Things I won't miss about CTV olympic coverage

[Neild]

Something else that I won't miss is a bit harder to explain.

I'm not sure what it is, but I've hated those insert pieces 'Difference Makers', 'Super Bodies' and all those.

I've tried to figure out why I hate them so much.

The stories within are mostly interesting, touching, and well researched.

But somehow, in the presentation, they just come off utterly boring and commercialized.

For comparison I look at NBC. When they commence coverage of a sport, there will be a similar (but not really similar!) version of these back stories. It will have quicker cuts, astounding imagery, rising music and build up a spine tingle of anticipation that gets you totally stoked for the event.

The CTV ones, all wrapped as they are with introductions and post commentary from the host, gratutious graphics, gaudy sponsorship, some over-emphasized narrator, and slow pacing... it's like they drained out out all the impact. They should be there to enhance but they felt more like filler.

[Beckler]

Originally Posted by Neild

Something else that I won't miss is a bit harder to explain.

I'm not sure what it is, but I've hated those insert pieces 'Difference Makers', 'Super Bodies' and all those.

Yes I agree. I didn't like that TV-doctor. What are the chances he's an actual doctor? Unless University of Phoenix has an online medical school now. The presentation is dumbed down and the "doctor" seems like he should be trying to sell you overpriced extended warranties or some other scam.

Anyway I think CTV on the whole is clueless, and someone should fire everyone there and start over.

[Neild]

Originally Posted by Beckler

Yes I agree. I didn't like that TV-doctor. What are the chances he's an actual doctor? Unless University of Phoenix has an online medical school now. The presentation is dumbed down and the "doctor" seems like he should be trying to sell you overpriced extended warranties or some other scam.

Well he is a doctor and thrill seeker. The Superbodies is (I think?) his trademark for his book and personal appearances. He's available for paid speaking gigs where he explains how your corporation can succeed by using his sports performance experience as the metaphor.

[Biggles]

Vic Rautner,please retire!

I won't miss the 3 minutes of action,5 minutes of commercials.(enjoyed the uninterrupted football coverage though! )

[sailmaker]

I have come to realize over the past few months that a job at CTV is a job for life. Newsreaders, weather reporters, on air "whatevers" have a job for life well into their 70's. Don't know their names most of the time and only their families care. There is one PITA sports announcer on late night newscasts who is now old and grey but still a PITA. He would scream and yell what is happening on clips from games several hours earlier. Often got out of bed to punch the screen out.

News readers who were hard to look at when they were young are now even harder to look at. Just go away. Bright lights are few and far between on CEEEEE TEEEEE VEEEEEEEE.

[riffer]

Quote:
I especially can't stand the voice of that guy who also does the CFL broadcasts

He wasn't at the olympics but are you are referring to Chris Cuthbert? CBC dumped this high pitched voice play by play announcer years ago and CTV in its infinite (lack of) wisdom picked him up from the ****heap. Dogs run and hide under the bed when he gets excited and yells. So do I. Thank goodness for mute. And why do all sports announcers/colour commentators keep talking while the referee is explaining the penalty on the field? Surely every dumb jock in the world would rather hear their bon mots of how much they know rather than what really matters.

I looked it up - Dave Randorf, although I see your point about Chris Cuthbert. Nobody beats Paul Hendrick on Leafs TV though. What is with that guy - adenoids or something? Pretty good interviewer though, so I give him a pass.

[redzone]

HEY! that Rona commercial was the best one of the Olympics!


Why not enjoy the good parts of the games like the amazing play of our womens soccer team?

[Danster]

I liked the RONA commercial for 2 things: First, the song was from Ennio Morricone (Ecstasy of gold) and second, we counted 15 sports that were represented in the commercial. Oh and maybe a third thing, that the commercial went from one coast of Canada to the other.

[spensar]

Two weeks of heavy Olympic watching, including being off last week, and the gold medal goes to 4 channels carrying Canadian coverage and my PVR!

Events were shown live in real time more than ever before, so the channel switching could become intense. I watched more sports, and less talking heads than ever before. Not to mention using some online coverage for events that weren't covered.

A lot of the things some people didn't like, I didn't subject myself to. Between the PVR and just switching channels there was more freedom and choice than ever before, and it was great.

There was no reason to be trapped into a Brian Williams monologue at all. Overall, the people covering the events were also very good and I was mainly impressed with the professionalism of the ex-athletes on air. I could pick at one that I didn't think held up the standard, but overall it was darn good.

