WebProNews

Tag: Broadcasting

  • NHL, GoPro Partner for Live, POV Game Video

    GoPro’s first partnership with a major professional sports league goes to … the NHL.

    The NHL and the NHLPA have just announced they are teaming up with GoPro to strap cameras on players, which will allow for some pretty cool in-game footage from the point of view of the men on the ice.

    “GoPro is the perfect partner for us in our ongoing commitment to bring hockey fans closer to the game,” said Bob Chesterman, NHL Senior Vice President of Programming and Production. “As the preeminent leader in adaptable cameras, only GoPro has the technology to help us and our media partners showcase the beauty and intensity of hockey in new and deeper ways. Our partnership with GoPro will be a big win for both new and lifelong hockey fans.”

    The art of the dangle. Brought to you by @gopro.

    A video posted by NHL (@nhl) on

    You can expect to see the unique angles make their debut tis weekend, during NHL All-Star weekend, where video shot by the player-mounted GoPros will be broadcast live, in-game, and on the NHL and GoPro online channels.

    “This partnership marks a significant first step for GoPro into team sports, made possible because of NHL and NHLPA’s progressive thinking,” said Todd Ballard, Senior Director of Lifestyle Marketing at GoPro. “Together we will push the boundaries of video content production in hockey and provide fans of the sport with unique, immersive perspectives of the game that they’ve never seen before, from players and officials to in-goal and rink side.”

    As you would expect, this partnership includes a huge branding opportunity for GoPro, who will be featured all over the NHL’s broadcasts and social media presence.

  • Vin Scully, Dodgers Announcer, Misses Two Home Games

    Vin Scully’s broadcasting career began with the Dodgers in 1950, a whopping 64 years ago. Over that time, Scully has called perhaps more famous moments in sports than any other announcer in history – three perfect games, 19 no-hitters, 25 World Series and 12 All-Star games.

    Unfortunately, Scully will be out of commission for two Dodgers games due to a chest cold.

    Scully missed the first of his two games yesterday as the Dodgers hosted the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium. And what a game he missed.

    Due to his advanced age and declining health, Scully only calls Dodgers games played in California or neighboring Arizona. Because of his restricted travel, Scully was not able to call the no-hitter Dodgers pitcher Josh Beckett threw on Sunday in Philadelphia.

    On Monday, Scully almost missed out on another gem as starting pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu was perfect through seven innings against the Reds before a double down the foul line in the 8th ruined his chances.

    While some Dodgers fans may have blamed the announcer for the game, Charley Steiner, for jinxing the perfect game by hearkening to Sandy Koufax with only 6 outs to go in the game, Scully would be the first to remind those folks that the announcer has an obligation to keep the fans informed.

    In the summer of 1960, Scully told the LA Times his opinion about the superstition that no one should discuss a no-hitter or perfect game while it is in progress: “It’s insulting the listeners to make them think they’re silly and superstitious enough to believe my telling them that a no-hitter is going will affect the game… You see, no one expects a listener to hang on to every word for three hours. They leave the radio from time to time and this service must be rendered.”

    Perhaps it is that attitude which has allowed Scully to be one of the top sports broadcasters in the nation for so long.

    Earlier this month, Scully was asked when he thought it would be time to call it quits. After all, 65 years is quite a long time to call more than 100 baseball games per year. Scully, being the die-hard fan he is, gave a perfectly fitting response:

    “And my own personal thermometer is goosebumps. When there is a great play, dramatic play, exciting play, if I get goosebumps, I know I still have that honest enthusiasm because you can’t create that otherwise. As long as I get that, I check and say, ‘You’re still in love with it, you still get excited, so enjoy every minute of it.’ And that’s exactly what I am doing.”

    The Dodgers play their second game without Scully at the mic at 10 pm PST tonight against the Cincinnati Reds.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLexiZHy9wI

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • AT&T to Provide Networking Solutions For Winter Olympics

    AT&T today announced that it has signed a deal with NBCUniversal to provide network solutions for broadcasts of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. AT&T’s network will be utilized to stream coverage of the Olympics to the U.S. throughout February.

