Press-conference mics

[gmc]

Why do press conferences/hot-breaking news annoucements still feature
the talking-head behind a rag-bag cluster of mics on the table/podium?

Surely, in this day & age, it's a cinch to get a reliable feed off
*one* mic (perhaps two for redundancy) & that could be supplied to all
the journos via a patchbay that they could all plug into & get a feed
out of camerashot..?

Or is it marketing so that we can see from the square logo things on
the mics that CNN/BBC/Al-Jazeera etc are 'there on the ground'.

Or maybe journos know from experience that if there is a SNAFU they'd
rather trust their own kit?

Guess that those who 'have the podium' don't mind all those mics
pointing at them - maybe it is subtly/subconciously encouraged??

[Mike Cleaver]

Both.
Pool feeds are notorious for going down, having hum, buzz etc.
And it's a chance to get the logo "seen on tv"


On Sat, 25 Sep 2004 22:19:53 GMT, (gmc) wrote:

>Why do press conferences/hot-breaking news annoucements still feature
>the talking-head behind a rag-bag cluster of mics on the table/podium?
>
>Surely, in this day & age, it's a cinch to get a reliable feed off
>*one* mic (perhaps two for redundancy) & that could be supplied to all
>the journos via a patchbay that they could all plug into & get a feed
>out of camerashot..?
>
>Or is it marketing so that we can see from the square logo things on
>the mics that CNN/BBC/Al-Jazeera etc are 'there on the ground'.
>
>Or maybe journos know from experience that if there is a SNAFU they'd
>rather trust their own kit?
>
>Guess that those who 'have the podium' don't mind all those mics
>pointing at them - maybe it is subtly/subconciously encouraged??

Mike Cleaver Broadcast Services
Voice-overs, Newscaster, Engineering and Consulting
Vancouver, BC, Canada

[Mike Cleaver]

Both.
Pool feeds are notorious for going down, having hum, buzz etc.
And it's a chance to get the logo "seen on tv"


On Sat, 25 Sep 2004 22:19:53 GMT, (gmc) wrote:

>Why do press conferences/hot-breaking news annoucements still feature
>the talking-head behind a rag-bag cluster of mics on the table/podium?
>
>Surely, in this day & age, it's a cinch to get a reliable feed off
>*one* mic (perhaps two for redundancy) & that could be supplied to all
>the journos via a patchbay that they could all plug into & get a feed
>out of camerashot..?
>
>Or is it marketing so that we can see from the square logo things on
>the mics that CNN/BBC/Al-Jazeera etc are 'there on the ground'.
>
>Or maybe journos know from experience that if there is a SNAFU they'd
>rather trust their own kit?
>
>Guess that those who 'have the podium' don't mind all those mics
>pointing at them - maybe it is subtly/subconciously encouraged??

Mike Cleaver Broadcast Services
Voice-overs, Newscaster, Engineering and Consulting
Vancouver, BC, Canada

[Scott Dorsey]

In article >,
gmc > wrote:
>Why do press conferences/hot-breaking news annoucements still feature
>the talking-head behind a rag-bag cluster of mics on the table/podium?

Because getting reporters all to accept your feed is sometimes difficult.
They don't agree with one another.

>Surely, in this day & age, it's a cinch to get a reliable feed off
>*one* mic (perhaps two for redundancy) & that could be supplied to all
>the journos via a patchbay that they could all plug into & get a feed
>out of camerashot..?

This is done with a splitter device called a "press box." You will, for
instance, notice that President Bush is always seen speaking into two
SM-57 microphones. Sometimes they are side-by-side, sometimes they are
over-and-under. But they are always the same mikes.... they go into
a pair of press distribution panels, and each of the members of the press
take their feed from that.

BUT, this is expensive for the white house press office to provide, and
most folks out there are not willing to provide a press feed, nor are they
willing to go through the negotiations to get the press to use their feeds.

>Or maybe journos know from experience that if there is a SNAFU they'd
>rather trust their own kit?

That is a lot of it, and the folks doing the interviews usually don't have
the ability to make them deal otherwise.

>Guess that those who 'have the podium' don't mind all those mics
>pointing at them - maybe it is subtly/subconciously encouraged??

It would drive me up the wall because I wouldn't know which one to speak
into... but I'm no politician.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Scott Dorsey]

In article >,
gmc > wrote:
>Why do press conferences/hot-breaking news annoucements still feature
>the talking-head behind a rag-bag cluster of mics on the table/podium?

Because getting reporters all to accept your feed is sometimes difficult.
They don't agree with one another.

