Media appreciation thread

[imadodgyumpire]

Would she have a problem if the British cyclists were accused of doping?

 

[Joe Mama]

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.

I've barely watched any of the free to air stuff on Channel 9 (I had it on the radio when I'm not at home) because I'm just not interested in finding out about Big Brother or Dallas.

But an event like the Olympics will always look bad when it's stuffed into one TV station (mind you Channel 9's incessent ad breaks and self promotions haven't helped, but putting dressage ahead of the Basketball & Hockey ? come on ), and the anti-siphoning laws prevent channel 9 from giving some of the other events of the games (or showing events like the hockey and basketball in full) to thier digital channels like GO !, so we end up having this discussion every 4 years.

I think that by 2016, we will hopefully have a broadcast like the BBC with several stations covering the games, and for events to be shown on a number of media streams through the internet (The NBN should be well on its way by then), so that it it gives the games an adequate broadcast to those like us who want to watch an event in full live, plus have some of the behind the scenes and highlights stuff for those who take a passing interest.

If anyone knows about the "Red Button" service that FOXTEL provides, I think that this will be the future of broadcasting the games, one station showing all channels what's on and using the remote, choosing the event you want to watch.

 

[imadodgyumpire]

I don't know what stopped C9 from showing stuff on GO and GEM. But I think back to the last World Cup, when SBS were allowed to show games on the other channel, for the last round group games, when they're played at the same time. Even if it wasn't for the whole night, but for some specific events, that would've been good.

 

[ozgamer]

I don't know what stopped C9 from showing stuff on GO and GEM.

anti-siphoning laws

But I think back to the last World Cup, when SBS were allowed to show games on the other channel, for the last round group games, when they're played at the same time. Even if it wasn't for the whole night, but for some specific events, that would've been good.

Senator Conjob got SBS's coverage of the 2010 world Cup to be exempt from the anti-siphoning laws

http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2010/048

 

[bossman111]

I don't know what stopped C9 from showing stuff on GO and GEM. But I think back to the last World Cup, when SBS were allowed to show games on the other channel, for the last round group games, when they're played at the same time. Even if it wasn't for the whole night, but for some specific events, that would've been good.

Pretty sure they only have rights to show the Games on one channel with Foxtel having rights to broadcast multiple channels.

BBC coverage has been immense, with the exception of the cheerleading commentators.. It's probably just as bad back home, I guess you don't notice it until you're in someone else's backyard

 

[imadodgyumpire]

anti-siphoning laws



Senator Conjob got SBS's coverage of the 2010 world Cup to be exempt from the anti-siphoning laws

http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2010/048

Pretty sure they only have rights to show the Games on one channel with Foxtel having rights to broadcast multiple channels.

BBC coverage has been immense, with the exception of the cheerleading commentators.. It's probably just as bad back home, I guess you don't notice it until you're in someone else's backyard

Obviously, both pof you have answered the question satisfactorily. No doubt there could of been some kind of compromise. Maybe not all to wall coverage, but for specific events to be shown fully e.g. road race and tt, Boomers games. bossman, only James Tompkins, I've noticed, has been a massive cheerleader. I think Jane Fleming has been with Pearson. But then again, I may be listening as a Lolo Jones empathiser.

 

[imadodgyumpire]

If Usain Bolt knew what a ****head Tony Jones is, would he bother being interviewed by him, all the time?

edit: I must remind myself, this is a media "appreciation" thread.

 

[smoovy]

On the multiple channel thing...

What i've heard is that the legislation states they can only have it on one channel, but as others have stated a special request can be made to the Minister. The rumours are that 9 have 'conveniently' forgotten to ask for special permission so they can maximise advertising revenue on their main channel as they are already up for a big loss financially from the games.

 

[mattys123]

Peter Donegan calling the athletics is the coverage highlight of the games.

 

[XFactor1979]

To rank the coverage this is the EXACT order to go by
Foxtel
ABC Radio, with limited resources, and restricted in the airtime they have (ie 45 minute breaks) - it feels like they have only 2 or three commentators, and most the time they talk amongst themselves, however theres no bias, they generate the right level of excitement and the do a fine job

CCTV - Chinese cable station, been able to watch obscure sports like the trampolining and pistol shooting

Daylight

Peasant feed

the toilet

Channel Nein!

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Peter Donegan great call of the 100m hurdles picked Sally had won correctly as she crossed the line said "And the dream becomes reality!"

 

[Santana]

I've said it before but Sarah Jones has been smoking hot on Foxtel.

 

[eaglespremiers]

I don't actually mind the commentary on Channel 9.
It is kind of funny watching James Brayshaw and Eddie McGuire commentating on sports they know nothing about (like the rowing).
Eddie yesterday when he was commentating on the triathlon ran out of things to say so he started reciting the same story about the Brownlee brothers about 3 times.