    One highlight of AT&T’s announcement is that the mobile provider will be helping NBC to stream high-definition coverage of the Olympics to a variety of devices, including smartphones, tablets, and PCs. Fans will be able to access these streams during the games to keep up with each day’s action as it happens.

    “When people watch the Olympic Games, they increasingly do so from multiple screens – a smartphone, tablet, computer, and the traditional television screen,” said Robert Kiraly, director of Broadcast and Telecommunications Operations at NBC Olympics. “AT&T supports the networking services we need to ensure our viewers will have the best experience possible, no matter their screen preference.”

    AT&T did not state in its announcement whether Olympics coverage would be part of the carrier’s new Sponsored Data program. The new revenue plan, which was outlined last week, would see content providers paying AT&T for the bandwith its customers use. The plan has raised concerns from open internet advocates, who see it as an attempt by AT&T to charge more for data already flowing over its network while gaining a measure of control over how its subscribers use their expensive capped data plans.

  • Dan Dierdorf to Retire From NFL After 2013 Season

    Dan Dierdorf, who was born in Canton, Ohio, has been an NFL broadcaster since 1984 (making him the longest running announcer for the NFL); however, this is unfortunately about to change. CBS announced on Wednesday that Dierdorf will retire at the end of the 2013 season. It is difficult to imagine NFL coverage without the familiar face, but Dierdorf explained his reasons for exiting to SI.com (Sports Illustrated) through a telephone interview.

    “The reality is, from a physical standpoint, it’s too much for me, especially the travel. I have two artificial knees, two artificial hips, nerve damage in my legs, and it’s a struggle for me to walk. That’s the reality of it. Ask anyone who has seen me go through a press box,” Dierdorf said.

    Dan Dierdorf had an impressive career prior to his time as a broadcaster. From 1971 until 1983, he played for the St. Louis Cardinals. After his successful tenure on the field, his talents were recognized in 1996 when he was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

    The commentator known for his poised, tough exterior is not leaving the business due to backlash from multiple media and social networking sites, however acutely aware of the criticism he may be. “I am well aware of being criticized in the sense that I have grown kids and they tell me they see this on Twitter or that. I am relatively unfazed by that. I don’t go on message boards and I don’t have a Twitter account. I understand how it works. Very few people take the time to go on there to say how much they like someone,” Dierdorf explains.

    This is not to say that the harsh critiques thrown at Dierdorf have never affected him, but rather his present maturity means that he is no longer influenced by petty, discouraging remarks. “Fifteen or 20 years ago it would have bothered me. Like anyone else, whenever you saw something critical, it hurt your feelings a little bit. But when you have been doing it as long as I have and been on the firing range as long as I have, I have reached a point where I am pretty much unfazed by it,” he said.

    (image)

    According to CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus, “For 43 NFL seasons Dan Dierdorf has been a consummate professional both on the field and in the broadcast booth. Very few people in any profession can boast a Hall of Fame playing career and Hall of Fame broadcasting career.”

    The opportunity to play for the NFL and then reverse gears and broadcast is a unique privilege, and Dierdorf recognizes this. “I have been blessed to spend my entire life in the game I love. I had an opportunity to go from the field directly to the broadcast booth where I have had the privilege of working with the giants of our business,” he said.

    [Images Via YouTube]

  • Dick Clark Foundation Donates $5 Million For Syracuse Studio

    Syracuse University announced this week that the Kari and Dick Clark Foundation has donated $5 million toward the $18 million renovation of studio facilities at the university’s Newhouse School. The renovated studio will be renamed after Dick Clark, the famed radio and American Bandstand host who died last year of a heart attack.

    “Syracuse was always important to Dick and very close to his heart throughout his life,” said Kari Clark. “It will mean so much to see his name attached to a school and a studio facility that will literally launch a thousand careers in this business. This is just a continuation of what he did with Bandstand – gave youth a stage, then got out of the way.”

