[opendtv] Perspective on the numbers
- From: "John Willkie" <johnwillkie@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 14 Sep 2008 23:56:02 -0700
Okay, let's say that 'only' 300 people had problems in Wilmington, NC with
the sunset of analog. Bob Miller (laugh) thinks that's a big number.
A few years back, when a friend of mine was Chief Engineer of the ABC
affiliate in San Diego, one night the cable company screwed up and a single
broadcast of "Desperate Housewives" was garbled. The station received 300
telephone calls complaining. During the broadcast. The next day, 400 more
calls of complaint (mostly, if not exclusively, from women) came into the
switchboard. The cable company received more than 1000 complaints during
the broadcast.
As a result, the station got a re-feed from ABC, and a the broadcaster and
the cable company arranged to provide the entire missed episode on Tuesday
evening, using the cable-only news channel that the station provides for the
cable firm. Promos on cable AND the broadcast channel indicated the
refeeed, and the event was carried as news on the station's newscasts.
More than 1700 complaints, when "only" half the episode aired without sound.
A single broadcast. A single station. A single cable company, albeit with
a hot show.
And, remember, this was "the pilot" market. Feb 17 will be bigger, but
lessons have been learned.
By the way, broadcast rule of thumb says that for each phone call, you have
1000 pissed off people. Somehow, I don't' think that same ratio applies to
the sunset of analog, since "no tv at all" is a very high motivator.
John Willkie
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