Likewise with NBN - there were some people upset that old promos still had the NBN logo on them. The networks just won’t go back and edit promos that have already been produced go change logos if they’re only going to be running for a short period.
They don’t need to edit them - simply remove them from the play out system. It’s not hard.
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I agree.
In any case, I would’ve thought that it’s easy enough to change a logo in the promos these days. Really, I’m sure that the logo could be changed via a layer in After Effects or whatever software Ten (or indeed, any network) uses to produce the graphics in their promos with.
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Yeah they could spend the time going through and changing the logo on old promos etc. But it comes down to using staff efficiency … They could spend 5 hours doing that, or actually developing new content - A new package for The Project. New promos for survivor, advertising reels for potential sponsors etc, updating the logo in the news.
Sure flicking a switch would be ideal, but why go back and work on things that would have been created long ago. Seven took their time to roll out their new look.
Times are changing, staffing is being condenced in the industry and little finicky things like that won’t change like they did maybe 5 years ago.
If presentation knows there’s a logo change coming up during the lifetime of an existing promotional campaign, it isn’t hard to just make two versions of the same promo with the only difference being a changed logo. For regional affiliates like WIN, it’s just a matter of placing the logo on a clean promo.
I’ve honestly never seen networks do what you’re saying though. In almost every instance where there’s been a logo change, a network always produces a new version of the promo (of course, that’s because the entire presentation usually gets overhauled too).
Case in point: Nine’s 2006 box launch. Right up until 6am on that Monday, Nine were showing the old seven-colours promos, complete with even a 2004-era signpost and promos for that Monday night’s schedule. At 6am, everything changed to the box in one go, which means that whoever was doing pres at the time went ahead and made two versions of every single promo and signpost (even though one version would only be shown between 12 and 6am).
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Yeah they could spend the time going through and changing the logo on old promos etc. But it comes down to using staff efficiency … They could spend 5 hours doing that, or actually developing new content - A new package for The Project. New promos for survivor, advertising reels for potential sponsors etc, updating the logo in the news.
As someone who has worked in promos for 15 years I feel I’m qualified to comment.
The people who “master” promos (that is add bugs, logos, tune in information and the CC logo) are not the same people who produce/write/edit the actual promos, nor do advertising reels nor Survivor promos. The people who work in Promo Finishing or Promo Mastering - their sole role is to take all the promos and creative already produced and version it out - that is adding bugs, logos, CC logos and Monday, Tonight, Tomorrow versions of each.
To create a “light switch” effect - that is turn a new look on / and an old look off in an instant on one day - all that needs to happen is promos that have a life both before and beyond the light switch date - need to be “mastered” or “finished” twice - that is the exact same promo would have 2 versions created.
And this does not need to happen to all promos, only ones that are schedule to run both before and after that date. In a 7 day week with Ten promoting it’s 6pm, 630, 730, 830 and 930 shows - plus coming soon promos - you may be looking at mastering 100-150 promos twice. That includes various lengths of :30 second promos down to :10 promos.
Considering a mastering team probably masters around 300 individual promos in a week - you’re looking at a 30-50% increase in workload for that week. That is not insignificant - but it is certainly do-able. I’ve been working at many networks / stations at change over weeks where this happens and it always gets done with the existing staff.
Like any industry - there is a few weeks a year when a promo team is flat out. Changing looks in a week is one of them. But no different to any industry in the world were you have a week or two a year that is crazy. Then back to normal. It’s completely do-able - it just requires planning and management
Two things Ten is not good at. Hence why a week on we are still seeing two logos both on air and online / social media.
To master a promo - it’s laid out on an Avid or Final Cut “timeline” there is a vision layer when you can turn on and turn off certain layers. On one layer Ten would have old logo - on a another layer the new logo. It’s really as simple as the click of a mouse. Then two files and made as a mix down, two promo codes are generated, and promo promo sic scheduled before March 3 - and the other after March 3
It’s that simple. The extra work comes in assigning extra codes and having double amount of files for that week and managing that. But actually taking one Ten logo off and the other on. It’s a click of mouse. Then play it for 30 seconds to quality check it. And you’re done.
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I seem to remember many 10 revamps in the 90’s happening in one day. Logos, looks, end cards, jingles etc. Usually on a Sunday night.
Might the problem be, short staffing, and poor staff morale?
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there’s a difference between flicking the switch between completely different logos… like Ten did a number of times in the 1980s where they did complete on-air revamps when doing so… and just phasing in a tweak to an existing one which seems to be the scenario now. I can see there’s probably no pressing need to use the shiny new Ten logo on every promo from the same day but I’m just a little surprised that a glossy new promo for the network’s flagship reality show has not featured it.
Might the problem be, short staffing, and poor staff morale?
I would say more likely lack of planning.
Ten isn’t the most switched on of all the networks. We see that say in, day out.
I am starting to think (have for a while now) that the Ten HD logo is not designed to replace the network logo but is more of a promotional tool used to advertise and promote the new service. Used sparing in association with shows that particularly benefit from HD such as sport or documentaries. So even the watermark was a temporary thing when the channel started and now there is a new improved watermark but based on the “original” logo. A bit like the Bachelor/ette heart logo was used. Explains why brand new promos (e.g., MasterChef) are not suing the HD logo - even thought the promo is HD, and the show will be, that isn’t of much consequence.
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YAY 
Glad to see the final ‘old’ piece of Ten’s presentation is now gone.
Smart by Ten, using the white box for the Consumer Advice (like DVDs, etc).
Can’t say I’m over the moon with the on-screen PRG classification, it looks too generic and grainy!
Should have just widened/expanded the previous classifications that were used in the top LH corner & added a white box?
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Is it really gone? I’m sure that I saw a 2006-era looking PG Classification Warning on Ten HD just the other day!
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Sorry if I missed it, but the new Ten watermark seems even more transparent (and the outer ring more pronounced) during The Project tonight.
Ps intersting to see Hamish McDonald back at the network…
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I don’t know, man. I think we’re trying to find all these reasons to justify incompetence. To me, it’s as if someone was half way through introducing a logo specifically for Ten HD while keeping the original one for SD, but then worked out it’s too hard and dropped everything. So then they designed a hybrid watermark to patch things up for now. It’s just a mess.
Ten fail at so many things, what’s to say they didn’t fail at introducing a simulcast brand too?
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I don’t think so. Because why did they update the watermark? They would’ve just kept it as the now old blue logo otherwise.
Update it to what? A half-n-half version of the new logo and old logo. They’ve either got no idea what they’re doing, or they’re rolling back on any plans to introduce the new logo properly.
Classification screens are still airing. Just aired now.
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Yeah just saw that… ‘M - some violence’ from 2006.
How more plain & boring could Ten get?
I give up with Ten, they worse than WIN with different logos and with updating their on air look.