Media appreciation thread

[RussellEbertHandball]

It's easy to bag, but as there is so much on its easy to miss the good stuff the media do to bring us the Olympic coverage. Those watching the games in other countries you can join in also. So TV, radio, press, internet, bloggers you have enjoyed give them a here.

Foxtel - 8 channels has been fantastic. The weekend was bloody hard to keep up, athletics, swimming, triathlon, rowing, cycling, basketball, tennis, weighlifting, boxing etc all going on at once its hard to keep up. I've been whinging for over a decade that we need multiple pay tv channels to cover the Olympics to do the job properly more like ABC radio.

I wish I had 9 screens, Foxtel's 8 + ch 9, stacked up all going at once and all I had to do was touch the screen and it turns the sound on and off. What must it be like in the UK with 24 channels??

ABC radio continues to provide great coverage as it has for decades. ABC digital radio Grandstand and their London channel, provide summaries, replay calls, interviews and historic Olympic coverage all daytime when there is no action in London, so if you have missed stuff its a great place to get a summary.

Susie O'Neill on Foxtel and Rod Woodhouse on ABC at the swimming. Know their stuff and don't over hype the events and Oz swimmers chances. And Susie had to put up with bloody Rebecca Wilson.

Tim Gavel at the rowing on ABC radio. 5th Olympics I think and just covers it so well.

Peter Donegan at the athletics, early days, we will find out tonight in the 100m, but hasn't missed a beat yet and I'm not missing Bruce one bit yet. Dave Culbert on the field events and odd track appearance continues his great work. I'm missing Raylene Boyle though.

Rob de Castella and Steve Ovett have been very good as well, especially the two 10,000m races and steeplechase heats.

John Casey and Andrew Gaze at the basketball continue their professional partnership.

I have also enjoyed James Tomkins'
Great day Jim,
They are working hard Jim
They've got to dig deep here Jim
The girls are lookin relaxed Jim
The're surging here Jim
I don't know why, I have liked Tomkins quirky commentating, but I didn't enjoy Jim.

 

[Rustin Cohle]

The guy who commentates the hockey gets a thumbs up from me.

Nine's swimming commentary was passable compared to Foxtel's, which was absolutely awful. Although, I did laugh when O'Neill said viewers should go watch something else during the 1500m heats.

Peter Donegan is pretty good with the track events. He seems to put in the research before the events. Culbert is good too.

 

[krisholio14]

Hard to go past Phil Liggett and Scott McGrory at the cycling.

 

[smoovy]

The guy who commentates the hockey gets a thumbs up from me.

Nine's swimming commentary was passable compared to Foxtel's, which was absolutely awful. Although, I did laugh when O'Neill said viewers should go watch something else during the 1500m heats.

Peter Donegan is pretty good with the track events. He seems to put in the research before the events. Culbert is good too.

Dave Christison. When you actually know what your commentating about it does help. It is a common theme for the best callers.

Comment of the games so far is from Andrew Gaze for mine. During a particular poor shooting performance by the Boomers he exclaimed that the Boomers were 'colder than than the underside of your pillow'.

 

[Doodlesweaver]

Dave Christison. When you actually know what your commentating about it does help. It is a common theme for the best callers.

Comment of the games so far is from Andrew Gaze for mine. During a particular poor shooting performance by the Boomers he exclaimed that the Boomers were 'colder than than the underside of your pillow'.

I think the BBC have been taking his commentary for the Aus and other hockey matches or at least it certainly sounds like him. He's bloody good as a caller, knows all the players from the start of the game. On another forum, the commentators are named as either David Christison and Rechelle Hawkes or Dave Wansborough and RH.

The BBC swimming crew have been excellent, very professional and sensible and Sharon Davies at the poolside has been her usual on the money self with the swimmers of all nations. Thorpey has been very good, he's fitted in beautifully on the BBC. Overall, BBC has been pretty good coverage and commentator wise. I've got to see so much handball, waterpolo and hockey, it's ace.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Great call of the 100m by Peter Donegan.

