jj@rabbit.UUCP (08/02/84)
<humph> We were watching the gymnastics events last night on ABC, specifically the women's team competition, and we noticed that the network presented only the first place (Romanian) and US teams. In this particular event, the US team WAS in second place, which led us to a question: Has ABC consistantly only shown leaders and the US teams and athletes? In this particular event China was 1 point or so behind the leaders <out of ~300> and clearly in the running for second or maybe even a shot at first, given ONE major break by either of the leaders, none-the-less in the two+ hours we watched (10-12 EDT) ONE Chinese athlete was shown, and for approximately 45 seconds. (I'm not counting athletes visible in the background, or during full-arena shots.) We are planning to write letters to ABC (soon). We are going to write separate letters, and ask that the letters be put in the comments file. Do other readers of the net have similar impressions? Please direct replys to net.rec. Thank you -- EVEN TEDDY BEARS LIKE COOKIES! "Please, Sir. I want some more" (allegra,harpo,ulysses)!rabbit!jj
mats@dual.UUCP (Mats Wichmann) (08/04/84)
I understand that the IOC has forwarded similar complaints through
Peter Uberroth to ABC, which has agreed to mend its ways and show
a slightly more general coverage. Remains to be seen if the second week
is any different than the first - I STILL expect them to show only
those qualifying heats for track that have Americans in them...
Mats Wichmann
Dual Systems Corp.
...{ucbvax,amd,ihnp4,cbosgd,decwrl,fortune}!dual!matsandrew@orca.UUCP (Andrew Klossner) (08/06/84)
> I agree....ABC is only interested in showing 1) Any USA > competition or 2) the first place teams. > > This seems a bit strange since ABC has bragged about how > "over 10 (?) billion people, from over 100 countries, > watching our broadcast". Geez, I bet that folks in Europe > and Latin America just *love* to see the US teams whip the > smaller countries. ABC is producing two separate shows. One is heavily biased toward showing US athletes and airs from US stations. The other is neutral, favoring no single nation, and airs in foreign countries. This second show was part of their concession agreement with the International Olympic Committee. -- Andrew Klossner (decvax!tektronix!orca!andrew) [UUCP] (orca!andrew.tektronix@rand-relay) [ARPA]
stern@bnl.UUCP (Eric Stern) (08/06/84)
Did anyone else object to the coverage of the opening ceremonies? I think that ABC failed miserably in their coverage if the object was to convey some sense of being at the ceremonies and experiencing some of the supposedly strong emotions experienced by the people there. I kept wishing that Jim Mckay and Peter Jennings would just shut up and let us listen to the music. Also, most of the time we saw the commentators instead of the action on the field. I guess only PBS could have done it right. I agree that the coverage of the events was also seriously lacking. It really bothered me when they cut for a commercial and when you got back they told about so and so who just scored a 10 and you never got to see their routine because the person was not in running for a gold medal. Isn't the point to show excellence in sports regardless of whether the person wins a medal? Also, I think that ABC insulted China and Japan more than once when they cut for a commercial during the playing of the national anthem, because the U.S had only won a silver. In fact during the opening ceremonies, ABC took breaks when the teams for most asian countries entered the stadium except for China, Japan, and South Korea. Eric Stern
hrs@houxb.UUCP (H.SILBIGER) (08/06/84)
Some sports are completely ignored, for example yachting (sailing). There are seven classes of sailboats being raced: Soling, Star, Tornado (a catamaran), 420, Flying Dutchman, Finn and Windglider (sailboard). There are seven days of racing. Some classes have more than 20 boats participating. Thus far, no mention has been made on the air of who is winning, let alone any action shots. Perhaps all ABC reporters get seasick on the ocean. The US is actually ahead in several classes.
