History Main / WeAreExperiencingTechnicalDifficulties

* ''Series/ThirtyRock'' uses [[http://classictvhistory.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/nbc-tech.png this graphic]].

* This has happened at least twice in the ''IntoTheLookingGlass'' series of novels by Creator/JohnRingo. Once it was in connection with DeadlineNews, another time a reporter [[CallOfCthulhu "failed a SAN check"]] and started to scream, "I'm reading this on my [=TelePrompTer=], but it's not really happening!"

On other occasions, the message is used even if the difficulty is not technical in nature, such as a fight breaking out on live TV or a performer (or news anchor) having an emotional breakdown, disrobing on live TV, [[DeadlineNews dying]], or saying something so controversial that it will cause backlash from the [[MoralGuardians network censors or, worse, the FCC]]. When this message appears in fiction, usually one of those things is exactly what happened. Actual technical difficulties are vanishingly rare in fictionland, and thanks to many stations now being run by their corporate owners from one hub (for instance, Fox runs many of their owned stations from NewYork, [[TheWindyCity Chicago]], UsefulNotes/LosAngeles and {{Houston}}), in reality also.

On other occasions, the message is used even if the difficulty is not technical in nature, such as a fight breaking out on live TV or a performer (or news anchor) having an emotional breakdown, disrobing on live TV, [[DeadlineNews dying]], or saying something so controversial that it will cause backlash from the [[MoralGuardians network censors or, worse, the FCC]]. When this message appears in fiction, usually one of those things is exactly what happened. Actual technical difficulties are vanishingly rare in fictionland, and thanks to many stations now being run by their corporate owners from one hub (for instance, Fox runs many of their owned stations from NewYork, [[TheWindyCity Chicago]], LosAngeles and {{Houston}}), in reality also.

* ''TheOuterLimits'' was originally titled ''Please Stand By''. However, the title was changed because the producers and the network were afraid that between the title and the famous OpeningNarration ("There is nothing wrong with your television set..."), people might mistake the opening sequence for a real emergency alert. (To add some historical perspective, the series premiered not long after the Cuban Missile Crisis.)

* A common subtrope for British shows that use this is to cut away to the classic Test Card F girl or a humorously modified version to fit the show. Used for example in ''ZeroPunctuation''.

* In the ''[[BabylonFive Babylon 5]]'' episode "Severed Dreams", an ISN reporter interrupts the news broadcast to announce that several Earth colonies have seceded in protest of President Clark's bombing of Mars and that armed troops have invaded ISN headquarters. An explosion is heard, then the broadcast goes off the air and is replaced by a network logo (without an explicit "Technical Difficulties" message, but with the same implications).

* The ''{{Futurama}}'' episode "Bender Should Not Be Allowed On Television" had one after a child actor robot breaks down (literally) during an episode of ''All My Circuits''. The technical difficulties card had a broken robot shrugging his shoulders and the words, "Oops! Broken Actor" and the show cuts to an episode of ''Everybody Loves Hypnotoad'' (which Fry remarks, "...[[SeasonalRot has been going downhill since season three]]").

* [[StuartAshen Ashens]] cuts to his logo card with a [[LogoJoke plug sticking out a flip-top rendering of his head]] whenever he runs into difficulties with camera focus, tat malfunctions or it takes a long time to put a 'some assembly required' product together.

* British one-off HalloweenSpecial ''GhostWatch does'' this just as things start heating up in the VideoGame/HauntedHouse

* Happens in a bonus feature on ''FindingNemo'' when Jean-Michel Cousteau loses it thanks to Nemo, Dory and Marlin.

* British one-off HalloweenSpecial ''GhostWatch does'' this just as things start heating up in the HauntedHouse

* This has happened several times during [[KentBrockmanNews Kent Brockman]]'s news reports on ''TheSimpsons'', with technical difficulties graphics that included a puppy that has pulled a plug from the wall, a bird flying into powerlines, and Kent Brockman wrapped in a straitjacket with a cuckoo clock bird coming out of his head.

When something really shocking happens on the air, especially if it happens [[DeadLineNews in the newsroom]] itself, the program being shown will suddenly switch to this message or something similar.

Sometimes played for BlackComedy if the presentation of the message sharply contrasts with the horror of the scene. An even darker version is when [[BlatantLies the message is displayed]], but the horrible noise in the background indicates what is actually going on.

* In one episode of ''Manga/DeathNote'', the cult of Kira is being broadcast live worshipping him. Since they are presented as basically a scam, Mikami uses his death note to kill all of them. After their gruesome heart attacks, the screen changes to a "cutesy" "be-right-back" message.

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* In ''{{Tintin}} and the Picaros'', [[BananaRepublic San Theodoran]] television shows a KangarooCourt sentencing Castafiore to life imprisonment, at which point she starts to sing an aria. It quickly cuts to a "PLEASE EXCUSE THIS INTERRUPTION" message, followed by a cartoon interlude.
* Used in ''TheSandman'' when Dr. Destiny makes the world go crazy and a kids show host encourage children to commit suicide.

