[chabig]

I'm guessing that they don't, since most every TV network always provide show times in eastern time. Then they convert it to central, and pacific time zones. I suppose only the people in the mountain time zone are smart enough to figure out the conversion for themselves.

I also found this AP photo today (http://www.tinyurl.com/7pajf) where the times are given in pacific time, but the writers felt compelled to convert it to eastern time.

Why?

[MaxPower2k3]

what's the big deal? it's not that people don't "understand" it, it's just more convenient to hear "8 o'clock eastern, 7 o'clock central" and know immediately, rather than just hearing "8 o'clock" and assuming that they're talking about EST and then do the conversion. It's not a tough calculation, obviously; you only have to subtract one. but why should the rest of the country have to do that while the east coast gets all of the correct times?

[chabig]

You see, that's my point. It's more "convenient" for the people who live in the east. Now I can understand that it's more convenient to give just one time, but they then usually convert it to central and pacific time, leaving out everyone in the mountain time zone. I've always wondered why mountain time gets left out.

[mitchell_pgh]

I'm guessing it is because:
1) That's how they have always done it.
2) It is a very simple calculation.
3) That's where the networks are.
4) That's where most of the population is (eastern vs. central)

[chabig]

I think 1, 2, and 3 are correct. It's a stupid things really. I was just in that kind of mood today.

Chris

[phantomdragonz]

Originally Posted by chabig

I think 1, 2, and 3 are correct. It's a stupid things really. I was just in that kind of mood today.

Chris

Yeah, I agree w/ ya. being in colorado can make some show times confusing.... the comcast box helps out a lot though...

Zach

[JHromadka]

It seemed to me that when a show came on at 8 pm EST, it also comes on at the same time (7 pm CST). However, there is a separate feed for the West coast, so that the same thing happens for MST and PST viewers but later.

[PacHead]

Originally Posted by chabig

I'm guessing that they don't, since most every TV network always provide show times in eastern time. Then they convert it to central, and pacific time zones. I suppose only the people in the mountain time zone are smart enough to figure out the conversion for themselves.

Easterners understands time zones just fine. There is no need for "easterners" to convert any timezones, because EST is the standard timezone for most TV shows and other stuff, unless somebody is living in the middle of nowhere, in which case you will have to do the conversion for youself. That is the reality of things.

I don't recall colorado being the hub of anything.

[JHromadka]

Originally Posted by PacHead

I don't recall colorado being the hub of anything.

Skiing?

[PacHead]

Originally Posted by JHromadka

Skiing?

Ok, I'll give them that.

The next time I need to book a ski trip in Colorado, I'll be sure to convert to CST.

[SVass]

There are probably more people in the Pacific time zone than the Eastern.
The current times given are Daylight and not Standard.
Most tv shows are probably from LA/Hollywood and not New York.
Network executives probably live in New York area and they can not convert numbers, so times are given for them to understand without conversion.
sam

[MaxPower2k3]

many major networks started in and are based in New York. even though most studios are in california, a lot of national TV is sent out from NYC. It's sent out live to the Eastern and Central time zones, and then delayed 3 hours before being sent out in the Pacific and Mountain time zones. Obviously, that doesn't apply to local affiliates, just the national shows.

[JHromadka]

Originally Posted by PacHead

Ok, I'll give them that.

The next time I need to book a ski trip in Colorado, I'll be sure to convert to CST.

You'll be an hour off, considering Colorado is in MST.

Here's a map of the US time zones for your merriment.

[PacHead]

Originally Posted by JHromadka

You'll be an hour off, considering Colorado is in MST.

Shoot, I am a lousy skier anyhow.



Colorado has zero relevance to me.

On the other hand, I do know what time it is in Japan and various places in Europe though, as I have more dealings with those places than Colorado.

[AKcrab]

Props to Alaska and Hawaii. We ARE time zones. We rule all.

[ghporter]

Networks focus on the East and West coasts; broadcast times are set up so that they are the SAME on the clock (but obviously three hours different in actuality) in New York and Los Angeles. Eastern time (Z-5) and Pacific time (Z-8) are the focus because the majority of viewers are in those two zones.

