(21 January 2008 2:00 pm)

MUMBAI: World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has announced plans to start broadcasting in high definition in the US.

From today 21 January its shows Raw which airs on the USA Network, ECW: Extreme Championship Wrestling on Sci Fi Channel, and SmackDown on The CW will all be delivered in HD.

WWE will also broadcast its pay-per-views in HD, starting with Royal Rumble on 27 January. In india WWE action airs on Ten Sports.

WWE senior VP, television operations Mike Grossman says, "The move to high-definition programming is another step in WWE’s ongoing mission to provide fans with the most engaging, exciting product possible, and our programs look spectacular in HD. This upgrade will be the first of many technological advances for our brand in 2008.”

WWE’s switch to high-definition was made possible by a series of upgrades to the company’s television studios in Stamford, Connecticut. The $20 million HD renovations included refitting of equipment to broadcast WWE programming and global pay-per-view programming in high definition on cable and satellite systems around the world.