OAKLAND -- On November 18, 1998, KTVU FOX 2 was the first television station in Northern California to turn on a digital broadcast transmitter launching the new technology for public consumption.

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On February 27, 1999 the station was the first Bay Area station to present a live high-definition television (HDTV) production with the airing of the "Southwest Airlines Chinese New Year Parade."

Those changes were technological baby steps in comparison to what KTVU FOX 2 started presenting on September 12, 2004 with the HDTV airing of two NFL season opening games including the Atlanta Falcons game against the San Francisco 49ers, Major League Baseball's playoff games and World Series and more than 50% of the 2004-05 FOX prime-time television schedule.

"Not since color television was introduced in the mid-1950's has there been a technical advancement like HDTV," said KTVU Vice President and General Manager Jeff Block. "Digital television offers more than twice the picture resolution as current analog TV and the difference is spectacular."

KTVU FOX 2 will double its power from 500,000 Watts to 1,000,000 Watts of digital transmitter power that will dramatically affect over-the-air antenna users who get HDTV for free.

FOX will have six HDTV production trucks and crews covering most of the weekly games of the National Football Conference. In addition to those games, FOX will air the NFC Playoffs and Super Bowl XXXIX in the 16 x 9 - 720P format of high definition and high resolution.

Baseball fans will have the 2004 American League and National League Playoffs and the World Series to look forward to in HDTV on FOX.

The FOX primetime schedule is loaded with weekly HDTV broadcasts including "24," "The O.C.," "Bernie Mac," "Arrested Development," and many others. Several theatrical movie releases will also be broadcast in HDTV including "Spider-Man," and "Men in Black II."