There was in interesting interaction on Canberra local ABC Radio 666 on Friday morning. The well respected local sport journo Tim Gable was interviewing Jess Bibby from the Canberra Capitals about their crucial game this weekend against Bulleen.
Jess was talking about a game that would shape the finals, that was so popular it had been moved to a larger stadium, and involved arguably one of the world’s greatest players in the code in Lauren Jackson.
Overcome with passion, the breakfast host Ross Solley said out loud, “We should be covering it!”.
There was a curious and telling silence and his question went completely ignored. Interestingly Tim was about to jump on the plane to Perth to cover the Brumbies opening game for 666 that night.
The interaction was also poignant because the two on-air talents have a running gag that no footy player will get out of bed early enough to make it to the studio for an interview at Breakfast – Jess did.
It got me thinking about ABC radio sports coverage this summer and the fact that overall I think it is in grave danger of becoming no better than its competitors.
Time and again (despite excellent coverage of all sports on Grandstand at a magazine and results level) live national coverage is only given to male rugby or cricket codes. This seems to have changed little in recent years despite a number of other national code opportunities.
Yes there was some coverage of fantastic netball tests when the World Cup was on, but it hardly compares to the blanket live coverage I’m talking about.
The other thing that has irked me is the Grandstand cricket coverage. Other than the usual token foreigners (well, actually Roebuck is the only one I can think of) the coverage was the most unbalanced in terms of foreign representation that I can remember.
Generally the ABC does a great job of getting commentators from visiting nations – this has been sadly absent this year.
The “Aussie Aussie Aussie” tone has been compounded by the use of Justin Langer. I have no doubt lots of people love him. I found him a serious apologist for the team and think he failed to answer a single direct question about specific players – which makes sense, he’s on the “Change Room Staff”.
Having someone so close to the team makes a bit of a mockery of the outcry from people years ago about Eddie McGuire calling the footy.
Finally, and this might be indicative of a poor season, but I can’t see why cricket interrupts local programming so much. So many test and ODI days over the course of the summer just get a bit too much.
On Australia Day I had the pleasure of listening to Angela Catterns and Wendy Harmer going national. It reminded me of the excellent programming I’d been missing out on – and the fact I’d had to listen to Drew Morphett for eight hours a day in its place!
I reckon Mark Scott at the ABC will be taking a long look at this summer. The number of people in the stands is a nice analogy for the radio audience I think. I reckon it’s time some ABC radio sport was moved to the Internet exclusively – where it belongs!
And let’s hope they use some of those digital channels to cover more female sports – and not see them used for more and more male rugby and cricket!
cosmos forever
Guest
Ha! I didn't realise that was every day. I thought it was once a week. He's okay - we don't mind him over here.
Matt
Guest
Look at the coverage of LIVE sport on the radio in New Zealand and the UK. Take NZ for example, LIVE netball, rugby union tests, domestic cricket, basketball. The ABC is yet to take a national stand on A-League soccer coverage for example, it's up to local stations if they want to do it, and they have to fund it out of local budgets instead of the grandstand budgets. What the ABC needs is a station like BBC FIVE LIVE in the UK. LIVE NEWS, LIVE SPORT 24 hours a day. Check out their website and have a listen, they really are sensational. The ABC needs a complete review and restructure to enable this to happen. One more point, people in Melb deserve NRL/Union coverage from the ABC, and people in Syd and Bris deserve AFL coverage from the ABC. We're living in the year 2010 after all!!
Tom
Guest
Sadly, we here in Perth are subjected to that useless Ross Solley via link from Canberra every morning. God knows why - we have plenty of our own ABC sport hacks here in WA who would gladly embarrass themselves each and every day.
cosmos forever
Guest
yeah, I understand Ponting is a legend, a warrior, a hero. I learn't that this summer. And "who said test cricket was in trouble!" I love that one
cosmos forever
Guest
thanks Glen ;)
Fisher Price
Guest
Yep, those guys'll actually analyse the merits of the Australian side (and opponents); rather than simply cheerleading like all the TV and newspaper 'experts' and journos.
Fisher Price
Guest
Spot on re: Justin Langer. As with last summer, he stood out like a boil amongst otherwise decent commentary. He's a batting coach for the Australian team and offers zero objectivity or insight; just a torrent of unprovoked musings as to how much of a legend Ponting is and anecdotes about how much he loved "Test cricket".
Fisher Price
Guest
Jim Maxwell does sound old and cynical. I find that quite refreshing.
Mitchell fan
Guest
Glenn Mitchell is probably one of the best on the cricket team at the moment. And Ross Solly is an idiot anyway.
cosmos forever
Guest
Yep - all fair enough Todd. It's all a matter of taste. I find that in the last couple of years Maxwell sounds old and cynical, Roebuck is ok but deliberately pondorous in order to sound smarter and O'Keefe (who I think is genuinely funny) has become nothing more than a cliche of himself. Add to that Gerry Collins and others when the staffing gets thin and I think it's pretty poor all round at the moment. But like i say - a matter of taste.
Todd Johnson
Guest
Sorry Cosmos - can't agree with your points. The best thing about summer is listening to Maxwell, Roebuck, O'Keefe et al bantering at the cricket. Its about the only time there is anything worth listening to on radio! A car trip up the coast to go on holiday is only made barable because of the cricket on the radio. Regarding overseas journalists, the ABC try every year to get representatives of the opposing nation on air. From memory this year there were no West Indian radio journalists travelling with the team - Tony Cozier would normally get a gig on air. During the Pakistan tests they had a young Pakistan journalist who was travelling with the team on air. I forget his name but the discussions were very interesting to get a feeling for how cricket is travelling in a war torn country. No changes to Grandstand radio please!
ilikedahoodoogurusingha
Guest
Apparently it was live on ABC1 tv.....why would they also put it on radio?
Midfielder
Guest
Cos Could not agree more. Best example was new years day 2007.. My youngest had become ill is Sydney and I drove down from my holidays to pick him up.. One the way Grandstand had a six hour show .. 12:00 to 18:00 on the highlights of 2006.. AFL & RL seasons were covered my guess about 15 minutes each and given their national standing this seemed quite a small amount of time... Union got heaps but cricket OMG they played on a number of occessions a Shield match between Vic & WA where a batsman hit a very fast 100 ... I mean they played all runs scored .. I waited for the football bit ... then it comes ... they played one of Timmy's goals against Japan & Harry's goal.. They spoke to David Basheer all up about 2 or 3 minutes . Yes the summer of cricket ... good article Cos
Stinger
Guest
Justin Langer makes me turn the radio off. He doesn't have a voice for radio.
cosmos forever
Guest
Bloody Google! Yeah - they are a great local team and do commit to local female sport. Guess the interaction just got me thinking about the broader context.
Brett McKay
Guest
Good points Cosmos, and I think I can recall the ABC Canberra team doing calls of Capitals finals and GFs previously, so maybe that will be the case again. Just a small thing, the "well respected local sport journo" is Tim Gavel, and you're not the first person to think he's saying "Gable"!! Very good commentator though, and well respected indeed...