ABC Radio’s cricket coverage
This article is a rant against ABC Radio’s coverage of international cricket. I grew up loving the ABC for its superb uninterrupted coverage of cricket.
Gradually, over the past few years, that coverage has deteriorated as the national broadcaster tries to be all things to all people and ends up pleasing nobody.
Australia is playing New Zealand tonight at the WACA ground in Perth. Instead of broadcasting the game, as it has thousands before it, ABC Radio is covering the Australian Open tennis at Melbourne.
I just heard the host say that people can choose tennis or cricket online. He said “we’ll try to keep you appeased my friends” as they belatedly crossed back to the cricket. That’s the problem. If they stuck with the cricket hardly anyone could complain.
Tennis makes for bad radio. You need to see the ball and the players to understand what’s happening. Football and cricket, by contrast, are ideal for radio where commentators can paint the picture.
My other gripes against ABC Radio’s cricket coverage include:
- Hourly news bulletins. If I want the news I’ll switch to the news channel;
- Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race obsession. This elitist minority sport gets way too much coverage on the ABC;
- Fire bulletins. I haven’t noticed this for a while, but in past years the ABC used to interrupt the cricket for local fire updates in other states.
The cricket should be sacred.
PS: I finished up tuning into the web broadcast, which provided a good demonstration of ABC Radio’s lack of professionalism. Yes, it was great to get uninterrupted coverage of the cricket, but during a rain delay silence reigned except for the commentator chatting to the studio occasionally, totally unaware that he was on air.
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No matter how good something is, there’s always a few pessimists looking for an angle to generate a gripe. Like this blogger, for instance.
Let’s not tell the punters about bushfires, lest we miss that quick single through the cover region. ‘I don’t live near bushland, I’m all right Jack, bugger you lot.’
I like the news bulletins, I like the broad coverage of sport provided by the ABC, so whilst I’m not a yachtie, I’m interested in the Sydney-Hobart, and the Australian Open, and pleased that ABC is able to provide such an excellent service on Grandstand.
Thanks for visiting my site Jason. I went to the link you provided and, if it is your site, I see that you’re quite an enthusiast for the national broadcaster.
That site also includes a rant against ABC programming decisions. It’s fair enough that you gripe to the world on your own blog. I don’t think that necessarily makes you a “pessimist looking for an angle”.
In my case it just means I don’t like missing the fall of a wicket while they’re broadcasting something else.