Unexpected events and continuous news channels

[InMontreal]

At 12:19:28am on Wednesday Oct 10th 2012, there was a 4.5 magnitude earthquake centred near Saint-Marc-sur-Richelieu, and the whole Montreal island felt it, as well as northern parts of Vermont.

First instinct was to turn on the TV and look for what happened. Since no conventional or news channel was mentionning what was happening, well, going out on the balcony and look around if an accident happened. Nothing.

A look around at the medias at the time it happened,
- CTV Montreal was airing "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart"
- Global Montreal was airing "The Talk"
- CBC Montreal was airing "Coronation Street"
- SRC Montreal was airing "Alors on jase!" (talk-show rerun)
- TVA Montreal was airing a movie
- V Montreal was airing live game/infomercial "L'instant gagnant"

On the specialty side, CTV News Network, RDI and LCN were on pre-taped clockwheel news, still at 1am (40 minutes after it happened).
None of which bothered adding a scroll at the bottom of the screen or put a live anchor on the air. CBC News Network phoned reporter Leah Hendry for a live report at 1am, who probably went back to bed after that.

In the aftermath, it's even more embarassing...
- During the live game/infomercial on V from Budapest, Hungary, when the host taking over at around 1:30am mentionned the earthquake. That was the only french-language mention it.
- On the english side, only Metro14 have a somewhat morning show from Channel Zero studios, but they were the first english-language media to mention it.

On the radio side,
- CJAD was airing syndicated "Coast to Coast AM", had pre-taped road closures updates and top-of-the-hour news, but nothing live.
- Most commercial radios were on live club music mode.
- Radio-Canada/CBC Radio didn't bother.
- TSN Radio 690 was live, and started talking about the earthquake, putting the sports aside for the moment.
- CHMP 98.5 (french) was also live and talked about the earthquake.

On the other hand, just opening Twitter or Facebook and you already knew it was an earthquake.
Details on Fagstein's blog : http://blog.fagstein.com/2012/10/10/...uake-coverage/


OK, a 4.5 magnitude earthquake is not the end of the world, but it brings good questions :
- Is there ANYONE in the news department at those stations doing the night shift ? If so, where were they ?
- Since local CBC, CTV and Global stations are remotely controlled from their respective automated video server at Toronto headquarters, who didn't felt it and weren't feeling a bit concerned, there was no decision-making person available to even suggest to at least give a minimal information in a bottom-screen scroll to that small money-losing market station. If an similar or inferior earthquake was felt in Toronto, you can bet nationwide network programming would have been interrupted, from Sydney to Vancouver.
- I can understand why are our specialty 24-hours-a-day-news-channel are on a pre-tape at night, but there should be at least one person able to modify the damn news ticker for anything happening overnight!

At long term, we can see the consequences of cost-cutting measures from big companies. It just gets worse.

[Randi]

I was awake when it happened. Scared the hell out of me. I can only imagine a much stronger quake!

My first reflex was to check outside if a train has derailed or if there was an accident on a house nearby but I saw nothign or no one.

I then turned to the various news sites on the web, nothing. I then found the site from the govt that registered the quake so it confirmed to me what I suspected.

Turned on the TV, tuned in to RDI, CTv, Global and the likes, nothing.

I can understand it may take a while to figure what has happened and what to do with it (go live vs barker) but I was really disapointed to see NOTHING!

I remember seeing testing on WVNY a few years ago of an emergency broadcast system. I also saw it during really bad wheather (big red barker at the bottom of the screen). Do Canada has a emergency broadcast system like the US one? I've never saw any indication we have one but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist...

NExt time though, I know I'll tune in to TSN Radio 690 first!

[Arob]

all the people at TV station were on Twitter too no doubt , looking for the story

[InMontreal]

A 7.7 Earthquake occured nearby Haida Gwaii, west of British-Columbia at 8:04pm PT, which could lead in tsunami for a huge area including Prince Rupert.

