NBC or ABC, Who is the Better U.S. Broadcaster?

Well, I think there have been enough NBC broadcasts to assess who is the better broadcaster thus far. PLEASE NOTE that this is only about broadcast network coverage, so ESPN coverage does not count.

The following is MY TAKE on the networks (yours may differ)

NBC: I like their HD picture, their expanded coverage of the Ladies' event, and generally prefer their commentators to ABC (although I'm very much in the minority). Also, they show more LIVE coverage, which is welcome. They've also got a better theme song and I think they cover skating more like a sporting event than ABC did. More closeups of the skaters in the K&C, I notice. I may be in the minority once again but I really like this, especially in HD. On the down side, they don't organize their coverage very well, and I don't believe they take enough effort to educate viewers about the new scoring system and exactly what is a "good score", etc.

ABC: They showed more backstage footage, and more feature pieces on the skaters so you got to know them better. I didn't care that much for the fluffs but I really liked their backstage footage. This is a clear advantage over the incumbent, although the gap is closing somewhat. The pieces that captured the drama of the '07 Nationals and '08 Worlds were excellent. I think during the 2007 Ladies LP, they gave a brief schematic of the scoring range of the new system, which I found helpful. On the down side, when HDTV came about in 2005, they only showed US Nats '05 and '06 in HD; all their other coverage was in SD. Dick had a tendency to ramble on about the most random things while a skater was skating.

Verdict: They're pretty much the same when it's all said and done, I think the P's and N's more or less balance each other out. However, I will give the edge to NBC just because of their superior picture quality. It makes a WORLD of difference watching skating in HD vs. SD. As for its affiliates, though, that's a whole 'nother matter in itself... hwell:

What do you guys think?

I agree that NBC is the better overall broadcaster, largely in part to the HD picture quality. I have found their coverage to include more skating over fluff pieces, which I much prefer. If people want to find out behind the scenes fluff type info on the skaters, they can always research that info on the internet. The tv coverage should be primarily concerned with the broadcast of the actual skating. I don't remember ABC ever showing as many 3rd and 4th place skaters in the Nationals exhibition as NBC managed to do this year, so kudos to NBC.

Now, onto the commentators, I didn't care for Dick and Peggy and I don't care for Scott, Sandra, and Tom either. I think the perfect scenario would be to bring together Paul Wylie, Susie Wynne, and Terry Gannon. Tracy Wilson would be okay too as my only gripe with her are her many mispronunciations. I think these 4 would be the most pleasant to listen to from those who have commentated for skating recently.

ETA: Oh, and it can't be said enough, I HATE the Truth Booth with a passion. Whose stupid idea was it to make the skaters talk face to face to the camera only 3 minutes after they skate, in particular skaters who have had a bad day? I really don't care to see or hear Ashley Wagner, for example, talk about how disappointed she is with her abysmal SP performance. We know the poor girl has to be disappointed after such a rough skate . . . why subject her to even more torture and humiliation when she's already got tears in her eyes? She's not telling us anything we haven't already observed by watching her performance. How cruel!

I prefer NBC's commentators in part. Ok, really I only like Scott... if I were to run things, spare no expense, and I can cross networks it'd look like

Men's Coverage: Scott, Terry Gannon, Kurt Browning
Ladies' Coverage: same as men as I can't think of a female commentator I like
Pairs Coverage: While he's a tool in interviews I like Peter Carruthers, Terry, David Pelletier (I think NBC does him a great disservice for giving him soundbites and that's it)
Dance: Terry, Christopher Dean, and Tracy Wilson

Paul Wylie could do the interviews and he and Tracy could have segments where they look at the scoring system.

I wouldn't stack the booth to have 6-8 talking heads during the olympics either. it looks like NBC has done away with that idea as they had Scott, Sandy, and Tracy with Tom... which was much better than last year's nationals.

I think ABC took a better interest in the sport, and they were way less biased when it came to the "American team" the commentators maybe not so much, but ABC was way more fair in their stupid lead ins and the like. NBC has made it no secret that the US and only the US should get praise, and when that can't happen it's all about Canada... not the Euro teams. And heaven help someone if they give props to a Chinese pair. Russians are evil cheaters, etc. - You didn't get that with ABC.

Tonichelle said:

I think ABC took a better interest in the sport, and they were way less biased when it came to the "American team" the commentators maybe not so much, but ABC was way more fair in their stupid lead ins and the like. NBC has made it no secret that the US and only the US should get praise, and when that can't happen it's all about Canada... not the Euro teams. And heaven help someone if they give props to a Chinese pair. Russians are evil cheaters, etc. - You didn't get that with ABC.