    Clark attended Syracuse in the 40s and 50s, graduating with a degree in advertising. Starting in the 80s, Clark organized yearly trips to Los Angeles for Newhouse School students, helping many of them secure jobs in broadcasting.

    “His door was always open to us,” said Larry Martin, Syracuse’s VP of program development. “I first contacted him in the 1980s – he was a giant in the entertainment industry – and he responded right away, very enthusiastic about meeting the students.”

    In addition to the Newhouse School donation, the Kari and Dick Clark Foundation has also donated $1 million to Clark’s Syracuse fraternity, Delta Kappa Epsilon, for need-based scholarships.

    (Image courtesy Syracuse University)

  • Keith Olbermann to Host MLB Show on Cable

    Turner Broadcasting today announced that veteran news anchor Keith Olbermann will be hosting postseason Major League Baseball (MLB) coverage on TBS later this year. Olbermann will host the cable TV station’s studio show along with MLB hall-of-famer Dennis Eckersley. In addition, hall-of-famer Cal Ripken, Jr. will be joining Ron Darling and Ernie Johnson as TBS’ postseason MLB commentators.

    Olbermann began his broadcasting career as a sports broadcaster, reporting for radio stations before joining CNN in 1981. In 1992 he joined ESPN as a SportsCenter anchor. While never truly giving up sports broadcasting, in 2003 Olbermann became the host of MSNBC primetime show Countdown with Keith Olbermann, where he gained fame for his outspoken criticism of George W. Bush’s presidency.

    Olbermann has celebrated his return to Turner Broadcasting (CNN is part of the Turner Broadcasting System) by changing his Twitter picture to an old photo of himself reporting for CNN. He also thanked his fans with a self-pic in front of the TimeWarner building:

    Keith Olbermann on CNN

  • Are ISPs “Broadcasters”? Canada Will Find Out.

    In Canada, the regulatory agency charged with overseeing broadcast distributors, Internet service providers,and telephone services is the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission – the CRTC. You might think of them as the Canuck FCC.

    The CRTC has been seeking to redefine Internet Service Providers in Canada as “broadcasters”. They lost lower court battles to do so. Lost appeals court battles to do so. Now, they have their day in Canada’s Supreme Court.

    What is this aboot?

    If ISPs are defined as broadcasters, they will have to contribute to the creation of Canadaian programming, the way other broadcasters (television, radio) do. Some of their oversight comes in the form of regulation (rates, etc), which they do in the case of broadcasters. Some simply as monitoring the sector, such as ISPs. They want that to change, apparently so they can collect fees from the ISPs.

    Back in July of 2010, the Federal Court of Appeal in Canada sided with the ISPs:

    “Because ISPs’ sole involvement is to provide the mode of transmission, they have no control or input over the content made available to internet users by content producers and as a result, they are unable to take any steps to promote the policy described in the Broadcasting Act or its supporting provisions,” said the decision. “Only those who ‘transmit’ the ‘program’ can contribute to the policy objectives.”

    Of course, CRTC is pursuing this to the highest levels, so today it goes before the big wigs. We’ll see where they come down.

  • An “All Simpsons” Television Station?

    Would you welcome an “all The Simpsons, all the time” channel into your life? Whatever your reaction, it may be time to make room for such a venture, provided the guys at Fox can demonstrate how much extra revenue such a creation could generate.

    Because The Simpsons is the longest-running scripted sitcom, animated or otherwise, of all time, the possesses an huge library of content, and apparently, the desire of the Fox suits goes beyond simple syndication. Instead, when discussing ways to further monetize The Simpsons and its content, the idea of an “All Simpsons” channel began to take shape.

    Over at SlashFilm.com (via Slice of SciFi), the details of such a venture were discussed by Fox COO Chase Carey at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Media Communications & Entertainment Conference (and that’s a mouthful), and while the idea is definitely in the gestation stage, there does appear to be some interest. Obviously, Fox’s interest comes from making more money off of their Simpsons content, and considering the show’s popularity, the idea should be at least intriguing for consumers, provided they want nothing but Homer choking Bart playing on their television screens on a continual loop.

