If the AFL is controlling the HD schedule by insisting the games are shown in hd why is it on the main channel in Sydney tonight shown in SD? Very weird
7 Likes
I couldnât agree more!
Even weirder that last night with Geelong vs Swans, not in the main channel BUT was in HD.
Go figure.
I wonder if 7 even really know what theyâre doing.
Itâs a scheduling shemozzle.
1 Like
The AFL doesnât mind if they get main channel coverage. Thatâs what they really want.
Why Seven would push out their main news service for AFL in Sydney is still mind boggling to me
1 Like
Because a Sydney team was possibly 1 game away from playing another Sydney team in the Grand Final thatâs why.
2 Likes
I wouldâve thought that it would be much more logical to air last nightâs AFL game on the main channel here in Sydney with this twilight GWS/Bulldogs game airing on 7mate only (so it doesnât intrude with the timing of the 6pm news) but what do I know!
In any case, Iâm sure that Seven News Sydney will get some of itâs lowest ratings in ages tonight. I reckon that anyone in Sydney who turned on Seven see the news and saw an AFL match instead wouldâve flicked over to Nine, not waited around for 8.05pm by which point in time, the eyeballs of very many Sydneysiders were probably on Nine/Fox Sports to see which team will be playing the Sharks next Sunday night!
3 Likes
Looks like I will have to watch it on Youtube (Monkeys Make You Lol) to see it in HD.
Not serious lol.
Whilst itâs less than ideal, I agree - the upside is that viewers of the most watched network on TV (Seven) would get 95% of their shows broadcast in HD. 7 News, The Chase, Sunrise,
Home & Away, MKR, Sunday Night. Seven is the most watched network on TV. 7mate is the 8th most watched network on TV. It doesnât make sense to run 7mate in HD 24/7 for the 6 hours a week in airs AFL.
The âconfusionâ you are talking about can be managed by clear messaging.
At the start of the AFL hosts can say âfor those of you looking for Better Homes & Gardens, Itâs over on Seven on Channel; 7 - but here on 7HD now on Channel 70 -itâs the AFL in stunning HDâ
Fargo can say âThatâs it for 7 news now, stay here on Seven for Better Homes & Gardens, and over on 7HD - itâs the AFL Sydney V Geelongâ
Lower thirds cab also direct viewers.
Promos for Saturday Movies as you say can clear identify if the movie is just on 7 or 7HD too with logo and VO
Itâs not that hard - just needs to be communicated clearly. The downside is a bit of confusion.
The upside is 95% of the time the HD feed carries 7HD - and the most watched shows and network in HD.
5 Likes
The problem exists regardless - if Seven ever switch it - even for major events, then people canât reliable schedule season recordings on 70 for 7mate programs.
If itâs going to even have the potential to change what it is simulcasting, then they should pick the sane default, not have two copies of a multichannel.
And Perth should just show AFL on 7, and show the news before and after it. Itâs not like anyoneâs going to watch Nine.
3 Likes
While all these message to the viewer are possible and everything is technically possible with a knowledgeable viewer, it still makes it more confusing with Seven compared to the other networks.
For example, Better Homes and Gardens starts at 7pm then 1/2 way through the AFL starts at 7.30pm - so the HD feed would have to switch part way through the program.
For anyone tuning in at 7.30pm that doesnât see or hear any announcement, they will just see AFL. For anyone switching across from another network, they also miss any announcement. A viewer of ACA for example checks out 7HD and 10HD at 7.30 - one has The Living Room, one has AFL.
Just a loss of a few percentage points in the ratings would be a big disincentive for Seven. I think that Seven do not see a big enough desire from the public for HD. It isnât as if their ratings have gone down this year.
1 Like
Letâs agree to disagree then, on how Seven should best serve the viewer in 2017 @TV.Cynic
1 Like
Another option is to broadcast 7HD on 7Plus, Apple TV, TelstraTV, via Presto and Foxtel - if they are not going to run it on FTA
5 Likes
You are re-framing the discussion. I was putting forward a reason that Seven might not want to have a 7HD channel in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth that is a mixture of 7 and 7Mate content. At no point did I say that was the best option for viewers, just that it was a likely consideration for Seven.
IMO the best option for Sydney and Brisbane is a full 100% simulcast of the main channel with no AFL content at all. If Seven want to provide AFL in HD to those cities, put it on Seven Plus as a special channel or have the 7Mate stream in HD during the games.
1 Like
@TV.Cynic Fair enough - then we agree!
Two options: run every game on the main channel + 7HD, or just run every local game (ie. Sydney Swans and GWS games in Sydney/NSW) plus finals on the main channel.
There has to be a compromise for Sevenâs benefit.
Hereâs what I would do which would be fair for both parties Imo
No multichannel coverage. Everything on the main channel and 7HD.
Friday and Saturday night games (except Swans/GWS) delayed until after 11pm.
Sunday 1pm game live.
All Swans and GWS games live regardless of timeslot
4 Likes
How about this solution.
Brand the HD channel ad â7 Footy HDâ. It is broadcast in all cities in MPEG-4 (as with the current HD) and shows all AFL games and AFL related show. These are also shows in MPEG-2 SD on 7 or 7mate for viewers who canât get MPEG-4. During other times, it fills the gaps with content from the main channel. It could even show additional content such as old games, press conferences during the week etc during other times as an HD channel exclusive.
This way, they have a channel that can better compete with Fox Footy. People are able to access a large amount of 7 programming in HD, but itâs well known that being the footy channel, football coverage will always taken priority over other content.
On second thoughts, maybe this could become â7 Sport HDâ to allow for a similar strategy for their others sports such as racing, the tennis and the olympics.
1 Like
The Australian Open Golf starts on 17 November on Seven. I hope itâs in HD.
1 Like
A free to air sports channel in HD has already been tried on Australian TV. We all know what happened to thatâŚ
Absolutely, which is why Iâm not suggesting that. My idea, although not ideal (but really any solution short of making every channel HD wonât be) is mearly an HD channel that simulcasts all sport that seven is already broadcasting on its other channels - similar to the solution discussed here if making HD the main channel with breakaways to 7mate for AFL in some cities, but instead marketed as the home of all sport on 7 to help reduce the confusion of a hybrid channel.
The downfall of Sport on One was the cost of sports rights with next to no premium sport- thatâs very different to my suggestion.
3 Likes