As News Corporation launches Fox Business Network next month, CBNC is firing back with a new service of its own: CNBC HD+. The new hi-def version, slated first for DirecTV, will feature additional data on the wide screen and a secondary video window with its own audio channel. That will allow viewers, if they wish, to watch live events, such as testimony, press conferences and such, without switching away from the main CNBC screen.
"CNBC HD+ was a natural decision for CNBC as our viewers expect the best from us. To serve our viewers, the most affluent audience in cable television, we took a non-traditional approach to HD leveraging larger screen real estate, sharper images and our existing world class data, news gathering and production capabilities," said Steve Fastook, Vice President of Technical Operations, CNBC.
Among the new features available with CNBC HD+: lists of market performers by category, index charts and statistics, and detailed information regarding companies – including a "revolutionary" new charting tool and deep drill-downs on company fundamentals, price performance, earnings, competitors – and more. The HD+ content will also be specially programmed and linked to on-air discussions. CNBC HD+ also highlights an improved ticker and index panel, which retains the same format, but enables high definition viewers to track more companies and market data at the same time.
