Jump to content

CBS to Centralize Master Control for O&O Stations


H4UL4U

Recommended Posts

I didn't know at the time that there were certain times of the day that they expected they would lose the satellite signal and that they were in face affected by weather. I assumed these issues went away years before.

 

This was due to sunspot activity; it wasn’t a constant condition. The MCR ops had a list of alternate sources to switch to if the main paths were compromised.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is quite sad indeed. When I went through the KYW Newstudies program (same place as CBS3) a few years ago I met those who were working in master control on a Saturday morning. They all were nice people who loved what they had been doing for many years. I asked them a bunch of question, which they all answered. In particular I learned from them how they get the signal from the network. I didn't know at the time that there were certain times of the day that they expected they would lose the satellite signal and that they were in face affected by weather. I assumed these issues went away years before. They also told me there were some commercials that really got on thier nerves becuase of their low quality. Something that I'm wondering about is the CWphilly master control. Are they also being centralized. This is more interesting especially as CWPhilly is technically the CW's flagship station, something that those in the master control said didn't effect them.

 

This was due to sunspot activity; it wasn’t a constant condition. The MCR ops had a list of alternate sources to switch to if the main paths were compromised.

 

Worth noting sun spot activity only occurs twice a year. The local stations affected on that day will switch to the backup feeds (usually on a different satellite) before the activity starts.

 

You can calculate it here. http://www.satellite-calculations.com/Satellite/sunoutagecalc_OLDVERSION.htm

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The CBS hub will be in Atlanta.

Probably outsourcing to Encompass Digital media like Disney does for the ABC O&Os as well as a couple of other station groups. Judging by Emcompass's wages for MCOs posted on Glassdoor, CBS can save quite a bit of money.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the article, however, its list is missing WMAQ. Either at that date its MC was still in-house or I'm guessing it was part of the NY HUB and they forgot to mention it. WCMH and WNCN should still use the same Florical automation mentioned in the article. The one Sinclair shop I worked at used Avid automation, but who knows what WJAR would use now. When Hearst picked up WVTM I would guess they switched them to Harris to bring them in-line with the other Herast stations.

 

WVTM is a MUCH better news product and station under Hearst. It's like it's back under NBC O&O except the lack of network aligned branding of "NBC13" of yesteryear and all NBCU distribution for all its syndicated shows. Otherwise, it is pretty much back to the product is very similar to how NBC operated the station.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

So either CBS has already centralized their master control for WJZ or WJZ’s Master Control didn’t alert them when they switched to a special report. WJZ was at the top of their 5pm and was tossing to a reporter in the field about a student who brought a gun to a local high school while it was interrupted by the CBS News Special Report Slate.

 

When the SR program started the translucent WJZ bug remained in place for a few seconds before it disappeared. Would the translucent bug (that turns opaque during lower thirds) be something that could be inserted by the centralized master control or is it a sign that WJZ’s MC abruptly switched.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

.........while it was interrupted by the CBS News Special Report Slate.

 

If I ever am a reporter for CBS I will change my first name to "Slate".

That will drive the directors an producers crazy...

 

"Go to Slate"...Where's Slate?....Slate!!!!!!~

 

walter.jpg.637f0404d13e3ed6ab227be710f65836.jpg

cbsbulliten.jpg.fdc3f721d89f930d4803ebc364b634bc.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So either CBS has already centralized their master control for WJZ or WJZ’s Master Control didn’t alert them when they switched to a special report. WJZ was at the top of their 5pm and was tossing to a reporter in the field about a student who brought a gun to a local high school while it was interrupted by the CBS News Special Report Slate.

 

When the SR program started the translucent WJZ bug remained in place for a few seconds before it disappeared. Would the translucent bug (that turns opaque during lower thirds) be something that could be inserted by the centralized master control or is it a sign that WJZ’s MC abruptly switched.

The control room could switch to network but still be hot in that WJZ's control room was being used as a passthrough for the special report. If they're in a newscast the SR doesn't necessarily have to go through Master.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have heard that MCO’s at encompass get saddled up with around 8 stations at a time and the turnover is terrible along with the pay that is low even for Atlanta standards. I almost wonder who they had to bribe to get that work.

I always see multiple jobs posted for MCOs and ingest operators at Encompass, so there must be some truth to that.

 

In most internal hubs I've seen each controller/operator gets around 3-4 streams. Some of those may be like a ThisTV or MeTV whose breaks trigger via cue tones and don't need a whole lot of babysitting and essentially run themselves. In some settings they have extra operators to segment shows, dub spots, etc, some don't. A good number of station groups do the HUB/spoke method. The playout servers are located at the HUB, but each individual station feed shows, promos, and spots to the HUB.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The control room could switch to network but still be hot in that WJZ's control room was being used as a passthrough for the special report. If they're in a newscast the SR doesn't necessarily have to go through Master.

