Is this the wrong time of the year for a content survey?
Making it's way to the ring,
A series whose first outing in 2021 recorded how much news you lose.
It's sequel, stands alone today, unlike the first outing (tagged to a five day content survey.)
And after a false start yesterday...
Ladies and gentlemen, this is Lexicon News 2.
Welcome back, to Lexicon News.
So, here we are again: with another intensive look at Seven's regional QLD-only 1/2hr cut of Brisbane's 6pm news. A lot has changed since 2021: starting with Seven buying their lead regional affiliate Prime in December (and likely setting the seeds sometime in 2022 for a significant upswing in local news coverage in every aggregated market station linked to Seven, thanks to ACMA's new "Trigger Event" for regional television news quotas)
But yet the questions I still am getting is the following...
"What the hell is Lexicon News?"
Lexicon News's genesis
Lexicon News, initially came about as a way to extend the Content Survey Live format into a second week, but it's catalyst, was a move I made in August 2020: from Brisbane to regional Queensland, where 7's news service is not only omnipotent, but probably has been the most successful local news product in aggregated Australia for the last decade, as bulletins were added in markets that were once heartlands for WIN Television (Rockhampton in 2010, and Toowoomba in 2015) while the regional television sector played two games of musical chairs with Southern Cross and Win concerning the Nine chair in Victoria, Southern NSW and Queensland in 2016 and 2021: consigning Nine to a very deep ratings hole in our part of the world.
But it hasn't been without some growing pains, especially when Seven News in Brisbane expanded to one hour in 2014, which eventually (once Toowoomba gained a local news service in December 2015) resulted in Seven's 6pm hour in Brisbane being heavily edited into a 1/2hr service to air at 6:30, with Brisbane's sport/weather airing live statewide.
From this position (and a little help from a PVR recording the directors cut and 7+'s full bulletin), we will find out how much Queensland regional viewers don't see in the (news) directors cut of BTQ's 6pm news.
"Why the name, Lexicon News?"
The inspiration for the name: came from the most unusual source: a Christmas tape, someone uploaded to Youtube.
(There is nothing to be ashamed about people outside the industry watching TV Xmas tapes, broadcasters: especially, as even the BBC celebrated their own, back in 2018.)
This particular Christmas tape, came from BTQ in Brisbane, in 1986: and probably lines up with some of the best ever done by the Beeb (less titilation, but more of a cohesive story)
The story, is simply: parodying Bondy's Sky Channel, with their own idea... "The Lexicon Channel".
"The Lexicon 1200: unrivalled in it's performance, can time compress your favorite programs, so you the viewer can enjoy more programs in less time than any other network. Imagine Gone With The Wind being telecast in one hour, Imagine 26 minutes of commercials, and eight minutes of station promotion per hour, that's The Lexicon Channel's promise. A new generation of broadcasting has been born.
The Lexicon Channel: Taking on the challenge, taking entertainment to new... lengths.
Quote from the afore mentioned Christmas tape's intro.
The whole idea was, simply a channel that actively edited programs so as much programming could be screened as possible in as little time as possible: as famously explained by the eccentric idea of condensing the four hour epic, "Gone With The Wind", into a one hour slot... only to stick 34 minutes of non program content in, leaving only 24mins of the film.
Hence why this week is called "Lexicon News": where a hour news bulletin is condensed into a small time frame: in a small timeframe, so it can be gotten out of the way, because 7 doesn't want to move Home and Away.
The Ground Rules:
The ground rules, for the Lexicon News event, are taken from a promo, in 1987: that compared Seven's second attempt at 1hr news in Brisbane, with Nine's 1/2hr product that became dominant at the exact same time.
As it described:
"If you are watching a half-hour news, take out the weather, sport, opening music, hello's and goodbyes and the commercials, and you could only get about 12 minutes of real news each night."
Thus the ground rules for the Lexicon News challenge are for four nights:
-Time the length of the bulletin, from the moment the first story intro begins at 6, to the time the throw to sport begins, on both bulletins.
-Write down every story on the 1hr version, and compare with the half hour version to see how much content is removed.
-Subtract the BNE timing from the regional timing to get the amount of time lost to regional QLD viewers each night by simply trimming the BTQ news bulletin.
-Ultimately: add up all the figures, and come up with a final set of numbers at the end of the week.
In addition, we will be tracking how many coverups of live cross timings (usually seen as giant "LIVE" graphics superimposed) are made by Seven on the 10 minute edit during this period.
And, one more thing. Enjoying Lexicon News 2? Come on over and buy the merchandise for this event over at our Redbubble store.
Let's roll with the punches, and kick off Lexicon News 2's second night at plate, and pretend night 1's issues didn't happen!
Last night's technical issues on our end aside: the ratings tell the story. Nine's Brisbane news took out last night between 6-7pm in Brisbane 184,000 viewers to Seven's 174,000 viewers, with a story at the end of the news (Bruce Paige and Melissa Downes COVID diaries) marketed for three nights solid, (opposed to Nine's big exclusive (jointly run with sister talk station 4BC) with a former QLD state archivist) being Nine's big draw last night.
Today: the 8th of Feburary 2022, is a big news day in itself. The first day back for federal politicians, after summer recess (sitting most likely for the last major sitting period before a impending May federal election), alongside the numbers that have shaped our lives... after the Queensland government's surprise decision yesterday to drop the CheckInQLD app check-in requirements in areas outside those surrounding the hospitality industry.
