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1996 & 2000 Olympics

(May 2019)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
MA
Markymark
I spoke to someone who worked on the BBC's Sydney coverage. Apparently the Olympic rings in the virtual background were rendered in the wrong order, and it was only spotted the day before the games started. His flight home was cancelled until he came up with a fix! He also told me that they got a lot of comments from people who assumed the studio was in the UK, rather than the IBC - I think the backdrop did include some beauty shots, but they may not have been live.


I imagine the actual backdrops would be recorded but imagine the virtual camera pan must have been generated live/recorded shortly before each opening as it featured the presenters on the sofa in their outfits of that day.


ISTR that the views were live - and generated from cameras in a Sydney apartment hired for the purpose. It wasn't feasible to run a studio there, but it was possible to rig 'view cams'. I may be wrong, and the cameras may have been recorded, but there was definitely a write-up (probably in Ariel) at the time covering it.


You’re right, I went to a talk by Paul Mason ( then BBC Sport technical director ) and remember that detail ( I think!)
MA
mannewskev
The short answer is nobody knows. Nobody will ever know.

What we do know is what actually went out and assuming everything else played out the same way, it would have probably looked like what actually went out (and of course London 2012 may not have happened at all in that timeline):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-QuBu5zsP8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adVL0hyklXo


Not the most encouraging way to welcome a new member. I think it's a very interesting question that's provoked some very interesting comments.


I think the clue was in "long time lurker", we don't really do "hello welcome to TV Forum, enjoy your stay" here. Last person I did that to (Riaz) proceeded to ask a bunch of questions about a certain archive and then wasn't satisfied with any of the answers about it.

But anyway the OP wanted to know what the coverage "would" have looked like had Manchester won the bid. And it's true - nobody knows as it's alternative history. Its like asking what CPV-TV would have done after 1993, what idents, programmes, how the news would have looked, who would have anchored, etc, and again alternative history, everything would have speculation.


I think the clue's in "new member" myself, and like I said, not the most encouraging way to welcome them. Also, I don't recall at any point advocating the use of the line "hello welcome to TV Forum, enjoy your stay". That's your confection. I'm just saying it's nice to be nice. Quite simple really.
VM
VMPhil
I fail to see how Neil's post came across in any way rude. He answered the question and then offered examples of what other presentation from that time looked like.
Brekkie and bilky asko gave kudos
NJ
Neil Jones Founding member
I think the clue's in "new member" myself, and like I said, not the most encouraging way to welcome them. Also, I don't recall at any point advocating the use of the line "hello welcome to TV Forum, enjoy your stay". That's your confection. I'm just saying it's nice to be nice. Quite simple really.


One man's "nice" is another man's "horrible". This is not Mumsnet, we post here because we have a shared interest in TV presentation, not because the kids have scribbled on the living room wall with wax crayon again.

In any case I've been here nearly 18 years, I'm part of the furniture. I haven't changed my posting style in all that time and I would hope those who have lurked for a while (and there will be many) will be aware this is how I come across on here when they read my posts so if on the rare occasion I happen to be first to reply to a post from a newbie do excuse me if I fail to show them where the coffee machine is. Smile
MA
mannewskev
I fail to see how Neil's post came across in any way rude. He answered the question and then offered examples of what other presentation from that time looked like.


And that's absolutely fine. I think it was a little brusque though, so let's just agree to disagree. In a nice way, obviously...
MA
mannewskev
I think the clue's in "new member" myself, and like I said, not the most encouraging way to welcome them. Also, I don't recall at any point advocating the use of the line "hello welcome to TV Forum, enjoy your stay". That's your confection. I'm just saying it's nice to be nice. Quite simple really.


One man's "nice" is another man's "horrible". This is not Mumsnet, we post here because we have a shared interest in TV presentation, not because the kids have scribbled on the living room wall with wax crayon again.

In any case I've been here nearly 18 years, I'm part of the furniture. I haven't changed my posting style in all that time and I would hope those who have lurked for a while (and there will be many) will be aware this is how I come across on here when they read my posts so if on the rare occasion I happen to be first to reply to a post from a newbie do excuse me if I fail to show them where the coffee machine is. Smile


I do feel your sarcasm's uncalled for, and only really serves to bolster my original point. Let's let the matter rest now.
BR
Brekkie
Not great when one member derails a promising thread - Neil provided content, mannewskev has added nothing to the discussion the new member started.

Quite frankly even back then the Olympics are such a well oiled machine when it comes to broadcast although the location obviously influences the look and the presentation essentially all Olympics are presented from an Olympic Broadcast Centre or alternative broadcast location and it's really only the backdrop the changes. Based on more recent years perhaps the BBC wouldn't have been based in a Granada Studios IBC and located themselves elsewhere in Manchester (whether that's Oxford Road or more likely a room with a view), with just the potential to have more in stadium anchoring than usual.

Thinking back to Manchester 2002 I can't actually remember anything about the BBC's set other than I think it flooded on the last day.
MA
mannewskev
Not great when one member derails a promising thread - Neil provided content, mannewskev has added nothing to the discussion the new member started.

Quite frankly even back then the Olympics are such a well oiled machine when it comes to broadcast although the location obviously influences the look and the presentation essentially all Olympics are presented from an Olympic Broadcast Centre or alternative broadcast location and it's really only the backdrop the changes. Based on more recent years perhaps the BBC wouldn't have been based in a Granada Studios IBC and located themselves elsewhere in Manchester (whether that's Oxford Road or more likely a room with a view), with just the potential to have more in stadium anchoring than usual.

Thinking back to Manchester 2002 I can't actually remember anything about the BBC's set other than I think it flooded on the last day.


It hasn't been derailed. I stand by my comments. Let's let the matter rest now.

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