Atlanta's CBS affiliate transitions newscasts to high-definition

[Thanks, Eric]
georgia posts

Augusta just picked up three from Comcast in late October, and now the famed Georgia town has another three to mount up on its wall. As the wave of expansion continues, Augusta has been struck with E! HD, Toon HD and Travel Channel HD. Any guesses where Comcast will strike next?
DirecTV's a few months behind on finishing up its summer HD locals expansion, but we're pretty sure subscribers in six new markets are willing to forgive the delay now that their favorite broadcast networks are in shining high-def. As of now, customers in Boise, Idaho; Harlingen-Weslaco-Brownsville-McAllen, Texas; Macon, Georgia; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Traverse City-Cadillac, Michigan; and Fort Smith, Arkansas can tap into HD locals via DirecTV, and the satcaster can now claim that over 86% of US households are within range of 'em.
With the weather growing a bit too chilly for golf in Augusta, wouldn't you say it's about time you stayed in for the night and caught some HDTV? Comcast sure thinks so, evidenced by the fresh trio of high-def channels that it beamed up to the aforesaid region over the weekend. As of now, Augusta-area subscribers can check out FOX News Channel HD, SPEED HD and FX HD, which ought to keep you occupied for at least a week or two.
Now that we've officially hit fall here in the US of A, we suppose DirecTV should revamp is HD rollout plans to include this season. Nevertheless, the satcaster is slowly but surely wrapping up its summer plans by bringing HD locals to the Springfield-Holyoke, Massachusetts and Savannah, Georgia DMAs. Both markets can now tune into their local CBS, NBC and ABC affiliates in HD, though FOX was strangely omitted for both. Hope you weren't looking forward to the World Series in high-def or anything...
Coming right back is DirecTV, just a few days after activating HD locals in New York and Nebraska comes word that Johnstown-Altoona, PA, Chattanooga, TN and Augusta, GA are the latest in its 44 planned local rollouts this summer/fall. Better hurry DirecTV, the days are already getting shorter. Beyond the read links is the list of newly-added local networks, proceed with caution, or reckless abandon, it's pretty much the same to us either way.
Hargray customers in Bluffton, Beaufort, Hardeeville, Ridgeland and Pooler, Ga may feel like the heavens have opened up and delivered unto them a great bounty, as the number of HD channels has increased from nine to 29 including most of the usual suspects like ESPN2 HD, Food Network HD and TLC HD. Sure, it's not 100+, but it's a start. Unfortunately left out are Hilton Head Island and Sun City Hilton Head customers, where The Island Packet reports HD is still in the testing phases. Topping things off, the new channels don't come with a rate increase - as long as you've got HD service and equipment they should be on by Wednesday. Check after the break for a list of all 29 HD channels.
After hopping back in the local news game in November 2007 after a 14 year absence, WLTZ is out to show it means business. The Columbus, Georgia NBC affiliate has just announced that it will be delivering its local HD newscasts in high-definition from here on out, and according to Drew Rhodes, WLTZ general manager, the move "lends [the station] a lot of marketing credibility." In the Peach State, the only other broadcast networks with HD news are located in Atlanta, making this the first in the Chattahoochee Valley. Three HD news stations in all of Georgia -- what's up with that?
Times are tough aoul over, and even cable giant Comcast isn't immune to a little tightening of the belt. Word coming out of Maine is that Comcast is looking to sell 46 of the markets on the outskirts of its footprint, mostly in Maine, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Mexico, Virginia, Georgia, West Virginia and California. The move is about more than just the monies that will be generated by selling off its subscriber eyeballs, though. At a going rate of $3,000 - $4,500 per subscriber, that's not an insignificant chunk of change, either. By geographically concentrating its service areas, it should be cheaper to deliver services, including the all-important "triple play." If you're affected by this selloff, we're hoping your HD lineup won't suffer for it.
Commenters (Dustin, in particular) were quick to point out that Comcast's initial launch of Science, Disney and ABC Family HD didn't include Atlanta, but it seems as if Georgia's capital has finally garnered some respect and acquired the trio. Oh, and if your Comcast market has yet to pick 'em up, keep a close eye on that EPG -- it seems that they're making the rounds quite briskly.
It's been quite some time since we heard of a theater right here in the US of A opening up with 4K projectors tucked inside, but for residents of Cumming, Georgia, such a scenario is about to unfold in your town. The AMC Avenue Forsyth 12 will be the first all-digital theater in the area when it opens on May 16th, packing Sony 4K digital cinema projectors and two auditoriums with screens stretching over three stories high and 50-feet wide. In sum, the venue will boast a dozen auditoriums with over 2,220 seats with rocking-back chairs, and folks who make their way down on opening weekend will even get a free small popcorn with each (presumably overpriced) ticket. There, we made some plans for you -- hope you're available!
Nearly three months after Comcast spruced up its HD package in Georgia's capital city, along comes Charter attempting to keep pace. Thankfully, it really brought the heat with its latest update, which delivers Animal Planet HD, TLC HD, Discovery HD, Fuse HD, WE (Women's Entertainment) HD, iFC (Independent Film Channel) HD, AMC HD and The Weather Channel HD. Granted, we've seen nothing official from Charter affirming these additions, so for any subscribers in the greater Atlanta region, are you too seeing these newcomers?









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