FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 16, 2000
For more information, contact
For more information, contact
Susan Dahlin, 919-790-5720
E-mail:sdahlin@cbc-raleigh.com
WRAL Digital Airs Entire NCAA Basketball Tournament
Raleigh, NC — For the first time in television history, viewers can choose to watch any one of the games played during the NCAA basketball tournament on WRAL-TV5 and WRAL Digital. Sixteen games a day will begin airing this week on the CBS affiliate stations in the Raleigh/Durham television market.
“This is a great opportunity for our fans in ACC country to see the tremendous advantages and versatility of digital television,” said Jim Goodmon, President and CEO of Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc. (CBC). WRAL, the first commercial station to broadcast a High Definition (HDTV) signal, will run the number one game in each region on its analog channel WRAL-TV 5.
At the same time, WRAL Digital will broadcast 4 separate channels, each channel carrying a different game. WRAL Digital – Channel 32 will simulcast the game being carried on TV 5, along with the other three NCAA matchups in a standard definition (SDTV) digital format. The new digital television technology allows the transmission of a multichannel broadcast. Four SDTV programs will be transmitted using the same amount of bandwidth it takes to send an HDTV signal. This process allows viewers with HDTV-ready sets and receivers to switch between any four of the regional games being played at the same time.
The multichannel broadcast on WRAL Digital begins on March 16 at 12:00 p.m. and will continue throughout the tournament. Although the earlier games will be in SDTV, CBS and WRAL will broadcast the Final Four games on April 1 and the Championship Tournament on April 3 in full High Definition television. HDTV will allow viewers to watch the best possible picture during the final games.
Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc. is a diversified communications company which owns and/or operates WRAL-TV, WRAL-Digital, WRAL-FM, Microspace, the North Carolina News Network, DTV Plus, Wolfpack Sports Marketing, and Capitol Sports Management in Raleigh, NC; WJZY-TV and WFVT-TV in Charlotte, NC; WILM-TV in Wilmington, NC; WRAZ-TV and the Durham Bulls Baseball Club in Durham, NC; and the Myrtle Beach Pelicans Baseball Club in Myrtle Beach, SC; Capitol Broadcasting Company also founded Local TV on Satellite in Raleigh, NC.
