Regionals on TV?

[notaPINKtruck]

Originally Posted by dlavery

The reason is simple - $$$$

Every year, NASA (and every other sponsor) has to make decisions about how to allocate available resources, which are finite. This year we had to decide whether to use some of those resources to provide NASA TV coverage of a regional competition, or to provide financial support for three additional teams via the regional challenge grants. Was that the right choice? It can be argued either way. The three teams that received the grants obviously would think so. But all the teams and communities around the country that might be exposed to FIRST if we were able to broadcast the regional competitions might see it differently. It can be argued that the potential long-term benefit that could come to the entire FIRST program outweighs the potential short-term benefit of three additional teams in the 2008 competition.

We will face the same decision regarding allocation of (limited) resources next year. Should we make the same prioritization that we did this year? We would be interested in hearing any (constructive) comments and input.

-dave

.

I know this is sort of a non-answer to the question allocating a finite resource, but I think the solution is that NASA needs to give more money to FIRST...and Congress needs to give NASA more money in general.

Not that I'm biased or anything...

That being said, since broadcast time is so expensive relative to bits, I think more focus should be put on improving the scope and quality of the already existing webcast system. If we could get every competition webcast in high resolution, we would provide a mechanism through which FIRST teams around the country could participate in the action throughout the season, rather than just at their competition. Imagine a FIRSTtv internet broadcast system that ran during competition season each year.

What's more, if local teams could convince local public TV or cable access to air the competitions, a high quality webcast would be sufficient for porting to broadcast (the current artifacted 320x240 just wouldn't cut it, but smooth 640x480 would be fine for OTA or cable).

Just my $0.02.

[FRANK(WGH)]

I've been thinking about regionals on TV for a couple of days and I think I've come up with a model for TV stations to grab a hold of. Being that I'm a telecommunications student at Youngstown State University, I know a little about the subject and I know what we would have to do to get FIRST on TV Live. Problem is, you're probably not going to get all of what you want.

FIRST regionals are too long and not interesting enough to devote full coverage. I say that because this is 6 about hours of programming each day of competition. A producer would have to come up with content for between matches, and the station would have to devote a whole production crew for these two days to get the job done. That is why most stations wouldn't show the entire competition.

I do believe that we could get partial coverage of a regional. I'm thinking that a production crew could shoot the full event, then edit together the best matches for a production on Saturday. The broadcast would start around 10 or 11 on Saturday morning and then go live once eliminations start.

I think that many more stations would grab a hold of that idea.

Discovery Canada did a great job with GTR last year and I think it was great that they did the entire weekend. I would love to see more stations do that, but perhaps we should start them off with a simple alternative to get them interested.

Unfortunately, I'm a little to late for this to happen this year, but I'm hoping to get Fox Sports Ohio or SportsTime Ohio to shoot buckeye next year.

Webcasts are a really great thing and I think that more teams could take over this responsibility in the future. CIA team 291 did in Pittsburgh and it turned out great from what I know. It wasn't cheap, but with a few sponsors on a wrapper page, this is definitely possible.

[Pavan Dave]

Originally Posted by FRANK(WGH)

FIRST regionals are too long and not interesting enough to devote full coverage. I say that because this is 6 about hours of programming each day of competition. A producer would have to come up with content for between matches, and the station would have to devote a whole production crew for these two days to get the job done. That is why most stations wouldn't show the entire competition..

Sorry for the profanity but how about mentioning the "C" word? Commercials? With a FORD or GM commercial between the matches and livelier emcees maybe we could swing some votes over?

[ZakuAce]

The Wisconsin Regional was covered locally by Channels 6 and 12 that I know of. Apparently, I was in both of the short stories they did (One was the Friday morning driver meeting and one was our robot in action!). It certainly is a start, and I bet it was 1714's letter to the mayor that helped get us up there.

[jacob07]

Originally Posted by Pavan Dave

Sorry for the profanity but how about mentioning the "C" word? Commercials? With a FORD or GM commercial between the matches and livelier emcees maybe we could swing some votes over?

Don't know if you have been to any Michigan regionals but Dave is a pretty "lively" EMCee

[George A.]

Originally Posted by Pavan Dave

Sorry for the profanity but how about mentioning the "C" word? Commercials? With a FORD or GM commercial between the matches and livelier emcees maybe we could swing some votes over?

Yeah I don't know how much more lively you can get than Dave standing on his head, Mark Leon flipping through the air, or Blair riding around on Rollerblades.

But some sponsors might take on to getting air time. GM and Ford probably would like to get their name out there more (though they don't need it.)

[Steve W]

I have been talking with Discovery Channel for the GTR. I believe that they may try and do a high def feed. I have gotten them a second DSL so we shall see.

[Nawaid Ladak]

Here is my solution

don't just do one regional, FIRST im pretty sure RECORDS these regionals and has private channels to veiw these stations through a secure network. It just doesn't seem like FIRST would just do the same video setup/layout for every regional and championship divisions.

so here is what i suggest. do something like NASA TV does for Championships. Switch from Division to Division (or Regional to Regional) to broadcast all the action. for the most intriging matches/important

last year at championships, i was up friday night looking at the scedule for all 4 divisions, i had the media badge for my team and i went through each divisions saturday scedule and i picked matches taht were going to be worth wathing. then i picked which alliance selection would be the most intresting, same witht he playoffs once i knew all the alliances, and i stayed there... it was the best idea i had come up with that whole week regaurding matches... my team was no where near getting picked...

i think this would be the BEST idea for Friday and Saturday.... but a better idea would be by putting on limited airtime and broadcasting the local regionals across a national spectrum from 1pm-4:30pm on saturday showing important highlights for each team in the elimination matches. regional sponcers a buy ad spaces across teh regional covrage....

just my $0.02

[Ryan Dognaux]

Originally Posted by Steve W

Discovery Channel in Canada is an official sponsor. They play clips from FRC all year. It is amazing that when I talk about FIRST now that many people speak up and remember the ads. It makes it a lot easier to make connections since Discovery Channel came on board.

