I Saw The News Today, Oh Boy
8Tonight saw a News bulletin for the ages, as TVNZ’s intimate relationship with the Americas Cup took an interesting turn.
This has been a good week for TVNZ in terms of viewing numbers. The Americas Cup races have been dramatic, they have screened at viewer friendly times, and results have been positive.
But tonight’s bulletin was just extraordinary. It was close to an hour-long advertisement for tomorrow’s action, with not a lot of perspective, and healthy doses of making a lot out of nothing.
It was almost like they were all geared up for an ETNZ victory, complete with soundbite, and had a complete absence of a Plan B.
The first five minutes was a good summary of today’s events, but then it just drifted off course. There was an interivew from the reporter out on the harbour who talked up how amazing everyone was today (details were a bit vague on that) before giving a summary of the weather forecast for tomorrow.
It then cut to the weather guy on a wharf pretty much repeating what had just been said with a request to tune in later in the bulletin.
The reporter on the top of an almost deserted North Head got two live crosses within 15 minutes of each other. Note; not a lot had changed during that quarter of an hour.
We got to feel the atmosphere in some pre-recorded footage from North Head, a retirement home in Albany, and the Fanzone itself. At least they had a little bit of self-awareness to go to some yacht clubs around the country. There was Burling’s old club, a couple of families in Lyttleton and a small group of camera shy punters at Port Nich in Wellington.
18 minutes: The boat gets towed in.
34 minutes. Footage of the boat being lifted out of the water. Some actual live action; oof.
Following that there was a rehash of last night’s political poll, something on the Lion King and brief footage of a sandstorm in Beijing.
Sadly the last item didn’t feature the obvious soundtrack.
Then the sports news. Actually, that was misleading. More interviews and features coming out of the Viaduct. No other sport covered.
Peter Lester: “I’m staggered by New Zealand’s engagement in this Americas Cup”. You can tell what Peter watches in his spare time.
Then the weather section linked heavy rain in Nelson with the weather system off the Waitemata Harbour today. To be fair, that was pretty creative.
It finished with Simon Dallow saying “the atmosphere has been electric”, against a slightly bleak backdrop.
There was also far too much use of the word “we”, which is a real no-no in sports coverage.
Great piece. Well done.
Captured the coverage precisely.. With all the repetitive blather one would have thought they would have fitted in the fact that the official charity of Emirates team nz is the MND Association. Its logo is on the teams t shirts and the sail. Motor neurone disease is said to be the cruelest of all and there are many and increasing numbers of NZers with it including CEO of Emirates team nz Greg Horton. One would have thought a wee mention to highlight why it is the chosen charity and indeed the very fact there is a charitable purpose to such an indulgent rich man’s sport would have made the coverage just a wee bit more interesting.. one would have thought.
This is the last of the boys’ own events! It demonstrates that wealth and power can do a lot and no doubt if there were female racing events the profile would diminish.
Pretty fair comment!
Lucky the America’s Cup was on yesterday because nothing else happened in the world!
TVNZ’s news last night was just disgusting. After the first few minutes we turned it off. As far as the actual coverage is concerned, pictures come from the official broadcaster, same as anyone else who’s screening/streaming. I’ve had much better enjoyment in listening to americascup.com instead of the dribbling, over-sugared drivel TVNZ spout on air. I sailed for about five years when I was at school, and have forgotten a lot, but the comments from that site have been much more professional, unbiased, interesting and just downright pleasureable. TVNZ has been an embarrassment during its presentation of this cup, thank goodness it’s almost over, just for that. But I have really enjoyed the racing, hope whoever wins keeps this class going. Spectaclular.
I recommend muting the TV sound and listening to shanties while you watch. The commentary is to wince for, anyway…
[…] be more chances for it to all end today, but in the meantime, you may enjoy this piece on the Sportsfreak blog which suggests TVNZ’s coverage of the event may have gone three sheets to the […]