Anyone Remember?

[up4479]

As I recall, the full field shows were shown, but they weren't shot at the contest. They had the corps run their shows during the day at a separate field. There may have been concerns about stadium lighting back at that time.

This is true. The performances were filmed on Boston Common either the day of or the day after the show. There are open playing fields along Charles Street over and next to the underground parking facility. That's the location. The performances were open to the public and many "in the know" watched. There were no stands but it is a very conspicuous location for any event in Boston. Check out Google maps or Google Earth by searching for Boston Common, Boston, MA and find the baseball diamond. If you zoom in on the satellite view you can see the borders of a football or soccer field lined out. Back in the day the border of the field and the 50 yard line were all that were needed for a field show so there were no problems with the corps performing in the open like that.

[Walter]

Because DCI did not want to let go of control of the shows. It's that simple. Really. With them it's always been about control.

DCI didn't make enough money from the broadcasts.

PBS didn't make enough money from the broadcasts.

PBS wanted to change the format of the shows to increase revenue because they claimed that people didn't support the shows with their donations - remember, this was a once a year show of a specific niche - stands to reason they may have been right about that.

My thesis is that with all the other broadcasts that are and continue to make money through public support they could stand to donate that air time as a public service, because they are a Public Broadcast Corporation, #### them.

Just the facts except the last editorial sentence.

Respectfully,

Puppet

So if DCI and PBS didn't make enough money, it goes to show that not enough people donated to the Finals showing to make it worth their while...right ?

When I saw my first finals in 1975, I was 15 and I wasn't working and money was tight in my parnets house so I couldn't ask my parents for it.

As for PBS donating the air time..I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon.

Edited March 25, 2009 by Walter

[TomPeashey]

1974 was also the first ever broadcast of the DCI Championships from Cornell University Ithaca, NY - as many of you know, I was the first color commentator for that show. It was not broadcast live but rather edited and made available to the PBS network in the early fall. I spent several days at the station assisting with the editing and doing some voice overs. This was done by WCNY Syracuse... and don't bother calling them... the original tapes were destroyed in the late 80's - when the switched tape size/format (whatever it was).

I kept a close relationship with the PBS station and I can assure you that the original deal was kept "affordable" by offering it during the "begging" season - which I hated... It was dropped from the "begging" because the success rate measured in both the quantity of pledges and the % of fulfillment of pledges was much lower than something like a Yanni Concert or whatever... plain truth - we were and are still a niche activity...

The amount of money to produce and distribute it during a regular time period would be and is prohibitive...

[jdostie]

So if DCI and PBS didn't make enough money, it goes to show that not enough people donated to the Finals showing to make it worth their while...right ?

When I saw my first finals in 1975, I was 15 and I wasn't working and money was tight in my parnets house so I couldn't ask my parents for it.

As for PBS donating the air time..I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon.

From the PBS Website:

"Funding for PBS programs comes from a variety of sources - member stations' dues, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, government agencies, foundations, corporations and private citizens."

and the following:

________________________________________________________________________________

*Does the program/proposal correspond with our mission to inspire, inform and educate (http://www.pbs.org/producers/mission.html)? Is the production value of high-quality? Will it add to the value of public television? Is the content accurate and contemporary?

*Though many media outlets attempt to tackle similar subjects, whether current, historical or impending, does your program/proposal offer new information either previously unavailable or unacknowledged? What about a different perspective? Have you checked to make sure one of our existing continuing series or anthologies has recently undertaken this or a similar topic? If so, understand your program/proposal may not be a scheduling priority, regardless of innovation. Perhaps consider waiting to submit to us at a later date.

*Is the program/proposal entertaining? How would you describe the pace? Is this something that would hold your interest for half an hour? What about a full hour? Two hours? Is there any point where people might be tempted to change the channel?

*Does the program/proposal engage the viewer? Do you believe it will speak to people on multiple emotional and intellectual levels? Will the content inspire people to investigate the subject further once the program has ended? Have you provided opportunities for member stations to benefit their communities with your materials?

*Will the program/proposal attract a large, diverse audience? Will the material appeal to a wide age range? Will both 25-year-olds and 45-year-olds relate to the content? What about both men and women? Do you believe people that live in urban, rural and suburban areas will connect with the program? Is there a chance people might be offended by the content?

