I think also the tolerance for lower video and technical quality comes from YouTube as well, they have how many millions of "viewers" and we have how few? When we had the propane explosion in Toronto last year most of the video the TV stations used was youtube video and since the police would not allow any acsess for media cameras that home video looked really good!
We have in Toronto area now clsoe to 24 Digital over the air HD channels that you can pick up with an antenna apparently and the quality is way better than what cable and satellite can offer so yes I can see a switch back to over the air and I might do it myself soon.
What I am doing on weekends with wirecast and live severe weather the station loves it yet the quality is not perfect and I still haven't figured out why the video hangs up for a couple of seconds every now and then but they are thrilled with it back at the station.
The hardest part of this adjustment has been getting my head around the fact that it is now ok for each shot not to be perfectly steady and on tripod and perfect white balance etc. Ten years ago every "mistake" would be pointed out to me and now I could hand them a blank tape and never hear anything bad. It's really been a challenge to adjust to the new look of TV news, just have to keep that youtube video in mind.
mark
Quote:
Originally Posted by Al Skierkiewicz
Mark,
This is a real double edged sword. The cable operators won't pay and the broadcasters won't have viewers without cable. Some of the stations here in town estimate at least 70% of their audience is on cable. One has even suggested they may shut down their transmitter and just feed the cables.
Broadcasting on the internet is still going to be a problem with throughput. There just isn't enough bandwidth to handle that much data to that many customers. With the current economy, we are seeing a shift back to over the air. Cable rates have skyrocketed in the past few years with a monthly bill approaching or exceeding $100 US. Many cable providers are trying to add in billables by tacking on internet and phone to the same cable. The lunacy of this is when your cable goes out, so does the phone, the internet and your link with local news.
What might be a possibility is that the transmitter becomes a source of data for your DVR/video server. It just broadcasts a data stream all day which you then select a service from. As drives and solid state storage come down in price, anything is possible. Who would have thought 10 years ago that a terabyte drive would be available for under two hundred dollars. We are retiring video servers that have 18 GB drives because you can't find any new ones.
The multiple jobs by one individual comes in part from the economy and part from our viewers. We have found that viewers have become more tolerant of technical problems, bad video, poor camera work and downright disgusting editing. Since the viewers don't seem to care neither does management. I know it is hard to be good at everything but "I can do that" will get you more jobs than the other guy. It's hard but that is the life we have chosen. When I tell people I normally start at 6AM but am really on call 24/7 they look at me like I am from a different planet. Why would I put up with that kind of work environment? I could wonder about their job in the same way. I can't make everything bright and wonderful but I will continue doing the best I can and making a difference when an opportunity arises.
|