ashyUechi Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 Recently I heard someone say they were introduced to DCI through the PBS broadcast. I am in the same boat as my brother recorded it for me and I didn't stop watching that tape until the next years championships were broadcasted. I believe there was some bridges burned with PBS when DCI went to ESPN2. The ESPN2 broadcast has been suspended due to cost of production. What would it take for DCI to get back on PBS? I know DCI has the theatre thing going now and they may not want to get in the way of the revenue steam they have created there. Maybe show DCI in the fall on PBS What are you thoughts? So Ashy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeN Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 I think it'd take someone underwriting the broadcast for DCI and a short memory on PBS's part to forget all of the drum corps pledges that never paid up. And for Finals to not be on Saturday night. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeanInChicago Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 When the broadcast moved to ESPN2, I visited (now closed) the ESPN Zone in Chicago in River North. Though the restaurant had over dozens and dozens of TVs, not one was tuned to the DCI program -- it was all sports. I asked a manager that night if they could at least turn one small set to DCI, and the answer was "no". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Boo Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 The PBS broadcast started at four hours live and eventually went to two hours delayed. It also got move around depending on the location. Some cities showed it on Labor Day weekend and some on Thanksgiving. I've spoken with PBS people and the pledge drives they ran with the show were not fruitful. Lots of people pledged, but quite a number didn't follow through on their pledge. That didn't help us much. Bill Cook stepped in a few years to underwrite the program, but no one else (or any group of entities) stepped up to follow him. Then we were on ESPN2 for awhile, but that was prohibitively expensive as DCI had to purchase the time. (About $750,000.) What DCI was getting out of it wasn't anything compared to what they were putting into it. Far more people are interested in watching the cheerleading championships. That's a simple fact. I wish it wasn't, but reality is what it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skywhopper Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 I said this over in the discovery stories thread, but I think the PBS broadcast would have very limited value these days. Most kids in the target range aren't watching too much public television given all their other options and a once-or-twice a year event is not going to land in very many hearts. But, if a kid gets even an inkling of drum corps and wants to find out more about it, Google and Youtube are all the resources they need. There are videos that span all eras of drum corps--highlight reels, entire shows, promo videos, tryout and practice videos. It's easy to find the corps websites and get information and tryout material. I think all of that outstrips any potential gain to be had by broadcasting on PBS. Yes, there is value in getting the product in front of people's faces, but PBS is maybe no longer the right vehicle for doing that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielray Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 YouTube and other online channels are much more effective than broadcast. A lot of people are even starting to ditch broadcast and cable/sat for online content. This will really pick up as the quality of options breadth of available content improves. Online channels should be the focus. . That sort of reach is crazy in comparison to potential of PBS or even ESPN2, and there is zero cost for the slot.This is where it's at. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peel Paint Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 I was introduced to drum corps when I was channel surfing for preseason football and stumbled on what I thought was a halftime show but turned out to be the second four-hour live broadcast of DCI on PBS back in the 1970s. And yes, I was hooked quickly by the quality of what I saw. At that time, cable TV was not widely available and satellite TV, home video choices (Blockbuster, let alone Netflix), home video games, and the Internet did not exist. PBS was one of six channels broadcasting locally in that market. Bottom line: there were very few home entertainment choices. PBS was about diversity in programming and fundraising was a relatively minor priority compared to today. There are a whole bunch of ships there in that 1970s scenario that have long sailed away and are not coming back. Even if DCI was on PBS, very few new fans would find it by channel surfing. Producing DCI for TV is very expensive and does not return more revenue to corps. It would be an ego project. Producing video for the web is much cheaper, is much more likely to raise revenue for DCI from its current fan base, and if done correctly with brief free highlights, can also build a new audience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emc2 Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 (edited) When the broadcast moved to ESPN2, I visited (now closed) the ESPN Zone in Chicago in River North. Though the restaurant had over dozens and dozens of TVs, not one was tuned to the DCI program -- it was all sports. I asked a manager that night if they could at least turn one small set to DCI, and the answer was "no". Once i was down at Cape Cod in a small pub near the ocean and the manager turned it on for us, had a great time. At umass my son said that they tape the and show it on the tube at lunch. Edited August 18, 2011 by emc2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashyUechi Posted August 22, 2011 Author Share Posted August 22, 2011 I think the point being made about the reach of the internet is a good one but that video gave as an example doesn't really introduce anyone to drum corps. My partner, who only knows about drum corps from me, had mentioned that when she saw the TV broadcast it gave her the impression that drum corps is bigger than it really is. I don't feel that people get that same sense from a parking lot video of a drum corps. What would be the harm of getting DCI back on PBS? Ashy YouTube and other online channels are much more effective than broadcast. A lot of people are even starting to ditch broadcast and cable/sat for online content. This will really pick up as the quality of options breadth of available content improves. Online channels should be the focus. . That sort of reach is crazy in comparison to potential of PBS or even ESPN2, and there is zero cost for the slot.This is where it's at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somerville Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 For some reason i think the Bravo Channel would be an excellent fit. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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