Pax digital TV38

How close are we to digital television??

In an interview for the March 23, 1998 edition of Television Technology, Paxson Communications President for Television, Dean Goodman says, "We already have a plan in place"

Answer: It's here already

 

How close are we to digital television??

In an interview for the March 23, 1998 edition of Broadcasting and Cable, Paxson Communications Vice President for Engineering, David Glen says, "We really haven't made any plans for HDTV yet."

Answer: It's not coming

but wait, there's more~

 

 

 PAXSON (himself) HAS SPOKEN

"I have decided this day (February 1, 1999) that I will have 19 Digital TV Stations built and on-the-air by the end of this year" (uttered at NAPTE)

Appearantly Bud found $100 million and spare change under the cushion of his easy chair. However prior to building anything, a form must be sent to the FCC asking for consent to proceed. Now April-fools-day has past and those forms have yet to be submitted, but Bud spoke out again, blasting the FCC for inaction with the following remark

"Blessed are those who expect nothing from the FCC, for they shall not be disappointed" (uttered at NAB)

Fact is, the FCC moved with lightning speed on all digital broadcast applications. The hold up is entirely in Clearwater Florida, and not in Washington DC. Bud's boys finally got the application submitted on October 5, 1999. Too bad his digital stations won't really get built by Y2K. Anyone surprized??

For a look at the empty building that could be the future home of KPXN-DT sometime in the next millenium, check here.

Paxson has yet to build in the Los Angeles market, but his Chicago station, while not qualified for an actual license, has been granted Special Temporary Authority by the FCC for digital operation.  However you might not get too excited, as broadcasting is simulcast of 6 standard definition programs~

The Paxnet in each of 3 time zone delays (eastern, central, west coast), "Worship", "Praise" and "Total Living"

This is an odd lot to say the least. The usual financial model for Multicasting is to carry programming each of which makes money from different market segments. This line up of 3 identical shows and 3 non-profit religious shows can't make any financial sense. But then the Pax network has never made financial sense, or a profit for that matter.