Free to Air TV still ruining live sport
Columnist
By Adrian Musolino, 1 Feb 2009 Adrian Musolino is a Roar Expert
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.