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By: Richard Del Cazzo
Web site: http://www.hdtv-hdtv.com
HDTV broadcast: CBS announced today it will broadcast its
full slate of five NFL Playoff Games, culminating in the live
broadcast of SUPER BOWL XXXVIII on Sunday, Feb. 1 (6:25 PM,
ET), in (HDTV broadcast) high definition television format.
Sony Electronics will sponsor the HDTV broadcasts, which will
begin Sunday, Jan. 4 (4:30 PM - TBD, ET) with the CBS Television
Network's first AFC Wild Card Playoff Game.
In addition, the CBS/Sony collaboration will make possible
the broadcast of the Network's NFL pre-game show, THE NFL
TODAY, from the AFC Championship Game on Sunday, Jan. 18 (2:00-3:00
PM, ET); the Network's XXXVIII pre-game show, THE SUPER BOWL
TODAY, on Sunday, Feb. 1 (2:00-6:00 PM, ET), and the AMERICA
ONLINE SUPER BOWL XXXVIII HALFTIME SHOW in HDTV.
CBS Sports' Super Bowl XXXVIII and AFC Playoff HDTV broadcasts
will feature the highest definition television format -- 1080
lines of picture resolution -- and 5.1 digital Dolby surround
sound. The unified productions for the Standard Definition
and HD telecasts will feature the same camera angles, replays
and graphics.
"There is no bigger stage to showcase the HDTV broadcast
experience than the Super Bowl," said Sean McManus, President,
CBS Sports. "We're pleased to once again partner with
Sony as we continue to believe in the power of HDTV for all
viewers."
"There is no stronger entertainment combination than
major sporting events in HD and Sony's digital television
lineup," said Tim Baxter, senior vice president of Sony
Electronics' Home Products Division. "Sony DTVs bring
the big action home. Once consumers experience the AFC Playoffs
and the Super Bowl in spectacular HDTV broadcast sight and
sound, they'll never look at the sporting events the same
way. It's really like no other home theater entertainment."
Sony currently offers 10 fully integrated high-definition
(with HDTV tuners) and more than 25 Hi-Scan® television
sets (which can broadcast the full 1080i HD resolution when
paired with an external HD receiver), including direct-view
FD Trinitron® WEGA®, flat panel LCD WEGA and Plasma
WEGA models, advanced microdisplay Grand WEGA™ and rear
projection CRT television models.
This fall, CBS began its fifth year of presenting the majority
of its primetime lineup inHDTV broadcast. CBS is also the
leader in HD sports broadcasts. For the last four years, CBS
also has aired HD productions of the NCAA Men's Basketball
Final Four and Championship Games, as well as The Masters®
Golf tournament. CBS also broadcast the 2001 Super Bowl and
all of the 2003 AFC Playoffs in HDTV. CBS broadcasts, on average,
25 hours per week of High Definition programming, more than
any other broadcast network, and more original HD programming
per week than any other network, broadcast or cable or satellite.
One hundred and fifty-one of CBS's owned and affiliated stations
are currently doing HDTV broadcasting, covering approximately
91.5 percent of the nation and by the end of the year will
reach 95 percent.
CBS Sports and Sony were responsible for the first ever
HDTV broadcast of a professional football game in high definition
format on Sunday, November 8, 1998 when the historic broadcast
featured the AFC East Division co-leaders, Buffalo Bills against
the New York Jets live on the CBS Television Network. The
game was the first of four high definition games presented
by CBS Sports and Sony during the 1998 season.
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