ION Eyes HD for Early 2008

ION Television HD to Be Carried on All 60 ION Stations

By Michael Malone -- Broadcasting & Cable, 11/8/2007 1:37:00 PM

ION Media Networks will launch ION Television HD, the HD version of its flagship network, in the first quarter of 2008.

ION HD will be transmitted in 720p (progressive) and will be carried on all 60 ION stations nationwide.

Partially owned by NBC, ION airs a mix of vintage programming, such as Who’s the Boss and Mama’s Family, and films, sports and reality programming. Last month, ION worked out a national carriage deal with cable operator Mediacom Communications.

“Launching ION HD is the next step in our multiplatform digital strategy,” ION CEO Brandon Burgess said. “The transformation of our network to digital from analog and the conversion of ION Television to HD will allow us to deliver to our distribution partners and television audience HD-quality content and additional special-interest digital networks.”