 

[eaglespremiers]

Peter Donegan great call of the 100m hurdles picked Sally had won correctly as she crossed the line said "And the dream becomes reality!"

Considering the confusion as to who had won it is great that the commentary stood up.
In football terms you'll get BT, Michael Christian and Bruce McAvaney regularly missing/misjudging the epically good play and the replay becomes pretty unwatchable.
Or they will hold one syllable for an unnatural time.
So thumbs up to Donegan

 

[The King!]

I don't actually mind the commentary on Channel 9.
It is kind of funny watching James Brayshaw and Eddie McGuire commentating on sports they know nothing about (like the rowing).
Eddie yesterday when he was commentating on the triathlon ran out of things to say so he started reciting the same story about the Brownlee brothers about 3 times.

least he wasnt in the studio acting like shirvingtons father.

I agree with the sentiments re Peter Donegan, he is and has always been a great caller, yet hes often in the past been at bloody vfl matches what a waste. Maybe he likes to chop and change. But I think what comes across is he is a well researched commentator who is a genuine sports fan, rather than a tv personality transplanted into the sports world. Gainsford Taylor has been quite good too, prefer he too Jane Fleming. Gotta love gazey as well.

Fox has been awesome, id be lost without it, going to suck next week though without my 8 channels to watch. Need 8 tvs though

 

[SJ]

Considering the confusion as to who had won it is great that the commentary stood up.
In football terms you'll get BT, Michael Christian and Bruce McAvaney regularly missing/misjudging the epically good play and the replay becomes pretty unwatchable.
Or they will hold one syllable for an unnatural time.
So thumbs up to Donegan

McAvaney accurately called Pearson winning the silver in Beijing, and it was a lot tougher to call than her winning gold this morning.

 

[THRILLHO]

I've barely watched 9 at all these Games as I have Foxtel and it really annoys me how easy it is to be negative and cynical in the first Twitter Games, but what annoys me even more than that is how newspapers and major internet media (and I'm not just limiting this to the Herald Sun) give coverage to the whining.

Regurgitating what some random person tweets is not news and its not indicative of the wider population. It's a growing trend (I don't mean its "trending") and it simply serves to highlight how lazy the media has become where browsing Twitter for cynics posting their snarky comments constitutes news.

I hate 9's coverage of flipping between sports but they're stuck between a rock and a hard place. They're a commercial network who has outlaid $140m for the rights to the Olympics. Commercially, they don't give a stuff about the Olympics, they only care about what companies pay to broadcast in between the Olympics. They have to balance advertisements, sports and explanations of the expected Aussie chances in each sport to cater for a huge market from sports lovers to mums and dads just interested in Aussie medals once every four years. Of course they were going to be on a hiding to nothing. But that doesn't mean that we focus on the vocal minority. The vocal minority, who I might add, are too tight to pay for the best coverage of the Olympics. I've actually enjoyed flicking over to Nine on occasion because they often point you toward what is the biggest event on at that time and then I find that sport on Foxtel and flick to it. Foxtel's coverage can be a bit overwhelming and I wish they had a dedicated channel that just showed text like "medal tally", what's on, what's coming up etc.

You get what you pay for, there's no such thing as a free lunch, etc, etc.

Somewhat unrelated: what's even worse than this is the "petition" going around facebook with 160 000 odd likes of some mouth-breather passive-aggressively writing a letter to Channel 9 paying out on them for refusing to show the Paralympics. 9 isn't a ****ing charity.

 

[ozgamer]

Eddie yesterday when he was commentating on the triathlon ran out of things to say so he started reciting the same story about the Brownlee brothers about 3 times.

I lost count at the number of times he was "joined by 5 time World Champion Greg Welch"

Somewhat unrelated: what's even worse than this is the "petition" going around facebook with 160 000 odd likes of some mouth-breather passive-aggressively writing a letter to Channel 9 paying out on them for refusing to show the Paralympics. 9 isn't a ******* charity.

Maybe if the mouth-breather and his/her facebook disciples did their f***ing homework they would realise that ABC has the exclusive rights. /facepalm

http://www.abc.net.au/news/sport/paralympics/

 

[iluvparis]

McAvaney accurately called Pearson winning the silver in Beijing, and it was a lot tougher to call than her winning gold this morning.

If we are going to be picky he also called Flintoff-King as winning silver in Seoul.

 

[Joe Mama]

About that petition, as much as the Paralympics are an admirable event in thier own right (and after the good results of Oscar Pistorious, it will give people a good reason to see what other great athletes are at the games), they aren't a commercial proposition and let's face it, the Paralympics would be ratings kryptonite for any commercial channel.

And anyway, the ABC do a great job covering the Paralympics on the TV and Radio, and there's no need to change that.