geb@cadre.UUCP (08/06/84)
Fortunately, the Europeans don't watch the same feed. ABC is required to cover all events, and make the pictures available to all countries, who then can add their own commentaries. I also object to the chauvanism of the ABC coverage, as well as their usual overall poor sports casting. The crowing over the errors made by gymnasts from other countries is pretty cheap. Also, I get rather tired of flag ceremonies, and would rather see the events in progress instead. By and large, the olympics would be a lot better if the nationalism were forbidden, getting rid of the stupid flag ceremonies entirely, and honoring individual achievement.
ags@pucc-i (Seaman) (08/06/84)
> I agree....ABC is only interested in showing 1) Any USA > competition or 2) the first place teams. > > This seems a bit strange since ABC has bragged about how > "over 10 (?) billion people, from over 100 countries, > watching our broadcast". Geez, I bet that folks in Europe > and Latin America just *love* to see the US teams whip the > smaller countries. There is a difference between what we see in the US and what the rest of the world sees. ABC is required to provide neutral television coverage of every event in its entirety. Each country can use what it wants. There have been charges of bias in other countries (Australia is one that comes to mind) that there was too much bias in favor of the home-country athletes and that people actually wanted to see MORE of the US athletes. Incidentally, I agree that the ABC broadcasts here have been overly biased in favor of the US. -- Dave Seaman My hovercraft is no longer full of ..!pur-ee!pucc-i:ags eels (thanks to my confused cat).
rs55611@ihuxk.UUCP (Robert E. Schleicher) (08/06/84)
The Chicago Tribune had an interesting article on ABCs Olympic coverage. While generally disapproving of the USA cheerleading aspect of the coverage, the article made several interesting points in defense of ABC. Apparently the signals fed to other countries' TV administrations are not what we watch on ABC. ABC does all the camera work, of course, and then makes available the unedited, multi-camera feeds to the other countries. Then, the other countries are free to put n their own commentary, and in fact can also choose different camera angles etc. than those chosen by ABC. Thus, while ABC is following the US teams around, simultaneous camera coverage of other nations is available. The big difference between this year and previous Olympics (even those also handled by ABC) is that the signal provided to the various press boxes, and to the olympic village, is the USA broadcast version, in all its "go-USA" glory. Previously, there was a generic"world feed" broadcast that was distributed around the Olympic village, and to the world press, that differed quite a bit from the USA TV broadcast. Just the same, I've been getting pretty aggravated with the coverage. I don't mind seeing a lot of the US teams, but really object when Cathy Rigby says "We really did it this time!", acting like she's still part of the gymnastics team. She and Kurt Thomas also spend a lot of time picking out every little thing wrong with everyone else, while gushing about how the American "really nailed it!" Bob Schleicher ihuxk!rs55611
seifert@ihuxl.UUCP (D.A. Seifert) (08/07/84)
So the rest of the world gets to see something beside the US athletes?
Hey, we'll just all have to get earth stations and grab the real
stuff off the satelites!
Disclaimer: legally please!
--
_____
/_____\ how in blue blazes do they expect a EE to cook on a gas stove?
/_______\
|___| Snoopy
____|___|_____ ihnp4!ihuxl!seifertbytebug@pertec.UUCP (roger long) (08/07/84)
> This seems a bit strange since ABC has bragged about how > "over 10 (?) billion people, from over 100 countries, > watching our broadcast". Geez, I bet that folks in Europe > and Latin America just *love* to see the US teams whip the > smaller countries. I had heard that they were feeding a more generic feed to the other countries, who add their own commentary. Sure wish I had a satellite dish.
howes@unc.UUCP (Byron Howes ) (08/07/84)
While I'm not exactly thrilled by all ABC's coverage of the Los Angeles
Olympics, I think choosing to cover it as a sort of home-town sports
event is dictated by the economics of the Olympic movement. Let's
face it -- ABC is not exactly getting paid by the IOC or the LAOOC for
the "privilege" of covering the largest sports event in history. Not
only have they had to pay a substantial fee to the LAOOC, but they
are entirely responsible for the staff, equipment, planning, etc.
necessary to cover all of the events for local and foreign distribution.
