ITV4 coverage of the Vuelta
I've only seen the highlights shows, so can't comment on the Live coverage, but what are your opinions?
I thought Saurday's show was well shaky:
However, it's improved. Ned - who I like on the Tour, but seemed caffeinated on Saturday in order to add some oomf to the proceedings - has calmed down, and Matt Rendell is being used a bit more, which is a good thing
I thought Saurday's show was well shaky:
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Ben Swift had nothing to say (and he continued not to say it on the Sunday)
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the Ozzie commentator's voice was/is irritating (my problem, I know)
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what the hell happened to the sequencing of the highlights? We heard him mention Sky's poor ride before we'd even seen it, then say that Leopard-Trek had beaten Astana's time, a good few minutes before we even saw Astana. Did anyone else notice that?
However, it's improved. Ned - who I like on the Tour, but seemed caffeinated on Saturday in order to add some oomf to the proceedings - has calmed down, and Matt Rendell is being used a bit more, which is a good thing
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I thought the picture quality was pretty poor, on ITV4 anyways0
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^ I agree, It's appalling. I'm not watching it for this reason.
If I wanted to see blurry, cyclist-shaped objects, I'd stand next to a local cycle track without my glasses on.0 -
its utter crud. 15 mins of adverts and shitty picture..
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the shitty picture is the fault of the host broadcaster, not ITV. 15 mins of ad's - you must be watching something else. Standard 5 mins of ads.
The studio chatter has improved throughout the week which is good. The stock commentary (again, this isn't ITV) is bland.
It's been put together on minimal budget and I can only hope that if viewing figures are sufficient they might improve things a bit next year.
Would rather watch Eurosport but the highlights on there are at rubbish times.0 -
derbygrimpeur wrote:The studio chatter has improved throughout the week which is good. The stock commentary (again, this isn't ITV) is bland.
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He really got on my wick for the first few days but Matt Keenan has grown on me. He's doing an amazing job for a lone commentator and is really knowledgable about the riders, it wasnt for the grating accent I'd say he's better than Harmon.
Anyway "Hello. I'm Judith Chalmers"The dissenter is every human being at those moments of his life when he resigns
momentarily from the herd and thinks for himself.0 -
No difference between ITV pictures and the rest HD is OK, nothing special. Typical Vuelta production from the manana boys.
Eurosport bailed out about 5 minutes after Sagan crossed the line. ITV 4 are still going.
Plenty of analysis, info and a replay of the last 7kms.
Matt Keenan is a country mile better than those 2 aging US wannabee citizens."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
More Matt Rendell = good.
Ned Boulting's exclusive use of matey nicknames for any British rider (Cav, G, Swifty, etc etc etc) = grating."We're not holding up traffic. We are traffic."0 -
6.2 from the Hackney judge
they are getting better... on a learning curve0 -
I've been watching the live coverage and, IMHO, Keenan is very knowledgeable about the riders, the tactics and the stage routes. Doing the commentary solo is good going.
The studio bits have got a lot better; more real analysis and less of the "Swifty", "Cav" etc.
Despite the iffy broadcast quality (and even that's getting better), I'm really enjoying it and it's a welcome and unexpected bonus.0 -
The coverage is infinitely better than the TdF if for no other reason than Paul Sherwen isn't prattling on about "this sport of professional cycling" and "you've got to be in the first fifteen"0
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Matt Keenan's a great guy and you have to judge his commentary in context, i.e. there is no-one alongside him ever. That means a mighty long squawk and lone voices are very noticeable on TV commentary. Incidentally, he is ASO's commentary man - his voice commentates before Liggett and Sherwen pick up in many parts of the world.-- Dirk Hofman Motorhomes --0
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Keenan's streets ahead of the tiresome Liggett-Sherwen love-in. Ned's a great presenter and Matt Rendell, despite his strange ticks, gives an educated assessment of all that's going on.
Congrats to ITV4 for actually showing The Vuelta in the first place.
It's cycling that's on the telly innit! Can't complain about that!Let's close our eyes and see what happens0 -
Matt Rendell has an encyclopoedic knowledge of cycling, and he and Ned make a great double act.
