BA
ok ok... i got it...
BBC World News and The Oracle
January 26, 2009, Monday
Last week we received many comments from you about our new satirical programme The Oracle. There was a really mixed response, so we spoke to BBC World News' Head of Programmes Paul Gibbs about the feedback received. He gave us the following response:
Dear Viewer Panellists,
Thank you for your feedback on The Oracle so far. I wanted to let you know that I greatly appreciate receiving your views on our programmes, both positive and negative, and that we use these to directly shape the channel and its programmes.
We always try to provide new programmes for our audience that are fresh, challenging and exciting. This is certainly different. It is in response to unique, and shocking, economic circumstances. It has a high satirical element, but it also has quite a lot of information delivered in a different way.
As such, for those of you who feel that this programme is not for you, we would ask that you stick with it a little longer to see how it develops. Already your comments have been taken on board and passed onto the production team. We are always open to more constructive comments.
Thank you again, we look forward to continuing to hear from you.
Many thanks,
Paul Gibbs
Head of Programmes, BBC World News
BBC World News and The Oracle
January 26, 2009, Monday
Last week we received many comments from you about our new satirical programme The Oracle. There was a really mixed response, so we spoke to BBC World News' Head of Programmes Paul Gibbs about the feedback received. He gave us the following response:
Dear Viewer Panellists,
Thank you for your feedback on The Oracle so far. I wanted to let you know that I greatly appreciate receiving your views on our programmes, both positive and negative, and that we use these to directly shape the channel and its programmes.
We always try to provide new programmes for our audience that are fresh, challenging and exciting. This is certainly different. It is in response to unique, and shocking, economic circumstances. It has a high satirical element, but it also has quite a lot of information delivered in a different way.
As such, for those of you who feel that this programme is not for you, we would ask that you stick with it a little longer to see how it develops. Already your comments have been taken on board and passed onto the production team. We are always open to more constructive comments.
Thank you again, we look forward to continuing to hear from you.
Many thanks,
Paul Gibbs
Head of Programmes, BBC World News
IT
I've compared the titles with those on the News Channel and I'm almost certain it is still in mono. I can't understand why - I'm sure more people have stereo TVs than widescreen!
itsrobert
Founding member
Hymagumba posted:
so if BBC World is now in widescreen, is it now also in stereo or still in mono?
I've compared the titles with those on the News Channel and I'm almost certain it is still in mono. I can't understand why - I'm sure more people have stereo TVs than widescreen!
IS
It's probably to do with the server replay channels on the sound desk needing to be in mono because news packages are split track.
If the presentation elements (trails, idents etc) and the studio parts are in stereo then it's not something in the distribution
If the presentation elements (trails, idents etc) and the studio parts are in stereo then it's not something in the distribution
GE
I presume (although i know you will have a better understanding than me) they didn't switch to widescreen back then due to the fact it wasn't a common format globally?
Think that was partially the reason.
In 1999 BBC World was not exactly flush with cash, and there was no major commercial reason to go widescreen back then, and the costs of upgrading the 4:3 PAL analogue playout area would have been prohibitive. Back then 16:9 digital production was still in its infancy - and cutting edge for a reasonably well funded domestic operation - let alone a shoe-string commercial news channel.
The channel's been capable of going widescreen since its playout moved to the Broadcast Centre - but everything going into the playout suite had to be ARCed into (or produced in) 14:9 letterbox or 4:3 fullscreen. This changed sometime last year when they flicked a switch and the channel was produced in 16:9, then ARCed into 14:9 letterbox further downstream.
However, while it was technically easy for World and Red Bee to make the change, Worldwide would need to make sure their umpteen distribution platforms know about the change - digital platforms need to flag the broadcast as widescreen, and analogue platforms (if there even are any) might need to ARC it back into a 4:3 frame. I'd imagine there are thousands of hotel rooms around the world which now have it in the wrong format...
I've compared the titles with those on the News Channel and I'm almost certain it is still in mono. I can't understand why - I'm sure more people have stereo TVs than widescreen!
It's quite likely that the gallery's output is in mono. Most news packages are created with natural sound on one channel, and narration on the other (this makes footage easier to re-use without having to worry about someone else's voiceover on the top), so to prevent odd things happening on output, the studio gets mono'ed before going to the outside world.
thegeek
Founding member
noggin posted:
Davidjb posted:
noggin posted:
I - for one - am glad that BBC World has started broadcasting in 16:9 - only TEN years after their studio switched to the format.
I presume (although i know you will have a better understanding than me) they didn't switch to widescreen back then due to the fact it wasn't a common format globally?
Think that was partially the reason.
