RK
The countdowns occur because the vast majority of content on stations are local and are not owned by the network. The network gives notice to affiliates of special reports but often times they aren't exact - such as a presidential news conference.
The countdown allows the master control operators at the stations time to cut to the network feed (or a different network channel - each time zone has its own feed/channel and the networks often have more for overflow) and ideally the viewer shouldn't see it at all. If they didn't air a countdown there's a strong chance the beginning will be cut off.
However oftentimes if part of the country is airing networked programming the countdown maybe seen in its entirety. Ideally the network's broadcast operations center should cut in when the countdown ends but sometimes they don't.
Now I've noticed since ABC has virtualized their master control and playout they seem to run a full countdown during network programming. The cut also seems to be very choppy - almost like a genlock issue that lasts a few seconds - then for a second or two after they cut in you get a screen that's just green, sometimes black, and then pink.
The countdown allows the master control operators at the stations time to cut to the network feed (or a different network channel - each time zone has its own feed/channel and the networks often have more for overflow) and ideally the viewer shouldn't see it at all. If they didn't air a countdown there's a strong chance the beginning will be cut off.
However oftentimes if part of the country is airing networked programming the countdown maybe seen in its entirety. Ideally the network's broadcast operations center should cut in when the countdown ends but sometimes they don't.
Now I've noticed since ABC has virtualized their master control and playout they seem to run a full countdown during network programming. The cut also seems to be very choppy - almost like a genlock issue that lasts a few seconds - then for a second or two after they cut in you get a screen that's just green, sometimes black, and then pink.
Last edited by Rkolsen on 24 March 2017 10:15am
RK
In this tweet you can see the slide NBC puts up on one of their channels telling them to standby for an alert.
The affiliates would also get a message via their urgent messaging system - at a minimum I think there's a loud speaker in the newsroom and master control (which would get its signal from the network satellite) and some have a software alert.
President-elect Trump meeting with President Obama now. Video coming in shortly. Standing by for @NBCNews special report when it does. pic.twitter.com/pUXPAzmN5M
— Lester Holt (@LesterHoltNBC) November 10, 2016
The affiliates would also get a message via their urgent messaging system - at a minimum I think there's a loud speaker in the newsroom and master control (which would get its signal from the network satellite) and some have a software alert.
MO
Rkolsen you might know..... the O&O's has regional hubbed master controls right.... So presumably the network can take over their stations immediately? I cant remember where the hubs are...DENVER, MIAMI, LA, ATLANTA NY? Total guesses... I know they moved the master control from the NBC Tower in Chicago and I though it was relocated to DENVER or MIAMI...but that cant be right. KUSA is TEGNA. Not sure why DENVER popped to mind.
HELP?!
HELP?!
RK
Yeah, NBC (was in Encompass in Atlanta but I think moved to Denver with Comcast Media Center) and Fox (Las Vegas) have their owned stations hubbed making it easier for them to switch it all at once to a special report - but they aren't colocated with the networks master control so some sort of messaying would be needed. The owned station group and other stations groups may be hubbed (allowing an operator to switch over all said stations quickly) or controlled locally but the countdown would still be needed for all to know when to switch over.
I don't think there's an open talkback line from the network master control counting down the times to a SR. However networks have made their productions control room audio feed available on election night so the local stations can listen in and know what's going to happen.
I believe Fox can remotely control and override a stations signal for a special report.
Edit : Worth noting that some special reports are optional while others are mandatory.
Rkolsen you might know..... the O&O's has regional hubbed master controls right.... So presumably the network can take over their stations immediately? I cant remember where the hubs are...DENVER, MIAMI, LA, ATLANTA NY? Total guesses... I know they moved the master control from the NBC Tower in Chicago and I though it was relocated to DENVER or MIAMI...but that cant be right. KUSA is TEGNA. Not sure why DENVER popped to mind.
HELP?!
HELP?!
Yeah, NBC (was in Encompass in Atlanta but I think moved to Denver with Comcast Media Center) and Fox (Las Vegas) have their owned stations hubbed making it easier for them to switch it all at once to a special report - but they aren't colocated with the networks master control so some sort of messaying would be needed. The owned station group and other stations groups may be hubbed (allowing an operator to switch over all said stations quickly) or controlled locally but the countdown would still be needed for all to know when to switch over.
I don't think there's an open talkback line from the network master control counting down the times to a SR. However networks have made their productions control room audio feed available on election night so the local stations can listen in and know what's going to happen.
I believe Fox can remotely control and override a stations signal for a special report.
Edit : Worth noting that some special reports are optional while others are mandatory.
NG
I don't think there's an open talkback line from the network master control counting down the times to a SR. However networks have made their productions control room audio feed available on election night so the local stations can listen in and know what's going to happen.
I believe Fox can remotely control and override a stations signal for a special report.
Edit : Worth noting that some special reports are optional while others are mandatory.
That's a major difference to the UK.
The BBC have a permanent talkback circuit to every English region and the three national presentation operations (Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland). This usually is a switched talkback from Network control for each network (NC1 or NC2 usually) but NC1 is switched to talkback from the news gallery for the integrated headlines in the One/Six/Ten o'clock News. (This feed had the director and the digital countdown voice on it.) This is a complicated network switch - as the ident before the One/Six/Ten is an opt-controlled by NC1, the 15" headline opt in the headline sequence is an opt controlled by the One/Six/Ten gallery. Only a brief period to make the talkback switch every day. (I think NC1 switch it)
For the General election, Children In Need etc. and other shows with major opt-outs controlled by a particular production gallery, the talkback will be switch to those.
noggin
Founding member
I don't think there's an open talkback line from the network master control counting down the times to a SR. However networks have made their productions control room audio feed available on election night so the local stations can listen in and know what's going to happen.