>Surely, in this day & age, it's a cinch to get a reliable feed off
>*one* mic (perhaps two for redundancy) & that could be supplied to all
>the journos via a patchbay that they could all plug into & get a feed
>out of camerashot..?

This is done with a splitter device called a "press box." You will, for
instance, notice that President Bush is always seen speaking into two
SM-57 microphones. Sometimes they are side-by-side, sometimes they are
over-and-under. But they are always the same mikes.... they go into
a pair of press distribution panels, and each of the members of the press
take their feed from that.

BUT, this is expensive for the white house press office to provide, and
most folks out there are not willing to provide a press feed, nor are they
willing to go through the negotiations to get the press to use their feeds.

>Or maybe journos know from experience that if there is a SNAFU they'd
>rather trust their own kit?

That is a lot of it, and the folks doing the interviews usually don't have
the ability to make them deal otherwise.

>Guess that those who 'have the podium' don't mind all those mics
>pointing at them - maybe it is subtly/subconciously encouraged??

It would drive me up the wall because I wouldn't know which one to speak
into... but I'm no politician.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Dale Farmer]

gmc wrote:

> Why do press conferences/hot-breaking news annoucements still feature
> the talking-head behind a rag-bag cluster of mics on the table/podium?
>
> Surely, in this day & age, it's a cinch to get a reliable feed off
> *one* mic (perhaps two for redundancy) & that could be supplied to all
> the journos via a patchbay that they could all plug into & get a feed
> out of camerashot..?
>

Because most press conferences that you actually see on the TV
news are not planned events, they are thrown together by whomever
is making the statement, and they don't normally do press conferences.
Many don't even know what a press mult is, and are unlikely to know
where to rent one on a few hours notice even if they did.

>
> Or is it marketing so that we can see from the square logo things on
> the mics that CNN/BBC/Al-Jazeera etc are 'there on the ground'.
>

That certainly also enters into it.

>
> Or maybe journos know from experience that if there is a SNAFU they'd
> rather trust their own kit?
>

Well, more likely to be the camera/sound operator, but yeah.

>
> Guess that those who 'have the podium' don't mind all those mics
> pointing at them - maybe it is subtly/subconciously encouraged??

That is just one more strangeness in the world of strangeness
that the speaker is being buried under for the news event.

--Dale

[Dale Farmer]

gmc wrote:

> Why do press conferences/hot-breaking news annoucements still feature
> the talking-head behind a rag-bag cluster of mics on the table/podium?
>
> Surely, in this day & age, it's a cinch to get a reliable feed off
> *one* mic (perhaps two for redundancy) & that could be supplied to all
> the journos via a patchbay that they could all plug into & get a feed
> out of camerashot..?
>

Because most press conferences that you actually see on the TV
news are not planned events, they are thrown together by whomever
is making the statement, and they don't normally do press conferences.
Many don't even know what a press mult is, and are unlikely to know
where to rent one on a few hours notice even if they did.

>
> Or is it marketing so that we can see from the square logo things on
> the mics that CNN/BBC/Al-Jazeera etc are 'there on the ground'.
>

That certainly also enters into it.

>
> Or maybe journos know from experience that if there is a SNAFU they'd
> rather trust their own kit?
>

Well, more likely to be the camera/sound operator, but yeah.

>
> Guess that those who 'have the podium' don't mind all those mics
> pointing at them - maybe it is subtly/subconciously encouraged??

That is just one more strangeness in the world of strangeness
that the speaker is being buried under for the news event.

--Dale

[Mike Rivers]

In article > writes:

> Why do press conferences/hot-breaking news annoucements still feature
> the talking-head behind a rag-bag cluster of mics on the table/podium?

That's what the people watching it on TV expect to see.

> Surely, in this day & age, it's a cinch to get a reliable feed off
> *one* mic (perhaps two for redundancy) & that could be supplied to all
> the journos via a patchbay that they could all plug into & get a feed
> out of camerashot..?

Journalist/engineers are notoriously non-trusting. If they have their
own mic, they can take all the credit or all the blame. If they
depend on someone else's mic or splitter and it goes down, they don't
get the audio.

I don't think that there's a history of getting burned on this, just
that few are willing to risk it when it's so easy to stick up their
own microphone and eliminate an unknown.

--
I'm really Mike Rivers )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me here: double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

[Mike Rivers]

In article > writes:

> Why do press conferences/hot-breaking news annoucements still feature
> the talking-head behind a rag-bag cluster of mics on the table/podium?

