Olympics Coverage - History

[Jeffmister]

@RFBurns

You seem to think Television is a Gold mine?7 had an EBIT over the last 6 months of around $185mil. That’s a profit covering operating costs & advertising revenue for 6 whole months, & before they pay any tax out of that.

Yes they will be able to get more for advertising during the Olympics, but not that much more.

Operating costs are still going to be the same as normal, but on top of that, they’ve got to add the cost of buying the broadcast rights, the cost of the additional staff contracts &/or wages for members of the commentary team, who are not normally employed/paid for by the 7 network, (whether they’ll be in Australia or Rio), plus any costs associated with travel & accommodation for any staff actually going to Rio.

Operating costs for the period leading up to, during & after the Olympics will be far greater than normal, & can’t be recovered by extra advertising revenue.

You’ve also got to account for the costs, for the staff they sent over to Rio a few months ago, the “suss” the place out, all associated with the Olympic broadcast budget.

Of course television in this day and age isn’t a gold mine and frankly it’s a ridiculous suggestion to suggest anyone would think that. Just due to the timezone difference meaning most of the key events will happen overnight to early-afternoon means Seven will make a loss from these Olympics as a result of less viewers = less advertising revenue even before you consider operating costs, staff salaries, etc.

What I was talking about and what you’re outlining are two separate things. I’m saying that Seven would have probably factored when they signed the Olympics deal that they wouldn’t make a profit from showing the Rio games. However since the deal also covers the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, both of will be like Beijing 2008 in being timezone friendly - Seven will have two ‘favourable’ Olympics to try and recoup what they spent on broadcast rights alone. They can take a loss this time around knowing the two games down the track will at least be revenue-neutral, if not produce a slight profit on what they spent to secure the rights.

[eddel]

@RFBurns

But my initial comment was in relation to how many people 7 actually had in Rio from the Olympics commentary team, I said only 2 or 3 & then the reply was, the press release says 7 or more.

You actually said “there’s only 2 or 3 people from 7 going to Rio”. You didn’t specify that “there’s only 2 or 3 commentators whose travel is being funded and arranged entirely by 7 under their specific internal olympics budget category”.

However you want to spin it, there will be at least seven people from Seven there covering the day-to-day action of the games, plus many members of the commentary team who will be travelling there, plus a few people from the news department (plus a substantial support team).

To say “only 2 or 3 are going” is incredibly misleading. Even if the hosts are in Australia, I’d still conservatively suggest that we are looking at a team of 30-40 people in Rio from Seven plus the many commentators who only join Seven’s team for a day or two.

[OnAir]

@eddel

many members of the commentary team who will be travelling there

I may have missed it, but haven’t we established that many members of the commentary team won’t be travelling there?

[eddel]

Many will, many won’t.

It’s a big team.

[JohnsonTV]

New Olympic promo aired tonight, featuring an archer shooting an arrow at a donut hung on a tree at the other end of a car park.

[RFBurns]

@eddel

However you want to spin it, there will be at least seven people from Seven there covering the day-to-day action of the games, plus many members of the commentary team who will be travelling there, plus a few people from the news department (plus a substantial support team).

To say “only 2 or 3 are going” is incredibly misleading. Even if the hosts are in Australia, I’d still conservatively suggest that we are looking at a team of 30-40 people in Rio from Seven plus the many commentators who only join Seven’s team for a day or two.

I’ve removed my posts from this thread, as others seem know better than me, & my posts didn’t bring any credible constructive information to the conversation.

[TV_Addict]

Maybe they will up the bit rate on 7mate if they aren’t going to launch an HD channel. Olympics will look terrible on 7 and 7two.

[Troiboi]

@RFBurns

I’ve removed my posts from this thread, as others seem know better than me, & my posts didn’t bring any credible constructive information to the conversation.

Thats not really how a public forum works.

[RFBurns]

I know how a public forum works, I’ve been in here & other media forums for years.

I work in the media & have lots of media contacts.

When people ask a question or make claims, & those who know what’s going respond, but then the others want to disagree because they know better, the knowledgable stop posting & giving information.

I could, but I won’t (because many here probably already know) name another media forum that’s died, where certain parties always knew better, & more than those actual experts in the field, & on the front line did. So those experts in the field stopped posting information & answering questions & left the forum.

I really hope MediaSpy doesn’t go down that path, but personally I am considering what information to give out here, & who to reply to, because I know there’s quite a few here are interested & gracious for the info/answers I give, but I don’t want to, & can’t be bothered fighting anyone, & justifying what I know, not what I think I know.

