KUED Goes HD, Offers New Digital Channel

This weekend KUED will revamp our digital channels, switching HD programming to our primary channel 7.1, and begin a new service, PBS World on 7.2. In order to complete these changes, all KUED channels, both analog and digital will be off the air for approximately one hour beginning at Midnight Saturday evening.

KUED has finalized its strategy for its three digital channels. This change goes into effect on Sunday, November 2.

Our three digital channels will be:

7.1	KUED HD - our "primary" and current channel, but broadcast in high definition, offering HD programs from PBS along with our HD local productions and programs from outside sources.
7.2	PBS World - a new channel of PBS programs with an emphasis on public affairs which explore issues facing our country and world. This channel will be offered in standard definition.
7.3	KUED V-me - our current Spanish language channel, offering the best of public television in Spanish. This channel is broadcast in standard definition.

The PBS HD service that KUED is currently broadcasting on 7.2 will be discontinued by PBS this fall so that member stations can move their HD service to their primary channel, in our case, KUED 7.1. PBS' and local stations national digital strategy has always intended for stations' primary channels to be high definition. KUED set our transition on November 2nd to allow for technical adjustments to remote translator sites before winter weather conditions prohibit access.

"We know we have an enthusiastic group of viewers who have enjoyed our HD line-up on 7.2," says Broadcast Director Scott Chaffin. The good news, he adds, is that many of the PBS core programs, including Nature, Nova, The NewsHour, Masterpiece Theatre, Frontline, Antiques Roadshow and more, are produced in HD and now will be available on 7.1. KUED will also be able to showcase local productions which are now being produced in HD. While not every program on 7.1 will be broadcast in HD or wide screen, we expect that more HD programs will become available over time.

The programs on our primary channel during the day will still include PBS' award-winning children's fare as part of our agreement with the Utah State Office of Education.

Beginning November 2nd, KUED will offer a new channel of non-fiction documentaries and interview programs on 7.2. "We have chosen to broadcast PBS World on our digital channel 7.2 because there are many advantages for viewers," says Chaffin. "This new standard definition channel allows us to provide PBS series such as Charlie Rose, Tavis Smiley and Now on PBS in digital quality at better viewing times. It also allows selected repeats of important and timely PBS programs such as Frontline, Nova and Nature to give our viewers more options. The channel also gives viewers more opportunities to see our local productions and it affords the opportunity for programs from the University of Utah such as The Hinckley Institute of Politics Forum and others. An added bonus is that the BBC World News will move to KUED and PBS World beginning in January."

"This is an exciting time for KUED," says KUED General Manager Larry S. Smith. We hope that providing our quality content over three channels will provide more options for our viewers to see TV worth watching."

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