Olympics 2012: Live Coverage

Pretty much agree with all of that, Brekkie.

I agree that Hazel, Sue and Clare should have had bigger roles - considering they've played such a significant role in Olympics/Commonwealths coverage since 2000, never mind 2006, it seems to have been a bit of a 'slap in the face' for them to be relegated to the lower profile slots for what is the pinnacle event of their careers. For Sue especially - this could very well be her last Games.

But the BBC's overall commitment to these Games has been exceptional. BBC Sport at its absolute best. My overall hope is that the Beeb doesn't forget about Olympic sports in the coming years as the London 2012 hangover kicks in. Next year, especially, will be a very quiet year for BBC Sport with the World Athletics still on Channel 4. At least we'll have the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow before Rio 2016.

I feel Clare, Hazel and Sue have both been placed in their optimum roles.

Hazel is a warm pleasant and competent sport presenter, but I don't think she is someone who can lead coverage of events of this magnitude. Her morning/afternoon shifts seem just about right for her. I never saw her on Breakfast but I cam imagine she was a good fit.

Sue Barker, has arguably had the second most high profile slot of the games, she co-presented the opening ceremony build up and will no doubt do they same for the closing. She's also got to cover onsite one of the biggest stories of these games, which happens to lie in what will be seen as her main area of expertise. I feel there is a strong argument to say she could been given an hour earlier start. She has also had two of the most important interviews.

Clare Balding has been used effectively IMO, the first week she was able to show her talents at the swimming in a prime slot, the middle weekend saw her in the studio and she was able to home in on one of her key areas of expertise with the equestrian events amongst other things during week two.

John Inverdale has also been used to good effect in these games and can be seen as one of the lead presenters. He's been more or less left to lead coverage of the rowing as well as athletics, with the latter Lineker taking a much less active role on the programme interviewing medalists and introducing highlights. Gary has done well enough I feel and brought some gravitas Hazel Irvine or Jake Humphrey probably couldn't. When I've said he's brought something of an 'everyman' approach to these games, I think that is in no way an insult. I think it's good that he appeals to the masses whilst not bringing viewers the more in-depth coverage the likes of Balding and Inverdale are capable of.

Out of these games, I hope the BBC start to consider Inverdale as more of a lead man for things like SPOTY. I wouldn't be surprised if the Beeb are desperate to keep Clare from going Channel 4 racing, which in all likelihood despite her being freelance would probably stop her working for the BBC on things like Rugby League. So I wouldn't be surprised if she's offered Hazel's golf and snooker duties, and then perhaps Hazel could move to Breakfast if she proved popular in the slot during the games?

You really don't rate Hazel do you Jon. Couldn't disagree more - she's over 20 odd years of Olympics experience (I think she did 1988 for ITV/C4) and would be more than capable of being the lead anchor given the chance - she effectively is for the Winter Olympics, and unlike Lineker (who is a more than competent presenter) has put the hard yards in over the years, often doing the rather unglamourous overnight or early morning slots.

It's not that I don't rate her, I just think there are other presenters that stand out more and that are seen as bigger names for headlining these types of things.

The last Olympics really missed that big name presenter to tie things together and I think with Lineker, it just feels like it's regained something it had lost in Beijing.

Just think, it they hadn't chased big money at ITV, Arian Chiles and Christine Bleakley would have had big roles at these games. I suspect Chiles might have ended up doing Olympics Tonight.

Picking up on the debate from last weekend but really can't see Mo Farah being beaten now for Sports Personality of the Year.

I thought I was the only one who'd noticed that, I almost find myself mentally counting down the VT clock as he's talking. There's an art to reading from autocue and making it feel informal and conversational. Not an art that I personally feel Lineker has ever mastered. As Noggin says, he's not Des Mark II.

What a busy hour or so, with the conclusion of the athletics, the GB v Ireland boxing final and now Tom Daley. BBC One trying to cover everything either live or recoreded, meaning right now the diving final is live on both BBC One and BBC Three. Might be difficult now for BBC One to take the Mo Farah victory ceremony live.

Not sure what you're talking about. These days everything runs off an instant start - there isn't a count to VTs rolling (or a count from them being rolled to them actually starting). Nobody really runs VTs from -5s or -3s any more - and haven't for 10+ years since VTRs capable of instant starts arrived - and certainly now servers are standard.

If you run from a clock it's usually from the last frame of clock so you know what you're running, but as soon as you run it you see the first frame pix. If you run from Servers they usually have an option of superimposing the clip name on their output - so no need for a clock at all.

VTs run the instant the director says "Run" or "Roll". (The old 3" of black between -3" and 0" is really only used for programmes these days - inserts either have early vision from -3" or clocks to 0")

What I think Gary isn't that great at doing is switching from adlib to reading prompt. He's not terrible - he's just not the best. He's just not that fluent. Witness the medal table animation just now after Tom won his bronze...

There was no prompt in Beijing. There is in London. There was no Gary in Beijing. There is in London.

Clare and Jake have been the undoubted stars for me and I would much rather Clare to be the main host at the swimming/Equestrian than doing links in the studio. I think it's a bit of a waste of her talents.

Agree with Brekkie there was no need for Matt Baker or Mishal[even though she was V good] to be presenters in the main studio. Dame Tanni was not needed either. I think Graham Bell was under used and easily out shone the dire Sonali Shah at the Triathlons.



Agreed



I really liked John at the rowing but I really don't rate him for some reason at the Athletics, personally I wish Hazel Irvine had got that role when it was up for grabs a few years ago.

Overall brilliant coverage by the Beeb. Above was just nit picking tbh

I suppose I should have said I find myself mentally counting down to the insert along side the PA. Its's just a turn of phrase.

Having worked for a major national broadcaster for well over 30 years I'm actually very familiar with how the TV production process works, going from Quad to todays server technology - across all 'genres'.

Absolutely agree - he was fine a couple of years ago on the Europeans and generally does a good job on the few live athletics events he covers each year, but something has just not clicked this time with Inverdale and the athletics. Kind of feels that when he presents rugby and rowing (and tennis of course - he was excellent on the French Open) it's a passion - but with athletics it's just a job.

A lovely example of which we've just seen on Gabby's intro to the Team GB montage - complete with clip ID at the start.

I always say to vision mixers - if you press 'cut' what you see on the preview monitor will appear on TX. You may not believe it, and you may not accept it, but it will happen. So why some, and of course they are in the minority, cut to a stationary insert just before the director or PA runs it I know not. And then they wonder why it looks 'eggy'.