[Troiboi]

@RFBurns

I know how a public forum works, I’ve been in here & other media forums for years.

I work in the media & have lots of media contacts.

When people ask a question or make claims, & those who know what’s going respond, but then the others want to disagree because they know better, the knowledgable stop posting & giving information.

I could, but I won’t (because many here probably already know) name another media forum that’s died, where certain parties always knew better, & more than those actual experts in the field, & on the front line did. So those experts in the field stopped posting information & answering questions & left the forum.

I really hope MediaSpy doesn’t go down that path, but personally I am considering what information to give out here, & who to reply to, because I know there’s quite a few here are interested & gracious for the info/answers I give, but I don’t want to, & can’t be bothered fighting anyone, & justifying what I know, not what I think I know.

Just to clarify - I was kinda on your side. I was enjoying the comments and banter and think that now your comments are gone, the whole thing is out of context.

[RFBurns]

Yeah sorry, wasn’t attacking you.

Some of the disputed things are still quoted in peoples reply though.

[TVWest]

@RFBurns

I’ve removed my posts from this thread, as others seem know better than me, & my posts didn’t bring any credible constructive information to the conversation

I’ve been reading the to-and-fro’s on this thread in recent days and am saddened that someone feels bullied enough to want to drop out of the conversation. As with most claims made in these public forums, time will reveal the truth and who actually was/is in the know. In four months time we will know the accuracy of the various claims and know who to listen to in the future. I personally hope there is a huge crew in Rio from Seven, but history (Athens) shows us that the all important $$ will always be an overriding factor.
Whatever Seven do, I hope it will be better than the poor effort Nine put into London.

[eddel]

Wow, way to turn a perfectly innocent discussion into something personal.

If you have information then that’s great, share it, but don’t then turn around and have a hissy fit when somebody challenges what you’re saying because it seems at odds with what the network themselves say is happening.

It seems that there are many here (not you) who are very eager to bash Seven’s coverage before it has even begun and so I was simply attempting to bring some reason to the table rather than everybody getting carried away with the idea that Seven are opting-out by sending only a couple of people over to Rio.

[RFBurns]

I’ll give you this, 2 or 3 may be a little understated as in total personnel in Rio from 7. But some of those listed/stated as being there, will be there for other programs/reasons, not specifically as part of the 7 commentary team.

Some of the listed ex athletes who may be there, may not be there exclusively, sent by 7 for 7, it’ll be freelance.

I’m not sure on exactly what sports will be covered, but outside of Swimming, Athletics, Cycling & possibly Basketball, personnel from 7, on the ground in Rio, will be few & far between, or not at all.

Mel McLaughlin was/is a big important signing. She was actually signed months before it was announced, (I’m not exact on the date, but think it was way back before the BBL last year?), it was all kept quiet & under wraps by confidentially agreements. If 7 were serious about a strong team actually being in Rio, she’d be there, but she’s not, she’ll be hosting from Sydney.

7 will have absolutely bare minimum people in Rio, everyone else will be back in Aus.

If you don’t actually see them on camera, standing next to & talking to an athlete who’s competing in Rio, don’t blindly believe they’re there.

If you read very carefully through that commentary team press release up the page, you’ll notice that plenty imply they’ll be in Rio, but don’t actually state they will be in Rio.

Pat Welch will be trackside at the Athletics, Nathan Templeton will be on the pool deck, Phil Liggett will be in Rio, etc.

[eddel]

@RFBurns

7 will have absolutely bare minimum people in Rio, everyone else will be back in Aus.

Agree completely.

[NQCQTV2]

Saw this billboard attached to the side of the channel 7 building in Mackay in Central QLD on my current visit.

[BigVic]

Sunrise will be live from Rio tomorrow to mark the 100 day countdown to the Games

[JohnsonTV]

I think some members of the team will have flown to Rio early for the live cross.

[JohnsonTV]

Seven has released the full version of promo “how to be an Olympian” (which includes an archer firing an arrow at a donut on a tree, which has been on air for the past fortnight or so) to coincide with 100 days to go to Rio Olympics.

[JohnsonTV]

Sam Armitage has told News Corp she is considering pulling out of Seven’s coverage of the Rio Games over fears of contracting the Zika virus as she hopes to have a baby. There have been rumours that the event could be cancelled if the virus is not under control. Scary stuff.
News Corp also says Seven declined Ian Thorpe a part in the swimming commentary team so he signed up with Star TV in India for the duration of the Games. Big loss.