ITV's coverage

[Puja]

Whisper it quietly, but they appear not to be particularly obnoxious this time around. Wilkinson looks much more functional as a pundit when paired with Alphonsi and O'Driscoll (especially compared to his usual seething irritation when he's in the same studio as Woodward) and the commentary was perfectly functional.

No doubt it'll get worse, as Woodward and Dallaglio are still on the payroll, but the A-team here made it a good experience.

Puja

[ad_tigger]

I have no time at all for Pugatch though and the set looks like a general election leaders debate. I was expecting Maggie Alphonsi to accuse O'Driscoll of taking our industrial heartlands for granted. Also, Pugatch has no place in rugby broadcasting, he looks like a motion capture performance by Andy Serkis played over an avatar of a bored double glazing salesman who wants a career change

[Which Tyler]

I have no time at all for Pugatch though and the set looks like a general election leaders debate. I was expecting Maggie Alphonsi to accuse O'Driscoll of taking our industrial heartlands for granted. Also, Pugatch has no place in rugby broadcasting, he looks like a motion capture performance by Andy Serkis played over an avatar of a bored double glazing salesman who wants a career change

Fair, but... I still have nightmares of this guy anchoring the coverage.


FTR, I've yet to see a virtual studio that didn't look like shit.
I'll agree with Puja that this is ITV's best RWC performance to date - but I'll add that A] it's early days yet, and B] that's an incredibly low bar to trip over - I've seen lowered pavements more challenging!

[Son of Mathonwy]

I have no time at all for Pugatch though and the set looks like a general election leaders debate. I was expecting Maggie Alphonsi to accuse O'Driscoll of taking our industrial heartlands for granted. Also, Pugatch has no place in rugby broadcasting, he looks like a motion capture performance by Andy Serkis played over an avatar of a bored double glazing salesman who wants a career change

Poetry.

[Danno]

Nah, it's guff.

[Dan. Dan. Dan.]

Pretty sure I just heard the Ireland-Romania commentator call Gordon D'Arcy Brian...

[wanderingjock]

In a separate incident that person who talks at the same volume and pitch no matter what is going on said.... 'now they've got the go between their teeth'....

[Which Tyler]

Sean Gregan

[Puja]

It appears I went too early.

Puja

[BaldiePete]

Could the commentator please manage to get through a few minutes without mentioning an English club or the ground they play at?

[Puja]

Could the commentator please manage to get through a few minutes without mentioning an English club or the ground they play at?

No. Next question?

Puja

[Sourdust]

I think it's fair to say that if you'd never seen ITV coverage of previous RWCs, you'd think this was laughably bad. But it's actually a bit better than usual.

BTW I know this isn't specifically ITVs fault, but WTF with these shallow-depth-of-field cameras on the touchline, and now also on players after scores? Maybe it's just me, but the "Tilt-Shift" effect completely takes me out of the match atmos - something ITV coverage in particular could do without.

[Puja]

Entertaining article ripping it to pieces here: https://12ft.io/proxy?&q=https%3A%2F%2F ... hip-debate

"For the causal viewer tuning in at primetime on Saturday, a slot where ITV viewers are accustomed to seeing Ant and Dec or a dog that can say sausages, we instead got four bloody good blokes in navy blazers/suits and open-necked shirts chatting stiffly about focus, clarity and visualising. If you want to know what “LinkedIn: The TV Series” would feel like, here you go.

Sir Clive, in particular, looks at risk of sharing some blue-sky views vis-a-vis corporate synergy at any moment. They stood behind podiums in a horseshoe formation, fostering the most unwelcome sense that we were witnessing a Tory leadership contest, and given the revolving door in that office, who is to say that Sir Clive or Big Loz cannot be there or thereabouts when Rishi’s time comes to spend more time with his wife’s bazillions?"

Puja

[Son of Mathonwy]

Entertaining article ripping it to pieces here: https://12ft.io/proxy?&q=https%3A%2F%2F ... hip-debate

"For the causal viewer tuning in at primetime on Saturday, a slot where ITV viewers are accustomed to seeing Ant and Dec or a dog that can say sausages, we instead got four bloody good blokes in navy blazers/suits and open-necked shirts chatting stiffly about focus, clarity and visualising. If you want to know what “LinkedIn: The TV Series” would feel like, here you go.

