BBC 'Biased' Coverage

[edinburgh_gunner]

I think the problem is that in order to have good, informed, commentary you'll need someone from that country in order to get it. Now I like Brain Moore, he's very clued up on the game, very funny and makes some very good points. Now I don't expect him for one moment to be completely neutral, he's an Englishman supporting England. OK, it can be annoying especially when you support the oppostion (i refer thee back to last years Calcutta Cup match 'OOO JOHNNY'S BACK!' even if he did sweet fa) and in this digital age we should be able to have a neutral commentary available to us too.

What i do like though, is Scrum V. I watch it alot, even when Edinburgh aren't involved. The fan scene commentary is amusing and has real fans of the sport involved in it, the sort of people you'd go and watch a game with in the pub. AND they always have a supporter of the opposition there to balance things out. Now, could the BBC not do that for the internationals?

 

[DonBilly]

<div class='quotemain'> [I quite often find the commentary by the BBC more neutral than what we can get on the French TV. For example during the last match in Paris, they were quite vocal on the knock-on which preceded the first English try.

In general you are right the commentators are very often biased toward the teams of their countries. I watched the famous RWC QF played in Cardiff on the NZ TV and I was surprised by the bias of the commentators.

I think that this pleases many of the TV watchers, this creates a link with the commentators.
[/b]

I dont have a problem with French/NZ/local radio comentary being biased. Generally for Scotland football games i listen to Clyde 1's comentary which generally deteriates into screaming when Scotland score. (DJ's clip for McFaddens goal in Paris is an absolute classic here in scotland)



But the point is the BBC arent providing comentary for one country, they are catering for 4 countries that often are supporting different teams (or are watching from a neutral point of view awaiting/having watched their own game - a la last saturday) When local radio are covering games i dont mind the bias (listening to Saracens v Glasgow on 4 counties Radio for example) but the games on BBC One or Two are being broadcast to 4 seperate countries and should therefore be us unbiased as is humanly possible!

[/b][/quote]

You sound like the non-russian inhabitants of the former USSR... If you don't like the English supremacy, leave them.

 

[lineens weegie army]

<div class='quotemain'> <div class='quotemain'> [I quite often find the commentary by the BBC more neutral than what we can get on the French TV. For example during the last match in Paris, they were quite vocal on the knock-on which preceded the first English try.

In general you are right the commentators are very often biased toward the teams of their countries. I watched the famous RWC QF played in Cardiff on the NZ TV and I was surprised by the bias of the commentators.

I think that this pleases many of the TV watchers, this creates a link with the commentators.
[/b]

I dont have a problem with French/NZ/local radio comentary being biased. Generally for Scotland football games i listen to Clyde 1's comentary which generally deteriates into screaming when Scotland score. (DJ's clip for McFaddens goal in Paris is an absolute classic here in scotland)



But the point is the BBC arent providing comentary for one country, they are catering for 4 countries that often are supporting different teams (or are watching from a neutral point of view awaiting/having watched their own game - a la last saturday) When local radio are covering games i dont mind the bias (listening to Saracens v Glasgow on 4 counties Radio for example) but the games on BBC One or Two are being broadcast to 4 seperate countries and should therefore be us unbiased as is humanly possible!

[/b][/quote]

You sound like the non-russian inhabitants of the former USSR... If you don't like the English supremacy, leave them.
[/b][/quote]



Believe me, given the chance I would!

 

[BLR]

Believe me, given the chance I would!
[/b]

I'll be there in November, assemble the armies, I'll bring the cheese and dip

 

[lineens weegie army]

Army is assembled - well almost! They will be meeting this saturday, and if reports are to be believed there will be a scouting mission to Wembley in may

 

[elgringoborracho]

<div class='quotemain'> [I quite often find the commentary by the BBC more neutral than what we can get on the French TV. For example during the last match in Paris, they were quite vocal on the knock-on which preceded the first English try.

In general you are right the commentators are very often biased toward the teams of their countries. I watched the famous RWC QF played in Cardiff on the NZ TV and I was surprised by the bias of the commentators.

