I’ve been watching the Fox and Seven feeds side-by-side. Seven seems to have a significant amount of control as to what they show. They regularly dip out of the Fox feed and show alternate camera angles. Usually the only time when they are exactly the same is when a ball is bowled.
I’m interested as to how they are doing it — it seems quite complicated with a seperate scoreboard and replay transitions, as well as what I assume are two sets of people controlling the same group of cameras. Surely this is just adding in unessary cost for both parties?
Just an update on Prime7, the usual sport watermark can’t be used, because the “Live & Free” component is pasted on (fixed position) from the production (i.e.) it’d be far too big.
NB/
The same situation occured this year at another sport event, I forget which, where the Prime one was allowed to be used but couldn’t due to the fixed positioning of the add-on provided, instead using a generic “7” one, which matches the metro one.
Pretty obvious it’s two distinct brands and a somewhat different audience, hence the different approach to graphics, commentary and no doubt other aspects.
In cricket we often hear about bowlers trying too hard or batters trying too hard… this is a case of Channel Seven trying too hard.
While overall I’m very impressed with the coverage (though less so with the commentary)… Channel Seven may want to tone things down a bit… this is test cricket after all… they’re not competing with the superbowl in terms of hype.
For example: Fleming doing a ‘roving Brian’ before play while the Australians were in their warm-ups for Day 2… no wonder he just got monosyllabic answers from the players… what may work in an AFL dressing room after a match doesn’t work before players are about to embark on another full day’s worth of cricket.
The Nugget segment just went over the top. With all due respect to Nugget. It was cringe material.
It’s a pity Dizzy won’t be reaming in the commentary box… he seemed to be the only one ignoring the directive to ‘over-hype everything’… good to have someone who wasn’t trying too hard.
I’d say that Seven would be given selected old matches to show in the case of rain delays occurring, especially now that Cricket Australia have inherited Nine’s archives.
If they don’t, then they will probably show Border Security (remember Nine showing Customs and Antiques Roadshow!) or something like that. However, they could show 500 MKR promos back to back!
Yes. Tim Lane, Alison Mitchell (should even be the host instead of Mel M) Ponting and Fleming should be the main callers. James Brayshaw, Glenn McGrath and Mel McLaughlin can go away, so annoying (and in the case of McLaughlin, not very professional).
