Another moan about the BBC

[Phil Pascoe]

:twisted: I can't be the only who's irritated by the apparent contempt that the BBC has for a large percentage of it's viewers - eleven hours of golf. I've friends who are golf freaks, and even they wouldn't watch eleven hours of it. Most other pastimes, you're lucky to get ten minutes once in a while. :twisted:

 

[RogerS]

It's cheap TV. Once the scanners have been set-up, most of the crew can stand down. The riggers can go on to do other jobs. Been there. Done that.

Actually, I'd like to share a couple of tales with you. We were stood down one day and the back of the scanner was open (scanner = OB vehicle). Suddenly a golfball came flying in through the open door. "Quick" said Selwyn "carry me out and pretend I'm unconscious". So we did. Rushing up came the Pro golfer (think it might have been Nicklaus), whose ball it was. "Is he Ok? Is he OK? Has anyone called an ambulance".

Selwyn opened one eye and said "That got you going". We had to restrain the golfer from clubbing Selwyn to death. (hammer)

Second tale. In't old days before digits, when t'camera's were real camera's, they were connected back to the scanner with a very thick G101 camera cable. Maximum distance 2000ft....which doesn't get you very far on a golf course. And certainly not as far away as the 9th hole. So we'd set up a remote unit that fed back the pictures and sound to the main site via radio link. Only trouble was, it was a long way from the main site where the OB catering unit was. By the time you got there it was time to get back.

So we had a BBQ with us. As soon as we got to site, we'd nominate someone to go round the local butcher (that will be 30 sirloin, 10 fillet and 20 rump, please), the local fishmonger (that will be 20 salmon steaks, please) and the local brewery for a barrel of beer. We kept the beer cool with wet cloths inside one of the camera-vans. Come lunchtime, it was steak and a couple of beers. Bliss. That was the life. Plus we all had £32 a day in expenses for hotels and food (worth £400 in today's money) ...no receipts required. Just your tent! ccasion5:

Until one day. The day that the BBQ caught fire. The day that the smoke drifted across the green and the hole. The day we were banned from ever having a BBQ again. =;

 

[Eric The Viking]

In the 1980s I was once doing radio coverage of England vs. Sri Lanka at Taunton, a One-Day International.

I had the Radio 2 live commentary and Ron in the other van was doing occasional injects of score-plus-summary into the World Service. Being senior, Ron had the bigger truck(!) although I was busier than he was, but to be fair neither of us were exactly stretched - mine was a little Commer van with a raised roof, and probably over spec. for the task even then.

For anyone that knows the ground, the old commentary boxes were opposite the new (present pavilion). We were in the car park behind. Telly were on the far side from us in the pavilion car park, but an awfully nice Acton chap turned up with a bit of coax and a monitor, so I could see the action in the van (I think they had a feed in the commentary position too.

It was weather not dissimilar to now. Ron had a decidedly 'liquid lunch' and having spent a lot of the morning enjoying the sunshine outside the van, disappeared inside, to survey the insides of his eyelids for a while. I was too busy to doze off or read a book, but not quite busy enough to not be bored.

So I was watching the monitor and heard the commentators react: I'm afraid I can't remember who was batting, but the ball soared over the stand, and landed almost vertically, plumb centre on Ron's roof.

I've never seen a large OB truck like that shake about so much. Within seconds the door flew open and he fell out onto the car park.

Amazing powerful things, cricket balls.



E.

Later: just Googled it: 11th June 1983 - there were ten sixes in the match (England won, just about), but I can't remember who hit the big one.

 

[JustBen]

More stories please. They are great to hear.

 

[RogerS]

Well.......we were covering the Miss World contest. Out of the four engineers on the team there was always one assigned to be indoors in case something went wrong. But you dress for the occasion. Miss World...it's DJ's. It was my turn to be inside.

The live coverage went as planned. Miss World duly announced. We ended our transmission and managed to derig all the inside equipment....me, the cameramen and the sound engineer...all still in DJs. The rest of the OB team went home.

We looked at each other in our DJs. We looked at our passes. We heard the party start inside.

Ever danced with Miss France? Miss Brazil? Miss Argentina? :lol: :lol:

I have.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Wonderful!

 

[tekno.mage]

:twisted: I can't be the only who's irritated by the apparent contempt that the BBC has for a large percentage of it's viewers - eleven hours of golf. I've friends who are golf freaks, and even they wouldn't watch eleven hours of it. Most other pastimes, you're lucky to get ten minutes once in a while. :twisted:

It's not just golf - at the moment I have no radio to listen to in my workshop as Radio 4 LW (the only station I can receive in the shed) is totally given over for 5 days in a row to cricket commentary for several weeks in a row :-( Why? No other sport does this - they are broadcast on Radio 5 (as is the cricket!) so why wipe out Radio 4 LW for such a long time?

 

[bugbear]

... go round the local butcher (that will be 30 sirloin, 10 fillet and 20 rump, please), the local fishmonger (that will be 20 salmon steaks, please) and the local brewery for a barrel of beer.

Sounds like the DM was right about BBC spending

BugBear