CW affiliation. Most people in LA would probably be satisfied on the HD front if these two were added.

As for me, I have an OTA antenna, which gives me a better picture than what I get off of Dish anyway.

FYI for those in the LA area.

I have Direct so I get KCAL, KTLA, and KCOP, in addition to the other 4 networks in HD. I also use an OTA antenna. There is not much difference between the HD PQ of KTLA OTA and through Direct, but there is a difference on KCAL. As for KCOP, they never show any HD programming anyway (except for a couple of shows). All Angel games on KCOP-HD are 4:3 SD.

 

[mike123abc]

Dish crammed together all the locals on 129 so they would have room for national HD additions. On 61.5 they are putting on market per spot TP, giving them the luxury of having up to 7 locals in HD on a TP. On 129 they combined 7 channels from different markets on a TP to make space for nationals. When 129 spot beam goes up they should spread out the channels again giving them room to add other HD channels in markets.

 

[DishSubLA]

Well, you are both right. It is space and $$$. KTLA has been Tribune's biggest and most reliable money-maker for years, especially during the dark period when things seemed to go all wrong at Tribune--are things much better, now? Tribune's past annual reports had whole paragraphs fawning, praising, thanking the heavens, for KTLA's standout $$$$ performance as making up for every other challenged part of their empire. WGN may be Tribune's flagship station, but KTLA is Tribune's goose laying the golden egg, its crown-jewel, its cash-cow, the river of money they can't stop from filling its pockets, and the ONLY part of its business to always out-perform their other holdings and allows the quaterlies and annuals to look decent. And not much of that money is ever spent at KTLA as channel 5's management is CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP, with some of the lowest or modestly paid reporters--under $200,000 salary with a clothing allowance--in all of our beloved LA land. Witness the many technical screw-ups when watching locally produced programming as testament to the KTLA cheap. The lack of KTLA in this latest annoncement of several Tribune stations is a glaring omission. There is more to this than just bandwidth issues.

IMHO, it is a bit more of $$$ than space. KTLA had to have been mentioned in negations regarding the recent announcement of Tribune stations on Dish, but I think Charlie and Tribune agreed to deal with KTLA later down the road when Dish will unequivocally have the space, and Charlie can delay having to pay the big bucks later. Oh, Tribune is gonna come up with a rally big number for Dish to pay for KTLA, and Charlie knows it. Los Angeles is one of the few markets in which Charlie has not had much success in pressuring locals into submission (the Viacom/CBS take-down was a completely different matter that was nation-wide). He has had to hand over mountains of money to the big LA LIL's (KTLA is a CW with pro sports) because the LA area has perhaps the highest penetration of satellite in the country. Dish is doing very well throughout the LA DMA, but it is that success that paints him in the corner of having to pay BIG for LA LIL's.

Let's hope that Tribune and Charlie get along well during the talks for KTLA, and we could get it in HD by later this year, as ol' chuck said. However, if Charlie thinks Tribune wants too much money, he will not put it up until the end of--the following year. Let's hope for sooner rather than later. Best wishes to all.

 

[TNGTony]

On the Charlie Chat they did not omit KTLA. They mentioned it straight up and said it would be coming in the fall after the successful launch of the new satellite to create more bandwidth. There was no omission. It was said straight up. If KTLA were that important to Tribune (which it is) and they couldn't reach a deal that included KTLA, I can pretty much guarantee that none of the Tribune stations would be available in HD today.

See ya
Tony

 

[dlsnyder]

FYI for those in the LA area.

I have Direct so I get KCAL, KTLA, and KCOP, in addition to the other 4 networks in HD. I also use an OTA antenna. There is not much difference between the HD PQ of KTLA OTA and through Direct, but there is a difference on KCAL. As for KCOP, they never show any HD programming anyway (except for a couple of shows). All Angel games on KCOP-HD are 4:3 SD.

Yes, I have wondered about that. Why would KCOP carry Angels games in SD, when there is an HD feed available? Fox owns KCOP and produces the games in HD when they air on FSN. Why not air them on KCOP in HD?

But I digress. KCAL, in addition to the sports, also has a good primetime news block in HD. For me that would make it a great addition, if I could not get it OTA. With as large as the LA DMA is, there are many areas not reached by OTA at all, so cable or satellite are the only options. The Santa Clarita Valley is one of those areas, as is pretty much anywhere right up against the foothills.