In the most dramatic transformation in the history of the station since color television, NewsChannel 5 today announced it will broadcast local news in high definition (HD) beginning Super Bowl Sunday according to Deborah Turner, the station’s general manager. 

This multi-million dollar transformation makes NewsChannel 5 the first and only station in Tennessee and one of the first in the entire nation to broadcast local news in HD. It will air on NewsChannel 5 HD, which can be accessed on digital channel 56, Comcast Cable channel 233 and through satellite providers. 

“This is the future of television and we are proud to lead the way for the state of Tennessee,” said Turner. “We have made a tremendous commitment to technology and, more importantly, to our viewers. This is an exciting day for our station. Everyone, even those without an HD set, will see NewsChannel 5 like they’ve never seen it before.”

NewsChannel 5’s HD newscasts will have more than six times the resolution of standard definition (SD) broadcasts, providing the most detailed and clear images ever seen on local news in Nashville. HD owners will also view the newscast on a widescreen format (16:9) similar to a movie theatre experience. 

“In 2003, NewsChannel 5 was chosen by the National Press Photographers Association as the Station of the Year. The talent of our photojournalists combined with the capabilities and clarity of high definition will provide local viewers with the best visual storytelling imaginable,” said Turner.

The station has been rebuilt from the inside out, including a new cutting edge, sleek set which will be unveiled after the Super Bowl. It is also outfitted with an entirely new digital core, HD control room, HD cameras and monitoring and specialized editing technology. 

NewsChannel 5 is the fourth television station in the entire country and the first in Nashville to commit to an HD weather center. It will also be unveiled on Super Bowl Sunday. NewsChannel 5’s weather coverage will utilize a powerful HD radar system, which can pinpoint storms with greater precision, and provide viewers with unmatched accuracy to better ensure their safety. And, Talk of the Town, NewsChannel 5’s popular mid-day show, will now be carried in HD. 

“This is the single largest endeavor in the history of NewsChannel 5,” continued Turner. “Each day, more and more people throughout Middle Tennessee are purchasing HD televisions. They can turn to us morning, noon and night. This is a new era of television in Middle Tennessee and NewsChannel 5 is excited to usher it in.”

NewsChannel 5 has paved the way with a number of technological firsts over the years. In 1955, it was the first Nashville station to use radar. In 1974, the station was first in the state to operate a live microwave for news gathering. In 1985, it was the first local station to operate a satellite truck. In 1995, NewsChannel 5 introduced SKYCAM, a remote controlled, live camera atop the Bell South Building. And, in 2006, Sky5, Middle Tennessee’s first and only live news helicopter was unveiled. 

According to Leichtman Research Group, Inc., one in six households in the United States now has at least one HD-capable TV.

About NewsChannel 5

WTVF is part of the NewsChannel 5 Network, which is comprised of the CBS affiliate, cable station NewsChannel 5 Plus, the Web site newschannel5.com and NewsChannel 5 HD (digital channel 56). WTVF provides more than 40 hours of newscasts weekly beginning at 4:30 a.m.