Netflix's preparations for its live-streamed free solo climb of the Taipei 101 skyscraper, 'Skyscraper Live', had been quietly building up, with contingency plans in place should anything go wrong.
The streaming giant took an unusual approach by introducing a 10-second delay between the moment Honnold made contact with each handhold or foothold and when they were displayed on screen. This was done to prevent any potential panic among viewers, should something unexpected happen during the climb.
According to Netflix's vice president of production for nonfiction and live programming, Jonathan Mussman, the decision to introduce a delay was not taken lightly. "We don't have any concerns about profanity at all, but we want to make sure that we're responsible for our audience," he explained.
In other words, the team behind 'Skyscraper Live' had factored in the possibility of Honnold's free solo climb turning disastrous and took steps to mitigate that risk. They also knew the statistics - a fall from the top of the Taipei 101 skyscraper could be fatal in as little as 10 seconds.
In an interview with Variety, Jeff Gaspin, Netflix's unscripted series vice president, revealed what would happen if disaster struck during the climb. "We'll cut away," he said bluntly. "Nobody expects or wants to see anything like that happen. But we will cut away, and it's as simple as that."
It was also worth noting that Honnold himself had anticipated such a scenario. He explained in an interview with Deadline that while falling from the Taipei 101 skyscraper would be catastrophic, he believed there were certain areas of the building where a fall might not result in immediate death.
While viewers will never know for sure how close they came to witnessing tragedy on 'Skyscraper Live', it's reassuring to know that Netflix was taking its responsibility as a broadcaster very seriously.
The streaming giant took an unusual approach by introducing a 10-second delay between the moment Honnold made contact with each handhold or foothold and when they were displayed on screen. This was done to prevent any potential panic among viewers, should something unexpected happen during the climb.
According to Netflix's vice president of production for nonfiction and live programming, Jonathan Mussman, the decision to introduce a delay was not taken lightly. "We don't have any concerns about profanity at all, but we want to make sure that we're responsible for our audience," he explained.
In other words, the team behind 'Skyscraper Live' had factored in the possibility of Honnold's free solo climb turning disastrous and took steps to mitigate that risk. They also knew the statistics - a fall from the top of the Taipei 101 skyscraper could be fatal in as little as 10 seconds.
In an interview with Variety, Jeff Gaspin, Netflix's unscripted series vice president, revealed what would happen if disaster struck during the climb. "We'll cut away," he said bluntly. "Nobody expects or wants to see anything like that happen. But we will cut away, and it's as simple as that."
It was also worth noting that Honnold himself had anticipated such a scenario. He explained in an interview with Deadline that while falling from the Taipei 101 skyscraper would be catastrophic, he believed there were certain areas of the building where a fall might not result in immediate death.
While viewers will never know for sure how close they came to witnessing tragedy on 'Skyscraper Live', it's reassuring to know that Netflix was taking its responsibility as a broadcaster very seriously.
I mean, I get why they did the 10-second delay thing, it's all about being responsible and not freaking out our viewers. But at the same time, I feel like we're missing out on some real drama and tension. It's like, we want to know what's going on in that moment! 
. It's all about being responsible and looking out for their audience 
. And kudos to Honnold for anticipating potential issues too! He's got some crazy knowledge about the building 
. I'm actually kinda excited to watch this live stream now, knowing that there are safety nets in place 
.
. 10 seconds delay sounds like a good idea, you never know what could happen on live TV 
. It's actually really admirable that they're prioritizing their audience's safety over anything else 
. And I love how Honnold himself is thinking ahead and planning for worst-case scenarios 
!
. That 10-second delay thing might seem like a lot, but it's better to err on the side of caution than risk exposing viewers to a potentially traumatic moment 
!
. It speaks volumes about their commitment to audience safety and responsible broadcasting 
. By taking a proactive approach, they're showing that they value their viewers' well-being above sensationalism 
.
, they're literally the best! 
Jeff Gaspin's blunt answer tho 
"we'll cut away" is just so true, nobody wants to see that kinda drama unfold on live stream 
. But anyway, Honnold seems super cool with it all, and I'm just here for the climb 
they're taking their responsibility as broadcasters super seriously by introducing a 10-second delay between harrison honnold's moves and the screen 
at least they know stats & are prepping for the worst 
it's actually kinda cool to see them factoring in disaster scenarios & having a plan B (or in this case, a cut away) 
, you know? It's not like they're gonna show us a fatal fall or anything 
. Honnold's got experience with this sort of thing, so I trust him 
I mean, we all know Alex Honnold is crazy talented and all, but it's still gonna be crazy to watch him climb Taipei 101! 
Anyway, at least Netflix is being responsible and taking care of their audience, that's a good thing 
At least they're prepared and have a plan in place... it's all about prioritizing those viewers' safety, right? 
But seriously, can you imagine the comments section if something went wrong? "Oh no, Alex's toes are wiggling!" 
they're, like, whoa! i had them with my coffee this morning and now i'm hooked 
anyway, back to netflix... that 10-second delay is actually kinda genius 
but i guess it's cool they're being responsible and all... having a 10-second delay makes sense i guess, don't wanna freak out viewers mid-climb