I think that this pleases many of the TV watchers, this creates a link with the commentators.
[/b]

I dont have a problem with French/NZ/local radio comentary being biased. Generally for Scotland football games i listen to Clyde 1's comentary which generally deteriates into screaming when Scotland score. (DJ's clip for McFaddens goal in Paris is an absolute classic here in scotland)



But the point is the BBC arent providing comentary for one country, they are catering for 4 countries that often are supporting different teams (or are watching from a neutral point of view awaiting/having watched their own game - a la last saturday) When local radio are covering games i dont mind the bias (listening to Saracens v Glasgow on 4 counties Radio for example) but the games on BBC One or Two are being broadcast to 4 seperate countries and should therefore be us unbiased as is humanly possible!

[/b][/quote]

Totally agree. that's what i meant saying that it was not a preoblem that french commentators were biased. Nobody but us gets a word of our f**in language anyway. Apart from some canadians of course, but they live on another continent. And the belgians, but they don't know rugby. And Teh Mite

 

[lineens weegie army]

<div class='quotemain'> <div class='quotemain'> [I quite often find the commentary by the BBC more neutral than what we can get on the French TV. For example during the last match in Paris, they were quite vocal on the knock-on which preceded the first English try.

In general you are right the commentators are very often biased toward the teams of their countries. I watched the famous RWC QF played in Cardiff on the NZ TV and I was surprised by the bias of the commentators.

I think that this pleases many of the TV watchers, this creates a link with the commentators.
[/b]

I dont have a problem with French/NZ/local radio comentary being biased. Generally for Scotland football games i listen to Clyde 1's comentary which generally deteriates into screaming when Scotland score. (DJ's clip for McFaddens goal in Paris is an absolute classic here in scotland)



But the point is the BBC arent providing comentary for one country, they are catering for 4 countries that often are supporting different teams (or are watching from a neutral point of view awaiting/having watched their own game - a la last saturday) When local radio are covering games i dont mind the bias (listening to Saracens v Glasgow on 4 counties Radio for example) but the games on BBC One or Two are being broadcast to 4 seperate countries and should therefore be us unbiased as is humanly possible!

[/b][/quote]

Totally agree. that's what i meant saying that it was not a preoblem that french commentators were biased. Nobody but us gets a word of our f**in language anyway. Apart from some canadians of course, but they live on another continent. And the belgians, but they don't know rugby. And Teh Mite
[/b][/quote]



I get, erm, 'some' of it! (all the french I know went into my signature)

 

[BLR]

Totally agree. that's what i meant saying that it was not a preoblem that french commentators were biased. Nobody but us gets a word of our f**in language anyway. Apart from some canadians of course, but they live on another continent. And the belgians, but they don't know rugby. And Teh Mite
[/b]

Don't a large preportion of Africa speaks French?

 

[DonBilly]

<div class='quotemain'>
Totally agree. that's what i meant saying that it was not a preoblem that french commentators were biased. Nobody but us gets a word of our f**in language anyway. Apart from some canadians of course, but they live on another continent. And the belgians, but they don't know rugby. And Teh Mite
[/b]

Don't a large preportion of Africa speaks French? [/b][/quote]

Indeed but they are much more after football than Rugby. This is changing because there are more and more players with origins from these countries such as Betsen, Dusautoir, Nyanga, Diara, Sid, Dridri, etc.

 

[elgringoborracho]

<div class='quotemain'>
Totally agree. that's what i meant saying that it was not a preoblem that french commentators were biased. Nobody but us gets a word of our f**in language anyway. Apart from some canadians of course, but they live on another continent. And the belgians, but they don't know rugby. And Teh Mite
[/b]

Don't a large preportion of Africa speaks French? [/b][/quote]

Very true. But don't get me wrong, I'm not saying a biased coverage is a good coverage. It is, in fact, a very boring one. it's just that it's not the same problem with one commentator speaking for four countries ore more, than with one guy speaking only for the french.
And, as I said, few tourists visiting france and actually watching the game in french understand it anyway, whereas English is understood by many.

Anyway, I watched last game with my girlfriend in London and couldn't get a word the english guy was saying due to all her "what's he doing there? Why does he kick it? Why don't they throw the ball very far and just run after it?" and all my shutthef**up honey! :%#%#:

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotemain'> <div class='quotemain'>
Totally agree. that's what i meant saying that it was not a preoblem that french commentators were biased. Nobody but us gets a word of our f**in language anyway. Apart from some canadians of course, but they live on another continent. And the belgians, but they don't know rugby. And Teh Mite
[/b]

Don't a large preportion of Africa speaks French? [/b][/quote]

Very true. But don't get me wrong, I'm not saying a biased coverage is a good coverage. It is, in fact, a very boring one. it's just that it's not the same problem with one commentator speaking for four countries ore more, than with one guy speaking only for the french.
And, as I said, few tourists visiting france and actually watching the game in french understand it anyway, whereas English is understood by many.