I believe Fox can remotely control and override a stations signal for a special report.
Edit : Worth noting that some special reports are optional while others are mandatory.
That's a major difference to the UK.
The BBC have a permanent talkback circuit to every English region and the three national presentation operations (Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland). This usually is a switched talkback from Network control for each network (NC1 or NC2 usually) but NC1 is switched to talkback from the news gallery for the integrated headlines in the One/Six/Ten o'clock News. (This feed had the director and the digital countdown voice on it.) This is a complicated network switch - as the ident before the One/Six/Ten is an opt-controlled by NC1, the 15" headline opt in the headline sequence is an opt controlled by the One/Six/Ten gallery. Only a brief period to make the talkback switch every day. (I think NC1 switch it)
For the General election, Children In Need etc. and other shows with major opt-outs controlled by a particular production gallery, the talkback will be switch to those.
MO
But also keep in mind every BBC station is a BBC operated station. Not every station in the US is owned by the network. So they have agreements in place on when and how they they can interrupt a station. And these agreements vary by network. Plus there are literally thousands of stations and 4 time zones, so it seems this system works the best to opt into a network special report or opt-out. I find it amazing that hundreds of stations can opt-in seamlessly to their local forecast on the TODAY during the weather segment and even local advert breaks without the viewer noticing.
RK
Each network has 200 or so affiliates.
The morning show Weather opt outs are done by hand with the stations listening in for the forecaster to toss to them and they have 30 seconds to fill. Some stations do it live while others do prerecorded forecasts.
As for the ad breaks I think they are remotely triggered by the network control and a signal is sent to the station. The station knows the format of the breaks and the lengths.
Oh and this is literally the timings report for of Today for this Saturday:
As you can see only the local availabilities at :25 and :55 past the hour are guaranteed (or close to it) times.
And for comparison Nightly News:
Sports rundowns appear like they do for Nightly News where the advertisers and whose in which block is known.
Recorded programs are easier because stations know that oh 01:17:02 into the movie they have 1:34 worth of ad time to fill.
The screen captures are from a "backup site" that NBC runs. They're the only one to have a public facing timing site.
But also keep in mind every BBC station is a BBC operated station. Not every station in the US is owned by the network. So they have agreements in place on when and how they they can interrupt a station. And these agreements vary by network. Plus there are literally thousands of stations and 4 time zones, so it seems this system works the best to opt into a network special report or opt-out. I find it amazing that hundreds of stations can opt-in seamlessly to their local forecast on the TODAY during the weather segment and even local advert breaks without the viewer noticing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sH74Y1cXAUQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sH74Y1cXAUQ
Each network has 200 or so affiliates.
The morning show Weather opt outs are done by hand with the stations listening in for the forecaster to toss to them and they have 30 seconds to fill. Some stations do it live while others do prerecorded forecasts.
As for the ad breaks I think they are remotely triggered by the network control and a signal is sent to the station. The station knows the format of the breaks and the lengths.
Oh and this is literally the timings report for of Today for this Saturday:
As you can see only the local availabilities at :25 and :55 past the hour are guaranteed (or close to it) times.
And for comparison Nightly News:
Sports rundowns appear like they do for Nightly News where the advertisers and whose in which block is known.
Recorded programs are easier because stations know that oh 01:17:02 into the movie they have 1:34 worth of ad time to fill.
The screen captures are from a "backup site" that NBC runs. They're the only one to have a public facing timing site.
Last edited by Rkolsen on 25 March 2017 9:37am - 2 times in total
HA
I don't think there's an open talkback line from the network master control counting down the times to a SR. However networks have made their productions control room audio feed available on election night so the local stations can listen in and know what's going to happen.
I believe Fox can remotely control and override a stations signal for a special report.
Edit : Worth noting that some special reports are optional while others are mandatory.
That's a major difference to the UK.
The BBC have a permanent talkback circuit to every English region and the three national presentation operations (Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland). This usually is a switched talkback from Network control for each network (NC1 or NC2 usually) but NC1 is switched to talkback from the news gallery for the integrated headlines in the One/Six/Ten o'clock News. (This feed had the director and the digital countdown voice on it.) This is a complicated network switch - as the ident before the One/Six/Ten is an opt-controlled by NC1, the 15" headline opt in the headline sequence is an opt controlled by the One/Six/Ten gallery. Only a brief period to make the talkback switch every day. (I think NC1 switch it)
For the General election, Children In Need etc. and other shows with major opt-outs controlled by a particular production gallery, the talkback will be switch to those.
How about Presfax?
I don't think there's an open talkback line from the network master control counting down the times to a SR. However networks have made their productions control room audio feed available on election night so the local stations can listen in and know what's going to happen.
I believe Fox can remotely control and override a stations signal for a special report.
Edit : Worth noting that some special reports are optional while others are mandatory.
That's a major difference to the UK.
The BBC have a permanent talkback circuit to every English region and the three national presentation operations (Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland). This usually is a switched talkback from Network control for each network (NC1 or NC2 usually) but NC1 is switched to talkback from the news gallery for the integrated headlines in the One/Six/Ten o'clock News. (This feed had the director and the digital countdown voice on it.) This is a complicated network switch - as the ident before the One/Six/Ten is an opt-controlled by NC1, the 15" headline opt in the headline sequence is an opt controlled by the One/Six/Ten gallery. Only a brief period to make the talkback switch every day. (I think NC1 switch it)
For the General election, Children In Need etc. and other shows with major opt-outs controlled by a particular production gallery, the talkback will be switch to those.
How about Presfax?
RK
Check your inbox. The backup website isn't much but I'm sure they don't want it public even if it is easily googlable.
What's the URL for that NBC site, used to have it and lost it.
Check your inbox. The backup website isn't much but I'm sure they don't want it public even if it is easily googlable.