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g__ SANTA BARBARA NEWS-PRESS LOCAL SUNDAY, 1UNE 26, 2011____KCOY first Central Coast station going high defPHIL KLEIN NEWS-PRESS PHOTOSAbove left, General Manager Kevin Harlan reacts in front of the new bank of flat-screen TVs in the KCOY studio. At top right, from left, Melissa Hiramatso, Katherine Worsham and Mukta Naran work in the KCOY Channel 12 control room, also shown below. The station is switching to high-definition transmission.THIIUxsPORTe*TRAC ONE • TRAC RACKSANTA BARBARA14 STATE STREET 962-0049 Mon Sat, 10-6pm, Sun 11 -5 Plenty of FREE ParkingSAN LUIS OBISPO667 MARSH STREET, 543-1676 Mon Sat 10-6pm Thurs 10-8 Sun 11-4 Plenty of FREE ParkingWe’ll throw in the locks, when you purchaseaTHUH rack systemnew sets and a production suite, on-air talent and behind-the-scenes producers and directors all had to go through training that lasted nearly five months.“We’ve been doing rehearsals for weeks,” Mr. Harlan said. “There are a lot of new things.”The magic was made possible by the Cowles Publishing Co., which owns the station along with several newspapers throughout Washington and California.“With the economy not recovering that well, to be able to do this is a really exciting time for us,” said John Zuch-elli, news director. “We owe it to the Cowles family who made big investments for the conversion.”According to a recent study made by Washington broadcasting stations, it was determined that once people started with high definition, there was no turning back “We now have the same systems that major news markets like NBC in Los Angeles use.” Mr. Zuchelli said. “All of our field acquisition gear, cameras and live-trucks have gone through major changes. This is really adifferent way of thinking, of doing business”Providing breaking news more quickly also was a reason for the conversion.“Breaking news was hard to get in before just because of the old system,” Mr. Zuchelli said. “We had to go through this, do this graphic and do that change. Now, we can get it in immediately because there is more flexibility with the pacing and timing.” ‘The main goal is to bring news fastertothe audience, he added. “It’s awesome.”It wasn’t until new equipment started to flow into the Santa Maria-based station thatMr. Harlan believed the conversion was actually happening.“We’re like expectant parents,” Mr. Harlan joked. “It’s like switching from a desktop PC to an Apple laptop. We’re _ all really excited.In the early 1990s KCOY became the first station in the Central Coast to broadcast a Super Bowl game in high definition.email: news@nervspress.comRACKS BYTHUU V4 IAKE HWBy CATHERINE SHENNEWS-PRESS «)RRKSH )N DENTThe future of CBS-affiliate television station KCOY and its sister station, Fox-affiliated KKFX, will be crystal clear as they launch their first high-definition news broadcast tonightAfter a grueling six-month process to make the transition from standard definition to high definition, the final product will be unveiled starting with the 6 p.m. newscastAs the first television station in the Central Coast market to make the high-definition metamorphosis, it was a thrilling change. The process began in January.“Everyone is starting to buy large high-def flat-screen TV’s and more programs are followingthe HD trend,” said Kevin Harlan, general manager. “You know those black bars on the side of your television screens? We’re going to be the only station to fill in those bars and have the entire screen.”After spending months looking for equipment, designing and buildingwww.mountainairsports.comLocally owned and Operated for over 30 years!
Newspaper Details
Santa Barbara News Press
Santa Barbara, California, US
Sun, Jun 26, 2011
Page 8
Full Page
Clipped by
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NA 15 Oct 2023
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