Surprise! MSNBC Primetime Convention Coverage Was From NYC!
On July 30, 2016
- TV History
Surprise! MSNBC Primetime Convention Coverage Was From NYC!
Who knew? I watched MSNBC a lot, and it was just like Brian Williams and Rachel Maddow were there in the hall. Actually, they were in MSNBC Studio 3A, in a the space usually occupied by the “Morning Joe” set.
The seamless blending was made possible by the large number of isolated camera feeds (via fiber optics) from the locations, that give the 3A control room the ability to operate as if the video sources were originating inside 30 Rock. With the giant LED wall screens behind them, using the iso camera from NBC News booth in the hall made it totally believable. Kudos! -Bobby Ellerbee
Any CGI involved?
There is a move to do away with OB crew, other than camera operators and a couple of techs. The idea is that a director, VT crew and audio mixer will run operations remotely in a centralised location. Will this really work? I have worked in OBs for 18 years and the tight knit operation of the crew is not something to mess with. But there are bean counters wanting to save money. I have heard of trials happening in Europe.
Did they have their finger on the dump button in case Brian Williams claimed they were in Phila? : )
They look like they were on the Holodeck
All good. Just can’t watch MSNBC.
It took me a minute to realize that the backgrounds were images…the perspective gave it away. Although the NY location was mentioned, they should have built-in banners to make it more obvious. And then there’s the recent trope of putting interviews “in the action” amidst the delegates or at noisy bars where everyone has to yell at each other to be heard.
Just a personal reflection. Every morning, convention or not, I watch 50/50 “Morning Joe” and “New Day” until “CBS Morning News” and then it’s a three way till 9. I have had my ups and downs with MSNBC, but generally split my day between then and CNN, between episodes of “Law And Order” and “NCIS”. I watched “CBS Evening News” early this year and liked it, but when Lester Holt took over, I went back to NBC, because I think they have a stronger first 15 minutes of real news, with the last half of all of them just internet video. In Atlanta, David Muir and ABC doesn’t compete with CBS and NBC, but airs at 7, and I watch that too, but at times, they can be a little too clever by half in their treatment of teasers. I’ve voted for both parties, but am an independant, and occasionally watch FOX News. Shepard Smith is about the only one I can take there, as they are just so over the top. It will be interesting to see what happens with Ailes gone.
Just one more example of Brian’s diminutive status ..
I remember all Hell breaking loose when Cokie Roberts filed a report standing in front of a photo of the Capitol.
More deception by cable channel MSNBC. A little something out of the cable channel ESPN playbook. Cable is as cable does,cheap !! Can’t watch the children’s cable channel MSNBC. I’ll stay with the networks for as long as I can.
We have the same pedestal Vinten-Radamec-Fusion, 6 cameras to 1 cameraman in Belgium !
I don’t watch MSNBC but I guess they saved a ton of money. Maybe what they did is part and parcel to their ongoing problems.
Just wondering if the Philadelphia venue had enough room for a full booth position for 4 people plus cameras?
They regularly mentioned they were in New York. No deception,
Pedestal Vinten-Radamec-Fusion ! CRANE Jimmy-Jib…
No, Bobby. Not kudos. If MSNBC was purporting to be in Philadelphia when they weren’t, that’s not okay. No matter how good it might have been done, technically, it is still being dishonest with the viewer. That’s not okay on ANY level.
So at the next convention they just get the venue to change all of the seats to green ones. That way if they have delegates that don’t toe the party line, they can just chromakey them in.