The big man stands even taller .... the crowd witnesses one of the great althletic achievements ... the doubters are put in their place ... he joins the very greatest with an unbelievable effort, 9.63, the world should stand and applaud the best and the fastest that they've ever seen.

As I said in this thread 4 years ago "To Aussie tv sports executives out there, it's time to make him a main commentator on your stations"

http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/peter-donegan-a-greater-all-rounder-than-garry-sobers.477858/

 

[Contra Mundum]

Great call of the 100m by Peter Donegan.

The big man stands even taller .... the crowd witnesses one of the great althletic achievements ... the doubters are put in their place ... he joins the very greatest with an unbelievable effort, 9.63, the world should stand and applaud the best and the fastest that they've ever seen.

As I said in this thread 4 years ago "To Aussie tv sports executives out there, it's time to make him a main commentator on your stations"

http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/peter-donegan-a-greater-all-rounder-than-garry-sobers.477858/

Amen REB why he has not got a gig commentating AFL on 7 or Foxtel is beyond me - how can you choosing ****ing Brian Taylor over him - it is a ****ing traversty(sp)

 

[Childish Gambino]

A big shout out to the ABC Grandstand Facebook page.

Every morning there is a blog written up about the progress of every Australian who competed that day. Excellent way to catch up on what I've missed overnight.

 

[Rustin Cohle]

Agree with all the praise for Donegan. He's a Collingwood supporter too. Get this guy a gig in the AFL please.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

A big shout out to the ABC Grandstand Facebook page.

Every morning there is a blog written up about the progress of every Australian who competed that day. Excellent way to catch up on what I've missed overnight.

Thanks for that. That summary is exactly what I have been looking for.

 

[ozgamer]

Amen REB why he has not got a gig commentating AFL on 7 or Foxtel is beyond me - how can you choosing ******* Brian Taylor over him - it is a ******* traversty(sp)

It's probably one of those "it's not what you know but who you know" things

 

[abers13]

Anyone heard any of McAvaveny's calling for the aths?

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Anyone heard any of McAvaveny's calling for the aths?

He was only employed to call the swimming for the Olympic Broadcasting Service to do the swimming. They didn't use him for the athletics, they employed the guys who the IAAF use for thier World Champs.

So are you asking the question or telling us he is calling the athletics somewhere else.

 

[abers13]

He was only employed to call the swimming for the Olympic Broadcasting Service to do the swimming. They didn't use him for the athletics, they employed the guys who the IAAF use for thier World Champs.

So are you asking the question or telling us he is calling the athletics somewhere else.

Well as far as I knew he was going to be calling the aths for the International coverage or something like that. Pretty sure he wasn't involved in any swimming coverage?

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Well as far as I knew he was going to be calling the aths for the International coverage or something like that. Pretty sure he wasn't involved in any swimming coverage?

You obviously haven't been reading the swimming thread.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/enter...th-channel-seven/story-e6fredqc-1226161599767

And if you go to post 929 in the thread you can hear his call for the Magnuseen 100m race that for some reason NBC in the USA took and Alfonz who lives over there, recorded it and put it on the net.

http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/london-2012-swimming-events.962333/page-38#post-25083136

 

[Demon JP]

+1 for Donegan have enjoyed his calls for the past few days...

 

[Confuscius]

The thing I've enjoyed is that foxtel have used the megawall in an enjoyable fashion. See what's happening on other stations, gives you an idea of where to go. (Not that 7 have much choice with it, but the way they do it is a bit comical)

 

[moto748]

Consensus in the UK is that the stars of the BBC coverage are Michael Johnson (always good) and Clare Balding. CB does the rugby league coverage on the BBC, and she's very good on that too. Too much reliance on ex-footballers like Lineker who are rather out of their depth in other sports. We love moaning here, but, truth to tell, the BBC is generally as professional as any broadcaster, I reckon.

 

[FlyingBurittoBro]

have been listening to grandstand the last two nights on the am's while doing nightshift. Good stuff. give rio tv rights to auntie I say.

