Microsoft Surface Touch

[BTVNadmin]

Here's my read: it's utterly pointless! TV stations have these obscure things known as "control rooms" (you might have heard of them) and they've been perfectly capable of acting as a playout system for, oh, at least the last couple of years or so; that was before anchors needed to grope a screen in order to put something on-air!

[bignate]

I agree. How many more 'bells and whistles' do they need to add to newscasts?

How about this: anchors and reporters focus on LOCAL news that actually matters to the viewers. I don't need to see Frances cook another dish or any of the other non-news 'stories' out there. 7 is the worst offender but all of them are to blame.

[BTVNadmin]

Why just watch Frances make a shrimp risotto when you can see her repeatedly prodding a picture of a shrimp risotto before the package goes to air?

[iknowpeople]

I assure you, after looking at the ratings, the last thing 7 needs to be worried about is a Surface Touch being on-set. How about some good writers and a mantra that encourages strong reporting, not trash. People are sick of 7's plastic delivery. Gotta deliver substance.

[patsx3]

I've seen it used on Sports Xtra, but now they're using it on the news? Max's control room comment sums it up nicely. Completely unnecessary.

[BTVNadmin]

If they wanted it for sports, they should invest in a funky new piece of technology called a telestrator. Oh that's right, I forgot, Todd Gross totally claimed intellectual property on drawing big white arrows before he left!

[andy]

I loved Todd Gross's arrows! It was amazing how he could draw them like that!

[fox25rox]

Here's my view on their latest attempt at spicing things up - zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

[andy]

if you look there is an NBC Peacock in there too, so I wonder if NBC paid for it? I wouldnt think they would since a) WHDH isn't an O&O and they aren't on good terms with each other, and 2) NBC has no money to spend... but I found it curious to see the Peacock nonetheless

[BTVNadmin]

Nov 6, 2009 1:56:48 GMT -5 andy said:

if you look there is an NBC Peacock in there too, so I wonder if NBC paid for it? I wouldnt think they would since a) WHDH isn't an O&O and they aren't on good terms with each other, and 2) NBC has no money to spend... but I found it curious to see the Peacock nonetheless

You're not far wrong, though I understand Microsoft may have also chipped in (due to the MSNBC partnership) for the world's most pointless peace offering!

[andy]

I wonder if Microsoft pitched in especially for WHDH because they use Apple's Macbook Air on their anchor desk and were pretty much giving them free advertising before they put the 7 Logo over the Apple

I general I wonder if this will become more common, seeing corporate logos in newsrooms, to bring in that advertising money since viewers don't usually flip through the news like you would commercials

[cj]

Its multi fold - one, a giant gimmick - Of course, CNN has multi-touch, why not us?

Don't get me wrong, multi touch is really cool - but its also totally useless. In some cases, it can be useful (looking at maps), but for the most part - its a waste.

As for who paid for it, if I had to guess, WHDH got it on the cuff - every part of the copy includes "On our Microsoft Surface".

What's really a waste is that the resolution of the thing (that they pass off to the screen) isn't even HD quality (neither is the camera they use)

But, it can be useful - like acting as a telestrator, or for showing maps quickly - then again, so is a chroma key wall, and some stations are taking the two and essentially mixing them, but its still a tad clunky!

[bg02445]

Nov 6, 2009 14:24:39 GMT -5 andy said:

I wonder if Microsoft pitched in especially for WHDH because they use Apple's Macbook Air on their anchor desk and were pretty much giving them free advertising before they put the 7 Logo over the Apple

Actually, the MacBooks have Windows XP installed on them.