Blogcritics: Comments on Hamm: I'm Proud to Be of the Same Species

Comment by Phillip Winn

Mon, 23 Aug 2004 09:52:30 EDT

RJ, yeah, mountain shows actually often air "early" like Central does. So technically that's a third feed, something I glossed over. I remember when I was younger that some of the networks -- I remember CBS certainly -- would say that a show airs at "8, 7 central and mountain," a tag with which they no longer seem to bother. In the scenario you describe, the MST folks would see the show at 7pm MST, which is one hour later than CST and EST, but two hours earlier than PST on the other side of the mountains. Those poor chumps on the Pacific are the ones that are really screwed, I guess.

Comment by RJ

Sat, 21 Aug 2004 01:11:10 EDT

"And those poor Mountain folks are just screwed. Their shows generally air an hour earlier, like Central, which means that they're actually delay one hour behind Eastern and Central." Hmm. At 8pm EST, a show is on. CST is to the west of EST, so that same show runs at 7pm for them. The same show is then seen in PST at 8pm for them. It is now 11pm EST, 10pm CST, and 9pm MST. If the poor bastards in MST get the same feed as the PST folks, they are seeing the show an hour LATER, not earlier, than the PST folks. In other words (if I am correct about this) CST folks can go to bed an hour earlier than their counterparts in the EST, but MST people must stay up an hour LATER than their PST counterparts. Am I correct about this? Or am I missing something completely obvious here?

Comment by Tom Johnson

Fri, 20 Aug 2004 16:07:28 EDT

Don't forget us in Arizona, who stick to Mountain time all year round, except for the Navajo nation, who follows the fluctuating time schedule for who knows what reason. It makes catching cable shows pretty annoying - you get used to it being on at 7pm part of the year, and then the other part it moves to 6pm. Pretty annoying if you ask me!

Comment by Eric Olsen

Fri, 20 Aug 2004 15:15:53 EDT

BTW Mac, they seem to be doing a pretty good job of finding the chemical cheaters - at least they take it seriously now. Of course the creative cheaters will always be one step ahead of enforcement, but that's true of anything

Comment by Eric Olsen

Fri, 20 Aug 2004 15:11:36 EDT

I like the maps that show the West Coast, then an undifferentiated void, then the East Coast

Comment by Phillip Winn

Fri, 20 Aug 2004 13:56:10 EDT

Ryan is correct -- there are generally two time zones for the purpose of television programming: East and West. A show that airs at 8/7 Central will air at 8pm in the East, which is 7pm in Central -- the same exact time. Once you cross the mountains, you generally needed another signal anyway, so the Pacific feed is delayed three hours so that it also airs at 8pm. And those poor Mountain folks are just screwed. Their shows generally air an hour earlier, like Central, which means that they're actually delay one hour behind Eastern and Central. And sports means that the Superbowl can shift by three hours depending on where it is played!

Comment by Ryan

Fri, 20 Aug 2004 13:12:50 EDT

Eastern and Central usually aren't staggered. That's why here on the East coast, commercials always say that program X will begin at "8/7 Central."

Comment by Eric Olsen

Fri, 20 Aug 2004 08:42:51 EDT

and none of those hill-dwellers even watch TV

Comment by RJ

Thu, 19 Aug 2004 23:57:18 EDT

"Usually they do stagger the start times for Prime time: EST, CST, and PST. They seem to ignore the other MST." Why is it that MST always gets left out? Just not enough people living there for the network big-wigs to be concerned about?

Comment by Eric Olsen

Thu, 19 Aug 2004 20:00:28 EDT

yes, that was "Arnie," which is usually short for Arnold. This is "Arne," which is short for Arne and Norwegian

Comment by Mark Saleski

Thu, 19 Aug 2004 19:58:13 EDT

wasn't there a sitcom in the early 70's called "Arne"? no wait, maybe that was "Arnie".

Comment by Eric Olsen

Thu, 19 Aug 2004 18:39:40 EDT

hi Arne! the Indians have gone from red hot to ice cold in the space of four games

Comment by Eric Olsen

Thu, 19 Aug 2004 18:35:42 EDT

my brother's name is Arne, there aren't that many out there

Comment by arne

Thu, 19 Aug 2004 18:16:31 EDT

The time zone stuff is very confusing when applied to TV networks. Usually they do stagger the start times for Prime time: EST, CST, and PST. They seem to ignore the other MST. Now that a lot of people have Direct TV or Dish network the networks have changed to mostly East and West Feeds. People the middle either see it early or late from the standard start times. On my Direct TV Dish I get (pay extra) East and West for the four major networks. The secondary Olympic channels (USA and Bravo) seem to only be on one time zone, I think that this is why they are used for the "LIVE" broadcasts. These "cable" channels tend to repeat broadcast schedules every 3 hours that is why Family guy is on at 9PM and Midnight etc... to cover EAST and WEST from one schedule. Arne

Comment by Eric Olsen

Thu, 19 Aug 2004 17:19:47 EDT

I am actually rather acutely aware of the differences in time zones having lived almost exactly half of my life in each of the Pacific and Eastern zones, but like Mark it didn't occur to me that they wouldn't stagger it. Color me admonished.

Comment by Mark Saleski

Thu, 19 Aug 2004 17:13:17 EDT

oops, it never occured to me that they wouldn't want to stagger the playing times. ...you time zone pedants, you! (they actually have stuff west of the mississippi??)

Comment by Mac Diva

Thu, 19 Aug 2004 16:59:55 EDT

When someone (guess who) came to Blogcritics, one of his constant harangues against me was that I post late. Over and over again, I had to explain the concept of 'time zone.' I appreciate Eric having expounded on this profound matter. Hopefully, those of us who live on the Pacific Rim or even farther away will no longer be accused of strange behavior. However, I believe Eric missed one of the key ingredients in the Olympics watching: wondering who uses steroids.

Comment by Bruce Kratofil

Thu, 19 Aug 2004 16:48:44 EDT

Ahh, you are exhibiting Eastern-Time-Zone-centric thinking. Even though it is not "live", they probably don't want staggered broacast times across the country -- maybe they can't even technically do so.

Comment by Eric Olsen

Thu, 19 Aug 2004 16:02:56 EDT

I would think 7-8 is much higher rates than 11-12, but the local stations are probably locked in to their local news and syndicated crap and whanot.

Comment by Mark Saleski

Thu, 19 Aug 2004 15:59:34 EDT

better ad rates? i bet 8pm and on is better for them than 7. just a guess.

Comment by Eric Olsen

Thu, 19 Aug 2004 15:52:20 EDT

I'm not sure why they have it go 8-12 instead of 7-11 since it's all taped anyway

Comment by Mark Saleski

Thu, 19 Aug 2004 11:27:45 EDT

did enjoy that last night. the high bar was electrifying. man, this late night stuff is killin' me though...watch the broadcast, then head off to write until 2am or so...then get up at 6:30 good thing it's only two weeks 'cuz i'm too danged old to go on 4 hours of sleep for more than a coupla days.