Interesting litlte tidbit from the WaPo

[VetSkinsFan]

Don't slaughter me for the source but it's interesting to know that we're getting the media version and what producers think we should see. Thoughts?

[BossHog]

You find this notable? An American news outlet only reporting the parts that they seem worthy?

Seriously?

I don't remember a time where this wasn't the case. i know when I switch on NBC that I'm going to get to watch the Americans perform and that's about it. Fortunately for the American viewers, Team USA always wins plenty of hardware, so there's plenty of good stuff to watch.

Canada's CTV coverage is much better - they usually show the entire event - even if a Canadian isn't involved.

Personally, I love the Olympics for ALL of the great athlete stories that you learn about while watching the games. It takes a very special athlete to dedicate so much of their life to achieving the dream - so many of them have great stories of perseverance and triumph in just getting there. The events themselves are just icing on a cake.

[BossHog]

Oh, and don't mention Matt Lauer unless you really want to hear me go off.

What a waste of 'journalistic' space.

Can't even watch the guy...

[KazooSkinsFan]

Canada's CTV coverage is much better - they usually show the entire event - even if a Canadian isn't involved

Well, if they only showed Canadians, it wouldn't leave much to cover, would it? I'm just saying...

[BossHog]

Canada's CTV coverage is much better - they usually show the entire event - even if a Canadian isn't involved

Well, if they only showed Canadians, it wouldn't leave much to cover, would it? I'm just saying...

Your constant vitriolic criticism of Canadians is comical. I suppose if I didn't know that you only post things to hear your own keyboard clack, and to try and get a rise out of people, I might be insulted.

But since I don't take ANYTHING you say seriously, I'll just point out that Canada has 5 medals to the USA's 8... and since Canada has 30 million people to USA's 300 million... we're actually doing quite well. But hey, if you think winning 3 more medals than a country that you have 10 times the population of is something to aspire to, fill your boots.

The actual reason that we show all of the competitors and not just the Canadians is out of respect for the Olympians themselves... as evidenced by the fact that in CTV coverage, they not only run profiles on the Canadian athletes, but all of the athletes from around the world... even Americans.

Try find that on NBC.

But you keep enjoying the one-sided, jaded crap that NBC produces, and I'll continue to enjoy the full Olympic experience. I don't need to hate on others, to feel good about my country and the performances of all of the tremendous athletes from around the world.

[KazooSkinsFan]

Canada's CTV coverage is much better - they usually show the entire event - even if a Canadian isn't involved

Well, if they only showed Canadians, it wouldn't leave much to cover, would it? I'm just saying...

Your constant vitriolic criticism of Canadians is comical. I suppose if I didn't know that you only post things to hear your own keyboard clack, and to try and get a rise out of people, I might be insulted.

Dude, I thought you were playing with me when I looked up English words and tried to use them. I thought that my not doing anything else to sound English that you were playing along, but no, you were serious. Which might have made sense if we weren't in, oh, I don't know, the "Total Bollocks Thread." Wow, what was I thinking? Using English words like Bollocks in a Bollocks thread. Ironically I actually get to you when I actually wasn't trying to. Go figure.

since Canada has 30 million people to USA's 300 million... we're actually doing quite well. But hey, if you think winning 3 more medals than a country that you have 10 times the population of is something to aspire to, fill your boots.

Somehow when the US leads the world in medals with our relative population, this actually doesn't make me feel contrite.

As for Canada, this is the first thing I've said about Canada since you explained the issue with French Canadian's is the French part. And I'd say on a scale of 1-10 it's pretty much a 2. That is except for the Total Bollocks thread where only one of us actually grasped the concept of the thread. Frankly I'd have given it up sooner, but I actually didn't realize until the end you were taking it seriously. Apparently you still are.

[BossHog]

As usual, I haven't a clue what you're talking about... and perhaps even more the norm, I couldn't possibly care any less.

Go Canada go! Go Canada go!

Tuned into NBC for about 3 minutes again tonight... I'm not a huge Bob Costas fan, but how on earth did the NBC production squad think that Matt Lauer was a better choice for the bulk of their coverage? Lauer is arguably the most useless person I've ever heard on a mic. He makes Larry Michael look like a genius.

[UK Skins Fan]

Thankfully, I get to watch this stuff on the BBC, so plenty of action and ALL the best human stories appear on my TV screen.

Yes, I realise that there is little UK interest in the events, but there really is no excuse for lazy coverage of the games. Some of the best stories take place outside the medal podium, and outside of the US team.

[VetSkinsFan]

You find this notable? An American news outlet only reporting the parts that they seem worthy?

Seriously?

I don't remember a time where this wasn't the case. i know when I switch on NBC that I'm going to get to watch the Americans perform and that's about it. Fortunately for the American viewers, Team USA always wins plenty of hardware, so there's plenty of good stuff to watch.

Canada's CTV coverage is much better - they usually show the entire event - even if a Canadian isn't involved.

Personally, I love the Olympics for ALL of the great athlete stories that you learn about while watching the games. It takes a very special athlete to dedicate so much of their life to achieving the dream - so many of them have great stories of perseverance and triumph in just getting there. The events themselves are just icing on a cake.

If you recall, I'm not in the journalism field and I'm not a blogger, so a lot of times, I don't realize how much of this is happening. I apologize for my ignorance and naivety and will keep it to myself next time or talk amongst my other cro magnon friends.

[KazooSkinsFan]

As usual, I haven't a clue what you're talking about... and perhaps even more the norm, I couldn't possibly care any less.

