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Online petition protests at Nine’s Olympic coverage

Social media reacts to Nine's Olympics broadcast with an online petition to the IOC, pleading that they never win the rights again.

They always said these would be the “social games” and social media is hitting back hard at Nine’s broadcast of the Olympics, now with an online petition directed at the IOC.

Disgruntled viewer Susan Plunkett has posted an open letter to the International Olympic Committee via the website change.org asking them to review future rights to the games on multiple channels, without ad interruptions and calling on broadcasters such as the ABC to be given equal consideration.

“We never again want to see such a poor broadcast performance as has been seen in 2012 and offered by the Nine Network,” it reads.

“We claim the right to see a variety of Olympic events on free-to-air, and events without constant and repetitive advertising interruptions. Accepting that many events can occur at any one time we claim the right for broadcasters to be able to show events in their entirety on their second broadcast channels where they exist. Further, we claim the right to have a broadcast where commentators understand and uphold the Olympic spirit – to celebrate any medal colour, to celebrate the achievements of any nation and to inform us about barrier breaking sporting triumphs e.g. Australia’s first competing female boxer.

“We ask the IOC to review the policy that enables commercial broadcasters to more easily win broadcast rights at the disadvantage of non-advertising broadcasters such as the ABC who would be able to show events without constant advertisement.

“We request that the IOC refuse Network Nine’s tender (if it is made) for the 2016 Olympic Games on the basis that we assert that Network Nine has entirely failed it’s duty to show the 2012 Olympic Games in a respectful manner and one that reflects what we believe to be the true Olympic spirit of international brother and sisterhood.”

So far there are around 250 signatures, but it the campaign has only just gotten underway.

You can check it out here.

59 Responses

  1. People, people. A little perspective, please. True, Nine’s Olympic coverage has lacked anything resembling care or craft in its production and little in the way of respect for its audience, but we should be rejoicing! Why? ‘Tricky Business’ has come to an end! Yes! TV drama’s equivalent of the Black Death is over! And it’s being replaced with, ‘House Husbands’! Oh.

  2. jezza..thank you for your temperate comment. Yes, there is a published Olympic schedule but that can be altered. That was the case for the men’s team pursuit final. People there on the ground know about those changes before they are made on relevant sites. I’m glad people are talking about this issue more broadly however.

    The coverage we are seeing is supposed to be live from the commentary team of a night.

    Given that every evening the ‘just after a short break” or “just after the ads” can actually mean anything from one hour to twelve, couldn’t it be the case that Karl (et al’s) supposedly ‘live’ commentary has been pre-recorded? And it’s the production team who are making mistakes slipping those pre-recorded pieces into the wrong times in the viewing stream?

    And thus also why in several events they cut away just before the final line or winning goal etc…. don’t show the end of the event ‘live’ but return after featuring something else for a few minutes and then ostensibly show the live end of the race.

    As I asked yesterday, would you be proud of this as a production output? You may have to cut corners because of budget but if, indeed, a lot of commentary has been pre-recorded and that is starting to show like a hanging petticoat under a skirt, then I assume that’s not great work.

    If you’re going to use smoke and mirrors, you have better be good at your craft. 9 aren’t show great craft.

  3. @ Susan P

    To get superior fta coverage, the only way forward is to provide the ABC with substantial funding. It will cost us, it is as simple as that. The BBC in the UK always provide a superb broadcast of the Olympics, if we want the same, we must bite the bullet and pay for it through taxation.
    Ch9 are doing a better job than ch7 did with their appalling coverage in Beijing ( I remember the nightmare called Yum Cha). However they are a business saddled with huge debt whose only real purpose is to attempt to produce a profit.
    These days it simple to avoid the BS about which events are coming up with a simple check on the net to see when thery actually take place, this way you can avoid all the crap and fodder they pump out.
    I admire and support your goal, but in my view it will involve govt funding of the ABC/SBS to get these events….or pay for foxtel, there is no realistic alternative

  4. We accept that not everything can be shown.

    This said:

    1. Tonight Monday 6th –

    7.49pm Olympics Discus coverage commences
    7.50pm Olympics Discus coverage ends.

    No further mention of it. No return to discus.

    One minutes coverages appear to have become 9’s take on coverage of these Olympics, with certain exceptions.

    2. Announcer states “After the break”. You think it reasonable to assume they mean after the ads that follow? No. It can be five or more ad breaks away.

    3. At 6.35pm Sunday night Karl stated that the 100m men’s finals would be coming up “in a short time”. Interesting because it was several hours away.

    4. Four golds potentially to be won in sailing but no coverage at Weymouth. Ok, let’s accept it may not have been affordable for 9. But, no mentions at all?

    5. Michael Diamond. At the time of writing he has 4 perfect rounds or 100/100. No coverage.

    This is a start list. Pardon the pun.

    All you industry insiders, would you be satisfied if this was your production team’s output?

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