A question that popped to mind as I was waiting to see what the BBC would do about tonights Number 10 statement while the footy overruns
A few years back they could of just made call to switch it to a red button feed, but I've noticed the whole red button thing has dropped off use at Sky and BBC. Is there a reason for that (like the ways people watch TV ie iPlayer)?
The BBC still has a red button service, but it's normally only one feed (they often add extra feeds for major sporting events such as Wimbledon and the Olympics).
As well as being accessible via the red button, it's also a standalone channel with an EPG slot.
I believe the only other broadcasters which still use a red button service are BT Sport and Sky Sports.
There were two major changes to the 'old school' BBC Red Button services. One was the BBC reducing it's spending on satellite capacity to run multi-screen and multi-stream services, the other was the Red Button effectively losing a separate commissioning budget to fund production specifically for Red Button services.
So - fewer outlets via linear broadcast delivery methods (satellite and cable specifically) and far less original content production for these services.
The red button was really an invention before the rise of the internet. Today most of us have laptops, phones and PCs so the red button is not needed really anymore. There were plans to close it down, but I think it got a reprieve, but with a huge slash in its annual budget.
There were two major changes to the 'old school' BBC Red Button services. One was the BBC reducing it's spending on satellite capacity to run multi-screen and multi-stream services, the other was the Red Button effectively losing a separate commissioning budget to fund production specifically for Red Button services.
So - fewer outlets via linear broadcast delivery methods (satellite and cable specifically) and far less original content production for these services.
Ahh that explains it, just one of the reasons I used to like sky news was you had a bunch of options if you wanted to catch stories, and the red button was often used for neat things like comedy football commentary or the radio 5 option instead. Good to know it's still there, just had noticed the notices for red button has mostly gone these days so you don't tend to know it's there still.
I know there's the internet but just seemed the sort of situation today where a few years ago that would of fixed the scheduling issue quite easily.
No need for it in the context of tonight as they had a 2 button service.
Focus has now switched to the connected service for multiple feeds, and considering the popularity of the iPlayer that must have pretty widespread coverage now.
Red button services were also initially linked to interactive TV, which never really took off.
The BBC's red button service was originally part of BBCi, which included the text service, website, and the only remnant of this service bearing the name, BBC iPlayer.
Sky also had an interactive service (hence the interactive button on Sky plus remotes), which effectively doesn't exist anymore (it's just used for account support services now), but was quite a big service upon launch, which included things like TV Banking. I was with HSBC at the time, and remember their TV banking service.
The Press Red prompt which appears during BBC news programming still annoys me. Surely if the news is on, that's the one time I don't need to press red to find out what the news is.
(And before anyone points it out, yes, I know you can remove it - it's still annoying though.)
The Press Red prompt which appears during BBC news programming still annoys me. Surely if the news is on, that's the one time I don't need to press red to find out what the news is.
(And before anyone points it out, yes, I know you can remove it - it's still annoying though.)
You are assuming everyone has started watching the news at the beginning of the bulletin. AIUI one of the main reasons for the press red prompt is to remind viewers that there is a news text service they can check if they have missed the more important stories at the beginning of the bulletin by joining mid-way through. (In days gone by it would also have offered you the news loop made by the news on demand team)