CBC loses 2010 / 2012 Oly coverage bid

[Artemis]

CTV won the bid. :(

story here (http://www.cbc.ca/story/sports/national/2005/02/07/Sports/ctv050207.html)

Ok, this isn't strictly about skating ... but it will certainly impact how Olympic skating is covered in 2010. CBC has a much better record than CTV for international events.

I'm also disappointed because CBC uses the revenue from money-making events like the Olympics to fund production of its entertainment programs. This is a serious blow for our public broadcaster.

[Patsy]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

I can get CBC marvelously well; CTV isn't on our cable.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO :evil: :cry: :cry:

[jcspkbfan]

Well, I don't find this completely disappointing news. CTV was the host broadcaster last time the Olympics were held in Canada (Calgary 1988) and I thought they did a pretty good job back then. I also enjoyed CTV's coverage of the 1994 Olympics, for the most part. As long as Ben Mulroney sightings and gratituous Elvis references by a certain skating commentator are kept to a minimum, for now I'm optimistic CTV can do just as good a job in 2010.

I was much less impressed with what I remember from CTV's 1992 Summer Olympics coverage, though! I don't know why CTV is so much better at covering Winter Olympics than Summer Olympics (at least IMO), but right now, CTV's Summer Olympics coverage is by far my bigger worry.

I kind of wish both networks could take turns covering the Summer and Winter Olympics like back in the good old days when both games took place during the same year. That seemed like a much fairer arrangement, IMO.

[LTM]

I think this is not good.
CBC tries to do real time coverage and try to include as much as possible. You may disagree with their commentators but at least they know what their talking about.
CTV will do what.....try to package the entire coverage into the
prime viewing hours to compete with a certain American broadcaster then sign off before the medal gets hand out.
( remember that brillant decision from Skate Canada)
I also remember their coverage from Lillehammer. Not impressive. There was an attempt to drum a controversy
(I think it was in biathon) where none exsisted. Ad nauseum discussions (although they were hardly the only culprits) of the Tonya/Nancy thing.

[evereg]

The IOC is happy, because CTV had a larger bid. The Canadian people get the short of the stick on the other hand. The CBC just has much better coverage than CTV. Count me in as one who is not happy about this.
:x

[Peter_K]

Me thinks that some people might be missing the bigger picture here.

Check out this Globe and Mail article:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20050208.wolytv-bid08/BNStory/Sports/?query=olympics

There's lots of interesting reading in there, but what fascinates me here is that along with the traditional rights one would expect comes Internet and wireless rights.

Keep in mind, we're talking about something that's going to happen 5 years hence. It's interesting that two competitors in content delivery and internet technology, Bell and Rogers, are going into this together as partners. I wouldn't be surprised if we wind up seeing more detailed coverage, albeit for a price.

But just imagine the possibilities. We might even get to see the _entire_ olympic skating competition. The cameras would already be in place and the infrustructure is just waiting to be lit up for an occasion like this.

I'm excited by the possibilities. I just hope that Bell and Rogers take full advantage of what they've got.

--Peter

[evereg]

Me thinks that some people might be missing the bigger picture here.
Mmmm - perhaps, we are missing the big picture or perhaps not. My concern is not the quantity as much as the quality. I agree with Artemis that the CBC is much better at international events than CTV. I remember CTV's coverage of the 1992 games, and it was not that impressive. Also, with the CBC, you know what kind of coverage to expect. I am not sure what to except with CTV. I hope that they don't follow NBC's example and have all fluff and little sports.

[Peter_K]

Given the choice, I would definitely rather see coverage, not fluff. CBC certainly has the edge over both CTV and, god forbid, NBC in that department.

However, don't forget the nasty job CBC did of covering the Olympic figure skating gala. As I recall, they showed it in dribs and drabs and half the thing wasn't even shown. I wish I had thought of checking out SRC at the time!

If they offered the whole skating competition as a pay-per-view package, with nothing more than the straight video and audio feed from the arena, I would snap it up in an instant. (Then again, I've always maintained that they should do that for Canadians. I know I'd buy it even if was at the event. I already bring a VCR with us.)

However, I can see where both prepared packages and raw feeds would be useful. While I don't need someone to explain to me how the FS competition will work, I might appreciate a comment of explanation or two if I tune in the snowboarding, luge or bobsled competitions.

So that begs the question, if you could see the whole FS competition on PPV for a couple hundred dollars, would you?

--Peter

[Emanfan]

So that begs the question, if you could see the whole FS competition on PPV for a couple hundred dollars, would you?--Peter

In a heartbeat.

[evereg]

So that begs the question, if you could see the whole FS competition on PPV for a couple hundred dollars, would you?
--PeterNo, I would not. As much as I enjoy skating, I enjoy the whole Olympic experience more. I like watching the obscure sports that are only noticed every four years. I also watch hockey, which is something that I only do every four years. ;) For me, the winters Olympics are not all about figure skating. If I were given a free passes to see any events at the 2010 games, I would definitely go to the pairs and men's events, but I would also be off to the skiing, snowboarding, bobsledding, speed skating, and so on.

[Emanfan]

No, I would not. As much as I enjoy skating, I enjoy the whole Olympic experience more.

Just because you have fs on PPV, that doesn't mean you can't watch everything else that is ongoing as well. When fs is not on, switch the channel and watch something else.

In any event, who knows what they will come up with by 2010? Technology moves so quickly, it's difficult to imagine.

[evereg]

Just because you have fs on PPV, that doesn't mean you can't watch everything else that is ongoing as well. When fs is not on, switch the channel and watch something else.

In any event, who knows what they will come up with by 2010? Technology moves so quickly, it's difficult to imagine.Yes, I understand that, but the question was "would I pay for PPV", and my answer was no. To be honest, as for as TV is concerned, I am a cheapskate. I have basic cable, and can't be bothered to pay for anything else.

I agree with you about the technology. Who knows what it will be like in 2010. However, regardless of the technology, my message to CTV is still the same – “please avoid the NBC style fluff”.

[KGF]

Look forward to what CTV will bring for us:).

[Sk8n Mama]

D'oh!!! The CBC always showed everything! CTV did a good job of the Calgary Olympics so we'll just have to hope they do as good a job of this one.

And no, I wouldn't pay a couple of hundred dollars for the skating coverage. With figure skating being the premier event of the Winter Olympics, I do imagine they'll televise the skating events. I could see them not showing Compulsory dances or something, but I'd bet they'll show shorts and longs-even if it is on TSN or Sportsnet. As mentioned above, we can already download the programs online the next day via rinkside. Who knows what will be available in 2010.