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 thatHDTVsets 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.”

Michael Malone

Michael Malone, senior content producer at B+C/Multichannel News, covers network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television. He hosts the podcasts Busted Pilot, about what’s new in television, and Series Business, a chat with the creator of a new program, and writes the column “The Watchman.” He joined B+C in 2005. His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Playboy and New York magazine.