Storm coverage: Why not move shows to later in the evening?

[YCantAngieRead]

So i was wondering about something last night while we missed all of our prime-time shows due to non-stop storm coverage-why don't they move shows later, like they do when there is a sporting event that pre-empts coverage?

[mystmaiden]

good question...I'd also like to know.

[jennifer]

Another reason why DTV needs to let everyone have access to the East/West coast network feeds!

[PeteEMT]

Because most of the Prime-Time shows are Network Orignated, and Network controlled. Your local station basically goes on auto-pilot to rebroadcast them. They generally don't have their own copies.

The Network doesnt know about local pre-emptions for Emergencies generaly.

[rkester]

I missed almost all of Grey's Anat last night due to storms that had passed my area 2 hours before. Angry me was.

[YCantAngieRead]

Because most of the Prime-Time shows are Network Orignated, and Network controlled. Your local station basically goes on auto-pilot to rebroadcast them. They generally don't have their own copies.

The Network doesnt know about local pre-emptions for Emergencies generaly.
So why can they do it for sporting events?

[RGM1138]

So i was wondering about something last night while we missed all of our prime-time shows due to non-stop storm coverage-why don't they move shows later, like they do when there is a sporting event that pre-empts coverage?

In a word, money. Most local affiliates have contracts with the nets that allow them to record the feeds and air them later. However, in some instances, a local station can make more money by running a syndicated show in the later time slots than by airing the network feed.

A brief history, if you will. Back in the day, I worked for a local ABC affiliate. At the time, ABC pretty much covered most of our operating expenses by paying fees for us to air the network shows.

Along comes the 500 channel cable universe, viewership is split, and the nets lowered the fees they pay to local stations. Consequently, the local stations buy or barter syndicated shows and sell the advertising space themselves. And can usually make more than the network fees.

So, it's pretty much a business decision. A
station has to make enough to pay it's anchors, technicians, news staff, electricity bills etc. so it can continue to remain on the air.

Aren't you glad you asked? :)

Bob

[jennifer]

I'm glad you answered :)

[EMoMoney]

The bigger question is why do the locals feel the need to run non-stop coverage of weather events? A scrolling ticker would suffice.

[RGM1138]

The bigger question is why do the locals feel the need to run non-stop coverage of weather events? A scrolling ticker would suffice.

Basically, it's what they do. Stations are trying to satisfy their FCC mandated function "to serve and protect." Sure, you can get by with a crawl. But, you usually get more of a sense of urgency by going live.

Also, because of competition. If your town has several news stations, and God forbid, some disaster occurs, you don't want to be the station that ran a crawl while the others had on air talent disseminating the necessary information.

It's usually the news department's call when to break in, and they always want to err on the side of caution.

Bob

[EMoMoney]

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=291319

Also, because of competition. If your town has several news stations, and God forbid, some disaster occurs, you don't want to be the station that ran a crawl while the others had on air talent disseminating the necessary information.

It's usually the news department's call when to break in, and they always want to err on the side of caution.

Bob
If a disaster strikes then sure, the local should break in live, but I don't need to see an hour or two of the same information. We had one snowfall this year, 18 inches, but I dind't need to watch 2 hours of our local telling me that the snow was still falling.

[cheesesteak]

I'd prefer the local stations to stop their hysterical, Chicken Little-ish storm coverage. It's ok for particularly harmful storms but around here they go batsh*t crazy if there's a forecast for more than two inches of snow.

[RGM1138]

I'd prefer the local stations to stop their hysterical, Chicken Little-ish storm coverage. It's ok for particularly harmful storms but around here they go batsh*t crazy if there's a forecast for more than two inches of snow.

Then write your local station(s) telling them your feelings on the subject. They have to keep all correspondence on file for the FCC license renewals. CC the station manager as well.

After all, it's your publicly owned airways that stations use to broadcast on. Ultimately, it's your call what you see on tv. :)

Bob

[FireMen2003]

, but I dind't need to watch 2 hours of our local telling me that the snow was still falling.
You don't like to see Don & Marty with Ron Matz on Snow Patrol? Blasphemy! :p :o

[RGM1138]

I'm glad you answered :)

Why, thank ya. Thank ya ver much.

:)

Bob

[grant33]

I've always thougt it weird that they report on storms for so long too. Breaking in to let you know it's coming is one thing, but then they just rehash the same info. Besides, if the storm is bad enough then there's a decent chance your power, cable, and/or directv might go out anyway.

[LoadStar]

If there's one thing about HDTV that annoys me, it's when severe weather rolls through. The local stations - all of them - drop down to SD.

One station then squeezes the SD picture even further to fit a full-height banner for the weather team ("Late Breaking WeatherWatch"), of which the only real useful bit of info is the lower corner that shows a map with the watch/warning indicated.

Another station doesn't squeeze, they shrink... they move the picture up to the upper right hand corner of the screen, then put a full height AND a full WIDTH banner beside and below the picture.