Every Olympics runs and re-runs bios and cutie features that are tiresome by the end, ditto with repetitive theme music. Read a similar article in a UK paper about the BBC coverage. Nothing new there. Just loved the flexibility to not be trapped into watching.

[cheadlebeagle]

I enjoyed the coverage and recorded a lot of it and fast forwarded through all the monologues, human interest stories etc. I just want to see the games not all the fillers. I did see some stuff live when I could. I thought the coverage of the closing ceremony was awful as we were subjected to lengthy coverage of Canadian athletes standing around and taking pictures of each other or standing on each other's shoulders while there were lots of other things going on in the stadium. I found a live streaming feed to watch instead. I think commercials in the opening ceremonies at the wrong time were also a problem. But sad it's over and well done to London for great games.

[BCScott]

For me, the most disappointing thing was the spoilers during the recap show. I work all day every day in the summer, so it was easy to avoid all media reports. We recorded the eastern HD recap show and watched it after supper. The first night we realized it was going to be frustrating! In the 5 minute intro, they told us the results of all 4 events we were interested it! By the time we got to the men's 100M, we knew to skip all intros, mute Brian Williams, and avoid looking at the athlete portrait with "Gold Medal Performance" under it. Imagine how pi**ed we were when, 10 minutes before the race was shown on the recap show, Lisa Laflame comes on with a National News preview and not only says Bolt wins, but shows a photo of him crossing the finish line ahead of everyone! I hated the coverage!!

[neomartin]

Haha, I really liked the Rona commercial too, was very different from the other commercials . Back to the topic, CTV did a pretty good job, but I gotta agree with BCScott. Being in weird timezones and stuff, I can only see the recaps. The fact that they pretty much spoil everything before reshowing the event kinda ruins the point. But other than that, it was good.

[ticky]

Originally Posted by Beckler

And that IDIOTIC 5-minute Rona commercial. Who thinks up this stuff? It's not entertaining or clever; it's just dumb.

Oh and then the closing ceremonies--could anything be more depressing and pointless? No. Only the musical performance could be of any value...

How are either of these things the doing of CTV exactly?

Originally Posted by riffer

Also, I don't know if it is CTV or the originating broadcaster, but I really hated not getting complete and immediate on screen results. The swimming was especially bad; telling us who was 1,2,3 but not who was in 4th, 5th etc.

1,2,3, are the only positions that matter. And that isn't CTVs doing either.

[hercules130]

I certainly will not miss Jennifer Hedger's less-than-appropriate wardrobe.

[mrvanwinkles]

I would have to agree with SPENSAR - post #24 above.

I was very fortunate.

Where I was in the mornings EST - Eastern Time, I had the choice of several channels of Olympic Coverage and the ability to watch and to flip quickly between those channels whenever I felt like it.

By strategic, quick channel changes, I was able to choose different event coverage, avoid commercials, avoid filler, avoid stories that were not of interest to me, or avoid commentators that were not to my taste.

I had:

CTV
V (French/Quebec netwrk)
TSN
RDS (French/Quebec sports channel)
RSN (Rogers Sports Net)
NBC

... all available to me.

I enjoyed the Olympic Games in both languages - English and French - and got great varied coverage that way.

[ Isn't OTTAWA / The NCR - National Capital Region - GREAT that way ? Lots of varied coverage and channels in both languages - being near major cities near Ontario and Quebec border ? ]


About the Topic of this thread ...

CTV - I thought did O.K. this time around. Much better - than compared CTV's coverage of the Vancouver Winter Olympics - a couple years ago.

Yes - The tune "I Believe" is permanently etched in my brain. TOO MUCH !
I was whistling it all through the games. Too much. Still whistling it.

Brian Williams - I thought was allright. Good for CTV to bring him on. Actually I was glad to hear his voice as a commentator on CTV's coverage - a familiar commentator/voice with sports experience. [ Isn't / Wasn't Brian Williams a regular on CBC Sports ? ]

Originally Posted by Smegger2000

I won't miss all the ads for the "new" retread of a comedy for Charlie Sheen.

Right ON ! Me neither. That was totally weird and off topic and out of place during Olympic Coverage.

I was laughing myself silly everytime that PROMO for the Charlie Sheen sit-com came on.

What did CTV say ? The Charlie Sheen sit-com will play "Immediately after the Closing Ceremonies ?"


Haa Haa Haa ...YUP. Oh ya! I'm an avid Olympic Sports fan... and I'm staying up, sticking around, and just can't wait for the Closing Ceremonies to end ... just so I can watch that Sit Com !