I'm just grateful that ITV4 are actually showing the Vuelta despite only having a budget of £8.50 for the whole thing. Main hope is that they're happy enough with the audience figures to do it again next year. From small acorns.0 -
It does appear to have been put together in haste (Wiggo?) and on a very strict budget. The actual pictures/coverage isn't great, it's not so much a 'highlights' package as reduced coverage clipped to show the end of the race. The Aussie guy seems to know his stuff, but his accent is irritating. That all said, it certainly better than nowt.0
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I am recording it every day on ITV4 but watching the stages as live on Eurosport player then going back to ITV for the analysis.
I really cant abide the comentry and even though Harmon is rubbish at least his voice doesnt grate.
Hopefully though with good figures ITV will provide coverage of the other races they hold the rights too (basically all of the ASO races)"If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got."
PX Kaffenback 2 = Work Horse
B-Twin Alur 700 = Sundays and Hills0 -
Firstly, I'm really pleased and grateful that something, anything, is on at all.
That said, it's not a great product.
Not remotely keen on the Aussie commentator, but at least he's fairly reliable. It's nice to have a change from Phil and Paul and their thing for Jens Voigt. I like them but after over 20 years of hearing it they do end up pointing out the same things, inevitably. Ned and Rendell are good, we need a bit more of them perhaps.
Some of the editing is bad but they still manage to build the musicky bit at the end, so fair dinkum.
Biggest complaint is the digital display of the Spanish feed lacks the detail of the Tour. Time splits, who's in what group etc. Makes it hard to know WTF is going on at times.
Cheers0 -
Quite happy TBH. The first highlights show was pretty bad (teams shown out of order, results mentioned before the end etc) but they've got better as the week has gone on.
Agree with this. The tour has all this in place but many of the other televised tours (including the giro) are a bit lacking. Can't blame ITV for that, thoughCourage Monsieur wrote:Biggest complaint is the digital display of the Spanish feed lacks the detail of the Tour. Time splits, who's in what group etc. Makes it hard to know WTF is going on at times.0 -
Courage Monsieur wrote:Firstly, I'm really pleased and grateful that something, anything, is on at all.
Biggest complaint is the digital display of the Spanish feed lacks the detail of the Tour. Time splits, who's in what group etc. Makes it hard to know WTF is going on at times.
Agreed that it's good that we have the coverage and we should send encouraging emails to ITV
the live race data is a tougher conundrum, to do this you need a lot more bikes with cameras and analysts generating the numbers which isn't commercially viable for the organisers - and the race tactics aren't as predictable as the tour because the teams don't have the money to monitor and control breaks etc
although this is part of the fun of watching, you have to really concentrate to figure out what is going on"I get paid to make other people suffer on my wheel, how good is that"
--Jens Voight0 -
blim wrote:I've only seen the highlights shows, so can't comment on the Live coverage, but what are your opinions?
I thought Saurday's show was well shaky:-
Ben Swift had nothing to say (and he continued not to say it on the Sunday)
-
the Ozzie commentator's voice was/is irritating (my problem, I know)
-
what the hell happened to the sequencing of the highlights? We heard him mention Sky's poor ride before we'd even seen it, then say that Leopard-Trek had beaten Astana's time, a good few minutes before we even saw Astana. Did anyone else notice that?
However, it's improved. Ned - who I like on the Tour, but seemed caffeinated on Saturday in order to add some oomf to the proceedings - has calmed down, and Matt Rendell is being used a bit more, which is a good thing
Impression I get is they are trying to do the best they can with limited resources. I've certainly found it quite boring compared to the TDF e.g. few interviews with riders, scenery not done justice, dull commentary. I like Rendell and Boulting, but again they are doing the best they can. Ben Swift really didn't have anything to say - but you gotta cut the guy some slack - while he's been blessed with the physical ability to be a pro, IMO he's too young to have formed any real insights.
