Scranton station goes HD

WNEP-TV, the ABC affiliate in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Pa., has made the switch to HD.

The station began broadcasting full HD newscast July 9 at 6 p.m. and rolled out a new graphics package to complement the new set it got earlier this year.

WNEP had been broadcasting newscasts in 16:9 and is the market’s first station to make the switch to HD. NBC affiliate WBRE-TV has made no indications of its HD plans and the market’s CBS affiliate,  WYOU-TV, ceased producing newscasts in 2009. WBRE also produces news for the market’s Fox affiliate, after nabbing that contract from longtime producer WNEP in 2010.

In addition to updating its look, Newswatch 16 has a new voice; the station replaced longtime announcer Scott Chapin in its new opens. Chapin announced his semi-retirement last year.

Despite the changes, however, the station retained its longtime remixed version of “Move Closer to Your World.”