News, editorials, entertainment

This is my last paragraph from the previous post. I thought it deserves its own post.

My main gripe about the coverage of the Olympics and my main irritation with the new media, in general: There is no longer a distinction between reporting the news, providing commentary on the events of the day, editorializing about the news, and providing entertainment. Ok, lets the sports shows be entertainment, not just reporting. But let real news be reported as real news and real editorials be reported as real editorials.

Slanted Olympic Coverage?

Well, yes, the American media does slant their coverage toward their American viewers. People want to see the home team. I don't have a problem with that, but there are other good teams participating.

This is the first Olympics for which I have satelite TV, so I've been finding Olympic coverage on four channels belonging to NBC. It has been great to see live coverage in the mornings (my own private Breakfast in Italy!) I've tuned in to curling and found it fascinating because the commentators know what they are talking about and provide insight to the shot possibilities. And they are equally praising of good play by the other teams. This might be a hard sport to watch in person without that insight.

The TV coverage of the Cross Country Skiing has been better than in some past years, mainly because the course goes past areas that the cameras can cover.

Today one of the commentators was asking another commentator about the "dissappointing" results of some of the American skiers and skaters. He said something about a skater saying he would get 5 gold metals. The other commentator stated that the skater had never said that, rather the media had said that.

That is my main gripe about the coverage of the Olympics and my main irritation with the new media, in general: There is no longer a distinction between reporting the news, providing commentary on the events of the day, editorializing about the news, and providing entertainment. Ok, lets the sports shows be entertainment, not just reporting. But let real news be reported as real news and real editorials be reported as real editorials.

What we might learn from the Olympics, Part 2

In Men's hockey, Canada lost to Switzerland and the USA just lost to Slovakia. Just change the names from the last post. Same lesson to be learned.

As they say, that's why you play the game, not just go by the statistics.

Unfortunately, the stakes are higher in war.

What we might learn from the Olympics

The US Women's hockey team just lost to the team from Sweden.  The US expected to win and move on to the Gold Medal Game.  Now they will be moving on to play for the bronze.

 

The lesson in this and in many of the other "upsets" of the Olympics is that the expected outcome isn't so obvious, especially if the obvious is predicted by biased analysts.

 

I seem to remember an easy victory predicted in Iraq. 

 

Maybe the only thing predictable is that nothing is certain.

 

True Olympic Spirit

U.S. Gold Medalist Donates Award to Darfur Refugees

by Tom Goldman 

 

Joey Cheek of the U.S. celebrates his gold medal in the men's 500-meter speedskating competition in Turin, Feb. 13, 2006. Reuters

 

 

Morning Edition, February 14, 2006 · American speed skater Joey Cheek did something very unusual after winning the 500 meter race at the Winter Olympics. He announced he's contributing his $25,000 gold medal award from the U.S. Olympic Committee to refugees from Darfur. And he urged Olympic sponsors to support the same relief effort.