 

[Wallaby]

I think what becomes apparent from reading the comments here are:

1. Sports fans want to watch sports - not 'background drama' or 'heartwarming-battle-against-the-odds' stories, or quirky colour pieces.
2. Sports fans want to hear commentators who call the sport - ie, just the action, not forced humorous puns, or cleverly rehearsed one-liners. It also helps if the commentators know something about the sport - eg rules(!), and leading competitors.
3. We want to hear about our local comeptitors, so it's fair enough that they get a bit of coverage over and above what they 'deserve' - but, please, no bias, and not at the expense of covering the action.
3. Sports fans want to watch sports live as much as possible.

 

[Contra Mundum]

I think what becomes apparent from reading the comments here are:

1. Sports fans want to watch sports - not 'background drama' or 'heartwarming-battle-against-the-odds' stories, or quirky colour pieces.
2. Sports fans want to hear commentators who call the sport - ie, just the action, not forced humorous puns, or cleverly rehearsed one-liners. It also helps if the commentators know something about the sport - eg rules(!), and leading competitors.
3. We want to hear about our local comeptitors, so it's fair enough that they get a bit of coverage over and above what they 'deserve' - but, please, no bias, and not at the expense of covering the action.
3. Sports fans want to watch sports live as much as possible.

Totally agree -don't want Brayshaw saying the Aussies are surging when they are 400 metres behind with 250 to go or bullshit like they are rowing a very technical race. Make Peter Donegan the sports god - if I was the Australian equivalent of Stalin I would liquidate Tom Harley, Rompingwins, and Brian Taylor and give the job to reliable Pete

 

[Illinois Nazi]

I think what becomes apparent from reading the comments here are:

1. Sports fans want to watch sports - not 'background drama' or 'heartwarming-battle-against-the-odds' stories, or quirky colour pieces.
2. Sports fans want to hear commentators who call the sport - ie, just the action, not forced humorous puns, or cleverly rehearsed one-liners. It also helps if the commentators know something about the sport - eg rules(!), and leading competitors.
3. We want to hear about our local comeptitors, so it's fair enough that they get a bit of coverage over and above what they 'deserve' - but, please, no bias, and not at the expense of covering the action.
3. Sports fans want to watch sports live as much as possible.

Problem is that sports fans are not the majority of the viewing audience, and will watch no matter how it's covered. It's the Masterchef/Packed to the Rafters crowd they are going for.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

I do't mind a bit of background info and the battles and drama's an athlete has gone thru but don't want those long puff pieces or them continually talked about.

For example I like that they told us who the US flag bearer was and that as an apprentice, a plumber I think it was, he was jack hammering in a hole and he hit 3 unmarked cables got a electric shock from 30,000 volts, was thrown out of the hole but fell back in and got a second zap, almost killed him, stuffed up his nevous system, has left him with a severe pemanent limp, yet has made it to the second Olympics as a canoeist. The US team members voted for him to carry the flag. Now that story is something I'd want to see for 5 minutes, not 30 piece about, and not over and over and either just before his event, or at the start of the coverage. I like to celebrate humanity in reasonable chunks, but I don't want to be informed about trivial dramas.

 

[ozgamer]

Consensus in the UK is that the stars of the BBC coverage are Michael Johnson (always good) and Clare Balding. CB does the rugby league coverage on the BBC, and she's very good on that too. Too much reliance on ex-footballers like Lineker who are rather out of their depth in other sports. We love moaning here, but, truth to tell, the BBC is generally as professional as any broadcaster, I reckon.

Clare Balding lost that professional shine however for insinuating Ye Shiwen was a drug cheat.

It prompted her to ask former British Olympian Mark Foster: “How many questions will there be, Mark, about somebody who can suddenly swim so much faster than she has ever swum before?”.

source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/news/9437441/London-2012-Olympics-Clare-Balding-questions-Ye-Shiwens-incredible-swim.html

 

[apollo_creed]

That's pathetic of her. She can go and get ****ed. Go China.