They provide a conversion for Central time (Z-6) because there are large numbers of viewers in that time zone, and (here's the biggie) Central time zone broadcasts are ALWAYS synchronized with Eastern time zone broadcasts. Basically the network feed is the same for EST and CST, and three hours later for PDT. Now for the interesting part: MST (Z-7) broadcasts are not always synchronized with either coast. Sometimes they are an hour behind CST, and sometimes they're at the same time as PDT broadcasts.

Broadcasts for Alaska and Hawaii are even weirder. And let's not go anywhere near certain Canadian time zone issues, such as Newfoundland, which is half an hour off...

[SVass]

Originally Posted by ghporter

Networks focus on the East and West coasts;
Broadcasts for Alaska and Hawaii are even weirder. And let's not go anywhere near certain Canadian time zone issues, such as Newfoundland, which is half an hour off...

Just to confuse the issue more, one million Americans can watch the Olympics on Canadian broadcast television (Seattle urban area) and they see events live, ignoring the US time delay (and the family bs). sam

[Railroader]

Originally Posted by SVass

Just to confuse the issue more, one million Americans can watch the Olympics on Canadian broadcast television (Seattle urban area) and they see events live, ignoring the US time delay (and the family bs). sam

You think Seattle urban areas are the only ones who benefit? You are truly naive/ignorant.

[ReggieX]

When I lived in Calgary, all our US feeds came from Spokane, WA, so everything started at least an hour later. SNL and Friday Night Videos didn't start til 1:30am!

We'd go skiing in Kimberly, BC, where the US feeds all came from Kalispell, MT, so everything was on an hour early.

[AKcrab]

Originally Posted by Railroader

You think Seattle urban areas are the only ones who benefit? You are truly naive/ignorant.

Ignorant? Chill dude.

[wallinbl]

Originally Posted by SVass

There are probably more people in the Pacific time zone than the Eastern.

Really doubt that one.

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by SVass

Just to confuse the issue more, one million Americans can watch the Olympics on Canadian broadcast television (Seattle urban area) and they see events live, ignoring the US time delay (and the family bs). sam

I second Railroader's response. I grew up in the Detroit area, and while most U.S. residents of my age grew up with "the three TV networks," I grew up with four! CBC rocked when I was a kid! I got used to a LOT of Canadian content without knowing that it was something other people didn't get. Yep, CKLW out of Windsor was great TV for a kid in the late 1960s...and it probably makes a big difference for U.S. kids today, too.

[macroy]

Not sure if this matters.. but don't some states not follow day-light savings (i.e Arizona)? This may make it more difficult if you were to base it off of another timezone. But I would agree with SVass in that most network's HQ's are in NYC, as well as that more people live in the EST zone compared to the others (I think).

But isn't the programming different for MTN and Pacific time zones? i.e. an 8pm show on NBC may show at 7pm in the Central time zone.. .but it'll still be 8 in the Pacific time zone right? Can't imagine it being 5pm there (not including live programming).

[meelk]

because easterners are dumber than westerners right? why do people even start this kind of thread.

[MaxPower2k3]

The three major networks are based in New York. Much of the national content is broadcast out of New York to the Eastern and Central time zones (and then delayed 3 hours for the Pacific and Mountain zones). So, it makes sense to me that EST is the primary time zone.

[Mithras]

A little time at the Census website gives me the following totals (estimates, since the timezone boundaries cross state boundaries):
+---------+-------------+
|Pacific..|. 48 million |
|Mountain.|. 17 million |
|Central..|. 90 million |
|Eastern..| 135 million |
+---------+-------------|
|Hawaii...| 1.2 million |
|Alaska...| 0.6 million |
+---------+-------------+

[Railroader]

Originally Posted by AKcrab

Ignorant? Chill dude.

Calling someone ignorant doesn't mean I am riled up at all dude. Do you know the true definition of "ignorant"? It's simply means they don't know something. He was saying something from his lack of knowledge and it was wrong. I simply corrected him and accurately called him ignorant. If anything you should have jumped on me for the "naive" label. Silly silly boy,

[SVass]

I admit to being in error on my population estimates; however, tv shows are probably not "sent" from New York. Originally they went through the telephone company coaxial cable center long lines switching system in Chicago regardless of their site of origination. Now they are uplinked to a satellite from any location, not any particular central location. Finally, I stand by my original claim that times are given in Eastern to satisfy corporate executives. sam

[PacHead]

Originally Posted by SVass

Finally, I stand by my original claim that times are given in Eastern to satisfy corporate executives. sam

Yeah, it couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that there are almost 3 times as many people living under EST than PST. EST listings are apparently given solely for the benefit of a handful of executives, since these people never travel from coast to coast, and surely they are too dumb to perform any timezone conversions. I'm sure these "executives", what with them making minimum wage and all, could never afford a $25 multi-zone watch.

