ITV1 Nightscreen

What the hell is this for in this post-analogue age?

It used to be a selection of teletext pages, but now it's just two hours of
a three minute loop of random news and sport and programme info - about one
topic of each.

Do they really need to fill space so badly?

--
Max Demian

On 19/06/2012 18:04, Max Demian wrote:
What the hell is this for in this post-analogue age?

It used to be a selection of teletext pages, but now it's just two hours of
a three minute loop of random news and sport and programme info - about one
topic of each.

Do they really need to fill space so badly?



as a teenager itv at night had some of my favourite shows - lots of
music ones, comedy, american imports like the us top 10 with casey casem
- it was great.
sad that it's all gone.

--
Gareth.
That fly.... Is your magic wand.

On Tuesday, June 19th, 2012 18:04:07 +0100, Max Demian wrote:

Do they really need to fill space so badly?

With what do you expect them to fill the "space"?

The accountants at ITV plc will have done a very careful
cost analysis and will have figures to shew that Nightscreen
is the most cost effective solution (ie maximizes profit)
because of the lack of advertisers for that time slot.

No doubt there is some silly nanny state OfCon regulation preventing
them from shewing continuous teleshopping from midnight to 05:00h,
which as we all know is the viewers [accountants?] preferred
nightime programming content.

When the Right Honorable Jeremy Hunt abolishes the program
regulatory aspects of OfCon and transfers them to his personal
control, all will be put right no doubt.

You know it makes sense and a good reason to support your
local Conservative & Unionist Party because they have the
best interest of the commercial broadcasters at heart.

"J G Miller" wrote in message
...
On Tuesday, June 19th, 2012 18:04:07 +0100, Max Demian wrote:

Do they really need to fill space so badly?

With what do you expect them to fill the "space"?

A test card. Or just turn the transmitters off like they used to do. Think
of all that wasted energy.

--
Max Demian

On Tuesday, June 19th, 2012, at 21:29:27h +0100, Max Demian wrote:

A test card.

A test card does not promote the shows. Remember brand
awareness and promoting the schedule are all important.

Showing a test card would be just as expensive as showing
the loop.

Or just turn the transmitters off like they used to do.

If they turned off the transmitter, it would not be just
ITV-1 that would disappear but all the other stations
on the multiplex. Channel 4 corporation and Channel 5
would soon have the lawyers on the case ...

Think of all that wasted energy.

Think of all the income that Arqiva would lose.

Will not somebody think of the stockholders, especially
Canada Pension Plan and McQarrie Bank?

If you really wanted to save energy, just switch off
the terrestrial transmitter network completely
and have everybody on cable, IPTV, or satellite reception.

Now that is far, far, far more energy efficient --
and even less distribution costs (think of all the
links to the main transmitter sites that are using
power).

Max Demian wrote:
"J G Miller" wrote in message
...
On Tuesday, June 19th, 2012 18:04:07 +0100, Max Demian wrote:

Do they really need to fill space so badly?
With what do you expect them to fill the "space"?

A test card. Or just turn the transmitters off like they used to do.

I don't think C4, C5, or the Gay Rabbit would be very happy if they did that ?


--
Mark
Please replace invalid and invalid with gmx and net to reply.

www.paras.org.uk

"J G Miller" wrote in message
...
On Tuesday, June 19th, 2012, at 21:29:27h +0100, Max Demian wrote:

A test card.

A test card does not promote the shows. Remember brand
awareness and promoting the schedule are all important.

Showing a test card would be just as expensive as showing
the loop.

Less stupid though.

--
Max Demian

Well who knows, bringback the test card.

Brian

--
--
From the sofa of Brian Gaff -

Blind user, so no pictures please!
"Max Demian" wrote in message
...
What the hell is this for in this post-analogue age?

It used to be a selection of teletext pages, but now it's just two hours
of a three minute loop of random news and sport and programme info - about
one topic of each.

Do they really need to fill space so badly?

--
Max Demian

Mark Carver wrote:


A test card. Or just turn the transmitters off like they used to do.

I don't think C4, C5, or the Gay Rabbit would be very happy if they did
that ?


To expand on that, what actually happens with digital is that several
consumer level channels share a common radio channel (mutliplex). When
a consumer level channel closes down overnight, other consumer channels
turn on, so that the radio channel remains as fully occupied as the
multiplex operator can manage. The sort of channel that uses the
overnight capacity tends to be the sort that ITV's marketing department
probably doesn't want to be associated with.

The ITV1 transmissions are on a public service multiplex, and there may
be some pressure for those not to be filled with the normal overnight
fare, so they have capacity that they cannot otherwise use, but will
still consume transmitter power.

The other use of overnight capacity is for encrypted channels intended
for custom PVRs. I haven't checked whether these appear on public
service multiplexes, but I suspect they may want to restrict themselves
to free to view content.

Incidentally, whilst I'm surprised that ITV's marketing people want to
be associated with even tele-shopping, tele-shopping channel marketing
psychology is based on impulse buying and instilling a fear that the
item will get sold out, so I can't imagine teleshopping channels really
want to go out in the dead of the night, when very few people can watch
in real time.

On Tue, 19 Jun 2012 23:54:10 +0100, Max Demian wrote:

Less stupid though.

In the pursuit of profits above all else, "common sense" is often
jettisoned at an early stage.