Correct me if I’m wrong but didn’t Seven news at 5 took priority over the Winter games action on the primary channel?
Don’t remember.
I would have thought that 7 News at 4 took a break when Olympics were on. (rio 2016 and Pyeongchang 2018. ) this will do the same for Tokyo 2020.
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does anyone have pictures of the beijing sets?
I was 6 then so dont remember it at all!
I’d expect Sunrise to feature a studio audience and go live in all markets before competition starts.
There was a preview show called “Yum Cha” for the duration of the 2008 Olympics airing on the East Coast only. Perth viewers only got the Sunday editions live. Yum Cha was hosted by Andrew Daddo and Sonia Kruger
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Sandy Roberts and Johanna Griggs were also hosts at Beijing 2008, as they were at Athens 2004 (Matt White jumped from 10 to Seven just before), Sydney 2000 and Atlanta 1996 IIRC.
Sandy dated back even further to their early 80s Olympics.
I recall Kylie Gillies and Sonia Kruger also a part.
I also remember a special “7Olympics” booklet attached to TV Week, which had extensive broadcast and commentator details for Beijing 2008. The publicity photos were in front of a waterfall (Bruce, Sandy, Johanna, Kylie, Matt, Sonia).
Was Jim Wilson part of Beijing? Was he even still at Seven in 2008? I thought he left the network for some time.
Chris Bath would’ve been doing Seven News Sydney on weekends, she was part of Sydney 2000 coverage.
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The late Rebecca Wilson commentated the Closing Ceremony alongside Bruce, Ric and Sandy. Kruger only did the Opening Ceremony which drew just over 3 million viewers.
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Hi all.
Quick note to say I’ve moved this into the TV history subforum as you’ll see. Feel free to discuss historic broadcasts of the Olympics here.
A new thread has been created for the 2020 games.
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Good idea. With the Sydney 2000 Olympics 20th anniversary a month later, we can use this thread to talk about past Olympic Games coverage.
Biggest rated events of the Sydney Olympics included the Ceremonies and Cathy Freeman’s 400m Gold which drew over 6 million viewers and helped 7 won the 2000 ratings year.
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Gillies was previously a sport reporter / presenter and at Seven Sport events, so after she joined TMS in 2007, fair enough they kept her for Beijing 2008, Rio 2016 and Aus Opens up until around 2010/2011 I think.
As for Sonia… Not really sure what she had to do with Seven Sport 
Other than being a ‘blonde bombshell’ for viewers and a co-host of then ratings juggernaut DWTS with Darryl > Daniel MacPherson?
Did Sonia do Athens 2004 or hadn’t she joined Seven then (I think she actually had hadn’t she?)
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Background in dancing, choreography and performance which is why she commentated the Ceremonies.
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Beijing 2008 opening ceremony guide (Melbourne market)
day 1
night 1
SBS were joint broadcast partner, taking other feeds
What Ch 9 were airing against Night 1 Ping: @SydneyCityTV
What Ch 10 were airing against Night 1
Okay. But would the average viewer at the time think that? Doubt it. They say “it’a Sonia from DWTS”
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Correct me if I’m wrong, but after the Round 19, 2008 match between Melbourne v Geelong at the MCG, did they go straight to the start of the 2008 Summer Olympics telecast? (I believe that Channel 7 did not screen the post-match interviews).
Sydney market on Opening Ceremony night, they had a filler “China Revealed” and no BH&G (instead of AFL - which was delayed on Fridays in all markets back then anyway)
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There were no post-match interviews that night. 7 aired the footy live into Perth before the Opening Ceremony that night.
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Yeah, it was time that they aired live footy in the southern states. As well as this, didn’t NSW, ACT and QLD aired it live (IIRC)?
Some details of Seven’s Beijing 2008 coverage (from TV Tonight):
NB/
The same executives still remain for Tokyo 2020, Saul joined Seven in 2004 after decades at Nine; Andy joined Seven in Adelaide in the 80s and Col joined Seven in Melbourne in the 70s.
Johanna is the only host remaining since then, as well as lead commentator Bruce.
Also, BH&G’s Peter Colquhoun was a commentator, he also was part of their Aus Opens for a few years (as bizarre as Sonia Kruger).
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Some caps from SBS’s coverage of Beijing 2008. 7 offloaded long form events to SBS like what they did for the Athens 2004 Games.
Intro and graphics same as Seven’s coverage
Copyright disclaimer (same as 7, don’t know who was the V/O)
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I’m made to believe SBS also covered some tennis as well? Pretty ironic given Seven was the host broadcaster of the Australian Open at the time.
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