noggin's posts, page 38

Eurovision 2021 - Netherlands - NPO/AVROTROS/NOS

By 1998 they were more than experimenting. BBC News 24 had been on-air, running a fully 16:9 operation, since November 1998, and a significant number of shows were in 16:9 production ready for the November 1998 launch of the BBC's 16:9-capable digital TV platforms.

However in May 1998 there were no 16:9 outlets across Europe (other than niche D-/D2-MAC channnels possibly) so it would have been a needless technical risk to add.





Yep - the EBU really dragged their feet with widescreen production. By 2004 many (but by no means all) Eurovision countries had almost 100% widescreen schedules, so the 4:3 contest really stood out.

I remember the relief when the EBU (assisted heavily by SVT and Swedish resource providers) made the Kiev contest in 16:9 SD. SVT, like the BBC, had been an early adopter of 16:9 SD so I suspect they pushed hard, along with the BBC.

It was the only year that was produced using 16:9 SD technology.

In 2006 the show was produced using HD facilities, in HD, but only distributed in 16:9 SD. The aim was to internally test the feasibility of an HD contest - and was successful, so 2007 was the first 16:9 HD contest that viewers at home saw.

For a couple of years I think the EBU distributed a 4:3 version of the contest for countries that had yet to install any 16:9 equipment (and wouldn't have easily been able to convert a 16:9 feed). I think for 2005 they used 14:9 letterbox, but they may have switched to 4:3 centre cut later.

Eurovision 2021 - Netherlands - NPO/AVROTROS/NOS

The EBU streamed a BBC domestic version last night, as it had UK 0891 phone numbers and a 10p call cost warning keyed in, not a clean version with just the country number suffix.

In this case I suspect the BBC DID provide the EBU with a master file. (It won't have been supplied on tape I'm sure)

So in this case the BBC will have done both - arranged the rights, and provided the recording. (Not all the rights are the BBC's to give - they will have had to handle music rights, artist rights etc.)

Eurovision 2021 - Netherlands - NPO/AVROTROS/NOS

I think historically it has depended on the strengths of the host broadcaster each year. Once the contest widened to include former Eastern Bloc countries who were still finding their feet in the public service and high production value era - it became more normal for other countries to assist.

In the 90s, the BBC often quietly assisted RTE technically I believe, but the productions were RTÉ's. In 1998 the BBC ran the show pretty much themselves (and it was a pretty smooth and shift show - clocking in at 3 hours, with barely chance to catch your breath!)

Stockholm 2000 and Copenhagen 2001 were, I believe, largely domestic productions.

Svante Stockselius, who worked on SVT's contest in 2000, and the 2002 reboot of Melodifestivalen (to create the format still used today largely), was asked to assist Estonia in 2002, and then joined the EBU operation in 2003 to supervise the contest.

2002, 2003 and 2005 were all largely Swedish productions - with a largely Swedish production team and technical crew.

2006 was heavily assisted by Germany I believe.

2007 was more independent as YLE were a more established broadcaster - but by then the contest was much more controlled by the EBU and the reference group.

2008 was, again, heavily Swedish influenced (Sven Stojanovic directed again - helpfully he has Serbian heritage).

2009 I can't remember much about.

2010 was largely produced by NRK, again they had experience of large entertainment shows, though it was scripted by Melodifestivalen stalwart, Edward af Sillén, and I'm sure assisted by experienced ESC production by then.

In 2010 Svante left the EBU role, and handed over to Jon Ola Sand, who had produced the Oslo 2010 contest.

I'd probably put 2002 as the time at which the EBU became more dominant and domestic broadcasters were less expected to be able to do everything. I think Estonia and Latvia having to host made it impossible to expect a winning country to be able to do it unassisted.

BBC News (UK) presentation - Reith launch onwards

The BBC can handle all the major platforms - Skype, FaceTime, Zoom etc. For Skype you can use Skype TX hardware, but for Zoom and Facetime you usually use PCs with scan converters (AJA Region of Interest cards are popular)

For some of the BBC Sport stuff they are using decent quality MVP WMT cameras (or the apps running on phones) to get decent quality pictures back to the gallery, but using Zoom to handle comms between presenters, guests and producers, as it has reduced latency. It avoids the gallery having to use multiple TBUs or run a phone conference call, and the audio quality is better than a phone call.