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ABC commentators were horribly biased, IMO, just as the current NBC ones are. I'm always rattling off about how stupid all of them are while I'm watching the skating.

This is why I like Wylie's commentary. Paul often praised and saw the potential in Stephane Lambiel, Sasha Uspenski, Daisuke Takahashi, and Nobunari Oda, just to give a few examples. I found him to be quite neutral, unbiased, pleasant to listen to, reasonably enthusiastic, and informative, which is what a commentator should be, someone who appreciates the beauty of the sport from ALL participants from around the world. I really got the sense from him that he wanted ALL the skaters to do well, and I miss hearing him.

I never said ABC *commentators* were unbiased. They most definitely were. (how many times did they bring in Michelle Kwan to compare EVERY skater to? and for what reason? She's not skating anymore, Dick & Peggy, get over it!) I said ABC - meaning the network.

Ditto on the truth booth, what a horrible idea. I miss Terry Gannon, I hate Scott Hamilton's worship of Evan, I like the camera work on NBC, I hate that NBC did not show the exhibition in the order it was skated, I liked the fluffs on ABC, I like the history Dick Button has with the sport. I liked that ABC repeated the events on ESPN, I hated that ESPN pre-empted the repeats for bull riding and poker.

Why don't we give CBS a try?

I think ABC took a better interest in the sport, and they were way less biased when it came to the "American team" the commentators maybe not so much, but ABC was way more fair in their stupid lead ins and the like. NBC has made it no secret that the US and only the US should get praise, and when that can't happen it's all about Canada... not the Euro teams. And heaven help someone if they give props to a Chinese pair. Russians are evil cheaters, etc. - You didn't get that with ABC.

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Welll, Scott didn't seem to have a problem waxing poetic about Kim Yu-Na during Skate America. And he was right on when he said the Americans had work to do to catch up.

I think it has to do with motives. NBC has one primary objective: to hype the Olympics and to introduce the American competitors so it can hype them for medal hopes to get people to watch. ABC, on the other hand, had a loooooong history with skating, and did it probably more out of tradition than anything else. It was when they couldn't afford it any longer that they dropped it. I think ESPN taking over ABC Sports was the nail in the coffin, though. Even if skating does not fit ESPN's demographic, ABC is different.

But back to the subject of bias. ABC used to show pretty much all international competitions up to 2004, although with limited coverage of each (i.e. only Long Programs, only top 4 competitors). After the 2003-04 season, they only aired USFS-sanctioned events (but this included events like Campbell's, Marshall's, etc. which had international competitors). Now, with NBC, they did away with the fluff competitions and show only SA and US Nats. I don't find NBC any MORE biased than ABC was, actually. (Anyone remember ABC favoring showing lower-placed Americans, even if they bombed, at the expense of international competitors that did better?) I just think this sense of bias might stem from the majority of NBC's coverage being US Nationals, when the majority of ABC's skating coverage had international competitors. I certainly didn't feel too much excessive bias during SA. In fact, NBC didn't even bother to show Kimmie's SP, whereas ABC almost certainly would have.

I don't think we EVER got live coverage during SA, though, before the NBC deal. ABC usually had same-weekend coverage, though. During their final year, they decided to show only short programs and wait an entire week to air the freeskates.

ETA

Why don't we give CBS a try?

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An aside- CBS has the BEST HD picture of all the networks. Crystal clear. However, other than golf, the US Open (tennis) and football, they don't air any other sports in HD it seems.

I don't see them picking up skating unless they get the 2014 Games. Even then, the ratings have been on the downswing for the US Nats...even NBC with all its promotion and prime-time coverage can't seem to reverse this trend. I think USFS is going to find it very difficult to find a broadcast network after 2010 that is willing to give its Championships adequate coverage. It might have to turn to a cable network, or to Universal Sports or something.

I liked the coverage by NBC better. The live parts, they showed more skaters then ABC ever did I think...the backstage stuff. But ABC had Dick and Peggy while NBC has Scott (also known as the worst commentator ever).

I didn't realize he had that title... at least he calls the correct tech when he's watching unlike Uncle Dick who had trouble telling what was a spin and what was a jump in his later career. Sometimes you need to hang up the mic...

