More like this
BBC sorry for ‘over-talking’ by Wimbledon pundits
Beeb posts apology in response to complaints about too much chit-chat
From the gratuitous celebrity-spotting between games to the disastrous attempt by Sue Barker to interview Rafael Nadal with a broken mike moments after the men's final was over, the BBC coverage of Wimbledon this year was not faultless.
Now the Beeb has seen fit to apologise for one flaw in particular – too much chit-chat from commentators, or as a corporation spokesman put it,"over-talking".
"The aim of our commentary team was to inform our audience and give context to the matches," the BBC explained in a statement posted yesterday in response to complaints.
"Views on our commentary are of course subjective and we do appreciate that over-talking can irritate our audience," it continued. While it hoped to have "achieved the right balance," the corporation said, "we are of course sorry if on occasion you have not been satisfied."
The BBC put a variety of past players in the commentary box to add what it called "balance and insight" to matches. Viewers could switch on and find themselves being guided through a match by the nasal tones of Tim Henman, complimented perhaps by the gruff American confidence of John McEnroe or Greg Rusedski's Canadian drawl.
Clearly some people felt that their efforts actually detracted attention from the match – over 100 people registered complaints. As for the other millions who tuned in to watch Wimbledon, they may have found chatty commentary to be the perfect way of hiding another of this year's most annoying sounds – Maria Sharapova's grunting. ·
Comments are now closed on this article
Comments
BBC as made many mistakes before and still got away with it. Any takes for stopping BBC for repoerting all correct news? I wonder I thank you FirozaliA.Mulla DBA
I'm with Stu. Why is the BBC apologising for this? Reply politely to each complaint by letter thanking them for their input but telling them the millions of others who watched didn't feel strongly enough to contact them so that is that. No need to say sorry to them as if you've deliberately gone out of your way to annoy them. I'm wondering if this is an accent thing or just that they were talking about tennis (which would bug the hell out of me). I'm sure that millions would complain if the BBC didn't cover Wimbledon at all and left it to the other channels to show it, and would there be shouty pundits on the other channels? Oh yes.
Just imagine how much the BBC could save by ditching the over-paid celebs.
Chances are that your TV has a mute button. Feel free to use it guys. I imagine (although I am not sure) that there was alternative commentary on the red button. That's certainly the case for the F1.
100 people found the time to complain about this. Astounding.
As well as the banal wittering of Boris Becker.
If tne grunters do not gain advantage from grunting (as they claim) why not ban it? If they gain no advantage from it they would lose nothing by stopping.
COME ON!!!!
It's not just the Wimbledon coverage!!
The amount of crap talked by so-called pundits during, and after, especially after, a football match is GROSSLY excessive!
Sometimes subsequent programmes are delayed because the 'talking heads' are so much stricken with verbal diarrhoea!
BBC - cut the sporting pundit crap!!