[maninthequeue]

Originally Posted by Brekkie

Why on earth they ask for his views after asking Michael Johnson I don't know. Never really rated Denise Lewis as a pundit either.

In fact presenter aside I do think C4 put together a pretty damn good pundit and commentary team last year - give me Dean Macey, Kathryn Merry and Iwan Thomas over Jackson and Lewis anyday - indeed from the BBC team I'd only take Cram and Johnson, though I doubt after last year Michael Johnson would risk it at C4 again.

Ah, yes Channel 4's legendary coverage of Athletics, such as the 2011 World Championships

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xks...asterclass_fun

... and people complain about the BBC's coverage.

[tiger2000]

deleted

[rufuseric]

Originally Posted by brunobrookes

Quite. They came out of the world record run by saying "well, the papers will be all about the 200 tomorrow, with this as a footnote, isn't it sad", and then go STRAIGHT into a CLOCK in the corner telling us there's still HALF AND HOUR to go, and clips of the athletes messing about outside. I mean, do they even watch their own coverage?

I'm really disappointed with the BBC's presentation of the athletics. It's just so inane now.

Rudisha's performance was extraordinary. Over on RTE, it rendered both the commentator. Tony O'Donoghue, and the panel virtually speechless. They all agreed that it was the highlight of the night, brilliant and all as Bolt was.

[Brekkie]

Also really annoying how they play the pointless preview VTs immediately before a race (once the athletes are out on track) - really they might as well show some ads. After missing Jessica Ennis's introduction to the crowd on Saturday you'd have thought they might have dropped them, but no - they're there whether we like them or not.

[RadioKnower]

Originally Posted by maninthequeue

Ah, yes Channel 4's legendary coverage of Athletics, such as the 2011 World Championships

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xks...asterclass_fun

... and people complain about the BBC's coverage.

He did say 'presenter aside'.

You'll see Channel 4 do a much better job with Paralympics in a couple of weeks.

[shelsey93]

Originally Posted by RadioKnower

He did say 'presenter aside'.

You'll see Channel 4 do a much better job with Paralympics in a couple of weeks.

I must say that in my view if Deley was obviously terrible, the rest of the team were only good in comparison to him. That includes all of the former athletes they used, and the replacement presenter (Rick Edwards).

[tiger2000]

Originally Posted by RadioKnower

You'll see Channel 4 do a much better job with Paralympics in a couple of weeks.

You are joking right?

[jlp95bwfc]

Originally Posted by tiger2000

You are joking right?

I think the poster means they'll do a better job than they did for the world athletics championships, which is probably true with no ortis, rather than a better job than the BBC with the Olympic coverage.

[tiger2000]

Originally Posted by jlp95bwfc

I think the poster means they'll do a better job than they did for the world athletics championships, which is probably true with no ortis, rather than a better job than the BBC with the Olympic coverage.

Ahh, I see, my apologies.

[RadioKnower]

Originally Posted by jlp95bwfc

I think the poster means they'll do a better job than they did for the world athletics championships, which is probably true with no ortis, rather than a better job than the BBC with the Olympic coverage.

That is correct. Remember some of the BBC talent including Balding and Edwards will working for Channel 4 and their coverage of the Paralympic world cup a few weeks back was of a very good standard and that can still be viewed online. http://paralympics.channel4.com/watc...892/index.html

[JezR]

Originally Posted by Sad_BB_Addict

Olympics TV coverage: ITV gave up the battle long ago
How a string of mistakes three decades ago lost the commercial broadcaster the rights to the Games

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012...12-tv-coverage

A good read.

Misses out completely that ITV had greater coverage in terms of time of the 1964 Olympics than the BBC. Indeed implies ITV coverage only began in 1968. I think it was the ITA on behalf of the EBU who were heavily involved technical background of using two satellites (via Syncon 3 to the USA and Relay 1 to Europe) to bring back the video from Tokyo as well.

