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Why does BBC News have a countdown but not Sky News
Patent Pending
06-01-2017
BBC News has that countdown footage that acts as padding at the top of the hour which I guess means they don't need to be so precise with the timing of the weather or whatever else precedes the hour.

But Sky doesn't do it, even though they've got fixed ads which doesn't give them much leeway. How does Sky manage the exact timing each hour but BBC doesn't.
beemoh
06-01-2017
Sky's ads might not be as fixed as you think- they can probably shed (or add, or change) a trailer for a Sky show if a break winds up too long or short.

Or maybe they're just more disciplined than News 24 and actually are managing to come in on the hour.
Zeropoint1
06-01-2017
I'm pretty sure that Sky News crash in and out of trailers all the time, especially at the bottom of the hour. I've certainly seen plenty suddenly end which jump into the introduction at xx:59
A.D.P
06-01-2017
Originally Posted by Patent Pending:
“BBC News has that countdown footage that acts as padding at the top of the hour which I guess means they don't need to be so precise with the timing of the weather or whatever else precedes the hour.

But Sky doesn't do it, even though they've got fixed ads which doesn't give them much leeway. How does Sky manage the exact timing each hour but BBC doesn't.”

For things like the BBC1 1pm, 6 pm, 10 pm News, I think it helps sync the broadcasts.

But often there is recorded stuff on the half hour, and then the weather and helps fill the odd bit, if the live news did overrun.before the recorded programme.
d'@ve
06-01-2017
On BBC News Channel, it also gives them the flexibility to easily extend the weather forecast at short notice, in the event of severe or complicated weather conditions. Or shorten it if nothing's happening. Makes sense to me to do it this way.
Zeropoint1
06-01-2017
Actually isn't it quite impressive that both the BBC and Sky manage to be live for 12 and 19 hours respectively with few timing mistakes especially considering the changing nature of a rolling news channel?

You could have the day planned out to the second for days on end and suddenly there's a terrorist attack or major British event throwing the whole schedule in the bin.
Hamlet77
06-01-2017
I always assumed it was because the BBC have to synchronise with BBC 1 or whatever for bulletins at various times during the day, and the fillers helped that.
Steve9214
07-01-2017
Does the BBC news channel go to other countries where the BBC service can take ads or sponsorship ??

This would then give a space for the local providor to insert ads or their sposnors bumpers
Mark C
07-01-2017
Originally Posted by Steve9214:
“Does the BBC news channel go to other countries where the BBC service can take ads or sponsorship ??

This would then give a space for the local providor to insert ads or their sposnors bumpers”

No, that's BBC World that does that (though increasingly BBC World and News Channel share output)
Toxteth O'Grady
07-01-2017
Originally Posted by beemoh:
“Sky's ads might not be as fixed as you think- they can probably shed (or add, or change) a trailer for a Sky show if a break winds up too long or short.”

The ad break leading up to the top of the hour is at a fixed time. If the news gallery don't finish on time they get cut off, unless of course they are rolling with a big story

The other breaks in the hour have rough times when they should go out but the news gallery liase with the TX controller as to when they should go out so the timings are more flexible


As for why Sky mange it but the BBC don't..... well I suppose with no ad break they don't have to - the weather and trails and the countdown give them a flexible out time.

They can work to time and do all the time - they have to hit the out time at the bottom of the hour for World overnights for example
swills
07-01-2017
Longest BBC countdown I have ever seen is 60 seconds ....seemed to go on forever...although it was just a minute !
cody jarrett
07-01-2017
Originally Posted by swills:
“Longest BBC countdown I have ever seen is 60 seconds ....seemed to go on forever...although it was just a minute !”

That used to be the longest but I've seen one that started at 89 seconds.
JAS84
07-01-2017
There's an infinite loop version as well.
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