Critique the coverage
Discussion
So having watched the Germany match half on BBC and half on G2, and the Ecuador match on ITV, I've got the following to say:
BBC: What in the name of all things holy are they thinking? I mean, their commentary team is bad - Pearce is annoying, Motson makes me want to kill people - but why on earth is their score line infintesimly tiny? I have a 32" TV and sit about six to ten feet away and I can't read the time or the score. The interactivity, on the other hand, is nice to have, so I can listen to R5 commentary (or just match sound), and they probably have the best of a poor bunch of pundits.
G2: Refreshing after the BBC. The commentary, whilst nothing special, at least avoids being unnecessarily intrusive and more exciteable than a puppy. I didn't catch the punditry, so I'll reserve judgement for later, and there's no interactivity that I noticed, but at least you can see the score without binoculars and the whole affair seems enjoyably light hearted.
ITV: Superior to the BBC in commentary and game information, but inferior in every other respect. Gabby Logan may be easier on the eye, but she doesn't bring out the best in her pundits - not that they have all that much to give in the first place. A wooden, cliche-ridden lead-up and half-time, and there's no respite to be had from the Red Button, either. It took a good 10-15 seconds for interactive screen to load, and a similar time to access any of the features.
As so often in football, the lack of expectation has brought out the best in the newcomer, with G2 providing a light and accessible route to the World Cup where BBC and ITV seem to be trying too hard. If someone could shoot Motson and Pearce, the BBC would probably nose ahead, but both of them can ruin an otherwise enjoyable football match.
Please, feel free to tell me how completely wrong I am and that Motson's actually a commentary god.
BBC: What in the name of all things holy are they thinking? I mean, their commentary team is bad - Pearce is annoying, Motson makes me want to kill people - but why on earth is their score line infintesimly tiny? I have a 32" TV and sit about six to ten feet away and I can't read the time or the score. The interactivity, on the other hand, is nice to have, so I can listen to R5 commentary (or just match sound), and they probably have the best of a poor bunch of pundits.
G2: Refreshing after the BBC. The commentary, whilst nothing special, at least avoids being unnecessarily intrusive and more exciteable than a puppy. I didn't catch the punditry, so I'll reserve judgement for later, and there's no interactivity that I noticed, but at least you can see the score without binoculars and the whole affair seems enjoyably light hearted.
ITV: Superior to the BBC in commentary and game information, but inferior in every other respect. Gabby Logan may be easier on the eye, but she doesn't bring out the best in her pundits - not that they have all that much to give in the first place. A wooden, cliche-ridden lead-up and half-time, and there's no respite to be had from the Red Button, either. It took a good 10-15 seconds for interactive screen to load, and a similar time to access any of the features.
As so often in football, the lack of expectation has brought out the best in the newcomer, with G2 providing a light and accessible route to the World Cup where BBC and ITV seem to be trying too hard. If someone could shoot Motson and Pearce, the BBC would probably nose ahead, but both of them can ruin an otherwise enjoyable football match.
Please, feel free to tell me how completely wrong I am and that Motson's actually a commentary god.
ZR1cliff said:
Motson annoys me,he seems to grab at any little fact to throw at us and you can actually here him trying to spin out a cliche to be remembered by,imagine being at restraunt only to hear him on the next table 
He is also very quick to make a point of a talented foreign player who makes a mistake in a Premiership game but glosses over a British player doing the same.
I can't stand him anyway or Jonathan Pearce, or Clive Tildesley. The only good commentator I can ever remember who was just right was the late Brian Moore.
Motson is one of the worst: "and this situation reminds of the final back in 1926 when suchandsuch etc etc" SHUT UP. And tell that idiot Lawrenson to shut up too. And Garth Crooks while your at it. However, the BBC is by far and away superior to ITV, simply for this: "OK that's the national anthems played and kick off is seconds away. We'll be right back after this...".
The two Americans doing the Bud ads are funny though..
The two Americans doing the Bud ads are funny though..
ing crap commentator... 
Maybe I should write his CV for him.....?monkeyhanger said:
I tend not to hear the commentators, it's a skill i've developed with the likes of Jonathan Pearce - selective deafness.
I'm amazed no-one's commented on the standard of the camera work from German TV. It's been truly hopeless.
I'm amazed no-one's commented on the standard of the camera work from German TV. It's been truly hopeless.
Edited by monkeyhanger on Sunday 11th June 15:29
That's true. Aside from being slow to keep up with the play and lingering too long on players when there's actual play going on, the fundamental problem is the location of the main cameras. They're all located too high and too far back, meaning you get a good view of the field, but the players all are just leggy blobs, rather than distinct people.
monkeyhanger said:
I'm amazed no-one's commented on the standard of the camera work from German TV. It's been truly hopeless.
not just that, but the 'editing' (or whatever it would be called, picking which camera feed to go to) is shocking. surely there are lots of professionals at this from german premiere sports channel who could be doing a better job
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