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The State of HD Programming

HD programming is ramping up on cable. Insight Communications announces its HD tier offering this week, while Time Warner Cable just revealed its expanded HD lineup starting this fall. Already offering local broadcast HD signals and HBO and Showtime's HD feeds on a cost-free basis, Time Warner is adding HD services from In Demand, Discovery Networks, plus local programming from Fox Sports Networks' regional sports nets.

TWC has yet to announce the incremental retail cost for In Demand's two HD channels, while a number of Fox Sports Net's regional sports networks will produce live HD telecasts of many MLB, NBA and NHL games within Time Warner Cable markets.

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"FSN has always believed strongly in the power of localism, and taking it to a new level with hi-def is the next natural progression," says Bob Thompson, president of Fox Sports Networks.

While not yet committing to a 24/7 stand-alone HD service, FSN has long worked on the production side with HD maverick (pun intended) Mark Cuban, whose HDNet and HDNet Movies services are launching on EchoStar's Dish Network this summer and are available to DirecTV and Charter Communications customers.

With his company now offering a mix of news, sports (including NHL, college and pro basketball and football, boxing and horse racing) and an ever-increasing variety of programming including sitcoms, dramas, action series, documentaries and music, Cuban is excited about what's next. "We continue to crank up our original programming," he says. "We are getting some amazing footage and stories out of Iraq still, and we have just started work on an original slate of films made exclusively for HDNet that will be shot in 1080i, taking advantage of HD rather than trying to make it look like film."

Sports is a huge driver for selling HD TV sets, thanks to HDNet and ESPN, whose 100-event schedule this year is not yet part of Time Warner Cable's HD lineup.

"ESPN looks forward to a fall filled with football," says the man responsible for ESPN HD, Bryan Burns, ESPN VP strategic business planning and development." We're planning now for our Saturday evening prime-time college football game [coverage], in addition to Sunday night NFL football, to be on ESPN HD, plus Monday Night Football on our sister company ABC Sports."

In Demand is also looking to sports, tapping College Sports Television (along with Hallmark Channel and other content providers) to fill its new HD channels this fall.

Showtime and HBO continue to drive HD sales on the non-sports side, along with Discovery HD Theater, which in July offers Wild Nights: A Night in the Savannah among other Discovery Networks programming. And Starz Encore announced a raft of HD services at the NCTA show in Chicago.

The Outdoor Channel is already shooting in HD, while emerging services such as Blackbelt TV and the Tennis Channel are looking at ways to offer their content in hi-def.

More immediately, Bravo HD+ launches July 31. NBC Cable Networks president David Zaslav confirms the service will launch with The West Wing and a strong cultural and performing arts lineup. He's also looking at the feasibility of a stand-alone HD offering for the 2004 Summer Olympics.

ALSO AVAILABLE IN HD

ABC: According to Jim, Alias, George Lopez, Less Than Perfect, NYPD Blue, My Wife and Kids, The Practice, 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Daughter ; ABC Sports coverage

CBS: Baby Bob, Becker, Charlie Lawrence, CSI, CSI: Miami, Everybody Loves Raymond, Guardian, Guilty Hearts, Hack, Judging Amy, King of Queens, Still Standing, The Agency, The District, Without a Trace, Yes, Dear

NBC: Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Law & Order: SVU, The Tonight Show With Jay Leno

WB: Everwood, Reba, Smallville

PBS: American Masters, Great Performances

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The State of HD Programming

Cable World, June 23, 2003

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