[television2004]

Please remember that the BBC is not providing the pictures for this Olympic coverage. The cameras are controlled by the OBS. The only camera input the BBC controls is the studio at the stadium and the interviewer after the event in the stands. NBC did not like this idea and payed millions to have their own cameras cover the event.

[allafix]

Originally Posted by SouthCity

The camera work is nothing to do with the BBC, the athletics coverage is being produced by SVT (Sweden) and YLE (Finland) on behalf of OBS (Olympic Broadcasting Services).

Overall I think Inverdale has been pretty good but he has asked a few daft questions. His question about whether athletes would run faster with shorter hair was a classic. Judging by the look on Johnson's face I think he probably had flashbacks to Ortis Deley at that moment.

Ah, that explains the un-BBC-like camera work.

Denise Lewis looked equally horrified by that question, but to be fair it was prompted by viewers feedback, not Inverdale himself.

Michael Johnson has been superb, as was Ian Thorpe and even John McEnroe. Johnson is superbly articulate and doesn't hold back which is perfect for a TV sports pundit. I didn't think Ian Thorpe could be as interesting, but as well as being very knowledgeable he was charming and full of humour. Interesting to hear last night that Australian TV has used Daley Thompson as a pundit. That must have been great to watch.

With such a pool of talented retired athletes to choose from I wonder why BBC Sport insists on using non sports people as presenters. Old school presenters who really knew their sports, and were respected by sports people, were fine. Harry Carpenter, Alan Weeks, Peter O'Sullevan and so on. The bland talking heads they employ these days have very limited sporting expertise so tend to all sound like Alan Partridge.

[_SpeedRacer_]

Originally Posted by allafix

Ah, that explains the un-BBC-like camera work.

Denise Lewis looked equally horrified by that question, but to be fair it was prompted by viewers feedback, not Inverdale himself.

Michael Johnson has been superb, as was Ian Thorpe and even John McEnroe. Johnson is superbly articulate and doesn't hold back which is perfect for a TV sports pundit. I didn't think Ian Thorpe could be as interesting, but as well as being very knowledgeable he was charming and full of humour. Interesting to hear last night that Australian TV has used Daley Thompson as a pundit. That must have been great to watch.

With such a pool of talented retired athletes to choose from I wonder why BBC Sport insists on using non sports people as presenters. Old school presenters who really knew their sports, and were respected by sports people, were fine. Harry Carpenter, Alan Weeks, Peter O'Sullevan and so on. The bland talking heads they employ these days have very limited sporting expertise so tend to all sound like Alan Partridge.

Thompson was on the BBC roundup show last night and he was pretty good. Mind you, he was sat next to John McEnroe...

[Cent]

Originally Posted by television2004

Please remember that the BBC is not providing the pictures for this Olympic coverage. The cameras are controlled by the OBS. The only camera input the BBC controls is the studio at the stadium and the interviewer after the event in the stands. NBC did not like this idea and payed millions to have their own cameras cover the event.

NBC are using the same feed as everyone else. All the big broadcasters, like NBC and BBC, also have a few of their own cameras, not more than 1 or 2, which they use to focus on their own athletes. E.g. the BBC cut away from the OBS feed a few times during the Swimming to show Rebecca Adlington swimming, which was very noticeable because the graphics disappeared and the picture quality was different. But broadly everything you see is from the OBS feed and NBC are using that too.

[wasa5livefan]

Originally Posted by allafix

Interesting to hear last night that Australian TV has used Daley Thompson as a pundit. That must have been great to watch.

I hope he's moved on from when he was asked how he felt on winning BBC's SPOTY - "I feel like sh1t".

[mlt11]

Went to the athletics last night - unbelievable evening.

Just to confirm that (fortunately) Ben Shepherd plays no significant role at all. He did a warm-up act before the athletics started but once the events started bang on 6.30pm he didn't say a word until after all events had finished. He said he would return after all events had finished but the last event to finish was the Women's Javelin which went on well after the last track event (Decathlon 1,500m) and by then the stadium was half empty.