* ''{{Network}}'' lampshades this and references the Chris Chubbuck tragedy after Howard Beale sarcastically announces that he's going to commit suicide on camera. At first the studio staff don't realize he's said it, mumbling gossip while the commercial is on; then panic, they open the studio mike to communicate with Howard, the immortal words "WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON" go out to 67 affiliates, he replies that he can't hear what they're saying, they come back from commercial and Howard is being pulled away from his desk by the floor crew -- and just as the mayhem really starts the TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES PLEASE STAND BY card flips up.

* This has happened at least twice in the ''IntoTheLookingGlass'' series of novels by Creator/JohnRingo. Once it was in connection with DeadlineNews, another time a reporter [[CallOfCthulhu "failed a SAN check"]] and started to scream, "I'm reading this on my [=TelePrompTer=], but it's not really happening!"
* Happens in Stephen King's novel ''TheStand'' with the offending scene being a live assassination game show.

* There was a non-notable SitCom called ''PleaseStandBy'' named after this.

* In one rather hilarious example on ''BillNyeTheScienceGuy'' this happens when Bill flicks a red-kneed tarantula onto the cameraman, causing the cameraman to drop the camera onto the floor. The cameraman screams "THE TARANTULA'S CRAWLING IN MY PANTS!!" while the trope name is broadcast on the screen.

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[[AC:{{Video Games}}]]
* Played for drama in ''ModernWarfare 2'', where the intro sequence to the mission "Of Their Own Accord" is an emergency broadcast system alert containing evacuation instructions [[spoiler:for residents of Washington, D.C.]].

* ''{{Bioshock}}'' is littered with [=TVs=] that show nothing but a flickering test card reading "PLEASE STAND BY", emphasising the theme of Rapture being essentially abandoned.
* The hotel-room-esque Relaxation Chamber you start ''VideoGame/{{Portal 2}}'' in has a TV in the corner; the first time you wake up it's off, and the second time it displays this message. It's pretty redundant with everything else going on.

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** It pops up again in his ''Ultima 8'' review.

[[AC:{{Western Animation}}]]
* This has happened several times during [[KentBrockmanNews Kent Brockman]]'s news reports on ''TheSimpsons'', with technical difficulties graphics that included a puppy that has pulled a plug from the wall, a bird flying into powerlines, and Kent Brockman wrapped in a straitjacket with a cuckoo clock bird coming out of his head.
** Also happens to Krusty the Clown's show during the "[[ZombieApocalypse Dial Z For Zombies]]" segment of the third {{Halloween episode}}, with the graphic card showing a drunken cameraman.

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* ''ShatteredUnion'' has this in it's intro. News repoter is giving report from Washington when a nuke goes off.

[[WebAnimation/HomestarRunner http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/technicaldifficulties.png]]

On other occasions, the message is used even if the difficulty is not technical in nature, such as a fight breaking out on live TV or a performer (or news anchor) having an emotional breakdown, disrobing on live TV, [[DeadlineNews dying]], or saying something so controversial that it will cause backlash from the [[MoralGuardians network censors or, worse, the FCC]]. When this message appears in fiction, usually one of those things is exactly what happened. Actual technical difficulties are vanishingly rare in fictionland, and thanks to many stations now being run by their corporate owners from one hub (for instance, Fox runs many of their owned stations from NewYork, {{Chicago}}, LosAngeles and {{Houston}}), in reality also.

* This has happened at least twice in the William Weaver series of novels by JohnRingo. Once it was in connection with DeadlineNews, another time a reporter [[CallOfCthulhu "failed a SAN check"]] and started to scream, "I'm reading this on my [=TelePrompTer=], but it's not really happening!"

* This ultimately happens on ''every single channel'' shown by Clamp Cable in ''{{Gremlins 2}}'' as the titular critters wreak havoc throughout the building. Bonus points because the technical difficulties title card bear the image of a grinning gremlin.

* WebVideo/TheSpoonyExperiment combines this with HeroicBSOD when Spoony sees the VHS case for ''{{Highlander}} 2'' call itself "the smartest sci-fi thriller since ''BladeRunner''."

* "Technical Difficulties" by Julien-K, a [[SomethingSomethingLeonardBernstein rather indistinct]] song done for ''{{Transformers}}''.

* ''ShaunOfTheDead'' features a sequence where a character flips through the channels and sees nothing but Technical Difficulty screens, even on the satellite channels which normally only stop working due to bad weather affecting the signal (such as the DiscoveryChannel).
* In the opening scene of ''NightOfTheLivingDead'', Johnny [[IgnoredVitalNewsReports switches off the radio]] just as an announcement of this kind is being made.
** The original ''DawnOfTheDead'' starts with two of the main characters leaving the TV studio where they work, as this type of message is put on.
* This ultimately happens on ''every single channel'' shown by Clamp Cable in ''{{Gremlins}} 2'' as the titular critters wreak havoc throughout the building. Bonus points because the technical difficulties title card bear the image of a grinning gremlin.

