Here is the exchange by email. I think they understand we want to see the
whole game and I do appreciate their explanation.

But could the University and WABI share a stopwatch ?

Dan

My message:

>While I realize the BU / Maine game was the first hockey broadcast of
>the year for your station, and that there were other lesser production
>problems with your coverage that night, I must register a complaint
>about one inexcusable thing with your broadcast:  missing the start of
>BOTH second and third period play, picking it up only after play had
>started.
>
>I do understand you have to "pay the bills" with commercials, but you
>could have eliminated or cut shorter the non-hockey stories shown
>during the intermissions, allowing commercials to run, and then allow
>you to show the start of play each period.  You missed well over a
>minute of live play in one period. Intermission IS a fixed time
period.
>
>
>I would hope to get an assurance that your future broadcasts will
cover
>the ENTIRE live action on the ice.  Thank you.
>
>Dan Doucette
>UMaine 78 MPA 80
>

Hi, Dan.

No excuses.  You are absolutely right.  We let the intermission shows
get out of control with live interviews and overlong video packages and
simply lost control of them.  The commercial had to run, as they were
committed to by contractual agreement.  We have some obligation to the
University to present certain features during the intermission and it get
away from us.

It was out first hockey game of the season, and there were several new
parties involved this year (including those on the University side).
We will be discussing the problems with our on-site producer, studio and
on-site talent, and the University staff.  This problem will be
rectified.

Thanks for writing.


Steve Hiltz
Program Director

WABI-TV5