By Adrian Musolino
February 1st 2009 @ 7:20am
Related coverage
Free to Air TV still ruining live sport
After the much-maligned coverage of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Channel 7 continues to annoy sports fans by delaying its Australian Open night session’s coverage into key states. It’s just another example of how the Free to Air (FTA) networks continually miss the fundamentals of getting sports coverage right.
Queensland, WA and SA viewers have had to endure delayed coverage for night sessions, time zone delays as they are called, for the simple reason that Channel 7 wants to keep its news programming at the same time. In other words it wants the exclusive rights to night sessions and yet doesn’t want its normal schedule to be interrupted.
Channel 7, you want your cake and to eat it too don’t you?
The network says the time zone delay also allows, “Our viewers want to watch the entire match. That’s the reason why we do it like that, that’s what the feedback tells us.”
Yet a poll on a popular Adelaide news site shows approximately 80 percent of people would rather see the match live.
Quite a difference and you have to wonder where Channel 7 is getting their feedback based on that poll result.
Plus by cutting to its news, Channel 7 has cut coverage of matches, notably the Tsonga v Verdasco match robbing fans of seeing its conclusion, so much for the “our viewers want to watch the entire match” line.
Channel 7 could delay its news coverage to work around the tennis but that could drive viewers to rival networks for their news fix.
They can’t have that. Remember ratings rules.
Networks need to grasp the importance of live coverage, but they aren’t.
They don’t seem to understand that if you don’t give your viewers live coverage they can simply turn to the Internet either through live updates on numerous sites, online blogs and even online simulcast of matches.
By delaying the coverage you are putting the viewers at the mercy of the dreaded text message from a friend blurting out the result and forcing them to watch the coverage with locked doors, the phone off the hook and the Internet disconnected.
That isn’t a reality in an age when folks live on the net.
In this information age, results and news are only a click away.
It really is amazing that our Australian Open, arguably the biggest annual sporting tournament on our shores with the biggest television audience around the country, is delayed to so many of our households.
There is no excuse for that.
Not only do we have to endure the delays but also the incessant cross promotions for Channel 7’s other programming.
I really feel for the hardcore Australian tennis fans whose showpiece event is hijacked by the network to launch its new shows.
After the Nadal V Verdasco classic, Seven’s coverage went down a few gears with a segment on what to watch after the tennis, in effect an advertisement for some crime show WITHIN the tennis coverage.
After what many are describing as one of the best tennis matches of all time, was there nothing else Seven could discuss?
The Olympic coverage was poor and yet Seven seem to have learnt nothing from the criticism levelled at them. With a lack of options available to viewers, it seems we are expected to just cop whatever is served up to us.
With the sporting coverage landscape about to be revolutionised by the launch of Ten’s One HD sports channel, Free to Air networks will have fewer excuses for abysmal coverage.
But I’m sure they’ll find a way to screw it up.
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Kazama said | February 1st 2009 @ 8:19am | Report comment
Adrian, obviously being from Adelaide I am going to agree with you. I am a big tennis fan and I’m disappointed that I can’t see the games live. I haven’t watched too many full games in the night sessions, largely because I know I can always go on the net or Fox Sports News and get the live scores.
Probably the all-time douche FTA moment was when Channel 7 missed a goal during a Socceroos game (against the FIFA All-Stars) because they cut to a commercial break.
Good point about Seven shamelessly using the tennis to advertise its new shows. Channel 9 does the same with the cricket. I know they see it as a way of getting new viewers but honestly the commentators are there to call the game, not to be network pimps. Does anyone honestly think Jim Courier gives a damn about Channel 7’s line up given he won’t be in the country after next week?
Pauly Walnuts said | February 1st 2009 @ 9:55am | Report comment
It’s funny that ch 7 are notorious for this. In one of your articles a while back someone posted this link.
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=OcWVLmCmhto rather appropriate given this article, different sport however.
Pauly Walnuts said | February 1st 2009 @ 10:00am | Report comment
Hmm, thought I posted a comment…. Gone to moderation?
Pauly Walnuts said | February 1st 2009 @ 10:04am | Report comment
I was just saying that it’s incredible that with the improvements in technology and access to coverage (as mentioned via the internet) that the networks aren’t being responsive to the changing landscape. Channel 10 appear to be making some steps in the right direction, becoming the first mover (on free to air tv) in relation to increased sports coverage. Whether it will show games live is a different matter. Someone posted in one of your articles a while back, the following clip.
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=OcWVLmCmhto
Very appropriate, different sport however.
Pauly Walnuts said | February 1st 2009 @ 10:04am | Report comment
I was just saying that it’s incredible that with the improvements in technology and access to coverage (as mentioned via the internet) that the networks aren’t being responsive to the changing landscape. Channel 10 appear to be making some steps in the right direction, becoming the first mover (on free to air tv) in relation to increased sports coverage. Whether it will show games live is a different matter. Someone posted in one of your articles a while back a very good youtube clip.
Pauly Walnuts said | February 1st 2009 @ 10:05am | Report comment
And everytime I try to post the link to that clip, my comment doesn’t come up….
Adrian Musolino said | February 1st 2009 @ 10:07am | Report comment
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=OcWVLmCmhto
Pauly Walnuts said | February 1st 2009 @ 10:12am | Report comment
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=OcWVLmCmhto
Pauly Walnuts said | February 1st 2009 @ 10:14am | Report comment
Alright still can’t get it to work.