Following Twitter feed, only CBC News Network and CTV News Channel leads warnings at 1am ET. All other networks had already shut down the newsroom.

[xxmattxx]

Im really surprised that Global BC didn't cover things longer. Out of all the stations in BC they tend to be on top of stuff like this compared to CTV and CBC.

[ED001]

I am also surprised that Global BC did not air extended coverage of the earthquake/tsunami. CBC BC was excellent with Ian Hanomansing at the helm. CTV BC was pretty good; they had Jina You and called in Mike Killeen, however they ended up simulcasting KITV for the most part when the tsunami threat moved to Hawaii.

[InMontreal]

Reading comments on facebook.

- CTV B.C. continued regular programming until the 11pm news.
- Global B.C. continued regular programming, including "The Guard"...
- CBC Vancouver broke to news sometime during "classic hockey".
- CBC Radio was simulcasting.
- CBC News Network was in simulcast.
- No information about Radio-Canada.
- RDI probably had a few headlines when it happened, but continued with regular programming (L'épicerie, Découverte) while CBC News was still live. Furthermore, a tsunami warning have the same signification in all languages...

Looks like "public safety" no longer matters to our canadian conventional networks, whose decisions originate from Toronto headquarters.

[Randi]

I watched part of the CBC News Network coverage and I really felt they had a very hard time filling the airtime. After all, what can you say more than that there's a warning and interview some people to tell us how the tremor felt.

What would've made sense to me if a big red ticker of the Tsunami warning on all BC stations.

[InMontreal]

Richard Therrien ‏@zaptele
RDI restera en ondes la nuit pour couvrir Sandy, au besoin.

[TVViewer]

[QUOTE=Randi;59054]

I watched part of the CBC News Network coverage and I really felt they had a very hard time filling the airtime. After all, what can you say more than that there's a warning and interview some people to tell us how the tremor felt.

THIS is why Global BC didn't break into regular programming. Not because they wanted to and "Toronto" said no. There were no injuries, there was no damage, they had no reporters or cameras in the area. Wall to wall coverage would have consisted of an anchor repeating the same information over and over again every 30 seconds. Global BC and CTV BC break into regular programming all the time to cover breaking news, and if there was damage to report or injuries or compelling footage to broadcast they would have broke into regular programming.

For InMontreal to say they are putting profits before public safety is ridiculous. You didn't need to be watching television to know that you had to evacuate due to the tsunami advisory, and if you lived in the area of the earthquake you don't need a television station to tell you what you felt was an earthquake. This wasn't a case of the network wanting revenue from Saturday repeats, in fact, Global BC's News Final was almost entirely commercial free that night (31 minutes of a 35 minute program, and only included one commercial break during the program), News Final has higher ratings and higher ad rates than any Global Saturday primetime program. They gave up revenue from a higher rated program with higher ad rates to devote to coverage of the earthquake, which consisted of anchor Anne Drewa interviewing several mayors on the phone (who all said the exact same thing, they felt a earthquake for a few seconds, there was no damage and nobody was hurt) she also interviewed an earthquake expert, weather specialist Wesla Wong also helped with live coverage, who was a real trooper as she already presented weather for the Saturday Morning News, Noon News Hour, and News Hour that day/night, and was back the very next morning at 7:00AM for the Sunday Morning News.

Just look at what the independently owned Vancouver Island based CHEK TV did. They didn't break into regular programming either, they don't even produce a late night newscast on Saturdays (They regularly air The Twilight Zone at 11:00PM on Saturdays although it appears on that night they went with a simulcast of CBC Vancouver's late night newscast, followed by Lingerie Football (yes, CHEK seriously thinks it is appropriate to air this, but that's another debate) at 11:30PM) they didn't even report the story on Twitter until well after Global BC. If he thinks every conventional station should have broke into programming for hours to tell everyone that an earthquake happened on Vancouver Island then fine but remember how the local employee owned Vancouver Island station acted before you blame this on the network.

