This week with CHML’s Scott Thompson, we get right to the main event, the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
Scott has a complaint: how come the CTV feed doesn’t look as good as the images over at TSN? Hadn’t noticed that myself but maybe others have. Scott watches the Games on a non-high-def receiver, but the images should be clear on either channel.
Both of us have praise for the commentary from figure skating analysts and former Olympic champs Jamie Sale and David Pelletier. These two have been ripping skaters when they deserve it, goofing on uniforms and generally speaking out without the usually pom-pom waving. Both shone during Battle of the Blades, with Pelletier providing behind the scenes banter there. CTV was smart to throw them into speed skating uniforms where they were able to express how different it is to hit the ice on those blades.
Rod Black has also provided a smooth and steady presence at the figure skating venue. CTV’s deep bench of veteran TSN hockey commentators were also up for the Canada-Norway and other Tuesday night assignments. Pretty cool that slide away set up that thrusts out over one end of the rink. Smart move showing how quickly it sets up and breaks down so regular patrons can keep their view at the hockey rink.
CTV says as many as 6.2 million broadcast consortium viewers checked out part of Team Canada’s 8-0 romp over Norway. CTV’s Olympic prime ratings are settling in to more credible levels, with an average audience of just over 3.1 million watching Tuesday night’s Olympic coverage.
In the U.S., American Idol beat NBC’s Olympic coverage by more than 3 million viewers. Not so in Canada, where Idol numbers were more than cut in half hidden over in CTV’s witness protection program, a.k.a. A channel.
Meanwhile, CTV is doing a better job alerting viewers to what is happening on their other Olympic channels. That crawl at the bottom of the screen updating events on TSN and Sportsnet is a big plus.
You can listen in to all the Olympic TV talk here.
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