That's what the people watching it on TV expect to see.

> Surely, in this day & age, it's a cinch to get a reliable feed off
> *one* mic (perhaps two for redundancy) & that could be supplied to all
> the journos via a patchbay that they could all plug into & get a feed
> out of camerashot..?

Journalist/engineers are notoriously non-trusting. If they have their
own mic, they can take all the credit or all the blame. If they
depend on someone else's mic or splitter and it goes down, they don't
get the audio.

I don't think that there's a history of getting burned on this, just
that few are willing to risk it when it's so easy to stick up their
own microphone and eliminate an unknown.

--
I'm really Mike Rivers )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me here: double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

[Phil Brown]

>
>Why do press conferences/hot-breaking news annoucements still feature
>the talking-head behind a rag-bag cluster of mics on the table/podium?
>
>Surely, in this day & age, it's a cinch to get a reliable feed off
>*one* mic (perhaps two for redundancy) & that could be supplied to all
>the journos via a patchbay that they could all plug into & get a feed
>out of camerashot..?
>
>Or is it marketing so that we can see from the square logo things on
>the mics that CNN/BBC/Al-Jazeera etc are 'there on the ground'.
>
>Or maybe journos know from experience that if there is a SNAFU they'd
>rather trust their own kit?
>
>Guess that those who 'have the podium' don't mind all those mics
>pointing at them - maybe it is subtly/subconciously

There two kinds of press conferences. The one outside the courthouse where the
sheriff announces the capture of a criminal-you get the idea-typically has the
forest of mics on what looks like a music stand with holes. A great idea and I
hope the guy made a lot of money. These conferences are ad hoc and not well
organized so every one wants their own feed because there isn't the time or
organization for option 2-the press bridge. This is a box with one input and a
lot of outs. These are best seen at foot of the stage on the DOD and State
Dept. briefings. They're also used for formal press conferences where someone's
responsible for organizing it. The work fine.
Phil Brown

[Phil Brown]

>
>Why do press conferences/hot-breaking news annoucements still feature
>the talking-head behind a rag-bag cluster of mics on the table/podium?
>
>Surely, in this day & age, it's a cinch to get a reliable feed off
>*one* mic (perhaps two for redundancy) & that could be supplied to all
>the journos via a patchbay that they could all plug into & get a feed
>out of camerashot..?
>
>Or is it marketing so that we can see from the square logo things on
>the mics that CNN/BBC/Al-Jazeera etc are 'there on the ground'.
>
>Or maybe journos know from experience that if there is a SNAFU they'd
>rather trust their own kit?
>
>Guess that those who 'have the podium' don't mind all those mics
>pointing at them - maybe it is subtly/subconciously

There two kinds of press conferences. The one outside the courthouse where the
sheriff announces the capture of a criminal-you get the idea-typically has the
forest of mics on what looks like a music stand with holes. A great idea and I
hope the guy made a lot of money. These conferences are ad hoc and not well
organized so every one wants their own feed because there isn't the time or
organization for option 2-the press bridge. This is a box with one input and a
lot of outs. These are best seen at foot of the stage on the DOD and State
Dept. briefings. They're also used for formal press conferences where someone's
responsible for organizing it. The work fine.
Phil Brown

[islander]

I has the privledge of working as a sound recordest in ENG for several
years during the 80s... I dont thing the system has changed much since
then..

pretty much has been covered by others.. Only the high priced
politician s... the Premiers.. the Prime Minister the Presidents or
the VP ... used a single duel or 3 mic pickup and provided a
distribution system.. This was usually a DA with multiple outputs you
had your choice of 3 levels +4 dbm... -30 dbm ( for the radio
reporters tape machines) or mic level. This feature was paid for by
the gov't in all cases and it was required that all present MUST plug
into the system and take a feed. No mics on the podium. The feed was
always good and clean. BUT .. this came with a price.. The system
came with an oprator ( a good one ) who set up the gear and made sure
all were happy.. He carried a huge stock of every kind of adaptor to
mae sure all could plug in. I am sure he was not cheap. It also all
took time to set up.