 

Usually, CBS alerts their affiliates a few minutes ahead of time that there is special report coming down the network feed. Either WJZ didn't time it very well, or it was so quick between the time they announced it and the special report began that they had no choice but to switch to it wherever they were in the newscast. As for the bug disappearing, it may be that studio control gave control back to master control or just dropped the bug off the screen in the studio control room. It's also very possible that the bug is inserted by master control and they just removed it after they switched to the special report. So there is quite a few possibilities, depending on where the bug is inserted.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sounds like the typical chaos of a SR coming down during a local show. I'm sure there were producers and master control staff yelling at each other before and after and there was a miscommunication as to who was taking what when.

 

The Hub is not yet operational from what I understand

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sounds like the typical chaos of a SR coming down during a local show. I'm sure there were producers and master control staff yelling at each other before and after and there was a miscommunication as to who was taking what when.

 

The Hub is not yet operational from what I understand

 

That makes sense as the translucent WJZ logo was still on screen as the SR opened.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No. The only network that can "override" stations is FOX due to the use of the "splicer" system. Everyone else needs to manually switch to network.

 

Of course with the centralized master CBS could override all their Owned stations.

 

And if a SR happens on the network feed the stations have no choice. I’ve noticed a few times when the SR goes into local time a few shows or promos would automatically start playing out. That’s likely operator error

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Of course with the centralized master CBS could override all their Owned stations.

 

And if a SR happens on the network feed the stations have no choice. I’ve noticed a few times when the SR goes into local time a few shows or promos would automatically start playing out. That’s likely operator error

So, if FOX runs an SR during primetime, stations would have to run it even if it were level 2?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So, if FOX runs an SR during primetime, stations would have to run it even if it were level 2?

I don’t know. I believe I heard that one time primetime continues on some stations and a SR on others.

 

Like there have been instances where SR have started during a soap opera or say The View. Stations should continue the SR unless the network gives them an option to leave.

 

Also worth noting that shows like Megyn Kelly, Kathie Lee and Hoda, and The View continue to tape during SR even when they are interrupted. It’s so the later time zones have regular programming. In the case of the Megyn Kelly and KLG and Hoda the shows come from a seperate control room. It’s also why the shows rarely mention or toss to the SR.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So, if FOX runs an SR during primetime, stations would have to run it even if it were level 2?

 

ok... to satisfy your fascination with fox special reports and special presentations lets look at how the splicer works... together...

 

simplified because you don't need to know about the distribution amplifiers and all that other fun stuff in the air chain...

 

there is a fox network satellite receiver that outputs a ASI signal... a raw MPEG transport stream... top quality... untouched by other equipment... it is patched into the splicer "NETWORK" input... there is also a "LOCAL" input on the splicer... the station's own master control switcher... the splicer has an output that gets patched into the station's studio-transmitter link or possibly into the transmitter itself... remember that...

 

in the case of an "OPTIONAL" special report or breaking news at the local level, the master control operator has the ability to switch the splicer to "LOCAL" mode... allowing them to punch up whatever they desire on the master control switcher... OPTIONAL reports are delivered via NEWSEDGE (or even fox news channel itself) and not the network feed...

 

so why have the splicer??? the splicer is there to ensure that network programming is as top quality as possible, bypassing all other gear that could degrade the signal (cables, patches, switchers, routers... etc...) the network feed uses embedded data to controls the splicer... when local spots need to run... it goes to local... and then when it's time to rejoin network... it goes to network...

 

this gives fox the unique ability to force stations out of local and into a special report... your beloved "MANDATORY" special report... but it doesn't force them to stay in network when they don't want to be...

 

so if there was an optional report during primetime? master would punch up the optional report on the master control switcher then at the right time flip over to LOCAL mode... same goes for local breaking news... easier done than said...

 

(and before you ask about local news/closings/fancy weather tickers (the splicer can handle EAS tickers itself)... those are another "LOCAL" switch... keyed in master control over another output of the satellite receiver...)

 

i hope this explainer will satisfy your desire to know everything about fox special reports... it is a system designed to make sure football looks nice... not some authoritarian central control over your local fox station...

 

and this is only a fox thing... all other networks send their special reports down their network feed (or a secondary feed) and rely on the local stations to switch over... why you may hear of locals not taking a special report during "local time"...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

ok... to satisfy your fascination with fox special reports and special presentations lets look at how the splicer works... together...

 

simplified because you don't need to know about the distribution amplifiers and all that other fun stuff in the air chain...

 

there is a fox network satellite receiver that outputs a ASI signal... a raw MPEG transport stream... top quality... untouched by other equipment... it is patched into the splicer "NETWORK" input... there is also a "LOCAL" input on the splicer... the station's own master control switcher... the splicer has an output that gets patched into the station's studio-transmitter link or possibly into the transmitter itself... remember that...

 

in the case of an "OPTIONAL" special report or breaking news at the local level, the master control operator has the ability to switch the splicer to "LOCAL" mode... allowing them to punch up whatever they desire on the master control switcher... OPTIONAL reports are delivered via NEWSEDGE (or even fox news channel itself) and not the network feed...