Yes - the BBC has a decent number of Skype TX boxes, but that doesn't mean it's the only platform they use.

Zoom has some quite aggressive gating though, so when it's used on-air it can be quite compromised if more than one person tries to speak at once. (All the consumer products have this to a degree to stop echo/howl round when people are listening on speakers and using mics near the speakers...)

O2 & Virgin Media To Merge

Others would argue that the reverse should also be true. The Branson brand has become very tarnished, and by association the Virgin brand has.

When I think of Virgin Media, I don't think of poor customer services, I think of tax dodging and trying to attack the NHS, and of not managing their train franchise well.

Whilst the Richard Branson personal brand was strong in the 70s and 80s, it's been on a bit of a downward trajectory since. I no longer associate it with buccaneering success, more over expansion and poor quality control of the branded companies.



I've never associated Virgin brands with customer care in my mind. Virgin Atlantic were/are an OK airline - but never thought they were anything special when I flew with them.

Virgin, increasingly, to me has a whiff of failure - Virgin Cola, Virgin Trains, Virgin Vie/Cosmetics etc.


Ah - I think quite the opposite. Virgin Media seems to be a reasonable successful company - unlike so many of the Branson brands. But then I'm aware they have nothing to do with Branson these days.

BBC Oneness - idents and presentation

I don't think Line 23 signalling has been used internally since HD became the master network (as Line 23 is 625/50 specific so not relevant for an HD up conversion) - but AFDs are still in use I think. (It may be inserted at the HD->SD downconversion stage to trigger the DSat 12F12 ARCs for 4:3 shows)

(SD network shows have round tripped SD->HD->SD by the time they reach SD viewers)

Decent Freesat recorder box?

There's not a huge amount of choice in the Freesat PVR area these days. Humax may still sell a box (though I'm not sure they have a G3 box).

Freesat themselves have just launched their own G3 boxes made by Arris.

Also - you don't get C4HD on Freesat (C4 only pay for the SD channel to be in the EPG). You can add it outside the EPG on some boxes - but you lose the ease of recording.

Freeview HD is definitely worth considering - that includes C4HD and you have a wider choice of boxes (though a smaller selection of channel - but C4+1 HD and 4Seven HD are Freeview HD exclusive ISTR if you get COM7 / COM8)

The BBC under threat from the government

How do you avoid a monopoly on national PSB news provision?

The BBC / ITN duopoly of PSB News is a key component of our media landscape. Just as ARD and ZDF compete in Germany, NRK and TV2 do in Denmark, and DR and TV2 do in Denmark? You could also look at FT and TF1 in France? (Are TF1 considered a PSB in the ITV-mould still, or do they no longer have PSB responsibilities?)

Eurovision 2021 - Netherlands - NPO/AVROTROS/NOS

I saw both ITV and the BBC there - as would be expected. Both are EBU members and members of the wider Eurovision operation.

The EBU and Eurovision isn't the same as 'The Eurovision Song Contest' - which is just one show that some EBU members license and take part in.

BBC Breakfast - 16th July onwards

Yes - Piers constantly tweeting about ratings is a bit of a smoke and mirrors when compared to the reality.

BBC Breakfast - 16th July onwards

For info - on Friday the ratings were :

BBC One
0600-0900 1.5m/42.6% Breakfast
0900-1000 1.8m/31.6% BBC News

ITV
0600-0900 0.7m/19.8% GMB
0900-1000 1.0m/18.0% GMB with Lorraine

Thursday's ratings weren't a one-off blip because of the Captain Tom stuff it seems.

Good Morning Britain in 2020

Most mainstream presenters are employed through personal service companies or are freelance, rather than being employed as staff, which makes the furlough rules tricky (particularly if you are paid via dividends not salary via your PSC).

My thought was that it's difficult to furlough them when you aren't booking them - they simply aren't being booked or paid?

Staff reporters are very different to presenters - which is why I didn't mention reporters. Which broadcasters do you know who are furloughing staff reporters (other than Scottish TV)? (Scottish are presumably much more exposed financially than ITV plc?)


Piers is marmite. I still find his on-screen persona a bit like an act - so maybe he qualifies for the Lorraine 'playing a character' tax rules too...