CBS, I felt, had a great outlook in the commentary booth. not many talking heads, and Verne was like Terry - he genuinely cared about the sport and the people in them. He also seemed to have the best working relationship with Scott and could keep him on track. I wouldn't mind seeing that duo (and throw in Tracy for dance) again... but CBS didn't want it. *sigh* heck, they don't even do Ice Wars anymore

I like the truth booth but just cause we get to see more of the skaters up close, especially all the cute ladies, not that they actually have much to say.

I miss some of the "fluff" pieces from ABC. I have to say that ABC OVERDID the fluff pieces, which cut into showing the actual skating, BUT now it's like we have none, and that takes away some of the fun of the rivalry etc. Keep it short and sweet, and show us SOMETHING cool about the backstory, just don't overdo it. This would especially help casual viewers who might not have any clue about anyone skating, to give them a little insight and get them interested.

what true rivalries are there? Evan and Johnny seem bored with their overhyped rivalry, so they've toned down their insults towards each other... and since all we've gotten really is US nationals what's the point? the ice dance teams are all 'best friends' and 'love each other' and their 'biggest competition is ourselves' the ladies are all just praying they stay on their feet as are the pairs...

not really all that in the way of exciting fluff piece material.

It doesn't always have to be rivalries. They can show interesting things about the skaters lives and histories. If someone who didn't know skating tuned in and saw Alissa Czisny win, if they know nothing about her or any of the other girls, why would they care? But if they knew all the struggles and disappointments she has faced, then it could get them interested in her and possibly in the sport. I don't know about you, but I only really started getting interested in the sport when I started getting interested in the competitors.

I got interested in the sport through the entertainment end (shows)

with the internet at everyone's finger tips it wouldn't be hard to hear Scott Hamilton say something along the lines of what he did the other night - "everyone wants this for her so badly" and then type up Alissa's name and find out what he's talking about. The fluff pieces are nice, but I'd rather have more skaters shown...

besides they'd do a few fluff pieces and fan groups of skaters who didn't get a fluff piece would be calling for their heads because of their unfair coverage.

... That sounds like the same kind of terrible reasoning as "it doesn't matter if they explain the scoring and results, viewers can just go onto the internet and download the protocols." :disagree:

If I had my choice, they'd just import the British Eurosport guys other than Nicky Slater, who suddenly develops huge inexplicable crushes on competitors sometimes. This year he kept comparing everyone to Capellini and Lanotte. Last year it was Bobrova & Soloviev. But even with the crushes, they are all better than either ABC or NBC.

I wouldn't want to go back to CBS. They advertised they were going to cover Europeans one time. I taped 5 hours of some Sunday sport show and all there was of skating from Euros Katarina Witt's SP. That was typical for them. Plus John Tesch wasn't the most wonderful commentator. Nor was John Misha Petkevich, who was doing the color commentary. What was worse was that Tesh could not pronounce Petkevich's name.

I haven't seen NBC coverage yet and unlike ABC which would ship it out to ESPN for a second look, I probably won't see any of the Nats reruns. I do not think there was any HD in ABC/ESPN' time of showing figure skating.

What I did not like about ABC was not so much in the Nats, but in other events, it would just show certain skaters. Did NBC show any GPs with the whole last group to skate. With it's penchant for the Olys, NBC has been limited for the season but not for anything involving US ladies.

Best thing I saw on TV cable for skating was Universal Sports. No commentating at all. Prefer that to interruptions by the hired-to-assist the uninformed.

Not mad about exhibitions and Dissons stuff (which is also abridged as well.).

Particle Man - no, it's not, because the 'experts' SHOULD explain the judging.

Fluff pieces are just that, fluff. They are used as fillers in NBC coverage. Obviously with the way they handled Nationals NBC decided fillers were better used to show other disiplines that aren't as popular (be it sponsors or the average viewer - aka pairs and dance). I'll take that over the five millionth fluff of Johnny complaining that the USFSA and republicans don't like him, and Evan telling the world why he loves himself.

or every little girl going through a 2 minute dialogue about how she just wants to go out and skate her best.

Not sure why so many people are eager for fluffs again. During the ABC days folks were complaining about the excessive fluffs and wanted more skating. Now that they GET more skating, they want the fluffs back. hwell:

I miss the cheesefests that use to be on ABC, I wish NBC would return to them and I'm sure the skaters could use the money.

it's just like people saying certain elements aren't given enough credit... or the judges didn't nitpick well enough

now we have the CoP and people want the 6.0 back...

it's the nature of the sport - fans just have to complain