HARRISBURG, ILL.: WSIL-TV launched local news in high definition yesterday, Chief Engineer Pat Victoria tells TVB. The station launched the upgraded newscast with its 5 p.m. franchise, becoming the first station serving the Paducah, Ky. and Cape Girardeau area to provide local news in the format.
As of May, 2010, 770 TV stations produced local news in the United States. About one-third of those supplied news to other stations, for a total of 986 stations doing local news. At the time, 330 were doing local news in high def, according to the Radio and Television Digital News Association. Stations also are steadily adding more news to the schedule. Five stations announced the collective addition of 13.5 hours of news in August alone.
WSIL is the ABC affiliate licensed to Harrisburg, around 50 miles from Paducah and 70 miles from Cape Girardeau. All three comprise Designated Market Area No. 80.
