________________________________
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Brian Butterworth
Sent: 20 December 2007 15:54
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [backstage] New BBC customisable homepage
On 20/12/2007, Drew [Andrew White] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
For a start your O/S already shows a time display if you
want it to.. and if that time is slightly out, then this clock is wrong
too. Great idea to have it, but it's currently form over function.. Big
Ben would still look lovely with a less accurate time but it's not
really the idea :)
Big Ben is (c) ITN, Auntie only uses its sound on R4 at 6pm and
10pm
A lot of the non-English World Service networks use Big Ben at
the top of the hour - it's as recognisable as any interval tone. Problem
is it can be off by a few seconds, so it comes off an autoplayer. This
also removes the risk of incidents where staff working in St Steven's
Tower have had their conversations, or their portable radio playing
another radio station sent round the world on BBC networks by accident
when the microphone in the tower is faded up :)
If it's true that on-screen clocks on BBC1/2 before the
news were ditched because of satellite delay, then any clock provided on
a BBC site that *doesn't* show you the "exact" time (to within a second,
say) is a bit pointless and the policy looks inconsistent IMO.
The "pips" are still broadcast on BBC Radios 4, 5Live and World
Service (plus R1 and R2 at times) and these are "out" on DSat, and out
of sync on DAB and DTT...
Most of our foreign programming is delivered to partner FM
relays using a system based round Wegener iPump. Some of these stations
may getting the pips inserted locally by the receiver with local station
branding announcements. This means anyone listening to them half way
round the world on a partner FM network could potentially be getting a
more accurate time signal than someone listening via DSAT, DAB or DTT in
London.
--
Gareth Davis | Production Systems Specialist
World Service Future Media, Digital Delivery Team - Part of BBC
Global News Division
* http://www.bbcworldservice.com/
<http://www.bbcworldservice.com/> * 702NE Bush House, Strand, London,
WC2B 4PH
