update: photos of the new digs from JustNews.com
This past weekend WPLG ran a story announcing their new digs in Pembroke Park are finished. The report showed video of their new building, newsroom, control room and set. The set looks exactly like what we posted a few days ago.
Master control has already started originating from the new digs, ironing any kinks out and driving the newscast.
Joe will be happy to know that WPLG will be 100% HD – both studio and field. Second station in the country to do this according to them. Which is not bad for bragging rights considering how slow HD was to come to Miami/Ft. Lauderdale.
If anyone has pics of the new digs and wants to share contact us we’d be happy to show them off.
/hat tip to all tipsters who notified us of the video/
By any chance, would anyone know who that other full HD station is? I would have guess WNBC… but I recently remember seeing some stretch-o-vision liveshots from them.
I BELIEVE IT IS WJXT CHANNEL 4 IN JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA
WJXT first station to broadcast local news in HD
(Florida Times-Union, The (Jacksonville) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Jan. 14–After almost 40 years in broadcasting, WJXT TV-4 news anchor Tom Wills thought he had seen it all as far as television technology goes. But that was before high-definition television came along.
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“I’m old enough to remember when TV went from black and white to color,” Wills said.
“Now I get called into a meeting with makeup experts and they start talking about moisturizer.”
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Wills has been learning new secrets in television makeup because Wednesday, WJXT will become the first Jacksonville station to broadcast its local newscasts in high definition, or HD. The independent station will begin its HD broadcasts with the noon news, and then gradually add HD to its other newscasts over the next couple of weeks.
That means local viewers with HD sets will get to watch the news with a new level of sharpness and clarity, so the WJXT anchors are turning to new levels of makeup.
“We were told it was going to show every blemish and flaw,” said Mary Baer, Wills’ co-anchor.
“I think initially it was a little frightening to think about,” she said.
But now that they’ve had time to prepare and rehearse their HD broadcasts, and seen the results, the news team has become more comfortable and they’re looking forward to it.
“Everybody has bought into it,” said WJXT vice president and general manager John Rafferty. “It has to be a full commitment from everybody at the station.”
Local Jacksonville stations have been broadcasting network programming in HD for several years, because they are able to take the feeds directly from the networks and send them right out over the air. But they need a whole new set of equipment to make their own HD broadcasts, so it’s taken more time to get local shows in high definition. Rafferty wouldn’t say how much it cost WJXT, but said it’s “a major expense.”
The stations also need the additional equipment for broadcasting syndicated programs. WJXT is already broadcasting syndicated shows like “Oprah” and “Dr. Phil” in HD.
It has taken longer to get the newscasts in HD because it involves a lot of work with the control room, cameras and graphics, Rafferty said. The station’s personnel had to rehearse with the new technology, and he said it was difficult to squeeze in rehearsal time between newscasts. As Jacksonville’s only independent station, WJXT has eight hours of newscasts on a typical weekday, leaving little free time.
The introduction of local HD is not related to the upcoming digital TV switch on Feb. 17, when all stations will shut off their analog signals and broadcast only in digital. All of Jacksonville’s local stations are already sending out digital signals, but those digital signals are not necessarily high definition.
Jacksonville’s other local news stations haven’t announced plans for HD newscasts.
“The question isn’t if we’re going to do it, but when,” said Jeffrey Whitson, vice president and general manager of WAWS TV-30 and WTEV TV-47. Whitson said he couldn’t put a timetable on his stations’ conversion to HD.
WTLV TV-12 and WJXX TV-25 general manager Dodie Cantrell-Bickley could not be reached for comment.
WJXT will roll out its HD newscasts gradually to make sure everything is working properly. After starting Wednesday with the noon news, it hopes to add the 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. newscasts on Friday.
A week after that, WJXT plans to add the weekend evening news in HD, before launching its 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. morning show on Jan. 26 and its 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts on Jan. 28.