By the time you're done, you end up with only about half of a widescreen TV being actually used for programming, and the picture is either postage-stamp sized, or they look like you're watching it through a fun-house mirror.

Why can't they just finally figure out a way to do graphics over the HD image? I mean, I've got extra screen real estate at this point... use it!

[Dssturbo1]

So why can they do it for sporting events?
yup, comes down to planning and weather emergencies aren't planned.

our local cbs prempted and showed basketball last thursday instead of Survivor and CSI. But luckily the hd tivo picked up on them airing them at 1:30- 3:30 am.

it only could have picked that up if they had planned for it, sent that info to the tivo guide department (directv, zap2it, tribune media services), so they could update corectly and make sure changes were in the tivo guide for that particular channel listing. When a weather emergency preempts, they certainly could reshow later but unless it is channged in the tivo guide or they let you know onscreen while your watching then your not gonna record or get to watch it anyway.

[RGM1138]

If there's one thing about HDTV that annoys me, it's when severe weather rolls through. The local stations - all of them - drop down to SD.

Why can't they just finally figure out a way to do graphics over the HD image? I mean, I've got extra screen real estate at this point... use it!

But, you have to remember, most people are still getting by with SD receivers, especially in the smaller markets. So, particularly in instances of severe weather, they still have to consider that there are people living in a mobile home with maybe one 13 inch Emerson tv that has a 10 per cent overscan. You have to accommodate that demographic as well.

That's why you'll often see a POS 15 year old tv sitting somewhere in most engineering departments, so they know all the important info can be seen.

They don't do it just to piss you off.

Bob

[LoadStar]

But, you have to remember, most people are still getting by with SD receivers, especially in the smaller markets. So, particularly in instances of severe weather, they still have to consider that there are people living in a mobile home with maybe one 13 inch Emerson tv that has a 10 per cent overscan. You have to accommodate that demographic as well.

That's why you'll often see a POS 15 year old tv sitting somewhere in most engineering departments, so they know all the important info can be seen.

They don't do it just to piss you off.

Bob

I don't have a problem with that.... for the SD broadcast.

What I'm asking is: why can't they get a seperate system for the HD broadcast path, capable of using the extra screen real estate that 16:9 format provides... then link them both back to the same backend data source?

I mean, they can't even manage to overlay graphics for the nightly lotto numbers without dropping down to 4:3 and SD picture. :(

[timr_42]

Because most of the Prime-Time shows are Network Orignated, and Network controlled. Your local station basically goes on auto-pilot to rebroadcast them. They generally don't have their own copies.

The Network doesnt know about local pre-emptions for Emergencies generaly.


One time, I don't remember when, we had a local storm break in right before the final vote count on Survivor. The first thing out of the reporters mouth was "don't worry, we are recording the show and will return at the point we broke in". It was the first time I can remember a channel doing that.

I guess they would have been firebombed if they didn't. It was very early in Survivor when it was very popluar, maybe second season.

[RGM1138]

I don't have a problem with that.... for the SD broadcast.

What I'm asking is: why can't they get a separate system for the HD broadcast path, capable of using the extra screen real estate that 16:9 format provides... then link them both back to the same backend data source?

I mean, they can't even manage to overlay graphics for the nightly lotto numbers without dropping down to 4:3 and SD picture. :(

Well, that's a question for your local station(s).

But, basically local affiliates are in a transition stage. They're having to gear up for a government mandated switch over to digital, but at the same time, still have to maintain an analog signal for the majority of users that don't have HD yet.

Most stations don't have local HD facilities yet. The analog and digital signals have to go through separate routes, including video switchers, graphics generators and transmitters. The cost to run both outputs simultaneously can run into the millions. And, since a total change over to full digital is right around the corner, I wouldn't expect to see the smaller markets even bother making that kind of short term commitment.

I'm currently in Atlanta, and only one of the local stations has origination in HD. The rest just pass the network HD feed, then drop back to NTSC for local programming. And this is a top ten market with millions of viewers.

So. if you're not in NY or LA, it could be a while before you get full time ATSC service. Depending on when the change over actually occurs.

Bob

[vertigo235]

I've never understood why these news updates can't at least wait till a commercial.

Honestly, how is knowing the weather going to alter what I'm doing? It's not like I can outrun a storm, it's not like I'm going to do anything different if I knew about it... I'm watching TV, and that's what I'd be doing if there was a servere storm!

[Hersheytx]

Its the first time I would consider VOD for Directv a real option. Being able to pay for that show you missed because of a storm would be worth 3.99.
Heck if it was without commercials I might even be more happy I missed it.
I just hope that the shows I want will be on the VOD system.
I think this is also the main reason I do not want to go to Mpeg 4. I get the east coast NY feeds and my locals. I like it a lot. (Grandfathered ) Plus I get the HD feeds too. It makes a big difference when the weather guys in Dallas look like they are on some crack high spouting out TAKE COVER stuff. LOL