In 1999 BBC World was not exactly flush with cash, and there was no major commercial reason to go widescreen back then, and the costs of upgrading the 4:3 PAL analogue playout area would have been prohibitive. Back then 16:9 digital production was still in its infancy - and cutting edge for a reasonably well funded domestic operation - let alone a shoe-string commercial news channel.
The channel's been capable of going widescreen since its playout moved to the Broadcast Centre - but everything going into the playout suite had to be ARCed into (or produced in) 14:9 letterbox or 4:3 fullscreen. This changed sometime last year when they flicked a switch and the channel was produced in 16:9, then ARCed into 14:9 letterbox further downstream.
However, while it was technically easy for World and Red Bee to make the change, Worldwide would need to make sure their umpteen distribution platforms know about the change - digital platforms need to flag the broadcast as widescreen, and analogue platforms (if there even are any) might need to ARC it back into a 4:3 frame. I'd imagine there are thousands of hotel rooms around the world which now have it in the wrong format...
itsrobert posted:
Hymagumba posted:
so if BBC World is now in widescreen, is it now also in stereo or still in mono?
I've compared the titles with those on the News Channel and I'm almost certain it is still in mono. I can't understand why - I'm sure more people have stereo TVs than widescreen!
It's quite likely that the gallery's output is in mono. Most news packages are created with natural sound on one channel, and narration on the other (this makes footage easier to re-use without having to worry about someone else's voiceover on the top), so to prevent odd things happening on output, the studio gets mono'ed before going to the outside world.
IS
However, while it was technically easy for World and Red Bee to make the change, Worldwide would need to make sure their umpteen distribution platforms know about the change - digital platforms need to flag the broadcast as widescreen, and analogue platforms (if there even are any) might need to ARC it back into a 4:3 frame. I'd imagine there are thousands of hotel rooms around the world which now have it in the wrong format...
Yes, that's always the problem with such channels - 4:3 is a universal format and all of the TV facilities in the world can handle 4:3, but not all can deal with 16:9 properly. BBC World is more complex than most because it provides opt outs for other TV companies to insert ads for them so they all need to make sure they are in the correct format too.
It's quite likely that the gallery's output is in mono. Most news packages are created with natural sound on one channel, and narration on the other (this makes footage easier to re-use without having to worry about someone else's voiceover on the top), so to prevent odd things happening on output, the studio gets mono'ed before going to the outside world.
Either the output of the studio or the mixer channels for the server ports. I did a bit of sound mixing on a news programme years ago and either always forgot to switch the channel with the titles on to stereo, or worse, if i did, switch it back to mono for the next thing it played!
thegeek posted:
However, while it was technically easy for World and Red Bee to make the change, Worldwide would need to make sure their umpteen distribution platforms know about the change - digital platforms need to flag the broadcast as widescreen, and analogue platforms (if there even are any) might need to ARC it back into a 4:3 frame. I'd imagine there are thousands of hotel rooms around the world which now have it in the wrong format...
Yes, that's always the problem with such channels - 4:3 is a universal format and all of the TV facilities in the world can handle 4:3, but not all can deal with 16:9 properly. BBC World is more complex than most because it provides opt outs for other TV companies to insert ads for them so they all need to make sure they are in the correct format too.
Quote:
It's quite likely that the gallery's output is in mono. Most news packages are created with natural sound on one channel, and narration on the other (this makes footage easier to re-use without having to worry about someone else's voiceover on the top), so to prevent odd things happening on output, the studio gets mono'ed before going to the outside world.
Either the output of the studio or the mixer channels for the server ports. I did a bit of sound mixing on a news programme years ago and either always forgot to switch the channel with the titles on to stereo, or worse, if i did, switch it back to mono for the next thing it played!
LO
Sorry if this is old news but Nik Gowing is now on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/NikGowing
http://twitter.com/NikGowing
EA
Gordon Brown's mobile rang twice during a live broadcast in Davos, which is kind of unprofessional as everyone knows they should turn off the mobile at that occasion.
Also the stupid name thing happened again when David said "we have more in the next bulletin of world news here on (pause, perhaps thinking it would sound stupid if he read it out) BBC World News"
Also the stupid name thing happened again when David said "we have more in the next bulletin of world news here on (pause, perhaps thinking it would sound stupid if he read it out) BBC World News"
NG
The channel's been capable of going widescreen since its playout moved to the Broadcast Centre - but everything going into the playout suite had to be ARCed into (or produced in) 14:9 letterbox or 4:3 fullscreen. This changed sometime last year when they flicked a switch and the channel was produced in 16:9, then ARCed into 14:9 letterbox further downstream.
