Channel 9 Telling More Lies

Paul55 · Post by **Paul55** » Sun Feb 08, 2009 17:23

For a company that is willing to spend millions of dollars 'protecting the integrity' of it's EPG, Channel 9 is strangely unconcerned with EPG accuracy or veracity.
The ODI cricket is (according to the EPG) being shown live in Brisbane. Oddly, the internet scores are an hour ahead.
#9 Brisbane have a recorded message with a pathetic attempt to justify the delay - it seems many viewers 'expect' the news to shown at 6:00 pm. So the delay is all about protecting these viewers, not ratings

Well, they've lost this family as viewers tonight. I may even make (more of) a pest of myself and ring them every time the cricket is on - just to confirm it is live.
PS. All others who feel gypped by this abuse of privilige (the cricket is one of the sports 'protected' from the nasty, evil pay TV operators) should ring to leave a complaint - but don't take it out on the poor receptionist.

prl · Post by **prl** » Sun Feb 08, 2009 17:32

WIN ACT's SD broadcast of the ODI on Friday flashed up an ad that it was being simulcast on HD.

No, it wasn't! Perhaps on Nine's metro stations, but not on WIN ACT.

prl · Post by **prl** » Sun Feb 08, 2009 17:34

Paul55 wrote:...
The ODI cricket is (according to the EPG) being shown live in Brisbane. Oddly, the internet scores are an hour ahead.
...

Really makes sure you don't watch on Nine and listen to the commentary on ABC radio.

glow · Post by **glow** » Sun Feb 08, 2009 18:23

prl wrote:... listen to the commentary on ABC radio.

It's a pity that since the advent of Digital TV, you can't easily listen to the radio commentary and watch the TV on mute because of the couple of seconds delay.

IanSav · Post by **IanSav** » Sun Feb 08, 2009 18:36

Hi,

In Melbourne we just had an extended news bulletin covering the bush fires. Needless to say the Channel 9 EPG *and* Now & Next data were completely wrong.

Regards,
Ian.

Gully · Post by **Gully** » Sun Feb 08, 2009 20:10

IanSav wrote:Hi,

In Melbourne we just had an extended news bulletin covering the bush fires. Needless to say the Channel 9 EPG *and* Now & Next data were completely wrong.

Regards,
Ian.

Hi Ian

Not sure I would give them grief for such last minute changes not getting in there. They may have had other things on their minds.

There is plenty more where they know what is happening and it doesn't make it.

grampus · Post by **grampus** » Sun Feb 08, 2009 21:11

Gully wrote:
IanSav wrote:Hi,

In Melbourne we just had an extended news bulletin covering the bush fires. Needless to say the Channel 9 EPG *and* Now & Next data were completely wrong.

Regards,
Ian.
Hi Ian

Not sure I would give them grief for such last minute changes not getting in there. They may have had other things on their minds.

There is plenty more where they know what is happening and it doesn't make it.

You would think in this day and age of the wonderful world of electronics, it wouldn't be hard to include in the flow path of changing the scheduling they could include a box that says update the EPG?
Or is this another one of those outsourced things that seems to ooze lack of responsibility

IanSav · Post by **IanSav** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 09:19

Hi Gully,

Yes it was a busy and stressful day but they did promote the extra news bulletin all day.

Regards,
Ian.

ozlooper · Post by **ozlooper** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 09:45

glow wrote:
prl wrote:... listen to the commentary on ABC radio.
It's a pity that since the advent of Digital TV, you can't easily listen to the radio commentary and watch the TV on mute because of the couple of seconds delay.

I was wondering if the AVR manufacturers might help us out here. Most of them provide a few milliseconds audio delay for lip-sync on video related inputs. We just need a couple of seconds audio delay on the tuner and we'd be set.

Nevertheless, the radio commentary wins for me. I can do something else and then look at the TV when something interesting happens. I'm in Sydney so the cricket is generally "live", but if it was on one hour delay they would have just lost a viewer.

prl · Post by **prl** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 09:50

ozlooper wrote:...
Nevertheless, the radio commentary wins for me. I can do something else and then look at the TV when something interesting happens. ...

That's how I use the radio commentary, too. You also can hear when play resumes after an interruption and go back to the TV after taking a break from the ad break.

IanSav · Post by **IanSav** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 17:35

Hi,

Another random posting...

With all the talk about FreeView and EPGs I still marvel at how Channel 9 can axe a program and yet not bother to update the EPG, not even the Now & Next data!

The "This Afternoon" program appears to have been scrapped yet all the EPG data, even IceTV, still show it as the current program. For the record 16:30 to 17:00 had a normal news bulletin and 17:00 to 17:30 had an episode of "Antique Roadshow".

There is no way broadcasters should be in a position to define the TV standards with which we are forced to live.

Regards,
Ian.

prl · Post by **prl** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 17:44

Bit harsh on IceTV. The SMH's story on this was was dated 11:55 today. I think IceTV's daily updates go out at about 13:00. Not much time to discover what's happened, verify and fix the EPG.