What would've made sense to me if a big red ticker of the Tsunami warning on all BC stations.

Both Global BC & CTV BC had a ticker at the bottom of the screen during primetime programming, Global BC had up to date info and a live blog on their website along with constant updates on their Facebook and Twitter pages, Global BC also had news breaks promoting News Final.

Clearly there were people interested in viewing coverage of this event and were disappointed, I think this proves why BC needs the upcoming Global News BC-1 (the channel CBC & CHEK tried to stop from launching), all news channels are the perfect place for ongoing coverage of stories like these, if Global News BC-1 was on the air viewers would have had wall to wall coverage and an alternative to the regular programming on conventional stations like CHEK, ect.. If the earthquake actually resulted in injuries or damage then Global BC, CTV BC, and CBC would have broken into regular programming.

[InMontreal]

THIS is why Global BC didn't break into regular programming. Not because they wanted to and "Toronto" said no. There were no injuries, there was no damage, they had no reporters or cameras in the area. Wall to wall coverage would have consisted of an anchor repeating the same information over and over again every 30 seconds. (...) For InMontreal to say they are putting profits before public safety is ridiculous. You didn't need to be watching television to know that you had to evacuate due to the tsunami advisory, and if you lived in the area of the earthquake you don't need a television station to tell you what you felt was an earthquake.

Yeah, ok, an earthquake at 8pm is not the same as an earthquake at 12:20am when you were asleep, but you're still missing the point: WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED? Did it affect just my house? Something exploded in my neighbour's garage? A bomb went off in my neighbourhood? The whole province felt it? Do we have to evacuate? THAT is what people want to know, and this is the kind of information I didn't get last month on TV... as stated above, I had to tune to those "radio" channels on the TV terminal to confirm it was an earthquake... and I can go back to bed.

Just look at what the independently owned Vancouver Island based CHEK TV did. They didn't break into regular programming either.

There's a HUUUUGE difference here!
The epicenter was located North of BC, somewhere in the river. CHAN-TV is the only Global TV station in the whole province and operates 100s of transmitters across it, and also you keep hammering they have the best rating award winning newscast blah blah blah. They can deliver on-screen messages to viewers there in an instant, something that neither CIVI-TV (CTV), CKVU-TV (Citytv) or CHEK-TV can do. Aside of the newscast, there was another reason why in 2001 Canwest didn't sold back CHAN-TV to CTVglobemedia and kept operating CKVU-TV, and it's their transmitters.

Both Global BC & CTV BC had a ticker at the bottom of the screen during primetime programming

Really? That's the first time I hear about it... 2 weeks after the incident.

I think this proves why BC needs the upcoming Global News BC-1 (the channel CBC & CHEK tried to stop from launching), all news channels are the perfect place for ongoing coverage of stories like these, if Global News BC-1 was on the air viewers would have had wall to wall coverage

Hold on. At the beginning of your message, you said :

There were no injuries, there was no damage, they had no reporters or cameras in the area. Wall to wall coverage would have consisted of an anchor repeating the same information over and over again every 30 seconds.

If I understand you correctly, Global BC couldn't be bothered to cover it until the 11pm news, but with a Global BC-1, they would be already repeating the same information every 30 seconds, or have a reporter and a camera in the area covering the news... something that CTV News Channel and CBC News Channel couldn't do because they're based from Toronto. Interesting.

Still, "Global News Plus BC" obtained a CATEGORY B licence (see Decision CRTC 2012-394), which means that if it was launched a few months ago, only Shaw Direct and Shaw Cable subscribers have potential access to it and pay the package where it's located. When it's a matter of public safety, conventional television is still the first media that reaches the maximum of viewers that a news specialty channel cannot replace.

