Poster: A snowHead
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Today's Men's GS has just been cancelled ... no, not the weather. Italian TV station RAI has gone on strike. More details to follow on www.snowracers.net ...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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That's odd. I didn't know Italian TV people skied gates. What happens if ski racers go on strike - does Italian TV shut down?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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What on earth is the FIS up to? TV coverage is vitally important of course, but skiing racing doesn't happen solely to provide video footage for TV producers to play with. Between this and the ticket pricing debacle, the FIS are making a bit of a mess of this year's championships.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Quote: |
but skiing racing doesn't happen solely to provide video footage for TV producers to play with.
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.... er, I think that's all it happens for!
Cynicism aside, though, the FIS probably had no choice. The whole thing is spectator and sponsor driven. I suppose it could have gone ahead with only print, magazine and internet reporters relaying the action to readers but the sponsors would have gone ballistic.
Ultimately the FIS are answerable to the public, which is how it should be. It would just be nice if they were more conscious of what the public find exciting.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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David Goldsmith, from the sponsors' point of view, is it any worse for the race to go ahead without TV than for it to be cancelled?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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David Goldsmith wrote: |
Quote: |
but skiing racing doesn't happen solely to provide video footage for TV producers to play with.
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.... er, I think that's all it happens for! |
Maybe 1 or 2 percent of ski racing is televised. What about all the kids and junior level racing, club competitions, lower level racing such as Europa Cup, etc, etc. None of this happens for the benefit of TV. What happens if the Italian TV people decide to strike for another week? Does FIS leave a gap in the record books where GS and slalom winners should have their names posted? The FIS should have had the balls to stand up to the TV companies and run the race regardless.
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It's probably all a legal thing. Maybe they want the sponsors to sue the Italian TV company.
But look at the implications for the Turin Winter Olympics next year - will the IOC be any more capable of assuring TV transmissions?
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This is what Europort are saying about this:
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Race organisers said in a statement that the event would now be held on Thursday.
The strike was among production workers with Italian state television RAI and meant the race could not be covered fully, organisers said.
They added that the European Broadcasting Union, which handles television coverage with RAI, had agreed to the postponement together with the International Ski Federation (FIS).
"We are very frustrated and angry. There were 156 athletes entered and ready to go and fan clubs have travelled especially to be here. The giant slalom is always one of the most exciting events," said FIS secretary general Sarah Lewis.
Lewis said FIS had been informed that the strike would be over by tomorrow but that the EBU were looking into "back-up options" in case the action should continue. |
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Just as well we don't all stop skiing when Italian TV goes on strike.
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Surely there are enough non-italian tv crews there to put a broadcast together??
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Apparently the belief was that coverage of a sufficient 'quality' couldn't be guaranteed without RAI involvement.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Quote: |
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They added that the European Broadcasting Union, which handles television coverage with RAI, had agreed to the postponement together with the International Ski Federation (FIS)....
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Hold on a minute, don't you realise the implications?
If my memory serves me correct, the European Broadcasting Union are the people behind the Eurovision Song Contest.
No EBU coverage = no Eurovision, then the world would stop. I mean, skiing is only skiing, but Terry Wogan and Eurovision are far too important.
This must be stopped!
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Never mind Terry Wogan, where is superman Silvio Berlusconi? I thought he ran everything in Italy.
Does he ski?
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You know it makes sense.
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That same Eurosport report indicates that the race will probably take place on Thursday instead
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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News of outcome of the 1st run here from Eurosport.
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Poster: A snowHead
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neilswingler wrote: |
That same Eurosport report indicates that the race will probably take place on Thursday instead |
That's right. It was postponed rather than cancelled - something that makes one think of mortality and funerals for some reason. "Reports of my death have been grossly exaggerated" etc.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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How petty can you get.
"Probably" being the operative word. It was therefore cancelled rather than postponed, as the original headline states, pending guarantees, yet to be received at the time, that the strike would definitely not be prolonged.
The term was deliberately chosen for reasons of absolute semantic accuracy DG, something I'm sure you pride yourself on.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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There is an interesting discussion to be had about journalistic accuracy, and not just on the web. We're not having it, unfortunately.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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richmond wrote: |
There is an interesting discussion to be had about journalistic accuracy, and not just on the web. We're not having it, unfortunately. |
Funny you should say that, richmond - that discussion has been opened on Apres Zone, with the opening part of the thread split from the News thread yesterday.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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David Goldsmith, it's not happening over there, either.
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