Day 1 could be used to review the tour so far and the prospects for the game ahead. If TMS can fill whole days with relevant chat I am sure ITV can find someone to fill five minutes.
In any case I was really asking about the contractual situation.
Day 1 could be used to review the tour so far and the prospects for the game ahead. If TMS can fill whole days with relevant chat I am sure ITV can find someone to fill five minutes.
Five minutes is a long time to talk about something which you can't show pictures of.
Absolutely spot on....Channel 9's commentary team is far better in my book.
Just wish Sky would give us the choice to listen to do this via red button.
I totally agree that Channel Nine's commentary team is much better, but I still think Sky's team do an excellent job, they certainly aren't bad, Channel Nine are just too good.
Not to mention the excellent Richie Benaud who of course would not work for pay tv.
The greatest commentator ever in my book - used to love his lunch break chats about spinning and cricket in general , could listen to him all day and never get bored.
For anyone who's interested Sky Sports have free to view highlights on their ashes website, you only get about 3 minutes of highlights (I don't see how anyone could expect anymore than that for free though), you get to see all the wickets though.
Also, anyone who doesn't have sky may of watched some of yesterday's play via an internet stream, and could well of ended up with Channel Nine's coverage, must say it was excellent (although they did have an alarmingly high amount of adverts), itv4 will be using it for their highlights show which will definitely be worth a watch.
Just to add, I've also found highlights at cricketaustralia.tv, slightly more comprehensive than the Sky one I mentioned, but still only about 4-5 minutes long. Surprised there were no regional restrictions with watching it mind.
The greatest commentator ever in my book - used to love his lunch break chats about spinning and cricket in general , could listen to him all day and never get bored.
In all my years of watching and listening to the grear RB I never heard him once show any bias to his own country - a testament as to how impartial he was.
For anyone who's interested Sky Sports have free to view highlights on their ashes website, you only get about 3 minutes of highlights (I don't see how anyone could expect anymore than that for free though), you get to see all the wickets though.
Thanks, didn't realise Sky were offering the highlights for free. I signed up for Willow TV's live online streaming - was meant to be Sky cov but we ended up with the ch9 Oz shouters - Benaud & Chappelli are good value yes so it's all ok. Apart from the Poms' performance...
"Cricket: The Ashes, ITV4, 10pm – ITV4's cricket highlights show debuted with 318,000, a 1.7% share. Unfortunately for England fans Andrew Strauss was still caught out third ball. It was fewer than the 700,000 to 1 million who watched the first Test highlights on BBC2 when England last toured Australia in 2006.
Live coverage of the second day's play on Sky Sports 1 peaked with 430,000 viewers between 12.15am and 12.30am, marginally up on the first day's play."
Not a bad highlights show. One thing though - Richie Benaud does he actually commentate much live?
I herad him once very briefly on the edit, despite him being introduced as one of the three in the box numerous times. Such a shame, Mark Taylor is ok but Ian Healy is poor from what I've heard on the highlights.
Not a bad highlights show. One thing though - Richie Benaud does he actually commentate much live?
I herad him once very briefly on the edit, despite him being introduced as one of the three in the box numerous times. Such a shame, Mark Taylor is ok but Ian Healy is poor from what I've heard on the highlights.
Richie is still very much part of things with Channel 9, but he's retiring from commentary at the end of this series.
Part of Richie's talent is that he knows when to shut up. If he can't say anything that'll enhance the viewers' experience, he won't say anything at all.
That is, unfortunately, lost in a three-man commentary booth that Channel 9 have been using in recent years. It gives the impression (wrongly) that Richie can't get a word in edgeways, whereas the reality is far different.
Although he's retiring from commentary, Richie will continue to present interviews and features for Channel 9's cricket coverage for at least the next two years, probably beyond if he remains in good health. He's also got various writing and business commitments, which will continue. His mother died about two years ago aged 104, so he might be with us for a good while yet!
"Cricket: The Ashes, ITV4, 10pm – ITV4's cricket highlights show debuted with 318,000, a 1.7% share. Unfortunately for England fans Andrew Strauss was still caught out third ball. It was fewer than the 700,000 to 1 million who watched the first Test highlights on BBC2 when England last toured Australia in 2006.
Live coverage of the second day's play on Sky Sports 1 peaked with 430,000 viewers between 12.15am and 12.30am, marginally up on the first day's play."
Comparing the ITV4 audience figures with those BBC Two got four years ago is not fair.
BBC Two is a far more established channel and people are far more in the habit of tuning in to it.
It's amazing how much these sorts of things actually matter. As David Attenborough pointed out during a lecture not so long ago, even now, more than 40 years after the launch of BBC Two, you can double a programme's audience simply by switching it from BBC Two to BBC One. Half the population cannot remember a time when BBC Two didn't exist, so this reality is incredible!
A fairer comparison would've been to compare the ITV4 cricket highlights with the same programme that was in the 10pm slot the previous night/week.
Comparing the ITV4 audience figures with those BBC Two got four years ago is not fair.
