The 2012 Paralympic Games

Just a quick point, have Ch4 sought a variation of the 4HD licence for this, AFAIK the licence especially on Freeview was for an HD version of Ch4. I'm not aware that it could be used for separate content, other than advertising. Not that I'm trying to prevent this excellent use of resources.

As for the studio issue, I'm getting used to it.

I enjoyed Arthur Williams contributions this afternoon, Georgie Bingham on the otherhand was lost several times.

They could have opted to try and present it all in-venue, with only a soft set & stand up position in the IBC for linking between venues and discussions where being in the middle of it is actually a distraction.

Was it me, or did she look bored?

Not just you.

Our Freeview HD EPG is showing 4HD as still being on the normal schedule (which it's not), anyone elses the same?

Virgin Media has the correct schedule.

Channel 4 HD have just abruptly cut the More4 coverage before it finished, with Clare mid-sentence, when they opted in it was seamless and there was no break. I'm recording More4 so I'll see if th same thing happened.

EDIT: checked the recording and the More4 programme ended correctly.

I think I'm going to hate design for life by the end of these games. Maybe even by the end of the day.

The lack of a real view out on the park is a real shame, though for reasons previously stated. Also whether it's the crowds or the audio I don't know but just like last night some venues - the Velodrome particularly - just seemed rather quiet this afternoon.


Loved the awkwardness of it - kind of summed up what C4 is trying to achieve.


It's the right move (and interesting they've already moved Deal or No Deal to More4, rather than delayed it to replace Come Dine with The Simpsons) - but considering they put the effort into allowing a continuous HD stream (2), it's strange their answer on there being no streams on Freeview is that the licence for C4+1, E4+1 and 4seven wouldn't allow them to do that - when obviously I'm sure had they applied to use even just one of those as an extra stream it would have been granted. They did it for Big Brother Live after all.

Here's the Paralympic version of the OBS Ident

I suspect going with the IBC is the cheap(er) option.

NBC Today had a ground level studio in the Olympic Park for the duration of the Olympics. If Sunset 'n' Vine/IMG offered NBC a few greenbacks then I'm sure they wouldn't have mind it going back over to the states in the third week of September rather than the 14th August. Park a HD Scanner around the back of it (or MCR the cams into the gallery at the IBC) and there you go -
Easy access location for your medal winners with restricted mobility, and a high visable presence at Olympic Park - good publicity for Channel 4.

And we do seem to be down on the number of cameras being used at some venues compared to the Olympics. Watching some of the judo this afternoon we appeared to be on a one camera lock-out, at mat level, and a bit of distance away from the mat where the grapple was taking place. Very strange.

It's a shame LOCOG's pledge that every decision was thought through with the Paralympics in mind doesn't seem to have extended to the broadcasting arrangements, although we shouldn't underestimate how far things have come in just a few games.

BTW, are the extra C4 streams ad free?

Yes.

I may be wrong but I believe the BBC studio, even though it was built on shipping containers, did have a lift.