We can now reveal, the results for night two of Lexicon News 2 (which is really night one after last night's rainout.)
Now, we have a chronological overview of the BTQ bulletin as it aired in Brisbane tonight, between the opener and sport. Stories shared with the regional cut, are marked in bold and red.
Opener, Sunnybank theft and accident, live cross from the PA Hospital (6.02pm), QLD passing the 90% double dose mark for the COVID19 vaccine, Live cross from King George Square promoting BCC's free parking event (6:04pm, covered up on regional cut of 6pm news), International border reopening story (however, some of the people interviewed for it needed supers), Federal parliament apology for sexual assault within the building, Omega Ruston cold case, Crows Nest missing person, Integrity issues at George St, Oxenford BP live cross (6:14pm), Winter Olympics news story. (end of segment one)
(Start of segment two): Hitman failed to torch a car, French/Russian talks over dinner, Stealth bomber crash leak (end of segment two)
(Start of segment three) Bribie Nissan Patrol driving into sinkhole, Ben Roberts Smith legal case, Missing bikers found in Milmerran, Kyan Pennell (who passed away in a farm accident on January 31) unfinished symphony, GC driverless bus trial. (end of segment 3)
(Start of segment four) Fuelcast/finance, UQ memory loss study, Canadian protest, frog ate a Nerf dart (yes, that was the last story before sport).
The timing in Brisbane added up to 29 minutes, 45 seconds.
The regional cut added up to 10 minutes, 20 seconds.
The amount of content Seven lexiconed out, of their Brisbane newshour in regional QLD tonight: 19 minutes, 25 seconds.
The stupidity of Seven lexiconing the current flavour of the month in George Street (political integrity) out of the regional cut of Seven's news tonight, doesn't help in shaping opinions... it just sends them to Sky News Regional instead. Take note, Neil Warren.
Our video for tonight, will not be the Ubu standard, we ran last year.
Instead, we are paying tribute to the people who are helping keep the memory of a young prodigy in Kyan Pennell (taken away too soon), in people's minds.
See you, tomorrow night... for more Lexicon News 2.
Last night's technical issues on our end aside: the ratings tell the story. Nine's Brisbane news took out last night between 6-7pm in Brisbane 184,000 viewers to Seven's 174,000 viewers, with a story at the end of the news (Bruce Paige and Melissa Downes COVID diaries) marketed for three nights solid, (opposed to Nine's big exclusive (jointly run with sister talk station 4BC) with a former QLD state archivist) being Nine's big draw last night.
Today: the 8th of Feburary 2022, is a big news day in itself. The first day back for federal politicians, after summer recess (sitting most likely for the last major sitting period before a impending May federal election), alongside the numbers that have shaped our lives... after the Queensland government's surprise decision yesterday to drop the CheckInQLD app check-in requirements in areas outside those surrounding the hospitality industry.
We can now reveal, the results for night two of Lexicon News 2 (which is really night one after last night's rainout.)
Now, we have a chronological overview of the BTQ bulletin as it aired in Brisbane tonight, between the opener and sport. Stories shared with the regional cut, are marked in bold and red.
Opener, Sunnybank theft and accident, live cross from the PA Hospital (6.02pm), QLD passing the 90% double dose mark for the COVID19 vaccine, Live cross from King George Square promoting BCC's free parking event (6:04pm, covered up on regional cut of 6pm news), International border reopening story (however, some of the people interviewed for it needed supers), Federal parliament apology for sexual assault within the building, Omega Ruston cold case, Crows Nest missing person, Integrity issues at George St, Oxenford BP live cross (6:14pm), Winter Olympics news story. (end of segment one)
(Start of segment two): Hitman failed to torch a car, French/Russian talks over dinner, Stealth bomber crash leak (end of segment two)
(Start of segment three) Bribie Nissan Patrol driving into sinkhole, Ben Roberts Smith legal case, Missing bikers found in Milmerran, Kyan Pennell (who passed away in a farm accident on January 31) unfinished symphony, GC driverless bus trial. (end of segment 3)
(Start of segment four) Fuelcast/finance, UQ memory loss study, Canadian protest, frog ate a Nerf dart (yes, that was the last story before sport).
The timing in Brisbane added up to 29 minutes, 45 seconds.
The regional cut added up to 10 minutes, 20 seconds.
The amount of content Seven lexiconed out, of their Brisbane newshour in regional QLD tonight: 19 minutes, 25 seconds.
The stupidity of Seven lexiconing the current flavour of the month in George Street (political integrity) out of the regional cut of Seven's news tonight, doesn't help in shaping opinions... it just sends them to Sky News Regional instead. Take note, Neil Warren.
Our video for tonight, will not be the Ubu standard, we ran last year.
Instead, we are paying tribute to the people who are helping keep the memory of a young prodigy in Kyan Pennell (taken away too soon), in people's minds.
See you, tomorrow night... for more Lexicon News 2.
Musicians across the state are bringing music to the ears of a grieving mother, who is desperate to hear her late son's compositions brought to life. Kyan Pennell was killed in a freak farming accident and left behind unheard music. https://t.co/kDhhmxW7P8 @sarahcawte #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/b6lW4YOQzw
— 7NEWS Wide Bay (@7NewsWideBay) February 8, 2022
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