PBS HD Roadmap NETA Conference January 23, 2008. HD: The New Standard “Why can’t I find my PBS shows in HD?” Matching other broadcasters’ HD model Aggressive.

PBS HD RoadmapNETA ConferenceJanuary 23, 2008

HD: The New Standard

• “Why can’t I find my PBS shows in HD?”

• Matching other broadcasters’ HD model

• Aggressive DBS & Cable rollouts

• HD sets in homes

“Name the Channels you would like to have in high definition.”

0%

1%

2%

3%

4%

5%

6%

Total w/ HDTVservices

Digital CableHDTVsubcribers

Source: Horowitz Associates, 2007

HD: The New Standard

• “Primary” video carriage post transition• Stations need to customize & brand• Accommodate the increasing amounts of

HD in the pipeline• HD will become submission standard• …all lead to an “HD NPS.”

Programming Plan

• All HD NPS by Fall 2008• Simulcast prime, adding 1 night at a time

– By late March, Mon/Tue/Wed simulcast– Before fall 08, all 6 NPS nights simulcast

• By early 2009, get to HD-X and HD-XP• Majority of primetime shows native HD by

analog shutoff

Programming Plan

• FY07 HD content:– 153 hrs unique original “GA” HD (7%)

• FY08 HD content goal:– 300 hrs unique original “GA” HD (16%)

• Mid-FY08: Projecting 395 hrs– 31% over goal– 21% of “GA” HD

• Widescreen: add another 150 hrs

Move to HD NPS

• Stations want HD channel to match NPS• Finite bandwidth on IXC = reductions• Cannot replicate current time zone feeds• Leads to 3 HD feeds:

– HD X – 24/7 packaged east coast feed– HD XP – 3 hour delay of HD-X– HD Soft Feed channel

Implications

• All stations in CT/MT will have to time- shift HD

• Schedule X and XP are downconverted AT STATIONS from HD-X and HD-XP

• Number of Kids feeds reduced• Stations will need to customize NPS as

they do now, but in HD

X NPS-1 NPS-2 NPS-3 NPS-4 V-me XP World Create

Reserved for Non Real Time Distribution

PBS HD Channel ET/PT Prime Time

HD Soft feeds

Montana NDI Annenberg (until fall 08)

APT Regionals NETA

Current Interconnection Usage

HD NPS Interconnection Usage

Reserved for Non Real Time Distribution

HDX (East)

(Packaged 24/7 NPS)

HD XP (West)

(Packaged 24/7 NPS)

Montana NDI TBD APT Regionals NETA

Create V-me WORLD SD SoftHD and SD Soft Feeds

(NewsHour, Plus, SIP, Promos, HD Regionals, Previews)

Technical Implications

• IRDs – Profiles for selecting different HD services– Supports upconversion and down conversion– Multiple interfaces for servers

• Master Control– Can it originate HD ?– Do you produce HD interstitials?

• Time delay servers

HD NPS Next steps

• Four Round Robins completed• IXC Cmte approved Transponder Plan,

awaiting PBS Board approval• Develop implementation plan with

milestones to get to HD-X/XP• Develop “date certain” for HD only

submission