The deal isn't finalized, but it looks as if the Radio Television Digital News Association will be linking up with the Society of Professional Journalists in the Big Easy for a joint convention in September 2011. RTDNA will hold its convention for the ninth and final time in conjunction with the NAB next month, but will continue to program a single day at NAB through at least 2012.

Its NBC affiliate WOWT Omaha and CBS duo of KOLN-KGIN Lincoln-Grand Island are now airing their local newscasts in high-def.

While not ready to displace microwave or satellite as the best ways to get news coverage back to the station from the field, wireless broadband technologies are making life easier for reporters as the quality continues to improve.

Journalists are being equipped with compact cameras, tripods and editing equipment that they use by themselves to help TV stations make the transition to 24-hour-a-day news operations. Outlets are producing stories not just for a few newscasts, but also for Web sites and mobile platforms without having to add cost to tight budgets.

While not all stations are broadcasting in high-def, if they're upgrading their weather gear, they're looking for that capability plus other features that enhance the on-air look.

What started out as an all-out push a few years ago by stations for high-def bragging rights in their market has almost ground to a halt thanks to the economic collapse. Plans to upgrade local news in both the studio and the field were put on hold in many cases, especially in markets below DMA 100. Now, however, the good news is that the longer a station can wait to go HD the cheaper it will get. Technological advancement and lively competition among the vendors is driving down the price the nearly everything.

While the ratings don't necessarily improve when stations move to high-def newscasts, competitively, they have to or in the long run they'll be left behind.

The expense of upgrading a station's infrastructure, newsroom and studio for HD news is burdensome in small markets where revenue is a fraction of what it is in the large markets and margins are much thinner. But a handful small-market stations (DMA 100-plus) have made the switch to HD and others are phasing it in or making do with HD-lite (SD with a 16x9 aspect ratio).

Now that the economy shows signs of improving, TV stations are dusting off their plans to convert local newscasts to high def. But many are not looking to fill their studios and vans with the high-end gear they might have opted for a few years ago. Now, they want products that cost less and will help them reduce their operating costs as well.

Its April 19 newscast was the culmination of more than five years of planning and construction and an expenditure of more than $3 million by the Waterman Broadcasting NBC affiliate.

Bill Bauman, GM of Hearst-Argyle's NBC affiliate in Orlando, Fla., says the decision to launch local HD service on Nov. 1 was not driven by the local ratings period. Nonetheless, the station is planning to take full advantage of the coincidence.