    Of course, The Simpsons are much more than that, which is obvious by the amount of years it has been on the air. For those who may be unaware, when the Fall season kicks off on Fox, The Simpsons will be entering their 23rd year of original content.

    Like SlashFilm points out, apparently, there’s only so much money to be made off of syndication, DVD sales and Simpsons-related collectibles, and so, the idea for such an “all Simpsons” channel, especially when you have 22-plus years of content, does make sense, especially if there’s a demand for advertising slots. SlashFilm continues:

    If this does happen, however, it wouldn’t be for several years. First of all, the show is still on the air for Fox and doing well. Plus, it’s wrapped up in long term syndication deals. Fox would have to let all the show’s current contracts expire before they could go ahead and program an entire channel without huge legal ramifications.

    Which means, if the Simpsons channel did happen, all those syndicated showings would cease to exist. This indicates the syndication revenue is not as lucrative as Fox expected, or it means Fox realizes it could make more off of cable subscriptions and advertising on a channel dedicated to showing nothing but The Simpsons.

    With that in mind, is an “all Simpsons” channel something you would support, or is this just overkill by a company trying to ring every last dollar they can out of Homie and the gang? With all of this in mind, this seems like a perfect place to revisit the intro Banksy made for The Simpsons.


    The idea of an “all Simpsons” channel makes Banksy’s idea hit a little closer to home.

  • Glenn Beck Launches GBTV, a Subscription Internet Network

    Glenn Beck Launches GBTV, a Subscription Internet Network

    The Glenn Beck Show is moving to the internet. Not just his primetime program, but his radio program and other original content will all be found on GBTV, officially announced today on his website.

    Glenn Beck had been a breakout star for the Fox News Channel, maintaining the third highest rated show on all of cable news. Rumors of tensions between Beck and Fox began to circulate and in April he announced that he would be ending The Glenn Beck Show on Fox. Though still popular, his ratings have taken a plunge and the show has been hit with advertiser boycotts due to its controversial nature. Many say that he was edged out due to these reasons. Others contend that Beck wanted a way out of what he felt was a restrictive media machine.

    Today, Beck announced his official move to the web with the launch of GBTV. Glenn Beck TV will be a paid service, costing regular members $4.95 a month or $49.95 a year and plus members $9.95 a month or $99.95 a year.

    The big deal about GBTV is that it will house his live show, which looks to be the carryover of his Fox News Show. The two-hour show will air weekdays from 5 to 7 pm starting September 12th. All content will be in HD and available on the iPhone, iPad, and Roku.

    If users pay more for the plus subscription, they will get access to the video broadcast of Beck’s 3-hour radio program airing from 9 am to 12 pm, “exclusive documentaries” and other features like access to “The 4th Hour,” a continuation of the radio program with special guests and call-in segments.

    Glenn Beck’s media company Mercury Radio Arts has already been providing this type of content on the internet. Mercury Radio Arts runs theblaze.com, a conservative news blog. In March of 2010, they announced “Insider Extreme,” a subscription service that granted access to the video broadcast of Beck’s radio program as well as the “exclusive documentaries.” They report that 80,000 people are currently singed up for this service. It looks like GBTV is an expansion on this, merging all of that content into the plus version of its subscription – thus upgrading insider extreme members to GBTV plus members. The new, and most important aspect of GBTV looks to be the new evening show.

    “GBTV is the future,” said Glenn Beck. “The confines of traditional media no longer apply. GBTV is about getting active in the community, participating in stories, and finding new ways to deliver news, information and entertainment directly to the audience.”

    The internet is the perfect place for a guy like Beck to broadcast. He will now have the ability to say whatever he wants, without the fear of butting heads with Fox News, and losing tons of advertisers. Plus he already has a loyal following and has basically become his own brand. Time will tell, however, if Beck’s audience will be willing to make the switch to the internet. The subscription part won’t be a problem, I presume, as his fans are very enthusiastic about him.

    No matter what you think about Beck, his politics and his controversies, his transition is probably a very smart play. The potential is there for GBTV to bring in loads of revenue for Beck. If 80,000 people are already signed up for Insider Extreme, that’s around 10 million dollars taken in already.

