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BBC One Christmas 2011

Ident revealed (December 2011)

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VM
VMPhil
You know, when the digital switchover is complete, they could always broadcast the clock at 3 seconds out of time so that by the time you are viewing it, it's actually the correct time.
JA
JAS84
The "digital delay" was always a bit of an excuse. The real reason is that the branding people much prefer to use their expensive idents into all shows rather than a time-piece into several slots a day.

I'm sure Lorraine Heggessy - controller of BBC1 at the time the clock was dropped - was on record as saying the clock "slowed down key junctions".
The dancer idents actually had a clock to go with them, which went unused. So dropping it then actually cost them money.
DO
dosxuk
You know, when the digital switchover is complete, they could always broadcast the clock at 3 seconds out of time so that by the time you are viewing it, it's actually the correct time.


Except the delay isn't a fixed three seconds, and differs based on platform and transmission format.
BA
baa
Please, why can't anyone just say "I want the clock back for purely nostalgic purposes"? That it makes for a "sombre" junction to the news is a side benefit.
VM
VMPhil
baa posted:
Please, why can't anyone just say "I want the clock back for purely nostalgic purposes"? That it makes for a "sombre" junction to the news is a side benefit.


Because it actually is a functional part of presentation - it's silent so it's easier to cut to, and it avoids having to have things like this:

http://thetvroom.com/images/pool-d/d-163/main-001-b-147.jpg

Everytime there's a national tragedy the day after you relaunch with a new presentation package that doesn't include a clock. Which, granted, doesn't happen very often, but it still has happened.
JO
Joe
What is wrong with that?
VM
VMPhil
Joe posted:
What is wrong with that?


Frankly, it looks rather weak and not very powerful.
BA
baa
A clock isn't that "powerful" either, it's just a clock.
SP
Steve in Pudsey
You know, when the digital switchover is complete, they could always broadcast the clock at 3 seconds out of time so that by the time you are viewing it, it's actually the correct time.


Different boxes have different delays due to processing and decoding the digital signals. Some do this more quickly than others.
MI
m_in_m
baa posted:
A clock isn't that "powerful" either, it's just a clock.


It may not be powerful but it works into news junctions - regardless of the top stories and ideal when crossing to the newsroom to bring breaking news. Interesting that the time issue isn't seemingly an issue for the BBC News Channel when they count down to the top of the hour.

Also does the BBC News Channel run a second or two ahead of BBC One or is that just a side effect of the transmission process?
MA
Markymark
You know, when the digital switchover is complete, they could always broadcast the clock at 3 seconds out of time so that by the time you are viewing it, it's actually the correct time.


Different boxes have different delays due to processing and decoding the digital signals. Some do this more quickly than others.


Indeed, and satellite latency will differ to DTT's
IS
Inspector Sands
At least one paper has had a story complaining about the number of repeats on TV this Christmas... I didn't think I'd see one here.

How many times over the last 9 years has this been discussed?

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