IanSav · Post by **IanSav** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 17:48

Hi Peter,

I thought their plan was to update the database when things get changed thus any subsequent client fetches would get the updated information. These sort of last minute changes aren't frequent enough to create that much work. Remember that IceTV don't appear to do much else other than manage TV guides, that is, this is their primary task. (A task that people are paying for to hopefully get accurate data.)

Regards,
Ian.

prl · Post by **prl** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 17:51

Still, what should they be scanning to pick these kinds of things up, and how much effort should they dedicate to pick up what are fairly infrequent events?

Anyway, I've posted about it on the IceTV forum

IanSav · Post by **IanSav** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 18:05

Hi Peter,

By the way, the HWW aggregated guides *do* have the updated program information.

Regards,
Ian.

prl · Post by **prl** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 19:04

IanSav wrote:Hi Peter,

By the way, the HWW aggregated guides *do* have the updated program information.

Regards,
Ian.

When I checked at about 18:00 they did. I don't know when they were updated.

Edit: The Sydney Nine IceTV guide is now also showing National Nine News Afternoon Edition at 16:30 and Antiques Roadshow at 17:00 for tomorrow and Friday, the same as NineMSN.com.au.

IanSav · Post by **IanSav** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 19:50

Hi Peter,

I only have the 1 day IceTV guide. I should see the results after midnight.

By the way, Channel 9 has started promotion of their new channel. It is called "GO!" and the program line-up looks interesting. I am looking forward to the new SciFi Wednesday.

(I think they said the line up would be Reality Tuesday, SciFi Wednesday and Wonen's Interest Thursday.)

The website link for GO! is http://channelnine.ninemsn.com.au/artic ... ?id=833222 .

Regards,
Ian.

Paul55 · Post by **Paul55** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 23:04

On 'channel' 99. All those who have deleted the 9 guide channel (like me) will need to rescan.

tonymy01 · Post by **tonymy01** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 23:05

That is why I don't delete anything. Esp as the Wiz handles favourites very well (with the EPG being in fave order also).

Paul55 · Post by **Paul55** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 23:08

tonymy01 wrote:That is why I don't delete anything. Esp as the Wiz handles favourites very well (with the EPG being in fave order also).

Good advice for we amateur button pressers

IanSav · Post by **IanSav** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 00:43

Hi,

I presume that DCM will also re-add the LCN 99 when Channel 9 adjusts the channel properties to the new name in August. (Assuming you trust the TV stations enough to enable DCM on your Beyonwiz.

)

Regards,
Ian.

brianh · Post by **brianh** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 06:58

IanSav wrote:....... I am looking forward to the new SciFi Wednesday. ........

That's just their way of saying they'll broadcast whatever they feel like showing at the time, no matter what's advertised in Wednesday's EPG.......

download · Post by **download** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 08:47

IanSav wrote:Remember that IceTV don't appear to do much else other than manage TV guides, that is, this is their primary task.

Last minute changes like this are invariably cancellations. All that ends up happening is a user might record something they have no interest in.

Regards

Peter Gillespie

prl · Post by **prl** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 09:31

brianh wrote:
IanSav wrote:....... I am looking forward to the new SciFi Wednesday. ........
That's just their way of saying they'll broadcast whatever they feel like showing at the time, no matter what's advertised in Wednesday's EPG.......

And how's that different from other days of the week?

Mythology Monday, Travesty Tusday, SciFi Wednesday, Tall Tales Thursday, Fantasy Friday, Sitcom Saturday and Surrealism Sunday. And that's just the EPG!

IanSav · Post by **IanSav** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 10:21

Hi Peter,

download wrote:Last minute changes like this are invariably cancellations. All that ends up happening is a user might record something they have no interest in.

The reverse is equally true. A user may miss a show they wanted to watch because the station swapped it *in* as the substitute show. I have had this happen to me a number of times.

Regards,
Ian.

download · Post by **download** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 10:25

It will invariably be some sort of rerun or other forgettable show. Obviously the networks aren't going to waste a new episode of the SImpsons (for example) when no one knows its on.

Regards

Peter Gillespie

IanSav · Post by **IanSav** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 10:33

Hi Peter,

download wrote:It will invariably be some sort of rerun or other forgettable show. Obviously the networks aren't going to waste a new episode of the SImpsons (for example) when no one knows its on.

I disagree with your assessment, particularly as I have missed episodes of favourite shows because a scheduled event was not played and the station reverted to normal programming instead. This is most common for sporting events that are not shown in all states where the state that doesn't get the event had a new episode formally scheduled. The other states just take the normal feed (same content as other states).

By the way, I have missed new The Simpsons episodes in exactly this way, though Channel 9 is a more prolific offender.

Regards,
Ian.

brianh · Post by **brianh** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 18:36

prl wrote:
brianh wrote:
IanSav wrote:....... I am looking forward to the new SciFi Wednesday. ........
That's just their way of saying they'll broadcast whatever they feel like showing at the time, no matter what's advertised in Wednesday's EPG.......
And how's that different from other days of the week?

Mythology Monday, Travesty Tuesday, SciFi Wednesday, Tall Tales Thursday, Fantasy Friday, Sitcom Saturday and Surrealism Sunday. And that's just the EPG!

Careful!! You'll give them ideas!!! I'll have to keep an eye out for those titles now...........

(you're not on their payroll, by any chance?? )