At our legislature here there is a press theatre, under the premiers
office.. same kind of system permanently all in place.. However this
only gets used when anyone of the politians wants to make a political
announcement. Most of the time they end up getting caught in t middle
of what is called a scrum .. in the hallway just outside the house.
This same term is used outside the corthouse, or the poloce station or
anywhere the media can catch someone they are looking for.

cheers
Marv




On Sat, 25 Sep 2004 22:19:53 GMT, (gmc) wrote:

>Why do press conferences/hot-breaking news annoucements still feature
>the talking-head behind a rag-bag cluster of mics on the table/podium?
>
>Surely, in this day & age, it's a cinch to get a reliable feed off
>*one* mic (perhaps two for redundancy) & that could be supplied to all
>the journos via a patchbay that they could all plug into & get a feed
>out of camerashot..?
>
>Or is it marketing so that we can see from the square logo things on
>the mics that CNN/BBC/Al-Jazeera etc are 'there on the ground'.
>
>Or maybe journos know from experience that if there is a SNAFU they'd
>rather trust their own kit?
>
>Guess that those who 'have the podium' don't mind all those mics
>pointing at them - maybe it is subtly/subconciously encouraged??

[islander]

I has the privledge of working as a sound recordest in ENG for several
years during the 80s... I dont thing the system has changed much since
then..

pretty much has been covered by others.. Only the high priced
politician s... the Premiers.. the Prime Minister the Presidents or
the VP ... used a single duel or 3 mic pickup and provided a
distribution system.. This was usually a DA with multiple outputs you
had your choice of 3 levels +4 dbm... -30 dbm ( for the radio
reporters tape machines) or mic level. This feature was paid for by
the gov't in all cases and it was required that all present MUST plug
into the system and take a feed. No mics on the podium. The feed was
always good and clean. BUT .. this came with a price.. The system
came with an oprator ( a good one ) who set up the gear and made sure
all were happy.. He carried a huge stock of every kind of adaptor to
mae sure all could plug in. I am sure he was not cheap. It also all
took time to set up.

At our legislature here there is a press theatre, under the premiers
office.. same kind of system permanently all in place.. However this
only gets used when anyone of the politians wants to make a political
announcement. Most of the time they end up getting caught in t middle
of what is called a scrum .. in the hallway just outside the house.
This same term is used outside the corthouse, or the poloce station or
anywhere the media can catch someone they are looking for.

cheers
Marv




On Sat, 25 Sep 2004 22:19:53 GMT, (gmc) wrote:

>Why do press conferences/hot-breaking news annoucements still feature
>the talking-head behind a rag-bag cluster of mics on the table/podium?
>
>Surely, in this day & age, it's a cinch to get a reliable feed off
>*one* mic (perhaps two for redundancy) & that could be supplied to all
>the journos via a patchbay that they could all plug into & get a feed
>out of camerashot..?
>
>Or is it marketing so that we can see from the square logo things on
>the mics that CNN/BBC/Al-Jazeera etc are 'there on the ground'.
>
>Or maybe journos know from experience that if there is a SNAFU they'd
>rather trust their own kit?
>
>Guess that those who 'have the podium' don't mind all those mics
>pointing at them - maybe it is subtly/subconciously encouraged??

[gmc]

Thx guys for da info, hey Marv -
> Most of the time they end up getting caught in t middle
>of what is called a scrum .. in the hallway just outside the house.
>This same term is used outside the corthouse, or the poloce station or
>anywhere the media can catch someone they are looking for.
>
Yeah, dig that - I remember reading a description of such an event -
it coined it -

a "Goat ****" :-)

[gmc]

Thx guys for da info, hey Marv -
> Most of the time they end up getting caught in t middle
>of what is called a scrum .. in the hallway just outside the house.
>This same term is used outside the corthouse, or the poloce station or
>anywhere the media can catch someone they are looking for.
>
Yeah, dig that - I remember reading a description of such an event -
it coined it -

a "Goat ****" :-)

[WillStG]

(gmc)

>Yeah, dig that - I remember reading a description of such an event -
>it coined it -
>
>a "Goat ****" :-)
>

Usually that term means everything is going wrong IME, but it usually is
more of a porcine rerference - ie "pig%*&".

A ton of reporters crushing a live event is more often refered to as a
"gang bang".

Will Miho
NY Music & TV Audio Guy
Off the Morning Show! & sleepin' In... / Fox News
"The large print giveth and the small print taketh away..." Tom Waits

[WillStG]

(gmc)

>Yeah, dig that - I remember reading a description of such an event -
>it coined it -
>
>a "Goat ****" :-)
>

Usually that term means everything is going wrong IME, but it usually is
more of a porcine rerference - ie "pig%*&".

A ton of reporters crushing a live event is more often refered to as a
"gang bang".

Will Miho
NY Music & TV Audio Guy
Off the Morning Show! & sleepin' In... / Fox News
"The large print giveth and the small print taketh away..." Tom Waits