Despite early worries, both Arsenal vs. Leeds and Manchester United vs. Liverpool managed to broadcast without cutting to a commercial break at any time during play, and despite a couple more cracks creeping into their already established flaws of tacky presentation and poor punditry, they mostly passed off without a hitch and to a casual observer, vaguely well.
New but minor annoyances included the “slightly smudged into the screen” effect used on the in-screen scoreboard, presumably in an attempt to make it look cool and futuristic, but which only succeeded in making me feel drunk and unsure of my focus levels, and the brazen new levels of bias co-commentary employed by former Liverpool clogger Jim Beglin, who seemed completely unwilling to admit Manchester United were even playing in their 3rd round tie, let alone deserving of any credit for it. The little whimper he let out when Gerrard was dismissed was ample make up for that though and I suppose the commercial channels have no requirement to be impartial.
No, the real crimes were left for the late night highlights show, and that’s when it all became hopelessly clear – yet again – that ITV should not be allowed access to our treasured sporting events.
Prefixed by a sort of Grange Hill on acid title sequence, highlight coverage of their non-live games was shocking, seemingly filmed on a partial zoom ten rows down from where the BBC and Sky are allowed to film from. Whilst their rivals can manage to make a League One ground seem relatively imposing and 21st century with their flattering angles and whoosing effects, “The FA Cup Highlights Show” managed to make Sunderland’s Premier League stadium look like it was being filmed 10 years ago for an end of season VHS compilation of an uninteresting midweek Johnstone’s Paint Trophy clash.
The quality was infinitely inferior, and even seemed shaky at times, like it was being filmed on a camera phone – presumably because they’d run out of money after splashing it all on the smudge effect scoreboard for their live games. Consistency seemed to be another problem, with some replays just ignored and others pored over and one goal even missed altogether (Sheffield Wednesday) because the Cameraman was looking in the wrong direction.
And of course, more Andy Townsend.
I remember being angry when Sky bought the rights to Champions League and England games a few years back, believing they should be solely the preserve of terrestrial television, but I forgive them their indulgences and their single handed ruination of modern culture, because they do it well. And I forgive the BBC their snobbery and controversial infant-swapping storylines because they are classy when they get it right. ITV even ruined F1 when they had it, and that’s just people going round in a circle for 4 hours. They need to be stopped before they get their hands on Wimbledon, or Crufts, or worse, the Premiership again. Won’t somebody please think of the children!
You can follow Oscar on Twitter here; http://twitter.com/oscarpyejeary, where you can lend him the money to re-make 80s Sci-Fi serial Quantum Leap in his garden. It’ll be good, trust me.
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nice article.