    Say Beck just gets a small chunk of his million-plus viewers to jump on board GBTV? Forbes points out that if only 50,000 sign up, even at the lower $4.95 monthly rate, Beck will be taking in more than he currently makes from his Fox News show. Most of Beck’s revenue comes from radio and book sales, so any additional money from the primetime show on GBTV will be a bonus.

    Beck’s move to the internet also raises the more general question – Is the internet going to become the legitimate new outlet for big name news and radio personalities? If anything, Howard Stern has proven that it can be done –

    I’d hope @howardstern’d prove the internet ready to support a star. Now Glenn Beck will try w/his subscription show: http://nyti.ms/lggtBf 2 hours ago via Echofon · powered by @socialditto

    The benefits of the internet are also the drawback for media personalities: they’re on their own. If they constitute enough of a draw for viewers, it can really work. Then they have the freedom to run things how they want to run them. I guess we’ll see if Glenn Beck’s viewership was tied more to the man himself or the power of the Fox News umbrella.

    Beck will host a live kickoff event tomorrow at 7 pm ET to explain GBTV, available on glennbeck.com and his Facebook page. His last show at Fox is reported to be airing June 30th.

  • Facebook, Twitter Banned on French TV

    You thought some the rules lording over communication here in the States were infuriatingly pedantic, get a load of this:

    France’s broadcasting regulation organization, the CSA, has banned the casual use of the words “Facebook” and “Twitter” on the air. The just issued decree cites an article from another decree issued in 1992.

    Paris-based writer Matthew Fraser notes that “the French are notorious for their obsession with maddening, micro-meddling rules and regulations,” and that the country is “infamous for its oppressive bureaucratic culture of legalistic codes and decrees. The term ‘French bureaucracy’ is shorthand for the worst imaginable Kafkaesque nightmare.”

    Well, this kind of proves that.

    The only time radio or television broadcasters can say “Facebook” or “Twitter” now is if the two companies make the news. For example, “Social Network Facebook involved in scandal” would technically be permitted. But things like “Follow us on Twitter” are strictly prohibited. This new regulation takes away a powerful tool that news organizations uses to connect with viewers.

    Imagine if the FCC told CNN that they couldn’t ask users to follow them on Twitter? They would go absolutely berserk. But according to Fraser, this new regulation came and went with little media coverage or outrage, save a few French bloggers.

    What is the reasoning behind this seemingly ridiculous new regulation? A CSA spokesperson had this to say:

    Why give preference to Facebook, which is worth billions of dollars, when there are many other social networks that are struggling for recognition,” she said. “This would be a distortion of competition. If we allow Facebook and Twitter to be cited on air, it’s opening a Pandora’s Box — other social networks will complain to us saying, ‘why not us?

    So it’s about fairness? Neutrality in journalism? Money?

    Facebook and Twitter are so much a part of everyday life around the world, that it seems disingenuous to say that other lesser social networks deserve equal mention. They simply aren’t as important, and therefore aren’t discussed nearly as much. In order for a news organization to ask viewers to “like” them on Facebook, should they also be forced to tell viewers to follow them on MySpace? It’s ludicrous.

    Fraser has a different explanation, one that the CSA would obviously never cop to:

    But there is another, more plausible, explanation. Facebook and Twitter are, of course, American social networks. In France, they are regarded — at least implicitly — as symbols of Anglo-Saxon global dominance — along with Apple, MTV, McDonald’s, Hollywood, Disneyland, and other cultural juggernauts. That there is a deeply-rooted animosity in the French psyche towards Anglo-Saxon cultural domination cannot be disputed; indeed, it has been documented and analysed for decades. Sometimes this cultural resentment finds expression in French regulations and laws, frequently described, and often denounced, by foreigners as protectionism.

    Yeah, I guess Americans do give the French a pretty hard time sometimes. And I can understand a little bit of hostility towards American cultural intrusion. But banning “Facebook” and “Twitter?” That’s just burying your head in the sand.