[TVViewer]

[QUOTE=InMontreal;59235]

Yeah, ok, an earthquake at 8pm is not the same as an earthquake at 12:20am when you were asleep, but you're still missing the point: WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED? Did it affect just my house? Something exploded in my neighbour's garage? A bomb went off in my neighbourhood? The whole province felt it? Do we have to evacuate? THAT is what people want to know, and this is the kind of information I didn't get last month on TV... as stated above, I had to tune to those "radio" channels on the TV terminal to confirm it was an earthquake... and I can go back to bed.

So you need a television station to tell you that what you felt was an minor earthquake? If it was a real emergency situation the response from the media would likely have been different.

There's a HUUUUGE difference here!
The epicenter was located North of BC, somewhere in the river. CHAN-TV is the only Global TV station in the whole province and operates 100s of transmitters across it, and also you keep hammering they have the best rating award winning newscast blah blah blah. They can deliver on-screen messages to viewers there in an instant, something that neither CIVI-TV (CTV), CKVU-TV (Citytv) or CHEK-TV can do. Aside of the newscast, there was another reason why in 2001 Canwest didn't sold back CHAN-TV to CTVglobemedia and kept operating CKVU-TV, and it's their transmitters.

So they also need a television station to tell them that what they felt was an earthquake? Several minutes after it happened?

Really? That's the first time I hear about it... 2 weeks after the incident.

Someone was complaining about how that's all they had.

Hold on. At the beginning of your message, you said :

If I understand you correctly, Global BC couldn't be bothered to cover it until the 11pm news, but with a Global BC-1, they would be already repeating the same information every 30 seconds, or have a reporter and a camera in the area covering the news... something that CTV News Channel and CBC News Channel couldn't do because they're based from Toronto. Interesting.

Global News BC-1 wouldn't have changed the fact that they don't have a reporter or camera crew in the area, but it would have meant on-air coverage, boring coverage since there would be so little to report, but coverage none the less.

Still, "Global News Plus BC" obtained a CATEGORY B licence (see Decision CRTC 2012-394), which means that if it was launched a few months ago, only Shaw Direct and Shaw Cable subscribers have potential access to it and pay the package where it's located. When it's a matter of public safety, conventional television is still the first media that reaches the maximum of viewers that a news specialty channel cannot replace.

It's not a matter of public safety though. If people are in danger, they are evacuating the area, not watching television.

[PokerFace]

Radio is more important to me during emergency situations ... especially if there's a power failure ... where are my damn batteries?

I hate TV tickers ... even for amber alerts ... yes, I'm evil.

All I ask is that if there's a wardrobe malfunction during one of those Lingerie football games on CHEK, I would like to see highlights during my local news broadcasts ... I like to keep abreast of important developments.

[TVViewer]

Clearly there were people interested in viewing coverage of this event and were disappointed, I think this proves why BC needs the upcoming Global News BC-1 (the channel CBC & CHEK tried to stop from launching), all news channels are the perfect place for ongoing coverage of stories like these, if Global News BC-1 was on the air viewers would have had wall to wall coverage and an alternative to the regular programming on conventional stations like CHEK, ect.. If the earthquake actually resulted in injuries or damage then Global BC, CTV BC, and CBC would have broken into regular programming.

And this is exactly what happened Wednesday night with the earthquake off the coast of Port Hardy on Vancouver Island. There were no injuries or damage, and conventional stations (Global, CHEK, CTV, CBC, City, etc.) continued with regular programming, but BC1 exclusively had full live coverage all night!

Just another example of how great it is to have BC1. Global BC (and Global National) still breaks into regular programming all the time to cover breaking news, but when events like these happen it's nice that BC1 is available for non-stop coverage for those who want it. In primetime for British Columbia CTV News Channel and CBC News Networks are airing repeats of their national newscasts, BC1 is live and available to cover breaking local, national, and international stories as they happen. From the Boston bombing manhunt to BC earthquakes, BC1 has the BC advantage to cover breaking stories.

[InMontreal]

Just another example of how great it is to have BC1.

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