I wonder how hard it would be to get the U.S. Discover Channel on board? Don't get me wrong, I love watching re-runs of Mythbusters and It Takes a Thief, but it seems to me they could actually use something like this to liven up their rerun ridden programming. I think the world can live a few days without seeing hours of How It's Made. And maybe since there's already an 'in' with Discover Channel Canada, perhaps someone could contact the U.S. channel and show them how successful this has been.

[Steve W]

Discovery Channel is an official sponsor of the GTR. They do a complete beginning to end WEBCAST of our event. Unfortunately it has not made public TV. Small steps I say. Discovery Channel does put many spots for advertising FIRST on the TV which really makes an impact. I can't tell you how many people say that they saw the ads when I mention FIRST. It is a slow process but it is making inroads.

[dlavery]

Originally Posted by Nawaid Ladak

Don't just do one regional, FIRST im pretty sure RECORDS these regionals and has private channels to veiw these stations through a secure network. It just doesn't seem like FIRST would just do the same video setup/layout for every regional and championship divisions.

I am afraid you are giving FIRST credit for possessing more resources than they actually have. They do not have a secure television network with private channels at their disposal. They do indeed move the video/audio equipment that you see from event to event, and use it just for the video production at the events. In those cases where a third party has agreed to provide broadcast of the competition video (such as when then events are covered on NASA TV), then they are able to just tap into the line that goes to the "big screen" and use that for their source feed. But the big screen video gets produced the same way, whether the event is being broadcast or not.

-dave

[Ellery]

The Only way the FLR had Time Warner braodcast it the last year for the first time was due to the efforts of a few mentors from 1450 and RIT to match funding of the broadcast so $$$ is still a factor. I'm not sure what the deal was this year but it's broadcast ont he educational Channel 4 and not necessarily a main broadcast channel. Either way it's still better than nothing and gets alot of people to see it if they could not make it, especially this year through the snow.

[DonRotolo]

As for opinions: NASA does enough as far as TV coverage.

For getting new folks interested, the Championship brodacast is sufficient. Once that's being done, I think additional resources being used for x additional teams gets FIRST and NASA more bang for the buck

Having the Kickoff sent via NASA TV is actually far more valuable, since the alteratives aren't as good or easy, and it's a critical need to have "all" teams view the Kickoff live.

Should NASA devote even more resources to FIRST? Perhaps, but we all need to remember that NASA depends on the whims of Congress and has a hard time with some long-term planning because of the vagaries of funding. If everyone involved in FIRST in the USA was to write to their congressperson and express their desire to see greater funding for NASA, believe me FIRST would also benefit.

Originally Posted by George A.

Yeah I don't know how much more lively you can get than Dave standing on his head, Mark Leon flipping through the air, or Blair riding around on Rollerblades.

Well, seeing Dave fly would be more lively, but I know he doesn't like to show off in public

Don

Start by promoting FIRST to all of you're local and regional media, assignment editors, news directors, newspapers and radio stations and in press releases and information make it very clear what they will see and hear, I am just a camera guy in the news media in Toronto and I can tell you that it is one hell of a selling job to get them interested in "anything" these days.

so what? when? why? visuals and sound? and story angles!!! you all know why FIRST is important and all about it now put that to you're local and regional media in context with a local issue, perhaps cuts to education or school funding are in the news? crime involving young people are in the news? this is a great counter balance to those stories, hit them with press releases ahead of time and a day before the regionals/events and hit them the day of the events and don't get you're hopes up....I go home dissapointed 9 out of 10 days because no matter what story idea I come up with...it usually gets shot down and all you can do is keep trying.

Originally Posted by notaPINKtruck

I know this is sort of a non-answer to the question allocating a finite resource, but I think the solution is that NASA needs to give more money to FIRST...and Congress needs to give NASA more money in general.

Not that I'm biased or anything...

That being said, since broadcast time is so expensive relative to bits, I think more focus should be put on improving the scope and quality of the already existing webcast system. If we could get every competition webcast in high resolution, we would provide a mechanism through which FIRST teams around the country could participate in the action throughout the season, rather than just at their competition. Imagine a FIRSTtv internet broadcast system that ran during competition season each year.

What's more, if local teams could convince local public TV or cable access to air the competitions, a high quality webcast would be sufficient for porting to broadcast (the current artifacted 320x240 just wouldn't cut it, but smooth 640x480 would be fine for OTA or cable).

Just my $0.02.

up here in Ontario we have Rogers cable 10 community cable.....and I am not sure what you have down there but I wonder why community cable isn't covering FIRST live all the time here, it sure would be alot more entertaining and interesting than what they normally have on TV.

Originally Posted by Pavan Dave

Sorry for the profanity but how about mentioning the "C" word? Commercials? With a FORD or GM commercial between the matches and livelier emcees maybe we could swing some votes over?