The two commentators basically cover everything including everything in between events including announcing medal winners. They were both very good. The lead commentator is Garry Hill (Canadian) and the only negative I would say was his voice was sometimes hard to hear when the crowd was very loud. Hill called most if not all the track events. The number 2 was Geoff Wightman who did field events (though not all of them). Wightman did the Men's Triple Jump, Hill did the Women's Javelin.

The format was very different to the Rowing where the two commentators just did the races and Rob Curling did everything in between including medal ceremonies.

They definitely got the format right at the athletics - it would have been ridiculous if Shepherd had done the in between bits. Hill announced the medal winners really, really well in particular Rudisha and Bolt. He gave Rudisha a mega mega call both at the end of the 800m and for his medal ceremony - if anything bigger calls than he gave Bolt.

Reading this thread if Rudisha was overshadowed on the BBC he certainly wasn't in the stadium.

[EmilioLargo]

Originally Posted by allafix

Interesting to hear last night that Australian TV has used Daley Thompson as a pundit. That must have been great to watch.

He used to be a BBC pundit in the early 90s alongside Dave Moorcroft when Des Lynam presented. I don't remember him being that special but maybe he would be better as a co-commentator.

Originally Posted by Cent

NBC are using the same feed as everyone else. All the big broadcasters, like NBC and BBC, also have a few of their own cameras, not more than 1 or 2, which they use to focus on their own athletes. E.g. the BBC cut away from the OBS feed a few times during the Swimming to show Rebecca Adlington swimming, which was very noticeable because the graphics disappeared and the picture quality was different. But broadly everything you see is from the OBS feed and NBC are using that too.

Are NBC using OBS graphics this time? I know they haven't always in the past.

Historically the graphics don't always disappear on when the BBC cut away from a world feed to a GB competitor. Cant say I have noticed it this time around but on previous World/Euro Athletics events the timing has remained on screen whilst the cut away has happened.

[Ambassador]

BBC Olympic News Channel are running with sailing report live from Weymouth as opposed to ongoing breaking news of the death of missing Tia Sharp...deary

[Cent]

Originally Posted by EmilioLargo

He used to be a BBC pundit in the early 90s alongside Dave Moorcroft when Des Lynam presented. I don't remember him being that special but maybe he would be better as a co-commentator.



Are NBC using OBS graphics this time? I know they haven't always in the past.

Historically the graphics don't always disappear on when the BBC cut away from a world feed to a GB competitor. Cant say I have noticed it this time around but on previous World/Euro Athletics events the timing has remained on screen whilst the cut away has happened.

Yes they are, I watched Mo Farah's 10k on NBC and they used same pictures/graphics as BBC. Only difference, they cut to a camera on Rupp after the race for a bit.

[allafix]

Originally Posted by _SpeedRacer_

Thompson was on the BBC roundup show last night and he was pretty good. Mind you, he was sat next to John McEnroe...

Indeed, that was when he said he'd been working for Australian TV and mentioned the banter they'd been having.

Originally Posted by EmilioLargo

He used to be a BBC pundit in the early 90s alongside Dave Moorcroft when Des Lynam presented. I don't remember him being that special but maybe he would be better as a co-commentator.

I guess he must be being used as a pundit for his entertainment value, which is always good. I don't think he'd be much use as a commentator or co-commentator.

[Brekkie]

Originally Posted by allafix

With such a pool of talented retired athletes to choose from I wonder why BBC Sport insists on using non sports people as presenters.

Because they get just as much criticism for using ex-sport stars with no presenting, reporting or journalistic experience. It is a shame though the BBC seem to have let anyone present during these games - they could have covered the games more effectively without the likes of Tanni Grey Thompson and Helen Skelton presenting while experienced cycling presenter Jill Douglas is relegated to just interviewing.

[IanFergus]

I may have missed it but who are commentating on athletics and boxing for British Eurosport?

[rufuseric]

Originally Posted by IanFergus

I may have missed it but who are commentating on athletics and boxing for British Eurosport?

Tim Hutchings and Martin Gillingham on Athletics.

[IanFergus]

Thanks rufuseric. I see that that Tim Hutchings is also part of NBC's marathon coverage.