Yep - wasn't this a policy change - ARC the output of the channel not the input? The BC operation has been 16:9 capable from the start - unlike the 4:3 analogue set-up at TV Centre...
Is it a permanent 14:9 ARC - or can 4:3 content be broadcast 4:3 (either by aspect header switching or by AFDing a pillarbox?)
However, while it was technically easy for World and Red Bee to make the change, Worldwide would need to make sure their umpteen distribution platforms know about the change - digital platforms need to flag the broadcast as widescreen, and analogue platforms (if there even are any) might need to ARC it back into a 4:3 frame. I'd imagine there are thousands of hotel rooms around the world which now have it in the wrong format...
Though presumably most analogue services are fed from DVB-S receivers - so as long as they are configured for 4:3 output - either letterbox or centre-cut - the image will be the right shape?
The issue will be receivers that are set-up incorrectly...
I've compared the titles with those on the News Channel and I'm almost certain it is still in mono. I can't understand why - I'm sure more people have stereo TVs than widescreen!
It's quite likely that the gallery's output is in mono. Most news packages are created with natural sound on one channel, and narration on the other (this makes footage easier to re-use without having to worry about someone else's voiceover on the top), so to prevent odd things happening on output, the studio gets mono'ed before going to the outside world.
Yep - news packages are edited split-track mono - with one track carrying voice over and the other natural sound. If these are played stereo you'd hear the voice over out of the left speaker and the natural sound out of the right or vice-versa. As a result news replay sources are usually mono-ed - mixing both tracks together and feeding them to both channels. (No UK news footage that I know of is shot with decent stereo sound - no stereo effects etc. - so any stereo editing would be panned mono anyway)
Some sound supervisors will change a channel from mono to stereo on the sound desk when it is playing titles or stings (and in the old days of the BBC One bulletin titles coming from laserdisc or hard disc sting playout they had a permanently stereo-ed desk channel) but not all do - and if you forget to switch it back you end up with split track stuff going out split between speakers.
It is actually more labour intensive to go stereo than widescreen - and can cause just as many mistakes.
noggin
Founding member
thegeek posted:
The channel's been capable of going widescreen since its playout moved to the Broadcast Centre - but everything going into the playout suite had to be ARCed into (or produced in) 14:9 letterbox or 4:3 fullscreen. This changed sometime last year when they flicked a switch and the channel was produced in 16:9, then ARCed into 14:9 letterbox further downstream.
Yep - wasn't this a policy change - ARC the output of the channel not the input? The BC operation has been 16:9 capable from the start - unlike the 4:3 analogue set-up at TV Centre...
Is it a permanent 14:9 ARC - or can 4:3 content be broadcast 4:3 (either by aspect header switching or by AFDing a pillarbox?)
Quote:
However, while it was technically easy for World and Red Bee to make the change, Worldwide would need to make sure their umpteen distribution platforms know about the change - digital platforms need to flag the broadcast as widescreen, and analogue platforms (if there even are any) might need to ARC it back into a 4:3 frame. I'd imagine there are thousands of hotel rooms around the world which now have it in the wrong format...
Though presumably most analogue services are fed from DVB-S receivers - so as long as they are configured for 4:3 output - either letterbox or centre-cut - the image will be the right shape?
The issue will be receivers that are set-up incorrectly...
Quote:
itsrobert posted:
Hymagumba posted:
so if BBC World is now in widescreen, is it now also in stereo or still in mono?
I've compared the titles with those on the News Channel and I'm almost certain it is still in mono. I can't understand why - I'm sure more people have stereo TVs than widescreen!
It's quite likely that the gallery's output is in mono. Most news packages are created with natural sound on one channel, and narration on the other (this makes footage easier to re-use without having to worry about someone else's voiceover on the top), so to prevent odd things happening on output, the studio gets mono'ed before going to the outside world.
Yep - news packages are edited split-track mono - with one track carrying voice over and the other natural sound. If these are played stereo you'd hear the voice over out of the left speaker and the natural sound out of the right or vice-versa. As a result news replay sources are usually mono-ed - mixing both tracks together and feeding them to both channels. (No UK news footage that I know of is shot with decent stereo sound - no stereo effects etc. - so any stereo editing would be panned mono anyway)
Some sound supervisors will change a channel from mono to stereo on the sound desk when it is playing titles or stings (and in the old days of the BBC One bulletin titles coming from laserdisc or hard disc sting playout they had a permanently stereo-ed desk channel) but not all do - and if you forget to switch it back you end up with split track stuff going out split between speakers.
It is actually more labour intensive to go stereo than widescreen - and can cause just as many mistakes.