Gray TV Making HD Moves

Gray Television aims to have 10-12 of its stations airing local high-def this year, according to our sister mag Multichannel News.

“If we play our cards right, we should have 10 to 12 stations in 2010,” said Jim Ocon, vice president of technology at Gray, which operates 36 stations in 30 markets. “On a local level, it is important that we are providing a HD product to viewers. News is our main revenue driver, and we are on an aggressive schedule” to expand high-definition newscasts.”

Beyond the HD upgrades, Gray also intends by year-end to have three-quarters of its stations offering newscasts in the 16:9 format that HDTV sets use, said Ocon.

Atlanta-based Gray owns or operates 36 stations in 30 markets, including WSAZ Charleston-Huntington (WV) and WKYT Lexington.

Speaking of WKYT, we profile Lexington next week in “Market Eye.”