Not really, it seems perfectly reasonable to me to provide 1 channel to cover all their outlets.
In the case of the BBC, for example, do you think that licence fee payers would find it acceptable if all BBC TV and radio services went off air and the BBC provided *one* substitute service?
Actually, it
was
the case until a few years ago that the BBC would operate one joint television channel in emergency circumstances until the two domestic channels could be effectively operated again.
As I haven't watched any MTV channels for a while, I don't know this, but have MTV changed their backup tape? They were using the same one for ages with Overload by the Sugababes, Stan by Eminem and 19-2000 by the Gorrilaz amongst others.
Exactly.... if everything's gone titsup then one backup service is usually what could be expected. IF Chart Show or MTV could broadcast a seperate emergency programing for each of its channels..... they'd have no problem broadcasting their normal programming and it wouldn't be an emergency
As I haven't watched any MTV channels for a while, I don't know this, but have MTV changed their backup tape? They were using the same one for ages with Overload by the Sugababes, Stan by Eminem and 19-2000 by the Gorrilaz amongst others.
Yep, the updated tape appeared on MTV Dance a few weeks ago after the fade from an ident into a video got stuck on a loop, followed by some picture break-up.
It seems to be quite recent as D12 - My Band was one of the videos played.
Well that's not our problem as viewers, Chart Show Channels Ltd can do what the hell they want, they are not public service channels like BBC or ITV.
No, as a viewer it's not your problem, quite right. But that's not the point I'm making. I'm commenting on Chart Show TV as a business.
That company is currently responsible for the running of approximately seven TV channels at present. If we were commenting about an extreme or major technical failure/emergency situation, I could probably understand if all their channels were taken off air. However, this problem was corrected within c. 6 hours - so I certainly wouldn't deem it a catastrophic situation. FYI, it also happened again today but was corrected within half an hour or so. It almost looks as if it wouldn't take much to knock all these channels out.
Ultimately, it boils down to how serious you are about your business and how much you want to invest in contingency. Many businesses don't think seriously about contingency until they're a bitten a few times. Can a smaller business like Chart Show TV afford to lose out on ad revenue like they will have done yesterday? Surely it makes more sense to have at least one contingency suite which can mimmick the playout capabilities for at least one of their channels? This suite doesn't only have to be used in contingency situations but can be used on regular basis to act as a stand-in where maintenance work is being carried out on other equipment. Don't come in with the easy comeback that they can't afford it - they can't afford not to!!
The question must be asked, what happened to cause ALL their channels to be knocked out in this way? It looks like some sort of playout issue at their base - the channel DOGs remain, indeed, their captions/astons still run on too. It looks almost as if their playout system somehow covers all their channels; so a failure here will result in everything going down. That being the case, if it were my business, I know that I would want to ensure that I'd still be able to put out some sort of service and generate some cash for myself in such circumstances.
My comments here are mainly aimed at the business decisions being made here. This organisation has possibly invested bugger all in contingency. Their contingency service consists of a short loop of videos and an inability to generate revenue through transmission of ads.
As for your comment about what they managed to put out yesterday being a 'heck of a lot better' than a blank screen. I find myself disagreeing again The output consisted of a very small selection of (quite poor) videos in a loop...and indeed the screen did go blank for long periods as well. Broadcasting the same output on six/seven channels is never good.
Yes, you're right, you can't plan for everything. However, there are some fundamentals. Chart Show TV have lessons to learn here. As I've mentioned, the same thing happened again today, with screens going blank on all their channels. If all their channels can go off air *so easily*, then they need to take contigency seriously - especially when, in the case of three of those channels, they're providing a service for another company (Sky). I have seen the likes of TMF, The Box, Smash Hits crash on air and resort to a back-up facility within minutes that allows them to display their logo and stylised astons and believe it or not, broadcast ads. Now there's a novel idea!!
Actually, it
was
the case until a few years ago that the BBC would operate one joint television channel in emergency circumstances until the two domestic channels could be effectively operated again.
Can you explain this please? I was always under the impression that some sort of BBC ONE and BBC TWO service could be broadcast from Birmingham if London went down. Not sure what the arrangements are for THREE and FOUR.
Can I just ask how you know the channels fell off air so easily? There could have been a huge technical problem, and for a service broadcast from BT Tower to be down for over six hours, I assume that was the case.
A couple of years ago VH1 and VH1 Classic were simulcasting the same output for around 12 hours (ad-free) which must of cost a fortune. So if VIACOM have such a limited back-up service, I think Chart Show TV can be forgiven.
Can I just ask how you know the channels fell off air so easily? There could have been a huge technical problem, and for a service broadcast from BT Tower to be down for over six hours, I assume that was the case.
I know only too well what BT are like. We contract some of their staff in. Six hours to get a fault corrected by BT is nothing. That's just how long it takes to fill in all their bloody forms/paperwork. Doesn't necessarily mean the problem was major - just took them that long to get their arse into gear!!!
I would say knocking so many channels off air twice in 24 hours validates my 'so easily' remark. Clearly it isn't difficult. But then again with BT, **** up comes real easy.
If it was a fundmental issue with BT, then I'm puzzled. Surely if there was an issue with BT broadcasting the channels at all, then I wouldn't be seeing station DOGs and astons animating on and off over a blank screen?? Perhaps someone in the know could explain?
Ultimately, it boils down to how serious you are about your business and how much you want to invest in contingency. Many businesses don't think seriously about contingency until they're a bitten a few times. Can a smaller business like Chart Show TV afford to lose out on ad revenue like they will have done yesterday? Surely it makes more sense to have at least one contingency suite which can mimmick the playout capabilities for at least one of their channels? This suite doesn't only have to be used in contingency situations but can be used on regular basis to act as a stand-in where maintenance work is being carried out on other equipment. Don't come in with the easy comeback that they can't afford it - they can't afford not to!!
Isn't that what they did?.... after all there was one channel still running. They was a contingency..... ad you saw it
As I said earlier, there is the weigh-off between the cost of having a top of the range contingency in another location ready to go when you need it and the amount of money you would lose. Say they lost £10 grand in 6 hours of no ads but duplicating their services somewhere else cost a couple of grand a month - one 6 month outage in a year or 2 is actually cheaper!
Also of course advertising is sold with 'circumstances beyond our control' disclaimers and missed ads are replaced in other (unsold) slots. ANy lost revenue can also be coverable by insurance.... depending on what caused the outage
Quote:
The question must be asked, what happened to cause ALL their channels to be knocked out in this way? It looks like some sort of playout issue at their base -
They wouldn't have 6 totally seperate systems, they'd have one system and associated infrastructure between the 6. So it's very likely that it will all go down together. Could be any one of a hundred diffrent things - from an essential computer crashing or database corruption all the way down to a power surge flood or fire
Quote:
As for your comment about what they managed to put out yesterday being a 'heck of a lot better' than a blank screen. I find myself disagreeing again The output consisted of a very small selection of (quite poor) videos in a loop...and indeed the screen did go blank for long periods as well. Broadcasting the same output on six/seven channels is never good.
So you think a blank screen is better than a contingency service of pop videos. Lets hope you never work for any channels of mine!
In the words of Dave Clifton..... 'dead air is a crime'
Can you explain this please? I was always under the impression that some sort of BBC ONE and BBC TWO service could be broadcast from Birmingham if London went down.
Yes, but what do you think they had planned while the people and the tapes travelled up the M40?
The output consisted of a very small selection of (quite poor) videos in a loop...and indeed the screen did go blank for long periods as well. Broadcasting the same output on six/seven channels is never good.