Olympic Games (Beijing 2008)

Sara · Post by **Sara** » 08 Aug 2008, 13:48

Who is watching the opening ceremony? It always makes me feel so humbled. To me this is a huge event and I always make sure I follow every competition.

I absolutely love the olympic games! What about you?

Moonraker · Post by **Moonraker** » 08 Aug 2008, 14:01

I simply detest them, and won't be watching a second of it! I am sickened that daily schedules are interrupted all the time for sporting events. As soon as one finishes another begins. You'd think with the multiple array of digital channels, these sporting events could be shown solely on them.

"Oh, I can't get Sky Sports" wail some people. Well get it then! I appreciate it can be expensive, but the BBC's channels are free, so put the likes of Wimbledon, The Open (Golf) and the Olympics on BBC3.

Sara · Post by **Sara** » 08 Aug 2008, 14:16

Oh, that's weird, that definitely doesn't happen around here, you can still watch other programs if that'd suit you better...

Personally, I do love everything about these games, I think that they are great because they bring everybody together (politics aside), and besides, certain competitions (diving, artistic gymnastics, etc) are so much fun!

Pippa-Stef · Post by **Pippa-Stef** » 08 Aug 2008, 14:23

Every major sporting event, normal programming is suspended to maxise the coverage.

Unfortunately, the BBC is probably the only decent terrestrial channel we get in the UK, which covers these events.

So people miss out on certain programs, expcept may I shudder to add, the soaps, in the BBC's case, Eastenders, which unless in the case of extended play is never taken off air!

It would work better if the Beeb had a sports channel that could be reached by freeview or something, thus leaving programing free!

Julie2owlsdene · Post by **Julie2owlsdene** » 08 Aug 2008, 14:55

I'm afraid my view is the same as Moonraker's Sara. I don't do sports of any kind, and that includes, football and tennis. So I'm afraid whenever the olympics is on, I switch over.

Mollybob · Post by **Mollybob** » 08 Aug 2008, 19:17

Moonraker wrote:"Oh, I can't get Sky Sports" wail some people. Well get it then! I appreciate it can be expensive, but the BBC's channels are free, so put the likes of Wimbledon, The Open (Golf) and the Olympics on BBC3.

Living where I live in Wiltshire, we can't get digital freeview until 2010 so I would be most upset if Wimbledon was moved to BBC3. I wouldn't mind if the cricket or golf was moved though

Once the whole country can get freeview, then moving sports to BBC3 would make sense, but just remember that it isn't available to everyone at the moment.

I watched some of the ceremony and quite enjoy the Olympics. I thought today's ceremony was very impressive and wonder if the London ceremony in 2012 will be able to live up to it (I hope so)!

Sara · Post by **Sara** » 08 Aug 2008, 21:14

Julie2owlsdene wrote:I'm afraid my view is the same as Moonraker's Sara. I don't do sports of any kind, and that includes, football and tennis. So I'm afraid whenever the olympics is on, I switch over.

Hey, I'm terrible at sports.

That doesn't mean I do not enjoy watching artistic gymnastics.

Julie2owlsdene · Post by **Julie2owlsdene** » 08 Aug 2008, 21:25

Sara wrote:
Julie2owlsdene wrote:I'm afraid my view is the same as Moonraker's Sara. I don't do sports of any kind, and that includes, football and tennis. So I'm afraid whenever the olympics is on, I switch over.

Hey, I'm terrible at sports. That doesn't mean I do not enjoy watching artistic gymnastics.

I'm to far past it Sara to do any kind of sport at all. When I said I don't do sport, I worded that incorrectly really, I meant I do not watch or like any sport. Sorry to mislead you.

Kitty · Post by **Kitty** » 08 Aug 2008, 21:39

I'm sorry to sound un-Blytony but I can't stand them either. What little interest I had as a child has been all but decimated by the drugs cheats. I'll watch the Olympic tennis if we get any, because I love tennis, but that is about it. Sorry!

dsr · Post by **dsr** » 08 Aug 2008, 22:06

The only stuff I watch on TV is Countdown and Eggheads (both game/quiz shows, for our overseas viewers!) - oh, and of course, SPORT. Good old Olympics!

Petermax · Post by **Petermax** » 08 Aug 2008, 22:20

I too have no time for the Olympics, I have far better things to do than watch the mayhem. Only four years to go before the London Olympics, and as usual there will be a mad dash (panic?) to complete the venues on time. I can also see the public transport system being totally overwhelmed, and as for security....

Lucky Star · Post by **Lucky Star** » 08 Aug 2008, 22:33

I agree with others here that sports events tend to take over the channels regardless of the fact that many licence payers do not want them. I never watch sporting events on TV except for the occasional international football match. That said, what I saw of the opening ceremony was extremely impressive. But thats all I'll be watching.

lizarfau · Post by **lizarfau** » 09 Aug 2008, 02:31

I llike the Olympics and wish I was in the UK right now to watch them on the good old BBC! Here they're covered by Channel 7, a commercial TV channel - bad, bad, bad. In the Australia v Serbia soccer match on Thursday night, they took a commercial break four minutes before half-time - huh? Then last night they took one just as the fireworks started going off at the opening ceremony, so we missed them. It's really annoying. There is some coverage on SBS, a far superior channel, but unfortunately they can only show the really boring sports Channel 7 don't want, like handball.

I don't really watch any live TV - there's only a handful of TV shows I enjoy - but always make an exception for the Olympics, the Ashes and, most of all, the World Cup.

Moonraker · Post by **Moonraker** » 09 Aug 2008, 11:05

Mollybob wrote: Living where I live in Wiltshire, we can't get digital freeview until 2010 so I would be most upset if Wimbledon was moved to BBC3.

Point taken. You should be able to get FreeSat ,though of course you'd need to pay for a dish to be attached to your home, but it is subscription free. There is always the option (if you live in a cabled street) to have a Virgin phone line, which comes with free television channels.

All of this is academic though, as the BBC are legally obliged to show national sporting events to the largest available audience. This invariably means showing them on BBC1 or 2.

Moonraker · Post by **Moonraker** » 09 Aug 2008, 11:24

I have just been looking through the current edition of the Radio Times.

Monday 11 August

BBC1

6.00 am Olympic Breakfast
9.00 Olympic 2008
12.00 BBC News; Weather
12.45 pm Olympics 2008
5.15 Weakest Link

BBC2 fills in the gaps between 12.00 and 12.45pm and 5.15 to 6.00pm.

As well as this coverage, more events are available via the red button!!!

The evening schedules also include 7-8pm, and 1.20-6.00 am (where it starts all over again!)

There is also 24 hour coverage on Eurosport (via Sky, Top-Up (via Freeview, although a subscription service) and Virgin.

And all of this giving China - a country with appaling human rights issues - massive income and publicity.

Olympic Games (Beijing 2008)

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