* The original ''{{Godzilla}}'' has this when a radio newsreader is killed. Interestingly, we see the scene from his perspective.

* In {{Terminator}} 3 a Gas station clerk flicks though multiple channels, each with a test card on. Further proof that [[spoiler:Skynet/the virus is taking over]]

[[WebOriginal/HomestarRunner http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/technicaldifficulties.png]]

* ''{{Network}}'' has one of these after Howard Beale sarcastically announces that he's going to commit suicide on camera. Technicians and directors start asking him what's going on; he replies that he can't hear what they're saying, they have to physically remove him from behind the desk, and just as the mayhem really starts the PLEASE STAND BY card flips up.

** {{Lampshaded}} in ''{{Network}}'' as Howard Beale announces on nationwide TV that he will kill himself on the air next week. At first the studio staff don't realize he's said it, mumbling gossip while the commercial is on; then panic, they open the studio mike to communicate with Howard, the immortal words "WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON" go out to 67 affiliates, they come back from commercial and Howard is being pulled away from his desk by the floor crew -- TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES PLEASE STAND BY.

* WebOriginal/TheSpoonyExperiment combines this with HeroicBSOD when Spoony sees the VHS case for ''{{Highlander}} 2'' call itself "the smartest sci-fi thriller since ''BladeRunner''."

* WebOriginal/TheNostalgiaCritic sometimes switches to this when he really loses it; the "Technical Difficulties" screen shows him in a straitjacket (much like the one on the season five ''Simpsons'' episode "Marge on the Lam.")

* [[WebOriginal/AtopTheFourthWall Linkara]] has occasionally cut to a RelaxOVision screen while music from ''{{Pokemon}}'' plays in the background. See ''CountdownToFinalCrisis Pt. 1'' for an example.
* [[WebOriginal/WhatTheFuckIsWrongWithYou Nash]] often uses these when a news story is just too much. They usually have a message along the lines of "Shut the fuck up and sit the fuck down."
* WebOriginal/HomestarRunner has used this both ways. In the Strong Bad Email "pizzaz", Strong Bad is [[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext interviewing himself]], and at one point the interviewee gets mad and shouts "This interview is OVER!" Cut to the card shown at the top of the screen. Later, the cartoon "Fall Float Parade" cut to a similar card with a turkey instead of The Cheat when the Marshie balloon crashed into the hosts' booth (and, presumably, broadcast equipment).
* [[{{StuartAshen}} Ashens]] cuts to his logo card with a [[LogoJoke plug sticking out a flip-top rendering of his head]] whenever he runs into difficulties with camera focus, tat malfunctions or it takes a long time to put a 'some assembly required' product together.

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* In one episode of ''DeathNote'', the cult of Kira is being broadcast live worshipping him. Since they are presented as basically a scam, Mikami uses his death note to kill all of them. After their gruesome heart attacks, the screen changes to a "cutesy" "be-right-back" message.

[[{{Homestar Runner}} http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/technicaldifficulties.png]]

* [[AtopTheFourthWall Linkara]] has occasionally cut to a RelaxOVision screen while music from ''{{Pokemon}}'' plays in the background. See ''CountdownToFinalCrisis Pt. 1'' for an example.

* HomestarRunner has used this both ways. In the Strong Bad Email "pizzaz", Strong Bad is [[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext interviewing himself]], and at one point the interviewee gets mad and shouts "This interview is OVER!" Cut to the card shown at the top of the screen. Later, the cartoon "Fall Float Parade" cut to a similar card with a turkey instead of The Cheat when the Marshie balloon crashed into the hosts' booth (and, presumably, broadcast equipment).

* A move named "Devour" in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasy VIII'' involves characters running up to the target of the attack and... [[RelaxOVision a picture of a pleasant, flower-covered field]], along with a scrolling message indicating technical difficulties. After a few seconds, the screen changes back to scene of the fight, where the target has mysteriously vanished.

* A move named "Devour" in ''FinalFantasy VIII'' involves characters running up to the target of the attack and... [[RelaxOVision a picture of a pleasant, flower-covered field]], along with a scrolling message indicating technical difficulties. After a few seconds, the screen changes back to scene of the fight, where the target has mysteriously vanished.

* [[WhatthefuckIsWrongWithYou Nash]] often uses these when a news story is just too much. They usually have a message along the lines of "Shut the fuck up and sit the fuck down."

* While not quite technical difficulties per se', anyone who thought to flip through the channels as 9/11 happened ([[HeroicBSOD and no one can blame folks who didn't]]), many non-news/non-kids stations had some sort of card up saying they would be off the air for the rest of the day due to the events going on.