Countdown Episodes * 70s & 80s Australian Music Programs * Music Video * Molly Trading * Collecting * Archival Information * Record/CD releases and more .........
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COUNTDOWN IS BACK THIS JANUARY, 2019 ... ON rage !!!!! Stay tuned below with regular Countdown full archival information for each Countdown episode rage shall be airing every Saturday throughout January ...
Jason
http://www.acmi.net.au/lis_rage.aspx
Did you end up going to this, and if you did was it any good. I would have gone but due to work wasn't able.
It wasn't bad, the programmer of rage was there (I think Madeline is her name) and another girl who works for rage.
John Safran and a Music Video director.
I OF COURSE asked about the dreaded ABC 1 Watermark.
When i walked in, the 2 girls from rage actually looked a bit scared, I think they know who I am and that I was going to ask about the Watermark.
A person before me discussed how rage play full clips and don't put titles on twice e.t.c... the rage crew replied by saying they like the video's to be kept to it's oringal state e.t.c... and that the ABC don't really dicate to them, which is obviously NOT the case now!
I followed this up by stating that the video's for the last 2 months have NOT been represented in their original state due to the ABC1 Watermark. I asked if there is any progress with the ABC 1 Watermark being removed.
ANSWER:
The answer was weak I HAVE T SAY. SOmething about some old man who complained that he didn't knwo what Channel he was on at 5 in the morning, which was a WEAK excuse INDEED.
They said that they are in "TALKS" with the ABC about it, due to a new panel of people working at ABC and new rules.
They did say the first time it was a mistake and I said, yes we knew that. But then the ABC decided they should keep it.
They discussed how they are in talks with maybe just having the rage logo on through each clip/program or a lighter Watermark.
They said that it's HIGHLY doubtfull that rage will EVER be Watermark free as was though.
SO if rage have a lighter Watermark or just rage logo then that is the ONLY option for comprimise.
Such a pity!
They did show slides of the rage offices in Sydney and showed the room where all the video's are kept!!!!
The girl Madeline who is Programmer was GREAT though,
She is the reason why rage has had SO many GREAT specials over the last 2 years. She comes up with all these great things.
Though she did say she is wanting to get Russell Mulchay to Program and is trying. Though made out it was rage's idea when we know it was Patrick who suggested it (he he he)
She dicussed that January is their BIGGEST months and that they will be playing HEAPS more Countdown's, usually I would be ECSTATIC about this but not if the Watermark is there.
I voiced that I hope the HIDEOUS BLUE BIG BOX is gone by then, and YES ... I really made my DISLIKE for it APPARENT!
They did end the night by playing Duran Duran's "My Own Way" live on Countdown which was special!
I also suggested they try to get Roxy Music to program rage when they tour. They did say they find it hard to get retro bands to agree to being on the show :-(
Madline said her Top 3 artists she wants to get on the show are:
Prince
Madonna
David Bowie
She said she would fly overseas to get them to record if they agree'd! She REALLY wants Prince.
She was REALLY cool actually.
Even though they skipped around the Watermark question!!!!
Well done for letting them know in person how the majority of the Rage audience feels about the watermark. Unfortunatley it seems it's here to stay despite the many protestations.
Good news about them attempting to get Russell Mulchay to program it - that'd be a brilliant guest slot I'm sure.
Regardless of the watermark I'll still put in my request for unaired Countdowns - which going by the team's comments - we're in for a huge amount of it next January.
Good on you Jason for speaking up and asking the "difficult" questions - ones I'm sure they were hoping no one would bring up....
Doesn't look like there will be a satisfactory outcome though ...still don't see what's wrong with just having the Rage logo pop up at the beginning of each song.
Thanks for suggesting Roxy Music - I have also suggested them on the messageboard.
It would be great to see them GP.
Funny how they have trouble getting "Retro" artists to GP... would have thought they would jump at the chance !
It sounds like the mistake was the root cause. If the mistake had not have been made, then RAGE probably would have slipped through the cracks as far as watermarking and station ID goes (late at night, out of sight, out of mind of the middle and upper management sort of thing).
The person who made the mistake needs to be punched. Hard.
I have another compromise idea, why cant the watermark appear when the GP is talking and treat the video clips as if they were ads.
The whole "watermark is so that customers know which channel they are on", is one of the most p|ss poor reasons I have ever heard, it rates up there with "dog ate my homework". Reason why I say this is because television commercials are not watermarked.
For instance, does the viewer go whahhh whaahhh I don't know what station I am watching when they switch the TV on only to be confronted with commercials?
So why doesn't the ABC treat the music videos like they are commercials (which is kind of what they are anyway, i.e. they sell records).
Your Comment:
So why doesn't the ABC treat the music videos like they are commercials (which is kind of what they are anyway, i.e. they sell records).
Jason:
I TOTALLY AGREE, that was a very CLEVER observation.
Music video's are short 3 to 4 minute Promo's just liek commercials. PLEASE copy and paste your comment you just made onto the rage Guestbook and then see exactly what answer they will give you. You are 101% ACCURATE!