 

so why have the splicer??? the splicer is there to ensure that network programming is as top quality as possible, bypassing all other gear that could degrade the signal (cables, patches, switchers, routers... etc...) the network feed uses embedded data to controls the splicer... when local spots need to run... it goes to local... and then when it's time to rejoin network... it goes to network...

 

this gives fox the unique ability to force stations out of local and into a special report... your beloved "MANDATORY" special report... but it doesn't force them to stay in network when they don't want to be...

 

so if there was an optional report during primetime? master would punch up the optional report on the master control switcher then at the right time flip over to LOCAL mode... same goes for local breaking news... easier done than said...

 

(and before you ask about local news/closings/fancy weather tickers (the splicer can handle EAS tickers itself)... those are another "LOCAL" switch... keyed in master control over another output of the satellite receiver...)

 

i hope this explainer will satisfy your desire to know everything about fox special reports... it is a system designed to make sure football looks nice... not some authoritarian central control over your local fox station...

 

and this is only a fox thing... all other networks send their special reports down their network feed (or a secondary feed) and rely on the local stations to switch over... why you may hear of locals not taking a special report during "local time"...

 

It’s actually impressive. They take the transport stream and they only decode the pixels where the logos go.

 

However there’s a downside sometimes to insert a ticker they have to downconvert the feed to SD. WBFF has done this frequently and WBFF (and many others) has done this to insert local results. Growing pains also included SD commercials for a while. Additionally they only supported one subchannel. But maybe stations carrying multiple subchannels likely take the ASI output and run it through another system. Maybe things and software have changed.

 

You can check out the technical details at www.hdrollout.com

 

Edit: Looking at the the C receiver has an HD-SDI output that likely would allow for a more traditional master control and allow more customization. I don’t know if that includes local programming in (there by allowing them to carry network).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

ok... to satisfy your fascination with fox special reports and special presentations lets look at how the splicer works... together...

 

simplified because you don't need to know about the distribution amplifiers and all that other fun stuff in the air chain...

 

there is a fox network satellite receiver that outputs a ASI signal... a raw MPEG transport stream... top quality... untouched by other equipment... it is patched into the splicer "NETWORK" input... there is also a "LOCAL" input on the splicer... the station's own master control switcher... the splicer has an output that gets patched into the station's studio-transmitter link or possibly into the transmitter itself... remember that...

 

in the case of an "OPTIONAL" special report or breaking news at the local level, the master control operator has the ability to switch the splicer to "LOCAL" mode... allowing them to punch up whatever they desire on the master control switcher... OPTIONAL reports are delivered via NEWSEDGE (or even fox news channel itself) and not the network feed...

 

so why have the splicer??? the splicer is there to ensure that network programming is as top quality as possible, bypassing all other gear that could degrade the signal (cables, patches, switchers, routers... etc...) the network feed uses embedded data to controls the splicer... when local spots need to run... it goes to local... and then when it's time to rejoin network... it goes to network...

 

this gives fox the unique ability to force stations out of local and into a special report... your beloved "MANDATORY" special report... but it doesn't force them to stay in network when they don't want to be...

 

so if there was an optional report during primetime? master would punch up the optional report on the master control switcher then at the right time flip over to LOCAL mode... same goes for local breaking news... easier done than said...

 

(and before you ask about local news/closings/fancy weather tickers (the splicer can handle EAS tickers itself)... those are another "LOCAL" switch... keyed in master control over another output of the satellite receiver...)

 

i hope this explainer will satisfy your desire to know everything about fox special reports... it is a system designed to make sure football looks nice... not some authoritarian central control over your local fox station...

 

and this is only a fox thing... all other networks send their special reports down their network feed (or a secondary feed) and rely on the local stations to switch over... why you may hear of locals not taking a special report during "local time"...

This is all very fascinating to learn, I assume local stations not taking a network SR during local time is something built in to their affiliation agreement

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Webovision...great explanation of how the splicer works. I actually thought it was a smart system since many of the downstream keyers between the master control switcher and the transmitter that can sometimes cause problems were bypassed. In my experiences with ABC, Fox and NBC, if there is a special report during network programming the SR will already be on the primary network signal...no local intervention is needed...unless it spills into local time (doubtful). Only during local time will a station need to manually switch for the special report or if they are in news have the control room punch network up in program.

 

When I worked Master at a hub with a Fox station, if you to put in the severe weather map or any type of crawl you had to switch to Fox B, which as previously mentioned was SD (this was several years ago...sounds like this is still the case). If you did it during a football game or other program with lots of viewers the station would get angry phone calls because it would be in letterboxed 4:3. If you were good you could insert it during network breaks, putting in and taking out the crawl during the flash of black between the commercial and the program that way it looked "clean" since no one cared if the network commercials were in SD.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using TVNewsTalk you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.