I am sure that ABC will make money on their investment, but even breaking
even would be impossible without a commentary tailored to an American
audience and considerable time sold to commercials. If you don't like
what they've done then find a better way to finance this mess.
ABC does have a responsibility to devote primary coverage to U.S. athletes
in the broadcast for the United States. As there are American athletes
participating in virtually every event, in the case of conflict those with
the best (or most famous) U.S. athletes take precedence. However, when
little is going on I've noticed that they cover sports like rowing, where
U.S. athletes are less than dominating, very very well.
For every Kathy Rigby McCoy or Howard Cosell there have been good expert
commentators whose insights have been enlightening and instructive. I
have particularly enjoyed the Volleyball commentary, the Equestrian
commentary and the rowing commentary. Even Esther Williams has been
interesting talking about synchronized swimming.
At any rate, under the circumstances I think ABC is doing a better job
than one might expect. A certain amount of chauvinism seems to come with
the territory. Despite what the net seems to think, by the ratings, ABC's
coverage is playing pretty well in this country.
--
Byron Howes
UNC - Chapel Hill
({decvax,akgua}!mcnc!unc!howes)done@teklabs.UUCP (Don Ellis) (08/08/84)
> By and large, the olympics would > be a lot better if the nationalism were forbidden, getting rid of > the stupid flag ceremonies entirely, and honoring individual > achievement. Better for whom? Nationalism is not always bad....sometimes it serves to pay the athlete's bills while they're in training. I also see nothing wrong at all with the flag ceremonies. It gives the winning atheletes some well-deserved recognition, and gives the folks at home something to cheer about. But I guess I'm just too old-fashioned to ignore the existence of countries. And while I'm being blasphemous here, I might as well go all the way. I LIKE watching the US atheletes. Other countries watch and cheer on their athletes, so I see nothing immoral or fattening about watching and cheering on ours. The next statement may even get me kicked off the net: I've enjoyed ABC's coverage of the Olympics. It's a bit shlocky at times, true, but I am one of those ignoramouses who doesn't have encylopedic knowledge of all the Olympic events, and I need to be TOLD what to look for. You're right, I'm probably hopeless. But I'll just continue enjoying the Olympics in my blissful ignorance, and the rest of you can bitch about it. But before you continue your bitching, please pass the popcorn. Don Ellis Tektronix
grw@fortune.UUCP (Glenn Wichman) (08/09/84)
bip.
I'm one who doesn't mind rooting for the "home team" a bit,
so I'm not against flag ceremonies. I don't think they lead
to nationalism necessarily. But the problem with ABC is that
they have forgotten that the USA is an immigrant country. 99%
of the population have their roots elsewhere. Personally, I
am at least as interested in the Swedish, Canadian and German
teams as I am in the US team.
It's not like ABC doesn't have time to show us the other
teams. We see each US athlete do his/her stuff THREE TIMES!
Once live, once instant replay and once "ABC SUPER SLO-MO".
I'd like to see the Americans once, and the teams from other
countries in that other time, regardless of whether those teams
are in first place.
-Glennwall@ucbvax.UUCP (Steve Wall) (08/10/84)
I agree....ABC is only interested in showing 1) Any USA competition or 2) the first place teams. This seems a bit strange since ABC has bragged about how "over 10 (?) billion people, from over 100 countries, watching our broadcast". Geez, I bet that folks in Europe and Latin America just *love* to see the US teams whip the smaller countries. Oh well, back to the air gun competition.......... Steve Wall UC Berkeley
marcus@pyuxt.UUCP (M. G. Hand) (08/11/84)
> I LIKE watching the US athletes. ...
So do I, but I'd like to see who they're beating, too. For all I've
observed on ABC they might just as well be running alone against the clock
or giving an axhibition performance.
Marcus Hand (pyuxt!marcus)marcus@pyuxt.UUCP (M. G. Hand) (08/11/84)
> Despite what the net seems to think, by the ratings, most of the > country seems to be watching it.... Of course they're watching ABC's coverage - its the only one available.