Youtube: “Aloisi’s penalty if covered by Channel Seven”
Forgetmenot said | February 1st 2009 @ 11:33am | Report comment
With digital tv coming of age, hopefully most of these problems will be solved.
However i still find it annoying that we have to pester tv stations to get sport on at all sometimes.
At bigfooty they had to email in to the ABC in order to get the Crows vs Indigenous All Stars match shown in Adelaide. They listened, and now the match is being shown nation wide.
Robert B said | February 1st 2009 @ 11:37am | Report comment
Absolutely spot on Adrian. Don’t channel 7 have a digital and HD channel, so therefore why not show the tennis live on the HD channel and continue with their regular programs on the digital one?
Guy Smiley said | February 1st 2009 @ 11:39am | Report comment
That is a classic clip but it really isn’t that far from the truth. While 10 are bad and 9 are awful Channel 7 really take the prize for treating their audience like pre-schoolers. The worst is when they cut to an ad break during live action as they do as policy during rugby.
I would be interested in an American’s opinion of our sports coverage – are we worse or better than the US in terms of adverts ruining the spectacle?
But until ratings drop nothing will change.
Albert Ross said | February 1st 2009 @ 12:45pm | Report comment
Thanks for the heads up PW. And whilst one is at Yoot you can listen to Peter Wilkins’ ABC radio commentary which somebody has kindly dubbed onto vid (search for Australia v Uraguay (Radio Commentary) if not in the list } to fully relive the moment…
Does the Open rate that well? I don’t know anyone who bothers watching. Gone are the days when you could walk down the street and hear “Forehand cross court by Rosewall… volley by Stolle straight down the line for a winner… forty thirty…” wafting out of every window or keep with things as the commentary came over the back fence from the neighbour’s trannie whilst their Dad did some running repairs to the hoist…
Guy Smiley said | February 1st 2009 @ 3:15pm | Report comment
It does but it doesn’t rate much for conversation around the water cooler, not that kind of sport!
Dave said | February 1st 2009 @ 4:48pm | Report comment
The Womans Open final last night rated 1.2m viewers…compared to 2.3m Tuesday when Dokic last played.
Mens will no doubt do a lot better than 1.2m.
Pauly Walnuts said | February 1st 2009 @ 5:41pm | Report comment
AR – cheers for that clip. Got goosebumps watching/listening to it.
Ian Jessup said | February 1st 2009 @ 8:12pm | Report comment
I cannot bear listening to Channel 7 commentators on anything but AFL.
Sandy Roberts and Pat Welch are gibbering twits – they have covered sport for 30-odd years but have no idea about the games themselves.
Same goes for Matty Johns.
Try this – record the golf or tennis or league – either on video or just audio – then play it back slowly and transcribe what Roberts, Welch and Johns actually say.
You’ll find there is no information, no analysis, not even any colour.
Whereas you can easily listen to the cricket or footy on ABC without watching, you have to watch the tennis or golf on TV but with the sound down.
It’s why Channel 9 changed their delay from 1 second to about 6 seconds – so people can no longer watch the TV on mute with the radio on ABC.
Given the appalling cricket Australia is playing at the moment, Channel 9 should be very careful about alienating viewers – esp re those demeaning promos that former Test captains are forced to read out at gunpoint.
I do my own commentary. My wife, a tolerant type who expresses a mild, occasional interest in sport, is constantly amazed that my analysis and insight gained from playing sport for 40 years – and reporting on it for 12 years – is often repeated a few seconds later by the TV commentators.
So how about it 7 and 9 – I’ll take $100,000 in the first year – dump the overpaid nongs now!
sam a said | February 2nd 2009 @ 9:11am | Report comment
Well said. If it can be avoided, FTA sport should be at all costs. I’m sure many of you, like me, got up at sparrowfart or stayed up till the wee small ones to watch the Wallaby spring tour, only to be greeted by Dumb & Dumber in the studio here (Memo Ben Tune – great players do not automatically make great expert commentators) before watching the worst rugby telecast in memory. A break in play does not mean we go to an ad, Channel Ten. In 5 games I don’t remember seeing a single restart; promos for Neighbours seemed much more important at 3 in the morning.
Its a travesty that if we want to watch live sport, they’ve got us by the short and curlys.
donald said | March 13th 2010 @ 3:11pm (2 weeks ago) | Report comment
I cannot afford over $100 to Foxtel to see Cricket as I am a Pensioner and do not have that sort of money so why should I be penalised and prevented from seeing the games Australia play overseas. It isd all very well for your site to gripe but all the free to air stations have 3 channels each so what is the problem they can show all sports freely and in full.
donald.wells
Seaford Vic 3198
Chris said | March 13th 2010 @ 3:35pm (2 weeks ago) | Report comment
I cannot afford to buy a new car as I am a uni student and do not have that sort of money, so why should I be penalised and prevented from driving in a new car?
Oh right… because I can’t afford it. This isn’t Cuba.
Without Foxtel the Super 14 and A-League would not exist. The NRL and AFL would exist but most of their clubs would be under extreme financial pressure and a few would certainly not be around anymore.