BBC Red button - Winter Olympics

Manxman_in_exile

Manxman_in_exile wrote: »

Still on both channels...


No doubt they'll start showing the bob just before Brad Hall goes.


I find it patronising that the beeb think that british spost fans are only interested in british competitors...

Well I was right with that. Brad was in about 11th and they started showing a couple of competitors behind him - meaning they had missed seven! I don't think it was live either (but stand to be corrected).


It was a dead-heat for Gold - so if BBC didn't show it live because they were showing curling on both channels - it's incompetence. (Please correct me if my timings are wrong - but I think the bob transmission was delayed because of the curling - but the BBC did not make this clear). How often do you get a dead -heat? Show the race live on one of your two available channels!


If I had a choice between listening to Steve Cram on curling and John Jackson on Sliding, I know which I would choose! (Apologies to Steve's fellow commentator who clearly knows what she's talking about - plus I like curling and enjoy watching it).


But the point again...why show the same event on two channels at the same time?

Manxman_in_exile

LilElvis wrote: »

Manxman - you would have been even more cross last night. Around midnight I went looking on the red button as I fancied watching a bit of the Olympics in bed ..... only to find that the commentary was in Korean. Switched channels again after a couple of minutes as I couldn't work out what the heck was going on.

I was cross last night! There was a replay of the bob runs that I found on the red button (no Korean!). They showed the runs not shown previously and John Jackson's commentary was superb! He knows what he's talking about and if I understand correctly he and Joel Fearon might get upgraded from their Soichi results.


I was cross because it was all there to be shown live but wasn't and only came across it by accident late at night. They have a natural commentator who can really convey the technicalities of the sport, but we have to listen to Steve Cram on both channels talking about curling. I like Steve as an athletics commentator, but I'd rather listen to John Jackson talking about the bob.


I've enjoyed all the commentary on the sliding events - it's been excellent when broadcast - but the BBC find of these games has to be Alex Coomber - she was brilliant!

Manxman_in_exile

KxMx wrote: »

I've had no end of annoyance trying to find all the Figure Skating.

Half the time it's not marked in program title or i Player (app) description.

I've resorted to trawling though the i Player website to find what I'm looking for.

I'm not a particular skating fan but I agree it's so difficult to find what you want to watch. The beeb's website is a mess.


EDIT: To be clear I don't have any problems with BBC commentators here - they are all at least good. It's the editorial decisions I have an issue with.


I'm not a skating fan but I've enjoyed the beeb's commentary again. Christopher Dean and Robin Cousins have been really good. I see Jane Torville on now so hope she's as good.


EDIT - I've also really enjoyed Ed Leigh's and his colleagues (don't know his name!) on the "sloping " events. Really informative and amusing!

Manxman_in_exile

SamsReturn wrote: »

I see there are more possible drug problems and the Russians.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/winter-olympics/43109290
We'll have to wait for a second test for confirmation.

Well I watched virtually every end of their matches and was waiting to witness a massive "domestic" on the rink!


Married couples playing a pairs sport together? Are they mad?

cajef

My OH loves watching the curling, watching the GB ladies playing the other day and they got to end eight with equal scores then they swiched to downhill on one channel and ice hockey on red button, she was disgusted with the Beeb.

Manxman_in_exile

cajef wrote: »

My OH loves watching the curling, watching the GB ladies playing the other day and they got to end eight with equal scores then they swiched to downhill on one channel and ice hockey on red button, she was disgusted with the Beeb.

I know exactly what you mean!


The beeb must know what the Winter Olympics (and Wimbledon!) programmes are well in advance - so can't they employ sufficiently intelligent people to come up with a sensible broadcasting schedule without swapping everything around with no notice?


PS - My own preferences are 1. Sliding 2. Ice Hockey (sorry) 3. Curling 4. Skiing


Mind you - I also enjoy ski jumping and that seems to have very little main channel coverage

Manxman_in_exile

The beeb did broadcast a really good interview yesterday with Brad Hall and Joel Fearon.


Brad's relatively inexperienced but came across well. Joel's a lot more experienced and came across great! He was also really proud to be representing GB again!


Can anybody tell me if Joel and John Jackson are going to be elevated to a bronze for Soichi 2014 in the four man after (I understand) two of the Russian teams ahead of them were DQ'd?


I've looked on the web but can't find anything definitive.

DoaM

PLYSU wrote: »

AND???????/

We already have DEMAND5, ALL4, the ITV HUB. etc etc. They have a plus 1

So? It's obvious the Beeb feel that the cost of adding a +1 channel (which channel do they choose for +1? Or do they +1 all 4 channels? Then what about Cbeebies and CBBC?) is not worth it given they already have Red Button channels* and Iplayer.

* I'm not getting drawn into the main argument of this thread. I agree with the main thrust of it.

PS - one of the GB curling men comes from my town.

PLYSU

DoaM wrote: »

So? It's obvious the Beeb feel that the cost of adding a +1 channel (which channel do they choose for +1? Or do they +1 all 4 channels? Then what about Cbeebies and CBBC?) is not worth it given they already have Red Button channels* and Iplayer.

* I'm not getting drawn into the main argument of this thread. I agree with the main thrust of it.

PS - one of the GB curling men comes from my town.

You don't want drawn into an argument but will reply and cause an argument?!

DoaM

Nice selective reading there.