Autumnwatch breakdown

I see the breakdown slide has been changed *very slightly* - lighter weight of Avenir, completely flat 2, wave looping every 5 seconds.

Irksome that someone has actually gone to the effort of amending it without the result being anything better, just ever-so slightly different and no less hilarious.

Nothing about that can be described as professional. Scotland did indeed handle it very well, though.

Odd how the microphone was on without the CA noticing - you can even hear her saying "such a relief I got that right" after recording one of her announcements, and what I presume is a mad shuffle as they realise they're on air!

Incidentally, this is one of my favourite examples of someone realising they're on air: http://www.tvwhirl.co.uk/tvwhirl.php?file=tesmistakes/calendarmistake2002.mp4

Still not as bad as this.

Yup, think it's fair to say that BBC Scotland handled this one several orders of magnitude better than network.



Interesting to see that the episode of Coast made it into the online programmes guide - and so possibly the EPG too. I wonder how PVR recordings coped?

I must echo the above comments. BBC TWO Scotland (and Tony Currie!) did a much better job than Network. Much more informative and also some great music too! Well done Tony!

This is probably the best example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygQ3VGO6ax8#t=24

(24 seconds in if you are on a mobile)

This proves that even the BBC aren't superhumans - no-one can ever be prepared for unexpected events.

I have to agree, BBC Scotland Did a wonderful job here. If its a trade off between some classic pres or having a decent CA then below wins hands down.

BBC 2 Scotland did extremely well compared to the network. I'm quite surprised considering BBC Scotland don't normally bother with BBC 2.

I don't understand why the network breakdown slide would appear on screen and the CA had no idea that anything happened. Is this a case of the network director not communicating with the CA? Would the CA's mic have automatically turned on because of the breakdown? Seems a bit of a coincidence otherwise.

They do. BBC2 Scotland has a different programme instead of Newsnight which is then timeshifted, that's hardly not bothering.


It's a good question. The way it used to work - and probably still is the case - that the director faded up the announcer's mixing desk and then the announcer faded up their mic (they'd have a fader for the ident audio too as well as replay devices). Of course as she was recording then the mic would have been faded up on the announcers desk.

As the announcer was recording maybe she was just concentrating on that and didn't notice and for some reason couldn't hear the director I don't know whether the announcers and directors are in adjacent rooms connected by a window nowadays.


The mic wouldn't but maybe the mixer source for the breakdown slide is associated with the announcers booth's audio output?

Shouldn't they redesign that breakdown slide? The windows of the world idents have been axed in favour of the resurrected 90s pres, so Wave shouldn't really be used on it any more.

Just point out The windows of the world idents have not been axed. just pushed aside. Mind you the rest of the package is still in full force like promos/.