KSDK, the Gannett-owned NBC affiliate in St. Louis, will launch HD news and local programming Feb. 6.
In November 2005, the station announced its intention to go HD. The February launch was planned to coincide with NBC’s coverage of the Winter Olympic Games from Turin, Italy, which will also be in high definition. The station’s “NewsChannel 5 at 10” will use a new set, designed and built specifically for high definition television by Production Design Group of New York City. The two-story tall set includes an integrated interview set, reporter stand-up areas and a new Weather Plus weather center. Many HD monitors are incorporated into the new set as well as new lighting, a camera boom and Sony HD studio robotic cameras. NewsChannel 5 also will use a new HD graphics system, a new on-air graphics look designed by Giant Octopus of Clearwater, FL, and a new music package developed by Gari Music of Los Angeles. NewsChannel 5’s first local HD broadcast was of the annual St. Louis Thanksgiving Day Parade last year.