 

[GOAUS!]

Always have enjoyed Phil Ligget's commentary.

 

[Wallaby]

I will say this - after the Delhi commonwealth games I was not a big Melinda Gainsford-Taylor fan as a commentator - but her performance here has been good. She knows her stuff, and she learnt how to be a commentator - good for her.

And did anyone else catch the surreal discussion between Dave Culbert and Daley Thompson about 80's new romantic pop music during the Decathlon Long Jump?

 

[Donstuie]

Phil Liggett
Peter Donegan
Ray Warren
Daley Thompson
Culbert
Susie O'Neill

/thread

(Although, I haven't seen enough of the "minor" sports to develop an opinion on their performance)

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

I will say this - after the Delhi commonwealth games I was not a big Melinda Gainsford-Taylor fan as a commentator - but her performance here has been good. She knows her stuff, and she learnt how to be a commentator - good for her.

And did anyone else catch the surreal discussion between Dave Culbert and Daley Thompson about 80's new romantic pop music during the Decathlon Long Jump?

Bummer I watched the 100m decathlon stuff but the long jump clashed with other stuff. What music/artists did they cover Wallaby??

Daley Thompson is a star interviewee but I wouldn't call him a star commentator, but he does let his personality shine thru. Culbert is fantastic, knows his stuff and has a great personality. During the Discuss qualifying round he talked about the batman suit ( I think it was batman) he wore at a comp as a dare from team mates, showed Daley the photo on his phone and how the tradition has been handed down to other Oz athletes. Ben Harradine wore it either last year or this year, then all this year in Europe he has been wearing hulk suits and muscle suits. That discussion was a good laugh.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Great effort by Daley Thompson to get his great mate Seb Coe to join the athletics commentary team last night/this morning for about 15 minutes. He came on between the women’s 200m final and men’s 110m hurdles, stayed during the hurdles and then after.

Said he judged the games on people being happy, athletes, coaches, people at the venues. Talked about ticketing process being a challenge - 2m tickets available 27m applied.

Asked if one moment stood out, said he loves walking across the common domain and listening to kids talking about going to different sports for first time, wants a legacy for people, wants more young people playing sport.

Donegan says we are joined in the commentary box by a man you may know I’m not sure if you recognize this fellow sitting beside you, Daley Thompson this is Lord Sebastain Coe, Thompson - is that what you look like in the flesh, I thought you’d be bigger. Coe - I used to be, 7 years ago.

Said he was most pleased about the generosity of spirit. Talked about a nation dominated by football – both men’s and women’s team both being knocked out - but it’s hardly gone noticed. This is the moment the Olympic sports can grab some of the territory back. Thompson talked about how happy people are out on the street. Both talked about traveling on the tube and how people are talking to each other rather than buried in papers, kindles earphones and that kids are involved.

Thompson talked about his fear that things would go well, but that the kids don’t have anywhere where to go after the games. Asked Seb if that has been taken care of. Coe said better than “when we were around.” He talked about after the ‘84 games that lots of kids wanted to join his athletics clubs but not sure enough coaches and resources were in place. Talked about the real challenge being that “we don’t turn the tap off suddenly” and believe that they have delivered the games and the rest will take care of itself. It wont, it will need careful management.

Coe was asked about the Sydney comparison. He talked about how Brits and Aussies don’t need much encouragement to party and wanting to get the party atmosphere of the way the city embraced the games in Sydney, the forensic eye for detail of Beijing and the spirit of humanity of Barcelona.

After 110m hurdle final Donegan asked about Pearson, Coe talked about being so great for the sport and so consistent for the last couple of seasons and how being an IAAF ambassador is important for Australia Oceania to showcase great athletes in that area. She’s out of the top draw. Said I make this point, it is track and field and that winning an Olympic title in track and field statistically is the toughest event to win it in and that it was a world class performance.

Donegan said Thompson had one last question to fire at Coe, Coe said that’s always worrying.

Daley talked about how he started the journey 7 years ago with Seb, its been a fantastic journey but the only reason I joined was because my mate said the main thoroughfare outside was going to be named after me, and I’m still waiting. Donegan - Is It? What’s happened to that? Coe - everyone refers to it as the Daley Thompson Stadium (Daley starts laughing) I mean what more could you want? Daley Thompson Boulevard? Thompson – That would be nice, Thompson - you want me to be honest? Coe -Avenue of dreams? Thompson -yeah I think I’m more of an Avenue man. Coe - Decathlon Way? Thompson – maybe a Mall. Coe – a Mall or a ruck? They all laugh and Daley gives Seb some special limited edition Australian chocolate. Coe – thank you, you melt my heart - and more laughter. Donegan – so you give him a road outside and he gives you a block of chocolate. Asked if he has a few surprises for the closing ceremony and he says yeah lots of them.