FOX 17 announced today that all local news, weather, traffic and sports will begin airing in high definition on Monday, April 20, 2009.

This means that West Michigan news viewers now have the ability to get their local news, in a wide-screen format, with the same improved sound and picture quality they’re accustomed to seeing when they watch their favorite sports and entertainment programming on television networks and national cable stations.

FOX 17 Morning News, which airs weekdays from 5am – 9am, will be the first newscast in West Michigan to make the transition. FOX 17 NEWS AT TEN will follow later that night.

As part of the transition to HD, FOX 17 will be unveiling a completely new set, graphics, music, and station logo. The process of creating and designing these elements began in December of 2008. Viewers can expect to see the same approach to local news coverage, but with an updated, contemporary presentation, utilizing the absolute latest, state-of-the-art technology.

“This has been a very busy and exciting time for us,” said Patty Kolb, VP/General Manager of FOX 17. “Being the first and only station in the market to offer local news, entirely in HD, is a great milestone. On April 20th, viewers will see the changes immediately; even those without an HD television set.”

“The fact that the station is making this significant investment, during these economic conditions, is a real indication of our commitment to providing the best local news coverage,” said Tim Dye, FOX 17 News Director. “It’s a real luxury to work at a station that is constantly looking for ways to expand and improve our local news product.”

FOX 17 News Milestones:

• Launched West Michigan’s first 10PM local newscast: January, 1999
• Expanded FOX 17 NEWS AT TEN to a full hour: March, 2004
• Launched FOX 17 Morning News: August, 2006
• Expanded Morning News to 4 hours: August, 2008
• Launching West Michigan’s first HD news operation: April, 2009

The winning Student News teams will be awarded scholarships in the High School Division and video production equipment grants in the Middle School Division.