*How will the program/proposal comply with PBS’ interactive requirements? Have you provided opportunities for web development? What about other media outlets like podcasting or video on-demand.

_______________________________________________________________________

I'd have to say that the only criteria in question is "will the program/proposal attract a large, diverse audience." I'd venture a guess that the answer to this question is also yes. Particularly now-a-days - while there are fewer drum corps, there seems (at least judging from my daughter's interactions at school) to be more awareness of the activity. And call them bando's or whatever, there is a larger segment than just the actual drum corps community that have some interest there - if not, why do movie theaters actually have drum corps footage viewing events.

PBS is funded in part by tax dollars (that little government agencies section), and that's because they are "providing a public service" in part by providing a bit of niche programming that is not offered by other networks - provided the programming fits the other criteria listed.

I somehow got the notion that DCI opted out of PBS rather than the other way around, and that it had to do with DCI's revenue generation. I have no facts on this, it is just the impression I got, either from discussions from people or something I read somewhere - so if it's incorrect, well, I apologize.

I always thought that PBS and drum corps were a good match. I still think so, except that it's probable that DCI (if my previous statement is correct) believes they have a better/more profitable model available to them.

Edited March 25, 2009 by jdostie

[HornsUp]

The 1977 DCI Finals were broadcast, post-season, by a PBS affiliate in SoCal.

The Anaheim Kingsmen furnished about two dozen vols to sit at rows of tables and pretend to answer phones and take down pledges.

The phones were not hooked up, and there was no need for that because not even one solitary viewer called in with a pledge !!!

[KeithHall]

Ouch!!!!

The 1977 DCI Finals were broadcast, post-season, by a PBS affiliate in SoCal.

The Anaheim Kingsmen furnished about two dozen vols to sit at rows of tables and pretend to answer phones and take down pledges.

The phones were not hooked up, and there was no need for that because not even one solitary viewer called in with a pledge !!!

[MikeD]

If everyone you say supported the DCI Finals than WHY did PBS stop broadcasting them ?

Your comment was correct, as I have read in many places (and I made the same one in this thread). It's not how many pledges were made that determines the success of a show...it's how many were fulfilled.

From a variety of threads on the drum corps forums over the years...people who contacted local PBS affiliates were told just that...that drum corps pledge fulfillment was very low. Not in every case, of course...but that seemed to be a recurring theme.

[MikeD]

Because DCI did not want to let go of control of the shows. It's that simple. Really. With them it's always been about control.

DCI didn't make enough money from the broadcasts.

PBS didn't make enough money from the broadcasts.

PBS wanted to change the format of the shows to increase revenue because they claimed that people didn't support the shows with their donations - remember, this was a once a year show of a specific niche - stands to reason they may have been right about that.

Actually, how did DCI make ANY money from the broadcast?

While I agree that probably all those things had some bearing on the issue...IMO from reading over the years it was the lack of pledge fulfillments that killed it off.

My thesis is that with all the other broadcasts that are and continue to make money through public support they could stand to donate that air time as a public service, because they are a Public Broadcast Corporation, #### them.

That is one thing I do not follow. Why should they donate time like that? They still have costs to cover, and unless the show gets underwriting support I don't see how that would ever happen. Drum corps as a show appeals to a a tiny fragment of their overall audience.

[IllianaLancerContra]

Actually, how did DCI make ANY money from the broadcast?

While I agree that probably all those things had some bearing on the issue...IMO from reading over the years it was the lack of pledge fulfillments that killed it off.

That is one thing I do not follow. Why should they donate time like that? They still have costs to cover, and unless the show gets underwriting support I don't see how that would ever happen. Drum corps as a show appeals to a a tiny fragment of their overall audience.

I don't think thy could do it back then (except for the "Nielsen families"), but modern cable technology supposedly keeps track of how many sets are watching any given program at any time. I wonder what the numbers looked like for the ESPN2 broadcast. Obviously the fan base tuned in, but how many surfers stopped and how long did they watch? Even if DCI does not know I bet ESPN does.

[tommytimp]

I'd rather have no drum corps on TV at all than have to get "nourishment" from the hack job ESPN2 demanded from DCI on those broadcasts.

Well what do you know? I got my wish. Guess that makes me the problem.