Sir Clive, in particular, looks at risk of sharing some blue-sky views vis-a-vis corporate synergy at any moment. They stood behind podiums in a horseshoe formation, fostering the most unwelcome sense that we were witnessing a Tory leadership contest, and given the revolving door in that office, who is to say that Sir Clive or Big Loz cannot be there or thereabouts when Rishi’s time comes to spend more time with his wife’s bazillions?"

Puja

Jeez, give them chairs. Question Time is far more relaxed.

[Beasties]

Entertaining article ripping it to pieces here: https://12ft.io/proxy?&q=https%3A%2F%2F ... hip-debate

"For the causal viewer tuning in at primetime on Saturday, a slot where ITV viewers are accustomed to seeing Ant and Dec or a dog that can say sausages, we instead got four bloody good blokes in navy blazers/suits and open-necked shirts chatting stiffly about focus, clarity and visualising. If you want to know what “LinkedIn: The TV Series” would feel like, here you go.

Sir Clive, in particular, looks at risk of sharing some blue-sky views vis-a-vis corporate synergy at any moment. They stood behind podiums in a horseshoe formation, fostering the most unwelcome sense that we were witnessing a Tory leadership contest, and given the revolving door in that office, who is to say that Sir Clive or Big Loz cannot be there or thereabouts when Rishi’s time comes to spend more time with his wife’s bazillions?"

Puja

Tory leadership contest gave me the proper shivers.

[Son of Mathonwy]

Entertaining article ripping it to pieces here: https://12ft.io/proxy?&q=https%3A%2F%2F ... hip-debate

"For the causal viewer tuning in at primetime on Saturday, a slot where ITV viewers are accustomed to seeing Ant and Dec or a dog that can say sausages, we instead got four bloody good blokes in navy blazers/suits and open-necked shirts chatting stiffly about focus, clarity and visualising. If you want to know what “LinkedIn: The TV Series” would feel like, here you go.

Sir Clive, in particular, looks at risk of sharing some blue-sky views vis-a-vis corporate synergy at any moment. They stood behind podiums in a horseshoe formation, fostering the most unwelcome sense that we were witnessing a Tory leadership contest, and given the revolving door in that office, who is to say that Sir Clive or Big Loz cannot be there or thereabouts when Rishi’s time comes to spend more time with his wife’s bazillions?"

Puja

Jeez, give them chairs. Question Time is far more relaxed.

I hadn't paid much attention to this but I took another look at the Welsh match yesterday and . . . what's even more bizarre is that the pre-match coverage has them behind podiums, for the half time analysis the same team are seated around a glowing ITV coffee table and post-match they're back behind podiums. WTF? Just let them stay in chairs for god's sake.

[Numbers]

The fact Greenwood is not on the list of punits is to be rejoiced, Rory Best is poor, Jamie Roberts looks like someone has drawn the hair onto his head.

[Mikey Brown]

I think it's fair to say that if you'd never seen ITV coverage of previous RWCs, you'd think this was laughably bad. But it's actually a bit better than usual.

BTW I know this isn't specifically ITVs fault, but WTF with these shallow-depth-of-field cameras on the touchline, and now also on players after scores? Maybe it's just me, but the "Tilt-Shift" effect completely takes me out of the match atmos - something ITV coverage in particular could do without.

This is pissing me off too. Is this somebody's idea of making rugby look "cinematic"? As if that's a thing that needs to happen. Given they are so far from the crowd/background anyway it just makes them look like they're super-imposed or are dialling in on Teams with a blurred background.

The audio is fucking terrible as well. Commentators blaring at you about the incredible atmosphere and you can barely hear the crowd.

[Danno]

The LinkedIn gag tickled me

[Sourdust]

This is pissing me off too. Is this somebody's idea of making rugby look "cinematic"? As if that's a thing that needs to happen. Given they are so far from the crowd/background anyway it just makes them look like they're super-imposed or are dialling in on Teams with a blurred background.

It's even happening on S4C's coverage of the Welsh Prem now. You cut straight from an "Instagram Portrait Filter" of a lineout, to a wide shot in conventional focus / grading, and it's like nails down an effing blackboard.

[Danno]

Oh great, now there's a couple of ladies being psuedo teabagged in the turnover demonstration

[Buggaluggs]

Soooo...the coverage is getting better then

[canta_brian]

Not only is the coverage poor, ITV X is without doubt the worst catch up service. Matches take days to be available it seems

[bruce]

Flats is so much better than Poogash

[bruce]

The Welsh seems very good as well