! I like clarity and am totally willing to ignore contradictory data to achieve it.

So did you know Canada has finished last in an event 5 times? They're second only to the Czechs who finished last 6.

[BossHog]

If you recall, I'm not in the journalism field and I'm not a blogger, so a lot of times, I don't realize how much of this is happening. I apologize for my ignorance and naivety and will keep it to myself next time or talk amongst my other cro magnon friends.

Since you seem to have taken offense, I apologize; but I just find it hard to believe that American stations showing only American athletes is news worthy... it's been that way as long as I can remember. This certainly isn't the first Olympics that the American coverage was just that... and very little else.

As the article says, it often DRASTICALLY takes away from the competition by making it so segmented, and it completely kills the suspense of the event.

I don't think your cro magnon friends would be interested, but your sewing group might be.

[VetSkinsFan]

If you recall, I'm not in the journalism field and I'm not a blogger, so a lot of times, I don't realize how much of this is happening. I apologize for my ignorance and naivety and will keep it to myself next time or talk amongst my other cro magnon friends.

Since you seem to have taken offense, I apologize; but I just find it hard to believe that American stations showing only American athletes is news worthy... it's been that way as long as I can remember. This certainly isn't the first Olympics that the American coverage was just that... and very little else.

As the article says, it often DRASTICALLY takes away from the competition by making it so segmented, and it completely kills the suspense of the event.

I don't think your cro magnon friends would be interested, but your sewing group might be.

It wasn't the focus on American athletes, but the out of order for competitors in an attempt to trump up the excitement.. It just gave me a PoV I hadn't considered.

[brad7686]

I haven't noticed them cut anything else short besides men's downhill. Even events U.S. has no chance in. For instance you can watch all the biathlon you want, if you have the 3 or 4 red bulls it takes to not fall asleep watching biathlon. They probably let Costas talk too much that night and had to meet their time constraints. He never shuts up.

[BossHog]

I haven't noticed them cut anything else short besides men's downhill. Even events U.S. has no chance in. For instance you can watch all the biathlon you want, if you have the 3 or 4 red bulls it takes to not fall asleep watching biathlon. They probably let Costas talk too much that night and had to meet their time constraints. He never shuts up.

Figure Skating... luge... speed skating... I'm sure there have been more, but I really only flip to NBC when there's something I don't enjoy on the Canadian channels (biathlon would be a good example).

And to me, it isn't just how they segment their coverage, it's the fact that they're still talking about the 'ninth place American' when eight others have gone and surpassed what the American did (just an example).

Don't get me wrong - obviously you're going to talk about your own athletes more than the rest, there are just times when it seems that it's belittling the accomplishments of others.

... and while Costas does prattle on and on and on... it beats listening to Lauer go on and on about anything... at least Costas has sports knowledge.

[brad7686]

I haven't noticed them cut anything else short besides men's downhill. Even events U.S. has no chance in. For instance you can watch all the biathlon you want, if you have the 3 or 4 red bulls it takes to not fall asleep watching biathlon. They probably let Costas talk too much that night and had to meet their time constraints. He never shuts up.

Figure Skating... luge... speed skating... I'm sure there have been more, but I really only flip to NBC when there's something I don't enjoy on the Canadian channels (biathlon would be a good example).

And to me, it isn't just how they segment their coverage, it's the fact that they're still talking about the 'ninth place American' when eight others have gone and surpassed what the American did (just an example).

Don't get me wrong - obviously you're going to talk about your own athletes more than the rest, there are just times when it seems that it's belittling the accomplishments of others.

... and while Costas does prattle on and on and on... it beats listening to Lauer go on and on about anything... at least Costas has sports knowledge.

one place i have noticed it is curling, they'll show the whole U.S. match and pieces of everything else. But like you said Americans want to watch Americans curl I guess. As far as the women's curling team goes, I'm not sure that's such a good idea. There's probably a thin line between being biased and delivering the coverage the country wants. They did have a nice segment on the dutch and speed skating. And usually if a Canadian wins they show their medal ceremony. But its certainly not objective by any means.

[UK Skins Fan]

I hope the US coverage of the women's downhill skiing did the event justice. With US skiers coming in first and second, I'm sure there was plenty of coverage, but it was just fantastic to watch it live on the BBC, and enjoy the full drama.

What an awesome ski race - if anybody ever doubted the coverage of these athletes, then those doubts should have been swept away yesterday. Great skiing by Vonn, clearly a class above everybody else. And it was quite lucky that nobody was seriously hurt in their efforts to beat her.

[BossHog]

Both US curling teams are winless.

Kevin Martin is really in top curling form for Canada. They're pounding the Swedes right now and are about to move to 3-0.

Here's another suspect facet of NBC coverage - the hockey - only five games total are on NBC, and not even the USA v. Canada game will be on. (it will be on MSNBC). They're opting for women's figure skating over the Canada/USA hockey game...

[UK Skins Fan]

They're opting for women's figure skating over the Canada/USA hockey game...

[brad7686]

Both US curling teams are winless.

Kevin Martin is really in top curling form for Canada. They're pounding the Swedes right now and are about to move to 3-0.

Here's another suspect facet of NBC coverage - the hockey - only five games total are on NBC, and not even the USA v. Canada game will be on. (it will be on MSNBC). They're opting for women's figure skating over the Canada/USA hockey game...

Yea that doesn't surprise me.

A) Hockey games are long, they would probably take up 3/4 of one night's coverage.
B) Figure Skating is unnecessarily popular in the states
C) Hockey isn't that popular here anymore
D) The US is probably going to get clobbered.