Vice and Arts Channels Now in HD

Now there’s a new reason to subscribe to Sky’s premium Arts channel: it’s in HD.

Arts and Vice are the latest channels to go HD, although neither was trumpeted by the satcaster.

There wasn’t a press release or even a heads-up to me about the transition.

Alas, that’s indicative of how low a priority many within Sky see HD.

Whereas the likes of Foxtel and Sky UK now offer 4K broadcasts and set-top boxes, Sky NZ is still playing catch-up with 1080i.

Sky now has 50+ HD channels, including the sporadic pop-ups, which is significantly more than this time last year.

But most of the these channels are in the quasi-HD resolution of 1440 x 1080 rather than 1920 x 1080.

And we’re still to see key news channels beam out in HD, despite the heightened interest in TV news and current affairs amid the western world’s worst social unrest in 50 years.

Arts went HD on May 28 and Vice on June 10. Sky isn’t commenting on what’s in the pipeline or when new HD channels may surface.

But here are some of the highlights you can expect to see in HD next month on Arts:

Manson: Music From an Unsound Mind 

The untold story of Charles Manson’s obsession to become a rock star, his rise in the LA music scene, the celebrities who championed his music, his tragic friendship with The Beach Boys’ Dennis Wilson and his descent into violence and chaos once his dreams fell apart. Featuring interviews with Dianne Lake (former Manson Family member), Gregg Jakobson (Dennis Wilson’s song-writing partner), Phil Kaufman (Manson’s fellow inmate and producer) Stephen Desper (Beach Boys’ producer,) and Ernie Knapp (The Milky Way guitarist). (July 4, 8.00.)

Joseph Pulitzer: Voice of the People

A groundbreaking exploration of a newspaper magnate whose work is largely unknown to wide audiences, though ironically, the prize he endowed in his will has become recognisable around the world. Pulitzer’s personal story is a riveting variation on the American Dream narrative, having arrived in the US during the Civil War as a penniless immigrant who spoke no English and proceeded to create two best-selling newspapers – and a major fortune. This immigrant was famous in his own time for the outsized financial success of his newspapers and his outspoken, cantankerous editorial voice. From the start of his career as a journalist, Pulitzer championed what he regarded as the sacred role of the free press in a democracy. (July 11, 8.45.)

Natalia Osipova: Force Of Nature

A portrait of Royal Ballet’s dance superstar Natalia Osipova with unique access to the rehearsal rooms of the Royal Ballet with Natalia’s contemporary dance projects, to give an unparalleled glimpse into the working life of a great dance artist. (July 13, 8.00.)

Finding Your Roots (S6)

Among this season’s 27  fascinating game-changers in their fields are actors Jeffrey Wright, Sigourney Weaver, Melissa McCarthy, and Sterling K. Brown; director Jordan Peele; Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi; journalists Gayle King and Norah O’Donnell; musicians Queen Latifah and Jon Batiste; fashion designers Diane von Furstenberg, Narciso Rodriguez, and Zac Posen. (July 16, 8.30.)

Lawrence Carroll: Finding a Place

Lawrence Carroll, the great exponent of monochrome, is among the major names in contemporary art today. For more than 30 years, with profound coherence and dedication, he has been conducting research into the language of painting. The film provides a moving view of the artist’s journey from New York, where his adventure began, to Bolsena, in Lazio, where he lives. It also accompanies him as he prepares for a retrospective at the Museo Vincenzo Vela in Ligornetto. (July 17, 8.30.)

Propaganda: The Art of Selling Lies

In a world where access to media is unprecedented, the global conversation around the propagation of information, “alternative facts” and “fake news” has never been more heated. As media outlets become increasingly polarised, and as social media rules information feeds, where does propaganda come into play? How is it influencing changes in the world order? Propaganda: The Art of Selling Lies demystifies the predominant means and methods of propagandist persuasion that have been employed by those seeking power. It explores and analyses the present day landscape and contextualises it by looking back at key epochs of history when propaganda defined nations and kept populations in check. (July 31, 8.30.)