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Forum for former BBC staff
http://www.ex-bbc.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl >> News and Comment >> Audibility. Lords Debate http://www.ex-bbc.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1491388347 Message started by Administrator on Apr 5^th, 2017, 10:33am

Title: Audibility. Lords Debate
Post by Administrator on Apr 5^th, 2017, 10:33am

Television Broadcasts: Audibility

Here is the full text of the debate from Hansard.

"Asked by

Lord Naseby

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will consult United Kingdom television broadcasters, particularly the BBC, to ensure that the viewing public can clearly hear the dialogue, particularly in dramas."

Title: Re: Audibility. Lords Debate
Post by apcwmwl on Apr 7^th, 2017, 2:58pm

For many years, current and ex members of the Institute of Broadcast Sound have complained about intelligibility and incomprehensibility on our domestic broadcast channels. We know that much has been caused by no longer consulting with qualified ears (us) and the over-riding importance of pictures over sound - at least that's what it largely appears to be. Directors, Producers & Production members seem to care little about quality for the small screen, and in recent years, the easy option of using wireless microphones has led to indistinct dialogue instead of employing efficient and highly qualified staff to operate - though it must be said there can't be many left since most crews now seem to consist of members of the production office operating dv cams! Post production houses are also to blame for the reduction in standards. For cheapness the plethora of independents now flooding broadcast output means that quality control is now non existent.
Please do not start us again on the background music debate!!!

Title: Re: Audibility. Lords Debate
Post by chris west on Apr 9^th, 2017, 11:33am

Thanks for posting the Lords' debate, a wonderful slice of an alternative view of reality. It's a serious topic, but I fear it will go nowhere with the government minister's reply "One person’s mumbling is another person’s atmosphere."

Title: Re: Audibility. Lords Debate
Post by WG on Apr 10^th, 2017, 2:00pm

The attached Lords debate sample made no reference to the sound problems on Drama being solely found on BBC productions. In my experience, sound issues on homegrown and imported drama from any of the ITV or C4 hubs is for the most part absolutely fine.

Title: Re: Audibility. Lords Debate
Post by Roundabout on Apr 11^th, 2017, 9:19pm

Totally agree. Of course the ITV system is still partly based on practicioners in show business,drama and films etc. The BBC system appears to be accountancy led with nobody minitoring the output!

Title: Re: Audibility. Lords Debate
Post by WG on Apr 12^th, 2017, 2:27pm

Yes Roundabout--there is somebody monitoring the output-and that somebody does not know how a "fader works" .It sounds to me is that they have got two "faders" ( one for music -one for speech)both open wide-awful!. In the good old days-when attempting a voice over music -you peaked the speech to 5 on the "ppm" and the music to 1. You were also trained to be aware of how control room/transmitter compressors could muck up your long slow v/o fades. Remember how did you managed that?--easy--you did your ;D actual fade quite quickly and keep the music even lower that 1 if you had to!
Perhaps the Lords should get an expertly trained sound geezer with 40 years experience to give them a demo!

Title: Re: Audibility. Lords Debate
Post by Dickie Mint on Apr 12^th, 2017, 7:38pm

The very sad fact is that the BBC has a very comprehensive set of requirements, which it consistently fails to uphold.
Production - Sound Advice

Title: Re: Audibility. Lords Debate
Post by Mikej on Apr 13^th, 2017, 8:44am

Don't know if anyone saw the report on BBC Breakfast and lunchtime news all about Mumblegate but I have put a copy here as putting it on YouTube may get me into trouble!
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/yvsfjs8f8wrtvoj/AADt8vGHtF7A97Lk5T9N-WUba?dl=0

Title: Re: Audibility. Lords Debate
Post by WG on Apr 13^th, 2017, 9:02am

Mumblegate was a good item--but we needed to see what happens in a post production sound suite....that's where the evil begins. The sound recordist's dodgy piece could then easily have been properly equalised and balanced to bring the level up--whether external location or not--and as I said in an earlier post--it is perfectly possibly to over-control music and effects levels with dialogue to good effect. It's called balance and control--if i recall.