News Channel 36 (Charlotte, Wilmington, Trinity: costs, legal, moving to) - City-Data Forum

Stripes17 · 08-07-2008, 07:05 PM

Hmmm, Charlotte's NBC affiliate WCNC is going for a new identity I see. What's up with this name change? Fancy new graphics; Same ho-hum talent. (Well, except for the weather guys. They're pretty good).

cball75 · 08-07-2008, 07:28 PM

I like how they just change and never any warning. Back when they went with 6 which was the cable channel, everyone thought that was crazy too. I am glad they switched. I like the morning team, but since Chuck Howard was cast aside for an editing mistake that had nothing to do with him, I have not really watched that much.

aquastone · 08-07-2008, 07:51 PM

I think it has something to do with going digital in February 2009. I noticed on my Time Warner DVR, that shows are being recorded on channel 1500 (I'm pretty sure it's the shows I record in HD). So, I basically have 3 NBC channels (6 or 36, 220 high def, and 1500). On the guide it only goes to 12??, I have to punch in the numbers 1500 to get to it.

Just a note on the whole "going digital" thing. When I was in Florida (Northern Eastern side) this past June, all the channels did a "test". At 7:55pm they switched to digital. This way everyone would be able to tell which TVs would need the converter box, or how many TVs they would have to purchase. It was a great idea, they should do that here, it would probably help alot of people clear up any confusion.

southbound_295 · 08-07-2008, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aquastone

Just a note on the whole "going digital" thing. When I was in Florida (Northern Eastern side) this past June, all the channels did a "test". At 7:55pm they switched to digital. This way everyone would be able to tell which TVs would need the converter box, or how many TVs they would have to purchase. It was a great idea, they should do that here, it would probably help alot of people clear up any confusion.

That decision would come from the FCC.

mm34b · 08-07-2008, 08:03 PM

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced Wilmington, North Carolina, will be the first market to test the transition to digital television (DTV) in advance of the nationwide transition to DTV on February 17, 2009. The commercial broadcasters serving the Wilmington television market have voluntarily agreed to turn off their analog signals at noon on September 8, 2008.

Beginning at 12:00 pm on September 8, 2008, these local stations, WWAY (ABC), WSFX-TV (FOX), WECT (NBC), WILM-LP (CBS), and W51CW (Trinity Broadcasting) will broadcast only digital signals to their viewers in the five North Carolina counties that comprise this television market.

Singe · 08-07-2008, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stripes17

Hmmm, Charlotte's NBC affiliate WCNC is going for a new identity I see. What's up with this name change? Fancy new graphics; Same ho-hum talent. (Well, except for the weather guys. They're pretty good).

I enjoy watching the channel EXCEPT in the mornings...maybe it's just me but someone needs to inform the AM news anchor lady to "put on a happy face"....she never looks happy and never smiles!.....When I get up and going in the morning it's nice to see a face that at least looks cheery!

tmorrell · 08-08-2008, 06:42 AM

I still waiting for them to finally broadcast the news in HD. I chatted with their IT guy several months ago and he said something along the line of "we have no timetable and it's costs a lot of money..."

southbound_295 · 08-08-2008, 07:54 AM

After 20 years as a broadcast tech, I'll try to give some answers, from an industry view. I hope that I don't go off topic.

Send an email to the station & ask about the ID change, My guess is that either NBC asked them to change it or they had enough complaints from viewers that they realized that they had made a mistake. Identifyig themselves by their frequency location in not their legal ID WCNC Charlotte is the legal ID.

Not having seen the morning anchor in question, I cannot comment on her in specific, but there is a general rule. Some stations dictate the overall demeanor of the anchors on the air, however, when reading news stories, it is in very bad taste for the anchor to be anything but solemn, regardless of the time of day, unless it's a "light" piece. Anchors with aspirations to moving to larger markets or a network are going to stick to that.

IT people are not a source for informatin about the conversion. Remember, the mandated conversion is from analog to digital, not to HD. If you aren't happy about the station not being in HD, write to the company that owns the station. They call the shots & hold the purse strings.

There's another thread about the actual conversion. Conversion related questions should go there.