And all this is when I can actually get ITV4 on my Freeview box - somedays it's there and other days the bandwidth must be so low, the box fails to display any pictures whatsoever.
Really hoping the Vuelta TT delivers some interest and also the 'Worlds' in September....0 -
afx237vi wrote:zammmmo wrote:Really hoping the Vuelta TT delivers some interest and also the 'Worlds' in September....
Apologies, but that really made me laugh. Do you like helicopter shots of motorways?
Watching J Rod battle that headwind last year was compelling viewing
"I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)0 -
zammmmo wrote:blim wrote:I've only seen the highlights shows, so can't comment on the Live coverage, but what are your opinions?
I thought Saurday's show was well shaky:-
Ben Swift had nothing to say (and he continued not to say it on the Sunday)
-
the Ozzie commentator's voice was/is irritating (my problem, I know)
-
what the hell happened to the sequencing of the highlights? We heard him mention Sky's poor ride before we'd even seen it, then say that Leopard-Trek had beaten Astana's time, a good few minutes before we even saw Astana. Did anyone else notice that?
However, it's improved. Ned - who I like on the Tour, but seemed caffeinated on Saturday in order to add some oomf to the proceedings - has calmed down, and Matt Rendell is being used a bit more, which is a good thing
Impression I get is they are trying to do the best they can with limited resources. I've certainly found it quite boring compared to the TDF e.g. few interviews with riders, scenery not done justice, dull commentary. I like Rendell and Boulting, but again they are doing the best they can. Ben Swift really didn't have anything to say - but you gotta cut the guy some slack - while he's been blessed with the physical ability to be a pro, IMO he's too young to have formed any real insights.
And all this is when I can actually get ITV4 on my Freeview box - somedays it's there and other days the bandwidth must be so low, the box fails to display any pictures whatsoever.
Really hoping the Vuelta TT delivers some interest and also the 'Worlds' in September....
Seems a little pointles to get an active pro to come on and provide any kind of objective comment/insight - he knows which side his bread is buttered!0 -
afx237vi wrote:zammmmo wrote:Really hoping the Vuelta TT delivers some interest and also the 'Worlds' in September....
Apologies, but that really made me laugh. Do you like helicopter shots of motorways?
Just imagine it's an episode of Police Camera Action! with some unmarked cop cars in pursuit of a bicycle thief.Twitter: @RichN950 -
RichN95 wrote:afx237vi wrote:zammmmo wrote:Really hoping the Vuelta TT delivers some interest and also the 'Worlds' in September....
Apologies, but that really made me laugh. Do you like helicopter shots of motorways?
Just imagine it's an episode of Police Camera Action! with some unmarked cop cars in pursuit of a bicycle thief.
It'd be an improvment if John Bunnell was commentating.0 -
I maybe shot down, but isn’t it about time cycling followed the F1 example and had one Promoter/TV Producer, etc
So, for example – all the races in the ProTour (GT’s, Classics, etc) have ONE company producing/promoting it – so we get the same graphics, TV quality, etc for every race, instead of the hit & miss coverage we get now?
Easier said than done mind you…All Road/ Gravel: tbcWinter: tbcMTB: tbcRoad: tbc"Look at the time...." "he's fallen like an old lady on a cruise ship..."0 -
Considering Ned is obviously doing this from his bedroom it's not too bad. "Be down for my tea in a MINUTE Mam, I'm on the telly!"
The commentator does seem to know his stuff but the sound quality is horrendous, keeps breaking up all the time. Sounds like he's broadcasting on a pirate radio station from a parked up Transit.
I hope ITV puts some more cash into the budget and comes up with something similar to Tour coverage and who knows they may start doing Giro and other races.0 -
From today, Eurosport precede their Vuelta coverage with all singing and dancing................................snooker.
So, given that will probably run on forever, ITV stand to gain quite a few viewers, over a number of forthcoming stages."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
I am wondering, whether after today, ITV are thinking to themselves, that by covering live Vuelta, that they might just have played a blinder?
Be interesting to see how their viewing figures pan out, should things in general (classification) pan out. "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
Cycling on TV - great0