Anyway, I watched last game with my girlfriend in London and couldn't get a word the english guy was saying due to all her "what's he doing there? Why does he kick it? Why don't they throw the ball very far and just run after it?" and all my shutthef**up honey! :%#%#:
[/b][/quote]

Quite a dilemma there, I have found a difference between the coverage of TF1 from the world cup and France 2 in the Six Nations, I must admit that while there has been obvious bias from both stations, they don't seem to go for the football style sensationalism of TF1, that and the fact that they don't explain the rules every 2 minutes. Admittedly it would have been nice if the commentators talked about the Ireland Scotland match during the half time break instead of the France England match but you cater to your primary audience

 

[Macsen]

I see the BBC website is once again giving the Scotland v England match pride of place as the main story, despite the Ireland v Wales match being the more important to the outcome of the tournament. What's the excuse this time?

 

[An Tarbh]

Probably the Cipriani story and Ashton's mishandling of the situation has brought greater attention on this match, that and the BBC need to justify scheduling it in a more prime slot than the Ireland Wales match.

 

[Bullitt]

The game is being played in the UK. Or something like that.

 

[lineens weegie army]

And could someone tell me, how long has Dougie Vipond been fronting the 6 Nations coverage for? (I have honestly NEVER noticed him before, but then again i dont know when I last watched the 6 Nations on BBC)

 

[Prestwick]

Will Murrayfield be rolling out the stone age caveme- I mean HIGHLY authentic scottish braveheart freedom fighters again?

 

[Incredible Schalk]

I see the BBC website is once again giving the Scotland v England match pride of place as the main story, despite the Ireland v Wales match being the more important to the outcome of the tournament. What's the excuse this time?
[/b]

When Scotland and England play its always the main headline,but i agree that Wales's achievment should be the main story.

 

[An Tarbh]

God No, Barnsley getting to the FA Cup Semi-Finals is by far the achievement of the day

 

[lineens weegie army]

EBC 10 O'Clock news tonight:

"And in the days other game, Jonny Wilkinson became the worlds leading point scorer in Test rugby as England slumped to defeat. This kick from Wilko [play clip of first penalty] was the only real highlight from a dour affair in Edinburgh"

OK, so not only have they said the only highlight was a kick the vast majority of the crowd couldnt care about, but they have also totally failed to mention the word 'Scotland', or even 'scots'. Nice, fair, balanced coverage as per usual then!

Also, havent watched the BBC's coverage yet (but i'll be watching it in full on monday ) but people ive spoken to have said the comentary was extremley biased towards england - anyone confirm this?

 

[polonius]

EBC 10 O'Clock news tonight:

"And in the days other game, Jonny Wilkinson became the worlds leading point scorer in Test rugby as England slumped to defeat. This kick from Wilko [play clip of first penalty] was the only real highlight from a dour affair in Edinburgh"

OK, so not only have they said the only highlight was a kick the vast majority of the crowd couldnt care about, but they have also totally failed to mention the word 'Scotland', or even 'scots'. Nice, fair, balanced coverage as per usual then!

Also, havent watched the BBC's coverage yet (but i'll be watching it in full on monday ) but people ive spoken to have said the comentary was extremley biased towards england - anyone confirm this?
[/b]

Biased towards England?

Yes - in that there was far too much concentration on what England were doing; sadly this is what we must come to expect from Brian Moore. However, whilst he failed to comment on Scotland's tactics and the execution of those ideas, what Moore was saying about England was absolutely scathing and brutally accurate.

So, yes, it was biased towards England but even in his negativity his comments were at times informative and bordered on the entertaining.

By contrast, I heard the thoughts of Ian Robertson on the wireless this morning. His views concentrated more on how well Scotland played both in scoring the points but in making England look so poor and bereft of vision.

I would suggest this isn't because Ian Robertson is a Scot but because he is an intelligent and highly experienced broadcaster and commentator on the game. As ever, those who listen to the wireless are far better served ...