JNez@thirtydaes.2010

so that’s what those thingys are called: digital on-screen graphics. i’ve been an avid viewer of sports and news programming for over two decades now. in fact, my interest in broadcasting inspired me to originally pursue a communications/broadcasting degree during my first stint in college. so i spend a lot of time observing & critiquing broadcasts and appreciate how technology has improved the production and presentation of broadcasts to viewers. the utility of computer graphics (CGI) programming has infused broadcasts with eye-catching visuals, and the trend has been to superimpose station and broadcast identification & even advertising in ingenious (and somewhat intrusive) ways onto the viewer screen.

these on-screen graphics apparently have their genesis in news programming as early as the 1970′s. but it was the adoption of these during sports programming over the past 15 years that has made digital on-screen graphic imaging seem ubiquitous. according to wikipedia, on screen graphics during sports broadcasts is still relatively new. television network ABC is credited with imposing the first score bug on a NASCAR broadcast in 1994. FOX broadcasts were next, followed by ESPN & CBS two years later, with NBC beginning the practice in 2001. *source

score banners, the ones that hug the top of the screen, have a similar recent history. the first one of those is credited to a local sports network’s minor league hockey game, also in 1994. FOX sports was apparently next, implementing scoring banners for its broadcasts in 2001.

ABC’s score banner debuted jarringly along the bottom of the screen during monday night football telecasts in 2005. NBC soon followed suit with its college football broadcasts. the cable networks have been using both bottom & top screen sports banners for at least the last two years.

digital onscreen graphics have of course, proliferated on broadcasts outside of sports too this decade. during nearly all local newscasts, a station watermark, often featuring time and/or current weather conditions is superimposed near the bottom right of the screen. in fact, just about every national broadcast now includes on screen graphics/tickers identifying everything from news summaries to station promos.

so what’s your take on digital on-screen graphics. do they enhance or interrupt your television viewing experience? weigh in…

The release of the newest generation of Apple’s celebrated iPhone on Friday was met with massive lines and huge waits for those anxious to be the first to own the device. Apple released sales figures today confirming that 1 million iPhones were sold this weekend.The demand for the $199/$299 internet/communication/media player was enormous, overwhelming AT&T & Apple stores across the country and overseas throughout the weekend.