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Canberra Today 14°/16° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

When television crosses the line

WHEN will the intrusion by television into sporting events ever stop? When will the media bosses say “enough is enough” and leave sport alone?

The NRL/Indigenous All Star game is a classic example of over-baking the coverage. Is there a need to have players interviewed while they are about to take a shot at goal or players interviewed after they scored a try?

Do we really want to know what is going through the players’ minds as they prepare for goal?

It has the feel of a master class in goal kicking or how to beat a tackle. But is this really what the viewing public want; a Hollywood-style approach to sport?

A better slot for this is “The Footy Show”. All it does is cheapen the game by making it appear “staged” rather than viewed as a serious contest.

As it turned out, it was a great match despite the television coverage.

It was the same with the T20 International. Players were miked up to speak with the commentators.

It works with some games, but not with others.

It worked when Shane Warne spoke as he was about to bowl, but that was in the Big Bash where almost anything goes and they were trying to establish a point of difference. In the Big Bash I don’t see a problem because it has a “festival” feel about it.

I also don’t see a problem with this approach to charity cricket matches involving celebrities.

In an international, as we saw in the T20 game between Australia and India, it shouldn’t be allowed. This is a strong competition where players display considerable concentration and great talent.

The media also needs to respect the space required by players to perform rather than cast themselves as integral to the entertainment, when in fact they are interpreters of sport.

I am speaking from experience, having overstepped the mark in my enthusiasm in what seems like a lifetime ago.

In the 1989 Rugby League Grand Final, I was the sideline eye with Johnny Peard during ABC TV’s coverage. Close to full time, I gatecrashed the Raiders’ bench and interviewed prop Brent Todd while the game was still underway. I still remember the look coach Tim Sheens cast in my direction.

I had overstepped the invisible line.

That line was also broken during the radio coverage of the Barcelona Olympics when I stormed on to the arena to interview the Australian equestrian team. They were still gathering their thoughts and I had invaded this private moment for a radio scoop.

Not my finest moments, I cringe when I recollect them now, but you live and learn.

Some things need to be left to the imagination of the listener or the viewer. Although the line between sport and entertainment is blurry, sport itself provides enough entertainment without the media playing a role equivalent to that of the players or athletes.

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Thank you,

Ian Meikle, editor

Tim Gavel

Tim Gavel

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