BBC Two is a far more established channel and people are far more in the habit of tuning in to it.
It's amazing how much these sorts of things actually matter. As David Attenborough pointed out during a lecture not so long ago, even now, more than 40 years after the launch of BBC Two, you can double a programme's audience simply by switching it from BBC Two to BBC One. Half the population cannot remember a time when BBC Two didn't exist, so this reality is incredible!
A fairer comparison would've been to compare the ITV4 cricket highlights with the same programme that was in the 10pm slot the previous night/week.
Agreed.
Another key factor is cross-promotion. Looking at the ITV4 audience throughout the hour at first glance it looks bizarre. Much lower between 10pm and 10.30pm and then it suddenly jumps at 10.35pm.
The only explanation I can think of is a cross-promotion plug just before the end of News at Ten - ie I suspect News at Ten had a brief report as their last item and then said you can see full highlights on ITV4.
Comments
In any case I was really asking about the contractual situation.
Five minutes is a long time to talk about something which you can't show pictures of.
If you don't know the answer then it is alright to say so.
I totally agree that Channel Nine's commentary team is much better, but I still think Sky's team do an excellent job, they certainly aren't bad, Channel Nine are just too good.
Yes, Jim Maxwell will be present throughout the series while Michael Slater and Ian Chappell will rotate through the five tests as analysts
Jim Maxwell for the whole series, Ian Chappell for the first 2 tests and Michael Slater for the remaining 3 tests.
The greatest commentator ever in my book - used to love his lunch break chats about spinning and cricket in general , could listen to him all day and never get bored.
Tony Greig getting his keys stuck in the wicket would be entertaining !!
Also, anyone who doesn't have sky may of watched some of yesterday's play via an internet stream, and could well of ended up with Channel Nine's coverage, must say it was excellent (although they did have an alarmingly high amount of adverts), itv4 will be using it for their highlights show which will definitely be worth a watch.
In all my years of watching and listening to the grear RB I never heard him once show any bias to his own country - a testament as to how impartial he was.
Thanks, didn't realise Sky were offering the highlights for free. I signed up for Willow TV's live online streaming - was meant to be Sky cov but we ended up with the ch9 Oz shouters - Benaud & Chappelli are good value yes so it's all ok. Apart from the Poms' performance...
Love the legendary Channel 9 commentary team except Nicholas.
ITV's peak was 500,000 (3% share)
...and the average was 364,000.
Not sure where you got the 319,000 figure from
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/nov/26/extended-emmerdale-eastenders-tv-ratings
Sorry, 318,000:
"Cricket: The Ashes, ITV4, 10pm – ITV4's cricket highlights show debuted with 318,000, a 1.7% share. Unfortunately for England fans Andrew Strauss was still caught out third ball. It was fewer than the 700,000 to 1 million who watched the first Test highlights on BBC2 when England last toured Australia in 2006.
Live coverage of the second day's play on Sky Sports 1 peaked with 430,000 viewers between 12.15am and 12.30am, marginally up on the first day's play."
Well my source is the official BARB overnights spreadsheet. I'd be pretty inclined to believe that.
364k includes the ITV4+1 audience.
I herad him once very briefly on the edit, despite him being introduced as one of the three in the box numerous times. Such a shame, Mark Taylor is ok but Ian Healy is poor from what I've heard on the highlights.
Richie is still very much part of things with Channel 9, but he's retiring from commentary at the end of this series.
Part of Richie's talent is that he knows when to shut up. If he can't say anything that'll enhance the viewers' experience, he won't say anything at all.
That is, unfortunately, lost in a three-man commentary booth that Channel 9 have been using in recent years. It gives the impression (wrongly) that Richie can't get a word in edgeways, whereas the reality is far different.
Although he's retiring from commentary, Richie will continue to present interviews and features for Channel 9's cricket coverage for at least the next two years, probably beyond if he remains in good health. He's also got various writing and business commitments, which will continue. His mother died about two years ago aged 104, so he might be with us for a good while yet!
Comparing the ITV4 audience figures with those BBC Two got four years ago is not fair.
BBC Two is a far more established channel and people are far more in the habit of tuning in to it.
It's amazing how much these sorts of things actually matter. As David Attenborough pointed out during a lecture not so long ago, even now, more than 40 years after the launch of BBC Two, you can double a programme's audience simply by switching it from BBC Two to BBC One. Half the population cannot remember a time when BBC Two didn't exist, so this reality is incredible!
A fairer comparison would've been to compare the ITV4 cricket highlights with the same programme that was in the 10pm slot the previous night/week.
Agreed.
Another key factor is cross-promotion. Looking at the ITV4 audience throughout the hour at first glance it looks bizarre. Much lower between 10pm and 10.30pm and then it suddenly jumps at 10.35pm.
The only explanation I can think of is a cross-promotion plug just before the end of News at Ten - ie I suspect News at Ten had a brief report as their last item and then said you can see full highlights on ITV4.