So many channels but no in-vision continuity

I've always thought it a bit odd that these channels had in-vision continuity or studio presentation in the days when fewer people could watch them, but now that a lot more people have access to them none of them choose to do anything different than the announcer-over-an-ident approach.

It's probably cheaper for a disembodied voice to introduce things than it is to set up a locked off camera in a studio, light it, set it up and then vision mix to and from it. Realistically if it was more expensive to do it the other way round that's what would have happened I'd have thought. Many of the smaller channels only have a budget that's equivalent to a week or so on the bigger networks so having in-vision continuity is probably not a good use of resources..

Even if the CA is pre-recorded, some of them aren't even programme specific. I've heard links on 5Star akin to "Now here's a show that'll get you laughing." If you have no choice but to spend so little, it's a shame you can't implement it into the ident like Sky did back in the 90s and still make it feel grand and authoritative.

Those type of generic links are incredibly handy, especially if you've been given a massive schedule change and recorded links that have had to be dumped. Pre-recorded continuity is recorded 2 weeks in advance typically, if the schedule change is given before the announcer comes into to record their links, then we can catch it. If not, drop completely or switch to a generic link. But it's not just the voice, it's also a case of pulling the graphic, some broadcasters have an automated system that adjusts to the schedule change, others the menu/pointers/IPPs are written manually in a template and would have to go through them to change or if time is too tight, drop them.


Indeed, especially when they have to record 30-50 links, because of half hour programmes, generics cut down the time.

Of course the problem with programme specific links is that they'll inevitably get attached to the wrong programmes, so it's probably easier just to use generic announcements; if they end up in the wrong places its no big deal. But that being said it does tend to get repetitive but it often means one person can provide days worth of continuity in an hour or two without them needing to be omnipresent to do it all live for little added benefit.

Dave did flirt with pre-recorded IVC for its Saturday morning strand a couple of years ago, which were more sketches that subtly parodied the broom cupboard, with Jake Yapp.