DCA Show on PBS

[Ray Priester]

Are they recorded using 'broadcast quality' equipment for both video and sound? I have no idea.

Don't forget, for the ESPN2 show, DCI paid for the air time, and then they used sponsors to recoup as much of the cost as they could.

I think some sort of DCA broadcast was aired a long time ago on a NY State PBS or local station...Tom Peashey talked about it once in some posts on a similar topic.

The show you are thinking of was the Brigs show in 1968 which was held in the old MacArthur Stadium ( home of the world's most voracious mosquitos!). It was broadcast on some PBS stations at a later date. I remember watching our performance on the evening of July 4 back then on channel 13, the New York PBS station. It was B&W and kinda grainy, if I remember correctly. But hey, we were on TV!

Ray

[Fran Haring]

I think some sort of DCA broadcast was aired a long time ago on a NY State PBS or local station...

Mike, in 1977 a Pennsylvania public TV outlet aired a broadcast of DCA Finals from Allentown that year.

I'm not sure of the details, but I know Fred Windish was involved in that whole process.

If he reads this thread, perhaps he can come on here and fill us in!

Fran

Edited March 13, 2008 by Fran Haring

[Jeff Ream]

What is the approximate production cost of something like this?, and would it far exceed the current vidoe producution cost that are currently incurred by the video taping company,...............it may sound like a stupid question, but I just have no idea about this kind of stuff,..................

with or without advertising, probably between 250k and 500k.

[MikeD]

Not sure which comments Mike D is referring to. the DCI broadcast of Championships started in 1974 when the Syracuse PBS station taped the show and then edited for national availability in the fall. I know all about that because I was the color commentator and had to participate in the editing and even add some voice overs to make the editing work. So there's basic information there - DCI #3 was the first championship to be broadcast. Before anyone asks, I tried to rescue the original video tapes, but they were destroyed. DCI did a reasonably good job of resurrecting the show from someone's copy.

Oh..oops...did not realize it was DCI...I thought it was DCA you were referring to..my bad.

[cabalumnidrummer]

"The show you are thinking of was the Brigs show in 1968 which was held in the old MacArthur Stadium ( home of the world's most voracious mosquitos!). It was broadcast on some PBS stations at a later date. I remember watching our performance on the evening of July 4 back then on channel 13, the New York PBS station. It was B&W and kinda grainy, if I remember correctly. But hey, we were on TV!"

I remember watching that show too, Ray. We weren't in the contest, and I remember being at the July 4 junior show in Union City to do an exhibition, and seeing the contest on a portable TV someone set up. It was then replayed a few nights later, because I know I saw it at home also .

We all thought this was going to be the start of drum corps on television as a regular thing. Boy, were we mistaken! Still, it was exciting to see that broadcast at the time, and I recall it was pretty well done, including interviews with directors and staff between corps. It was, after all, a live show, with no pre-taped features.

And Jeff, would that 250 to 500K which you refer to be for a full PBS production, or would that be the cost for just showing DCA's own video products (if that were even possible)?

[Jeff Ream]

Just to get airtime, regardless of what was shown. Drum corps doesnt have blue chip sponsors, which it could, but the marketing isnt there on either side. Is AJ Wright still involved? I've heard conflicting stories for this year. That was the closest I've seen to outside the box marketing until the few moves DCI launched.

[Fred Windish]

Good morning, all !

Fran is correct (isn't he always?) the 1977 DCA Championships WERE broadcast nationally on PBS, but not live. I posted a full description about this a year ago, or so.

Our local PBS station actually paid DCA for the right to broadcast the complete Finals event locally at a later date, and a 2 hour 'highlights' version across the country at times selected by each affiliate station. New York PBS stations were included in that package. It was a VERY high quality production. Unfortunately, the local station no longer has it archived. It was the first and only national PBS broadcast for DCA. I prepared the contract and helped to produce the event.

Fran's own Sunrisers won the show. That probably helps his memory here!

I'm not real sure of drum corps telecast history, but I own a copy of an even earlier event. It was a 1956 show at the stadium that preceeded J. Birney Crum Stadium in Allentown. That stadium was 2 blocks away, under the high school's current parking deck. It wasn't DCA, of course, just corps who carried bugles with one arm while swinging the other arm. Anyone have drum corps video older than this?

[JimF-LowBari]

Good morning, all !

Fran is correct (isn't he always?) the 1977 DCA Championships WERE broadcast nationally on PBS, but not live. I posted a full description about this a year ago, or so.

Our local PBS station actually paid DCA for the right to broadcast the complete Finals event locally at a later date, and a 2 hour 'highlights' version across the country at times selected by each affiliate station. New York PBS stations were included in that package. It was a VERY high quality production. Unfortunately, the local station no longer has it archived. It was the first and only national PBS broadcast for DCA. I prepared the contract and helped to produce the event.

Fran's own Sunrisers won the show. That probably helps his memory here!

I'm not real sure of drum corps telecast history, but I own a copy of an even earlier event. It was a 1956 show at the stadium that preceeded J. Birney Crum Stadium in Allentown. That stadium was 2 blocks away, under the high school's current parking deck. It wasn't DCA, of course, just corps who carried bugles with one arm while swinging the other arm. Anyone have drum corps video older than this?

And it was up to the local PBS affiliates to decide if and when they would show that 2 hour highlights show. The Pittsburgh, PA station broadcast it over the Christmas(?) holiday as a friend in college saw it and told me about it. The Harrisburg area PBS station in Hershey never showed it or did it when no one was watching. At least I never heard of anyone in my corps seeing it.

So Fred, who is in that 1956 video? And I hope the sound comes with the video.

[ajlisko]

The show you are thinking of was the Brigs show in 1968 which was held in the old MacArthur Stadium ( home of the world's most voracious mosquitos!). It was broadcast on some PBS stations at a later date. I remember watching our performance on the evening of July 4 back then on channel 13, the New York PBS station. It was B&W and kinda grainy, if I remember correctly. But hey, we were on TV!

Ray

HAHA ... I still remember watching the show at the Condon Post in Bridgeport after we finished our parades ... the broadcast crew interviewed Winky after the show ... what a classic ... I thought for sure TV was in drum corps' future ... oh well ...

:-)

[kusankusho]

On a broadcast, I kinda wish they would just have a high shot and LEAVE it there.

Can't tell you how many times a big moment is coming up and they would cut to the timpani mallets or some horn players nose hairs or something.

They have to know what's going on in the show for sure, but I kinda like those tight angles on the battery. It's all in what you like I guess so there has to be something for everyone. High angle all the way through wouldn't do it for me.