The Ace regional stations seem to be taking the Olympics from 8pm through overnight where they would normally take 3AW. But not 2AY which is running music (although I’m not sure if that’s normal for them).
Incidentally 2CC are going out of their way to take Olympics outside their normal network programming. They dropped the 6am local shows over the weekend to stay with Olympics until the end of coverage at 7am.
I listened to some coverage tonight. It’s very 2GB-heavy with Mark Levy hosting from the studio with Bill Woods who called the Opals game. Earlier Ray Hadley and Libby Trickett in Paris called the swimming.
Good to hear the commentators actually calling the sports. In the past (ABC?) would just do constant updates with hardly any commentating.
Bill Woods on again calling the Nadal v Djokovic match.
Seems to have changed tonight, all seem to be running music (from a sample of 3WM, 3CS, 3NE and 2AY which I’ve been able to pick up).
2AY usually has a very talk heavy schedule so it’s a bit unusual for them to run music at night.
Interesting. 2QN was taking Olympics when I checked earlier tonight but has switched over to music since then…
Yet to see single good reason why it is expected that ABC must hold broadcast radio rights in locations where Nine has a station.
They’re the public broadcaster. So….?
Sounds like Ace accidentally were broadcasting the Olympics on some stations due to automation in their systems switching to the Nine Syndication feed. Either they don’t want to broadcast the Olympics, or they are not allowed to.
I assume Nine would expect a rights fee to be paid if they chose too. Or perhaps the final agreement with the ABC meant that Nine agreed not to resell to other regional commercial broadcasters.
Nine offered the Olympics to all the regional stations (and FiveAA) who normally take overnight programming. There’s some interesting information on the Nine Radio Syndication site.
I imagine the content is provided free as the existing affiliates have an agreement to take Nine programming for the full year and Nine don’t want to provide alternative programming.
Nine has obtained permission from the IOC for regional radio stations who usually receive syndicated content from Nine, to broadcast Nine’s coverage of the Olympic Games and to sell advertising in advertising breaks as notified by Nine.
Nine Radio Syndication will provide coverage of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games from Saturday, July 27, to Monday, August 12, 2024 (inclusive).
This coverage will be available to affiliate stations that typically broadcast Nine Radio programming from 18:00 to 05:30 Monday to Friday and from 19:00 to 07:00 Saturday and Sunday (AEST).
Some of the above guidelines might explain why Ross and Russ are not allowed to refer to Mercedes Benz when they are discussing their Rumour File major prize.
When I flicked over I heard Trevor Sinclair doing voice tracking in-between songs which last time I checked was only heard on 3YB and Gold 1242. I wonder if Trevor knows he is now heard across all the AM Ace radio stations and if he is still making reference to Better Music and more of it which the majority of stations don’t use
Following on from my earlier post, I feel 2GB is losing its shine with its production/imaging by introducing the national/other markets male voiceover in conjunction with their main v/o Lofty.
Lofty is slick, professional & hard-hitting when need be.
The mish-mash of two male voiceovers sounds messy IMO.
Not to mention, the new v/o reminds me of 2UE in their final years as a talkback station (as it’s the same male v/o).
It’d be different if they balanced Lofty with a female v/o (like what 2SM is doing these days with Steve Murphy and a female v/o).
Dylan McCullough and Hayden Wilde are New Zealanders lol!
…and? It’s an Australian state.
Video of Paris commentary
“GOLD, GOLD, GOLD FOR AUSTRALIA!” 🥇
— 2GB Sydney (@2GB873) July 30, 2024
Ray Hadley and Libby Trickett’s fantastic call as Kaylee McKeown makes history in the 100m backstroke.#Paris2024 #Olympics pic.twitter.com/ECaNyiKrJQ
Well yes it is since its being anchored from 2GB’s dedicated David Morrow olympics studio. And with excellent sports broadcasters headed by Levy with Bill Woods who are both 2GB. Bill McDonald is in there from 4BC. Has 3AW contributed anyone?
The 2GB-heaviness continues with Ray Hadley from Paris, one of the most experienced Olympics broadcasters anywhere.
So yeah very 2GB-heavy … a good thing indeed :))
Shane McInnes as mentioned previously, he’s in Paris.
And his experience is telling in the level of the calls at the swimming. Good stuff from him. He would be good doing play by play on tv for the swimming and athletics.
How good is the Ray Hadley - Libby Trickett combo at the Olympics swimming? Great interaction ! Libby sounds delightful and could be a radio natural.
Another highlight is the incomparable Gordon Bray calling rugby and now hockey, sitting in the David Morrow olympic studio at 2GB. The live studio camera is gold at showing how brilliant the whole team.is working together through nights + overnight. Check it out:
Champions all, well done.
I found it interesting when 2GB’s Ben Fordham was discussing about how good Libby sounds on the radio. It sounded like it was the first time they had heard Libby on the radio.
IIRC, didn’t Libby do some fill-in work at Triple M/Nova106.9 Brisbane?
It’s definitely not her first time on the radio. So why is everybody acting so surprised?
I’m going to be that person.
Really tired of turning on 3AW after 7pm and 5am and there is Olympics on… If it’s a big, important moment, sure broadcast it, but this continuous coverage is far too much for radio.
Gives us updates if required, but enough with the all night saturation coverage.
