Archive for May 12th, 2008
KIFI, Local News 8 in Idaho Falls, ID has found a way to break the traditional bonds of an ENG truck with a technology it calls WiNG - or Wireless Internet News Gathering. While doing a live shot via the Internet isn’t technically a new thing - KIFI is doing it on a shoestring in a very small market.
KIFI’s WiNG project uses WiMax from Digital Bridge Communications - with upload speeds of 2 MBps - paired with an encoder/decoder system from Streambox. Field crews plug their cameras into a laptop and the video is sent back to the station via WiMax where it is decoded and put on the air. KIFI General Manager Mark Danielson (disclosure: my old boss) has been working on the WiNG dream since he was news director at KTVB - but the upload speed just wasn’t there. Now in Eastern Idaho, Digital Bridge is testing the waters with WiMax, making transmitting video either LIVE or on tape a possibility.
“The technology from both partners worked well and effortlessly,” Danielson told Lost Remote. “It is critical that WiNG is simple and dependable for our staff to use.”
The video image is near broadcast quality, and while there’s currently a delay - it’s something that should improve as technology gets better. In a market that can’t justify the cost of an SNG truck, and where terrain and other limitations make ENG coverage spotty, the WiNG solution gives the station more options for news coverage.
You can see it in action here (click the video link in the story)
May 12th, 2008
Wow. NBC left iTunes in part because Apple refused to offer flexible pricing, but now HBO will offer its shows on the download service under a flexible pricing scheme. “Episodes of some HBO shows are likely to be sold at the standard price of $1.99 per episode or higher, these sources said, marking the first time Apple has agreed to selling television shows at different prices in the United States,” reports Reuters. It’s also the first time HBO has sold downloads of its shows. The deal is expected to be announced on Tuesday.
May 12th, 2008
It’s upfront week, and that means a steady stream of announcements…
- NBC names Jimmy Fallon to succeed Conan O’Brien
- CBS picks up 4 new dramas, 2 comedies
- “Flat is the new up,” says Broadcasting & Cable about the upfronts
- Latest upfront stories from TV Decoder blog, B&C and Variety
May 12th, 2008
Calling it the “Digital Health Network,” NBCU is syndicating health video produced by NBC News, NBC Local Media and Healthology.com. Distribution partners include Healthline Networks, RightHealth and YourTotalHealth.com. “Today’s announcement is another example of how we are focused on building rich, niche digital networks,” said George Kliavkoff, Chief Digital Officer, NBC Universal. “We will continue to look at niche categories that have a passionate user base and also happen to fit the criteria of a top advertising category that we think is underserved by professional quality video on digital platforms.” (Full disclosure: NBCU is a joint venture partner of MSNBC.com, which is my new employer in two weeks.)
May 12th, 2008
Facing an advertising downturn, soft ratings on The CW, and an inability to land new financing, 13 Pappas stations have filed for Chapter 11. The company said station employees will continue to be paid. Meanwhile, Pappas is looking for a buyer for all 30 of its stations.
May 12th, 2008
Aggressively expanding overseas and in smaller U.S. cities, for one. But Craigslist is also fighting a lawsuit from eBay, which has a competing free classifieds service, Kijiji.com.
May 12th, 2008
