If you don't own a high-def TV, why do you feel at all qualified to write about the subject?

Once you switch to HD, everything else looks dull and old-fashioned by comparison.

Do you prefer to listen to music on cassette tape, or CD? It's the same thing with HD. The experience is more immersive, giving you a "You are there" feeling. Given that, I think it makes a ton of sense for the news business.

Buy a new TV. You'll see.

I agree that everyting should be in HD programming. Watch the Today show in HD and you feel your sitting in the studio. Every detail, background and colors and much more vibrant and enjoyable to watch than in standard def format. All channels should convert to HD in 2007. The adoption rate in the US should make that possible this year.

DirectTV keeps promoting that it will launch over 100 HD Channels later this year, yet there are not even 100 Nationally Broadcasted Channels that offer HD. I challenge anyone to come up with a list of 100 HD Channels that do not include local stations. Most of the Basic Cable Channels do not have enough original programming, so it doesen't make sense for them to have HD yet.
BTW, DirectTV is notorius for broadcasting their HD Channels in "HD Lite".

I'd be ecstatic if Comcast could just give me the HD channels that are already in the lineup with good compression and intelligible audio.

I've switched most of the shows I DVR back to the regular SD feed because Comcast has botched so many episodes for me.

it all depends on if they use the entire HD 16:9 screen. if not it won't be that interesting. besides CNN is just a bunch of dirty liberals anyway. Now when they put a big black 'X' over someone's face it will be like the 'X' is in your living room!

Wow, look, flawed skin! Pores! Individual strands of hair! It's... everything I never thought I'd ask from a TV, also the same stuff I never really desired in the first place. A good plot, writing, characters and acting are what I want from a scripted TV show, not HD-compatiable. Novelty fades away. Remember how COOL it was to get your first DVD player? "Oh my word, I'm watching a DVD!"
Now, you just... watch a movie. On a DVD.

This obsession with HD just annoys me, mainly because celebs are whining that they'll look HUMAN. For pete's sake, I expect you to have flaws. And at least 1% body fat. Please don't dissapoint!

HD will look cool on the news for a little while, and I'm sure the purest, most obsessed tech-geeks will be so giddy when this comes, and they'll be writing essays about how this will have a huge impact on the market. But really, it won't. Will there be people who want to rush out so they can see hours each day of Wolf Blitzer in full HD-glory?

It's beautiful, beautiful television, yes. But you know how like when you see a 3-D movie, and you pretty much think about how it's 3-D for the first 20 minutes before you just focus on the movie, not the effects? Same dealio.

I hate to be the naysayer in the comments (because I'll be killed, or, worse yet, criticized! ^_^), but, the HD fascination leaves me in a confused awe.

I think the real question is whether standards of physical perfection on television are going to tighten or relax? Like, with HD, everyone has pores. No one looks perfect that close up, right? So is that going to lead to even higher levels of obsession on appearance? Or will people chill out about it, since everyone looks imperfect?

Probably the former. Anyway.

I think this is also about valuable screen real estate. You can stick a lot more data on a HDTV screen.

The question isnt whether people want it, but why they wouldnt.

We have one HD news station in NYC, and I watch it just because all other things being equal, I'll watch the hd channel.

Scott K: I actually thought about that, too. You make a good point.