[chabig]

Originally Posted by ghporter

Networks focus on the East and West coasts; broadcast times are set up so that they are the SAME on the clock (but obviously three hours different in actuality) in New York and Los Angeles. Eastern time (Z-5) and Pacific time (Z-8) are the focus because the majority of viewers are in those two zones.

They provide a conversion for Central time (Z-6) because there are large numbers of viewers in that time zone, and (here's the biggie) Central time zone broadcasts are ALWAYS synchronized with Eastern time zone broadcasts. Basically the network feed is the same for EST and CST, and three hours later for PDT. Now for the interesting part: MST (Z-7) broadcasts are not always synchronized with either coast. Sometimes they are an hour behind CST, and sometimes they're at the same time as PDT broadcasts.

Broadcasts for Alaska and Hawaii are even weirder. And let's not go anywhere near certain Canadian time zone issues, such as Newfoundland, which is half an hour off...

Good post! This has been my experience. That central and eastern feeds are the same, pacific is three hours later, and mountain time is usually 1 hour behind central (but not always).

Chris

[ghporter]

If you want to understand something about the timing of TV, take a look at how many satellite channels HBO has. For each of their different channels, they have an East and a West satellite channel because they uplink their stuff to them separately. If you're a satellite subscriber, you can get one or the other and plan your watching around when the shows you want are on the channels you choose.

And one thing nobody's mentioned yet is that the whole idea of set broadcast times is pretty much obsolete anyway. The broadcast networks are going down in viewership and fast, while "cable" channels are holding steady. It seems that Americans no longer center their lives around the tube like they did when it was new. Imagine that!

[simonjames]

whats the problem? To me EST and PST are exactly the same

[MaxPower2k3]

Originally Posted by SVass

I admit to being in error on my population estimates; however, tv shows are probably not "sent" from New York. Originally they went through the telephone company coaxial cable center long lines switching system in Chicago regardless of their site of origination. Now they are uplinked to a satellite from any location, not any particular central location. Finally, I stand by my original claim that times are given in Eastern to satisfy corporate executives. sam

that is not correct. All national shows on ABC (and i assume other networks work similarly) go through New York, even the West Coast feed. Everything is uplinked to the satellite from New York.

[SVass]

Originally Posted by MaxPower2k3

that is not correct. All national shows on ABC (and i assume other networks work similarly) go through New York, even the West Coast feed. Everything is uplinked to the satellite from New York.

Talk about a company with poor management (Disney), so shows from LA go to New York and then back. Do they two lease satellite links? (Actually four considering that HD has a separate channel.) If true, then sell Disney stock short. They own ESPN, ESPN-HD, ESPN2, ESPN2-HD, etc. Do all of these go through New York too? sam

[Railroader]

Originally Posted by simonjames

whats the problem? To me EST and PST are exactly the same

I love my TiVo!

[residentEvil]

Originally Posted by SVass

Talk about a company with poor management (Disney), so shows from LA go to New York and then back. Do they two lease satellite links? (Actually four considering that HD has a separate channel.) If true, then sell Disney stock short. They own ESPN, ESPN-HD, ESPN2, ESPN2-HD, etc. Do all of these go through New York too? sam

Well, ESPN is near New York (Bristol Connecticut is their headquarters, IDB), so yes.

But you do realize that they probably send the data via microwave and/or over data networks to their sat uplink sites which most are in New York.

Actually, a lot of TV content is sent via microwave (as well as phone and data) across the country. It is cheap and very reliable. The bandwidth is fantastic. Your local cable company receives signals from sat, micro and data networks, combines it and dumps it down your pipe to your home.

[MaxPower2k3]

Not everything is shot in LA. A lot of the sitcoms are, but all of the Soap Operas are shot in New York, as well as GMA, The View, etc. It doesn't really seem unreasonable that ABC's headquarters are in new york, a reasonable number of their shows are, ESPN is nearby, so that's where the uplink is.

[Scooterboy]

GMT -6

It's always less confusing for me to relate time zones to GMT.

[Moderator]

do Coloradans understand the ocean? Duh.