Radio/TV, why not webcasts?

[daytonadan1983]

Is there a specific/official reason why newspapers haven't included live audiocasts and videocasts listings in their print editions?

We're on ESPN3 four times this month, that exciting NAIA championship between Disco Tech and Immaculate Reception, oops, Southern Oregon and Marian is live from Daytona Beach as well.

Just curious.

 

[HanSenSE]

Is there a specific/official reason why newspapers haven't included live audiocasts and videocasts listings in their print editions?

We're on ESPN3 four times this month, that exciting NAIA championship between Disco Tech and Immaculate Reception, oops, Southern Oregon and Marian is live from Daytona Beach as well.

Just curious.

Just like with over-the-air/cable/satellite listings, where do you draw the line? I've got better things to do than scour the Internet for every game that's being streamed ... like cover local games!

 

[Shropshire Slasher]

It's Radio/TV, not Radio/TV/Streaming/Podcast/Netflix/Pornhub. (Porn's a sport, right?)

 

[Mystery Meat II]

I think live webcasts involving local teams would be a reasonable addition. Adding all the ESPN3 feeds on a given day, well, you might as well ask for a hard copy of the Internet. But if Local U is playing on ESPN3 or another reputable streaming site (or for that matter, the school's or opponent's website), then why not? Chances are you're including that in a story or breakout box anyway. It's News You Can Use.

 

[Matt Stephens]

We keep our general daily TV listings as strictly TV; however, for CSU games, I've changed our "Next Up" info boxes from TV:, Radio: to Watch:, Listen:

It just makes more sense to me. If a game is on ESPNU, it fits in there. If it's ESPN3/some other stream service, it also fits.

 

[dirtybird]

We keep our general daily TV listings as strictly TV; however, for CSU games, I've changed our "Next Up" info boxes from TV:, Radio: to Watch:, Listen:

It just makes more sense to me. If a game is on ESPNU, it fits in there. If it's ESPN3/some other stream service, it also fits.

What he said.

For the team game boxes, most definitely. For the TV listings .... well if you're looking for those in the paper, you're probably not getting an online stream to work.

 

[Ace]

Because if you put in the paper that the game is on EPSN3, you have to deal with all the reader calls asking what channel ESPN3 is on.

 

[JohnHammond]

Newspapers shouldn't include TV listings for everything being broadcast that day. An info box for a preview is fine.

 

[Ace]

I do think that if you list in a newspaper that a local game is on ESPN3, there would be only a tiny fraction of the potentially interested viewers who would:

A) See the listing n the paper
B) Use that knowledge gleaned from the newspaper to watch the game on their phone/computer or hook it up to the TV

Those using ESPN3 and other streaming sites can probably find out how their games are being carried.

Those just seeing listing in the paper probably don't know how to connect if they wanted to.

 

[HanSenSE]

We keep our general daily TV listings as strictly TV; however, for CSU games, I've changed our "Next Up" info boxes from TV:, Radio: to Watch:, Listen:

It just makes more sense to me. If a game is on ESPNU, it fits in there. If it's ESPN3/some other stream service, it also fits.

Agreed. But if anyone outside of their fans needs a newspaper listing to know if the Podunk State-Springfield Tech game is being streamed and neither school is in the area ...

 

[Mystery Meat II]

I do think that if you list in a newspaper that a local game is on ESPN3, there would be only a tiny fraction of the potentially interested viewers who would:

A) See the listing n the paper
B) Use that knowledge gleaned from the newspaper to watch the game on their phone/computer or hook it up to the TV

Those using ESPN3 and other streaming sites can probably find out how their games are being carried.

Those just seeing listing in the paper probably don't know how to connect if they wanted to.

My unsupported-by-empirical-facts guess is that there's only a tiny fraction of readers who even use the listings. Doing away with them entirely would be my first choice, unless I knew that it had an audience that made it worth the price of admission. But if we're going to have them, internet broadcasts are of the same cloth as radio or TV broadcasts, so I see no harm in having an Internet heading to go with Radio and Television. Sure, some readers are going to be confused, but they're going to be confused when they put their toast in the freezer and it's not buttery crisp yet.

 

[Bud_Bundy]

We used to get lots of calls about the TV schedules. Two things have reduced the calls about 90 percent. One is the internet, the other is the program listings on cable (and presumably) satellite TV. I can't tell you the last time I went to our listings to see what's on, I just pull up the program listings on the screen and go from there. What confuses people most is how to list the various channels that are on different places depending on the cable system.

 

[Ace]

We used to get lots of calls about the TV schedules. Two things have reduced the calls about 90 percent. One is the internet, the other is the program listings on cable (and presumably) satellite TV. I can't tell you the last time I went to our listings to see what's on, I just pull up the program listings on the screen and go from there. What confuses people most is how to list the various channels that are on different places depending on the cable system.

We got more calls about what's on TV, what channel, why Local U's game isn't on a cable channel in their cheap-ass package, etc., etc., than every other subject combined.

I think the reason is mainly because the TV stations and cable companies don't answer their phones.

 

[Kolchak]

I do think that if you list in a newspaper that a local game is on ESPN3, there would be only a tiny fraction of the potentially interested viewers who would:

A) See the listing n the paper
B) Use that knowledge gleaned from the newspaper to watch the game on their phone/computer or hook it up to the TV

Those using ESPN3 and other streaming sites can probably find out how their games are being carried.

Those just seeing listing in the paper probably don't know how to connect if they wanted to.

We would get hundreds of calls from older people complaining that they can't find ESPN3 on their TV if we ever started listing it. One guy called to complain that "there's no such thing as ESPNU."

Sometimes when one of our teams is playing on Fox Sports 2, CBS Sports Network, AXS TV or something like that, we'll break out an info box that explains where the channel can be found on what cable providers, and people still call in to ask.

 

[Bradley Guire]

Had a complaint from an older reader that didn't understand the concept of online broadcasts like ESPN3. We don't even run those in our listings.

Locally, a lot of prep games are webcast by this guy who has spent about 15 years building up his independent site. Started with scores and schedules, now he can broadcast at least a dozen games a week in the regular season. He has the exclusive webcasting rights for all sanctioned state tournaments. But at my previous paper, unofficial word was that we couldn't mention the site because he's a competitor.

Personally, I find it highly amusing that one guy built a site to do all of this and not a single existing media company even tried or would be able to pull it off now. Managers suggested we broadcast stuff on Periscope. But, we can't do that for state, and I don't knownif the rights extend to regular season. Someone smarter locked down the rights. (Plus, are they going to reimburse me for an expensive data plan?)

 

[JohnHammond]

Had a complaint from an older reader that didn't understand the concept of online broadcasts like ESPN3. We don't even run those in our listings.

Locally, a lot of prep games are webcast by this guy who has spent about 15 years building up his independent site. Started with scores and schedules, now he can broadcast at least a dozen games a week in the regular season. He has the exclusive webcasting rights for all sanctioned state tournaments. But at my previous paper, unofficial word was that we couldn't mention the site because he's a competitor.

Personally, I find it highly amusing that one guy built a site to do all of this and not a single existing media company even tried or would be able to pull it off now. Managers suggested we broadcast stuff on Periscope. But, we can't do that for state, and I don't know if the rights extend to regular season. Someone smarter locked down the rights. (Plus, are they going to reimburse me for an expensive data plan?)

These sites don't get many viewers, and most of them are just getting enough money to pay expenses, and maybe get a burger and fries after game. Looked into once at a place I was working at, and didn't make financial sense. Plus, the quality is crap. Broadcasting a live sporting event through Periscope is a joke.