Subscribers to satellite systems DirecTV and Dish Network might not be able to see WJXT’s HD broadcasts right away, because the companies have not been carrying WJXT’s HD feeds. But the satellite companies are working on it and should be carrying the HD feed soon, Rafferty said.
Rafferty said local viewers who can watch in HD will enjoy the new broadcasts. “I think they’re really going to like what they see,” he said.
And even people who don’t have HD sets should notice a better picture on WJXT’s newscasts, he said.
“It will be a small difference, but they will be pleased,” he said.
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Copyright (c) 2009, The Florida Times-Union, Jacksonville
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It is definitely NOT WNBC, i was thinking WLS.
wls was not built HD from the ground up, however WBBM-CBS2 in chicago was. the new “broadcast palace” as it is referred to in the papers up here was built in complete hd. even all of our sport clips are in HD,
If anything I’d think WRAL since they had enough time to do it.
HD all around will be awesome! Hopefully it will have been well worth the wait. Thanks for the noteriety, admin.
I can’t wait to see WPLG’s new studios for real. They look great. I can’t wait to see the graphics, either!
Well when we’re done with the pretty pictures, will anyone in the news department know the difference between North Miami, North Miami Beach and north Miami; and will anyone know how to spell “dietitian?”
WRAL is the first station in the nation Full HD.
I like the studio, A LOT! I just don’t like the control room. It seems, from the pictures, that they’re space constrained. Because, it’s in that little corner. TVJ’s and SVN’s take up an entire room. The newsroom looks amazing. Love the entrance. Gonna try and get a tour, and fill you guys all in! 😀
The new set is not cute. Just a lot of distracting colours.
Hate it. The building looks like anyother office building in “anywhere America”. Shame they decided to move 14 miles up the road and build a mediocre building and a fugly dissapointing set. Hopefully the graphics will be nice.
Which station has a nice facility? WTVJ or WPLG? I like Wtvj’s studios because it is in a better location and I think its larger than wplg. Also, do you all think Wsvn or Wfor will be next on list to get a newer facility?
Better location is a subjective call. PLG is nearer to 95, but TV|J is very close to 75 and the Turnpike. 10’s location is a bit of urban renewal, while 6 had to kill mangroves to build there. i am guessing no one else moves untuil the real estate market straightens out. The real question is when will the Herald move, if it continues in business.
WPLG new building – 71,600 sq ft
WTVJ building – 76,000 sq ft
doubt WFOR will get a new building the way CBS has been cutting staff and downsizing at other stations.
WSVN who knows, they are still fighting the condo developer I think. And even if they come to an agreement it would mean having a whole lot of mess outside until the buildings go up.
They also just dropped millions converting to HD. And based on info I have they told everyone not to expect anything new for a while due to budget issues.
Ansin does own a commercial park in Miramar but even if he didn’t have to build a facility at the very least he’ll have to equip a building, move everyone etc etc.
Admin, do you know where the Miramar property is located? Oh, thanks for the info.
The NBC6 Miramar property? NBC6 is located at 15000 SW 27th Street
Miramar, FL 33027.
No, Alex been knew that! lol Im talking about Ansin’s Miramar Property.
WFOR’S not going anywhere. Their Doral studios are relatively new. TV stations move every 50-60 years, not 10.
Look’s like the building is 100% hurricane proof. You can see the two redundant backup generators & the fuel tank in the first pic.. And all of the impact windows. I wonder if the building is outside the flood zone. I remember when WFOR lost power, and their backup generator failed. As well as their street being flooded after Katrina… What kind of wiring are they using in the building? Fiber?
Man. I’ll be in Miami from 3/13 to 3/22… I’m going to miss it!
WNBC is definitely not all around HD.
I wish WCBS would go all HD. They are my favorite =) It’s the regular ol’ HD in the studio but unconverted SD in the field.
Maybe they have more room than it appears, but it looks like there could be some parking issues. A covered garage for those South Florida thunderstorms would have been nice.
It’s about time if you ask me…