Re: Techinical Problems at WCSH

["Joseph Pappalardo" <joepappalardo2001@yahoo.com>]

From: "Dan Billings" <billings@suscom-maine.net>

> When NBC's live coverage ended at 6:00 PM tonight, WCSH went to a black
> screen with no sound for over two minutes.  Then a station ID screen was
put
> up an that was all that was broadcast for another 9 minutes.  At about
6:12,
> they cut into the local news which was in progress.

Since this was their LOCAL news...you would think the would simply "begin"
when they got on the air...as opposed to joining 'in progress'.  Doesn't
take much to get word to the newsroom that we are having tech difficulties
and the begining of the news should be delayed.

If they began their news at :09...they probably missed the top stories.

I've seen the anchors on 4 & 5 refer to things like that.  (I remember
Natalie Jacobsen anchoring and making reference to the lightening that was
hitting their tower in Needham putting them off the air for 2-3 seconds at a
time throughout the newscast.)

I've also seen instances where a station is in extended network
coverage...the local master control guy seems to get distracted...maybe
walking out of the control room to help with something, some feed or a
machine, etc...and miss the end of the network cues.  Probably not here in
the major markets.  Maybe Sven can shed light and speculate.)


JP