O.C. TECH BEAT : HDTV Maker Mitsubishi to Help Redefine Prime-Time Television

High-definition television presents the classic chicken-and-egg conundrum: Why would broadcasters pay the cost of sending out program signals in HDTV if no one has the special sets needed to receive them? Why would anyone shell out thousands of dollars for the new TVs if there is no programming?

Irvine-based Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America Inc., one of the largest manufacturers of high-definition television, or HDTV, sets, has come up with one solution: It will sponsor the conversion of CBS Television’s prime-time entertainment shows into the HDTV format.

Last week, CBS said 12 of its 15 hours of weekly prime-time entertainment programming, including the hits “Touched by an Angel” and “Everybody Loves Raymond,” will be in high definition, a digital version of regular television resulting in crisper video and CD-quality sound.

“This is the first sustained exposure on prime time of any network of HDTV programming,” said Dana McClintock, a CBS spokesman.

NBC was the first network to broadcast a series in HDTV, beginning with “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno” last April. NBC’s late-night series “Friday Night,” hosted by Rita Sever, also began broadcasting in high definition that month.

The first nationwide HDTV broadcast took place in October when 15 stations across the country, including Los Angeles’ KTLA, covered the launch of the space shuttle Discovery, which carried among its crew then-Sen. John Glenn, the formerly retired astronaut.

Under the deal with CBS, Mitsubishi will underwrite the costs of producing most of CBS’ prime-time entertainment programming in HDTV. The companies would not disclose the dollar amount.

At the beginning of each HDTV broadcast, there will be an on-air, five-second banner advertising Mitsubishi’s sponsorship of the program.

Those with regular television sets will not see any difference in the programs. Those with HDTV sets, however, should see a wider picture with improved video and audio.

Manufacturers of HDTV sets, such as Mitsubishi, hope that more of the enhanced programming will spur consumers to buy new HDTV sets. Since HDTV programming began, 25,694 have been sold, according to the Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Assn.