3 February 2009

What's happening at ABC TV Canberra weather?

| nanzan
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Enough is enough, when it comes to the on-screen stuff-ups in the weather news at ABC TV Canberra – and I am not referring to Mark Carmody!

Rather, the constant errors in the on-screen temperature figures and graphics that have been plaguing the weather news bulletins on ABC TV’s Canberra news service for months and months now.

There have been so many examples. The presenter will say the top temperature in Canberra today was 32 for instance, but the graphic will say something different. On the regional map it will show a graphic for Canberra indicating rain or showers, then when it zooms in to the city graphic, the icon shows no precipitation at all!

The last straw was last night when the week ahead forecast for Canberra was flashed up, and it showed temperatures from some day in winter, completely at odds with what the presenter was actually saying. Then, as if that wasn’t enough, the snow report came up – just as the presenter was waxing about how hot the weather will be this weekend! I mean this is crazy stuff.

The situation is patently ludicrous and an embarrassment to all. How can ABC TV get things wrong so consistently – and never make any apology for it on screen, ever!

Any ideas as to how one might complain about this to the ABC? There doesn’t seem to be any easy way to contact ABC TV in Canberra.

Should I just email Mark Carmody or Virginia Hausegger directly?

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In tonight’s broadcast, they displayed tonight’s minimum 3 times. First time (NSW map) they got it right (24 degrees), but the second (region map) and third (summary) they somehow had the minimum up to 27 degrees!

Ta, Sepi – I might get someone with greater expertise than I (ie gen Y!) to have a go at your suggestion!

Miz there should be two settings on your set top box – one does the tiny square inside the telly screen, and the other does a full screen square. As well as the wide screen settings.

Bureau of Meterology Canberra forecast it’s where most outlets source their weather data from, but then they manage to screw up the figures on the way to your TV set.

I do have a square old telly (ie not that newfangled rectangle shape) which is why I bought the damn set top box! Problem is, if I set the set top box display to show the whole rectangle-shaped picture, the image is way to small and the setting affects all the channels. As I said before, this only affects the ABC, the other channels are fine. Which is also annoying, as I watch ABC the most.

Maybe they should just put their subtitle headings in the centre of the screen instead of far-left alignment? or fix their signal so it is the same as the other channels?

Holden Caulfield11:56 pm 04 Feb 09

The ABC News picture is fine on my HDTV, nothing obscured at all. I’d say it’s an issue with your TV’s settings, or your STB.

Does anyone know why the ABC picture cuts off the sides so that news headings and the logo thingy are half obscured (this is only thru the set top box, it’s perfectly fine on analogue), when the other channels manage to fit the whole picture on the screen without cutting off the edges?

im glad someone pointed out that the cuts to the ABC have meant that directors are running with very staff and in some cases, very little training.

give ’em a break and get over it…

its not like the people who’ve been making the mistakes dont know about it.

Well said, Gardening Girl.

as for the stuffups, it might be cost cutting, or some new system that as usual doesn’t work. Or they might just have an extended placement of work experience kids.

GardeningGirl8:43 am 04 Feb 09

Vic Bitterman said :

You ABC mob seem very passionate.

If this was ch 9 or ch10 (the ones I usually watch, although ‘watch’ is a misnomer, I’m usually doing all sorts of stuff when the TV is on), I’d just say “Meh!” and move on.

Why the passion?

Serious question folks!!! 🙂

I don’t watch the ABC news all the time so I guess I’m not one of the ABC mob but speaking for myself the ABC news (and current affairs) has had the reputation of doing legitimate stories, not cluttered up with the latest celebrity exploits and funny videos, and also paying attention to things like getting foreign pronunciations right. I see the ABC as a genuine and reliable news service rather than the infotainment that passes for news on the commercial stations. It’s a worry when their standards show signs of slipping.

The chair sniffer, Troy Buswell, got elevated to WA premier in a caption last night.

Vic Bitterman12:15 am 04 Feb 09

I’ll preface this with saying I don’t watch the ABC news! 🙂

You ABC mob seem very passionate.

If this was ch 9 or ch10 (the ones I usually watch, although ‘watch’ is a misnomer, I’m usually doing all sorts of stuff when the TV is on), I’d just say “Meh!” and move on.

Why the passion?

Serious question folks!!! 🙂

It’s more likely because the ABC is changing to a more automated system for their newsroom, instead of there being 14 people running the ship there is now/soon will be only about 4 people plus the newsreaders

astrojax said :

should we meet up and link arms around the abc building in a protest against incorrect climate information?

Sounds like a bit of fun… You want to organise it?

Maybe Virginia is sabotaging his graphics to make him look like an idiot…

Oh! Hang on!

GardeningGirl8:29 pm 03 Feb 09

Er, um, oops, sorry! How embarrassing is that :-))

GardeningGirl8:28 pm 03 Feb 09

I’ve seen some astounding errors on the ABC online news. Seems Aunty ABC isn’t running a very tight ship these days. 🙁

GardeningGirl8:28 pm 03 Feb 09

I’ve seen some astounding errors on the ABC online news. Seems Aunty ABC isn’t running a very tight ship these days. 🙁

God knows why the local news – or indeed any news – needs a separate weather presenter, and sports presenter. Just get the newsreader to read it – no doubt its on the same autocue.

sexynotsmart7:41 pm 03 Feb 09

Virginia bats middle order on the wife’s “girly list”. Some years ago I emailed her and asked if she could be LoveBump’s birthday present. Curiously there was no reply. I don’t know who was more disappointed – LoveBumps for missing out on a list member, or me for having to think of another present.

Virginia is hotness.

luther_bendross6:55 pm 03 Feb 09

I’ve said it before today; two words: potato cannon.

Big deal. Look out the window.

Gungahlin Al5:06 pm 03 Feb 09

Virginia is on Facebook, so you can tell her direct.

Holden Caulfield5:01 pm 03 Feb 09

I’d just do whatever is required to get Siobhan Heanue’s phone number.

Yesterday the week ahead forecast wasn’t even from a Monday, it was from a Tuesday. Mark did say something about the weather having affected the graphics so they must be aware people have noticed the problems.

House Egger??

should we meet up and link arms around the abc building in a protest against incorrect climate information?

Canberra:
Cnr Northbourne and Wakefield Avenues
Dickson ACT 2602;
GPO Box 9994
Canberra ACT 2601;
Phone (02) 6275 4555
Fax (02) 6275 4538

Phone up and they do take comments seriously.

It’s not only on ABC – WIN and Prime seem to have this problem at times too.

I’d email Mark. I have heard him talk about emails he has received in the past so I’m sure he reads them.

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