[Sorry the videos cut across the side bar. Hope it doesn't impede your viewing too much. And sorry the first one starts straight away. Good job they all don't. That would be video carnage.]
Video 1
So first things first, a funny cat video. Who doesn't love a funny cat video?! Not me, that's for sure. Please enjoy this offering from The Telegraph. I particularly enjoyed seeing Simba himself as a walk on extra in this one.
Video 2 and a rant
Seondly, I can't not make mention of the World Athletics Championships. You know me, I like a bit of athletics and I love the BBC which is why I was disappointed to discover than Channel 4 won the rights to the IAAF Championships. Gutted actually. I went from being excited about the Championships to, well, not. And with some justification as this second video shows, the anchorman just wasn't up to it. I think this is all from the first day and in fairness, he did get a bit better before he was 'demoted' yesterday (and by demoted I mean axed). However, asking Michael Johnson if he's ever tried the pole vault probably isn't the best line of questioning without having some indication of a cracker anecdote he has.
Anyway, try to watch it without cringing.
It makes me appreciate Sue Barker and the master, John Inverdale, all the more.
So now that they've lost Ortis, why is it so terrible? Well there's the adverts. I know that how the BBC works is from the licence fee and how the others work is from money from adverts. But really? Back from a break and one 400m race and back to adverts? And so help me if I see that Clio advert one more time...
And I miss Phil Jones trackside. The woman C4 have isn't very good, a bit patronising and probably because of the rush to ads, comes across abrupt with the athletes. I miss Steve Cram too. He sees things the average viewer or indeed, the camera missed.
There have been a few good things about the coverage. We don't get the little hamster, Colin Jackson, nodding along to everything Michael Johnson says (but happily still get Michael Johnson). Neither is Denise Lewis there to add in cliches. Katherine Merry is very good and Dean Macey is brilliant at the field events, mostly because of his excitement! And he called the 110m hurdles right (the tangle and why Lui Xiang hit the last hurdle) immediately afterwards which C4's actual commentator didn't see apparently. Well, can't blame him, it all happens in 13 seconds. However, keeping an eye on the two British athletes you'd think would be key for the British broadcaster of the Championships. Not so much though, as we got told 'Andy Turner finished some way down the field'. He didn't, he finished fourth and then got promoted to 3rd when Robles was disqualified. That said, Dean Macey's grammar isn't great, sorry I mean cracks me up, but I shouldn't complain. Not just anyone can do TV you know, as poor Ortis showed.
Video 3
Thirdly, a video from UTV (for which you have 23 more days to enjoy). I'm not a UTV kinda girl (see above re. BBC) but Nicky told me to watch this video. I did and I wasn't disappointed. It's pun-tastic just the way local news should be.
I imagine there was a lot of high fiving with the cameraman when he came up with another cow pun to include. And I particularly enjoyed the job title of 'Cow Rescue Specialist'. Apparently it's five more rescues til he gets 'Expert' status.
Video 4
Like I said, I like BBC and BBC Newsline is no exception. Donna, Noel, Jackie, they're like family to me now. Not to be outdone by their rivals they had their own animal interest story about an abandoned donkey with hooves that had grown into elf feet (I don't think that's the technical term).
I encountered donkey neglect during my Methodist publication research last year (blog posts here, here and here) because the Irish Christian Advocate used to have an advert from the USPCA or some such about it with this photo.
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| The advert appeared with amazing regularity. |
Anyway, back to the report. Because it's the BBC I can't embed the video but the link is here. Do please enjoy it. My own highlights are:
- his name. I've said it before, animals shouldn't have human names. Johnny the donkey? Are you kidding me? The report also mentions Brian the donkey. I promise I'm not making this up.
-the 'photographer lady knowing the feet weren't right'. When you see the video I think you'll agree she is the winner of today's No Shit Sherlock Award. Congratulations to you, Photographer Lady.
- the fact that a few years ago it was 'chic' to own a donkey. Seriously? Not quite a chihuahua in a handbag, is it?
If you didn't see it live, you'll also have missed the reporter holding Johnny's cut hoof like it was the most normal thing in the world. Put me right off my Milky Bar dessert I can tell you.
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