Seven West Media / Channel 7 review: australian open coverage 36

I am absolutely disgusted at the camera angles used while watching the Australian Open. I don't want to see the view from
ground level as they serve and I can't tell if the ball was in or out. It should be from the camera higher up. Whoever is making
these decisions about which camera to use and when should be sacked. I was so disgusted with the views that I turned the television off and listened to the tennis on the ABC radio

I am writing to complain about the coverage of the Hewitt versus Young 2 round match televised on channel 7 today, 21/01/2010. As an exclusive televisor for the Australian Open I was disgusted that in the middle of this game the game ceased being televised due to other programs on the station. I believe that if the event is solo televised on one station then coverage should not cease whilst Rod Laver Arena games are still in progress especially when an Austrlian is playing.

Channel 7 broadcasts the Australian Open and has exclusive rights in Australia. Imagine my dismay when I found out regular programming would interrupt coverage of this event. With one analogue channel, one full HD channel and three digital channels, one would expect to be able to catch most, if not all, of the tennis. However, Channel 7 feels that it is of greater importance to deliver shows such as Home and Away to the public. 5 channels available and none showing the world number one in his fight to stay in the open? POOR EFFORT.

Channel 7's coverage of the 2010 Australian Open has been consistently poor. First they spend a ridiculous amount of time spruiking their new programs for 2010 (which I can assure you I will be boycotting on principle now), even roping the commentators into shilling for these shows while they should be analysing the shotmaking. And then, to add insult to injury, they show shocking disrespect to their audience and to the players by cutting away from thrilling matches - often featuring Australians - to show the news, Today Tonight and Home and Away. While I agree that the 6pm newscast is significant enough to cease coverage for half an hour, I fail to see why we need to watch Matt White and the Today Tonight team blather on about some inane insurance fraud FROM MELBOURNE PARK while right behind them the world number 1 player Roger Federer stages the comeback of his tournament against Nikolay Davydenko. Or, as happened a few days ago, while Australian Sam Stosur (and a Channel 7 darling at that) comes up against Serena Williams. Coming back into the coverage to Johanna SHOWING US the end of the match and then telling us there'll be a full replay later on is just beyond poor.

This is Australia's biggest contribution to world tennis and a MASSIVE international tournament. If Channel 7 can't do the coverage justice then maybe it's about time another network stepped up and scooped the massive audience numbers which come from the event.

I am appalled at the commentary in the Murray and Federer match. The commentators were completely bias towards Federer . I have never heard anything like it, complete lack of support and anti British. Even when they interviewed Murray at the end of the game i felt they were trying to undermine him saying ' maybe it's a good thing you didn't watch the Djokovic match' shocking and completely unnecessary! I hope this us reviewed by channel 7 it's really disappointing and frustrating to watch .

I also forgot to mention that I really was very impressed by Stanislas Wawrinka he was amazing, but I am still very happy Nole won because he was the one that had everything to lose and to win is something he must be so proud of like Serbian Australian community is. As an Australian I was disappointed with Pat Cash who reminded mi of his father while watching Pat play, was in the opposing box for the Swedes, and not surprised Goran Ivanisevic was there too. Just because of them I am happy again Nole WON so they can all go and sit in another camp and try again to bring down a great champ, no harm in trying.

I am so disappointed with the commentary of Melbourne Tennis Open 20/01/2013, the commentary of Layton Hewitt and Bruce Mcavaney in particular, so anti Djokovic, I was just so wrapped that Djokovic won. The commentary was so lacking professionalism that even when Djokovic was winning 2 sets to one, the commentary would have you believe that Warwinka was the one in front.
It is not the first time I felt this nor am I the only one to think so, so anti Serbian in fact, but I am proud of my Serbian ancestry. Many people are on the band wagon of the yanks because what happened to former Yugoslavia that was in at least in a 10 year turmoil of war, also bombed illegally by yanks. Many people should realise that SERBIAN people are a very friendly nation and very pleasant to be with. Just ask many of Hollywood stars that spend a lot of time in Belgrade in particular.
But back to tennis, Novak is a CHAMPION he is the one who is KING as he is the NO 1 in the world, just spare a thought for Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic, Janko Tipsarevic, Victor Troicki. These kids grew up in a war torn country and strived to become the champions that they all are. The country of Serbia even today does not have tennis courts on which the players can practice but never the less there are very many champions from Serbia, not just from tennis, but Basketball jut ask USA, water-polo, handball, volleyball...
Go SERBIA you are so proud.

Just forgot to mention a comment made by Bruce Mcavaney last year during tennis open, in one of the matches he commented "Now wasn't that sexy" For Christ sake BRUCE we were not watching mud wrestling women. I absolutely can't understand why they persevere with this man as his commentary even in AFL matches suck big time, I wish there was a button on my remote where I can mute the commentators and just listen to all else coming through but them.

The coverage of the tennis this year is appaling. There are no other matches broadcasted in these past 2 days that do not feature Australian players. Whilst I understand it is the AUSTRALIAN Open played in AUSTRALIA, surely there has to be other players that are playing! It is after all, the Grand Slam of ASIA PACIFIC, with Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Andy Murray playing! But one wouldn't be able to tell; especially not during the day when the top seeded players are playing on centre court yet Channel 7 broadcasts showcourt matches featuring only Australian players with only scores updates for centre court matches! I cannot wait for Masterchef to start this weekend!

Everyone i speak to cant wait for the tennis to be over, so we can get back to watching all the good shows.Put it on pay tv.

Can the volume of court side microphone be reduced so that the excessive grunting is not heard.
It is ridiculous the noise that is made and most people I know dislike the grunting.
Come on 7 reduce the noise markedly

WHY WHY WHY ARE YOU TELEVISING MENS DBLS ON WIMBLEDON OVER THE FEDERER/TSONGA MATCH YOU ARE PATHETIC. WOODBRIDGE KEEPS SAYING THAT THEY CAN'T GO TO THE MATCH DUE TO CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS AND HE EVEN SOUNDS NERVOUS AND DISGUSTED SAYING IT. YOUR WHOLE WIMBLEDON COVERAGE HAS BEEN TOTAL ###

Please now that we have some intellectual and technical expertise in the experience of fresh young blood in Leyton Hewitt can we get rid of that old boring dry septic tank. We need to keep the game alive with stimulating commentary not the same old crap...have'nt we had enough. Macacwaca and Leyton get on well in the box. The Seppo is off his game and should retire like the players who are no longer able to compete at the same level.

channel 7s should be ashamed of themselves.
here we are with australians playing in the australian open and in qld it is an hour delayed.
what a load of brainless programming.
what could be more important than showing the Tomic Nadal game live..
this is history for our queensland kid.
get it together channel 7
I don't watch your channel I watch the computer then I am up with the times...I know the result of the game.
I am over you
grow a brain ...p-l-e-a-s-e

this is the biggest load of crap when we have australians playing in the australian open and we have to wait an hour to watch it here in qld..
channel 7 you should be ashamed of yourself.
what is your excuse for not sowing it live.
well for your information I don't watch the tv cause I hate watching an sporting event that has been resulted.
so i sit at the computer...
idiot channel, wake up..we sports lovers in queensland are over you.

Whats going on with the tennis coverage were watching Clisters V Safina match they go to an add break and come back to some other match. It is like someone has changed the Chanel. No more tennis for me

I am so sick of Jim Courier always talking and making stupid and unrelated comments constantly throughout tennis matches. I understand that commentating is his job, but if you compare him to previous Australian opens and the commentary, you will find that they do not speak in the middle of points and make stupid and unrealistic comments that no-one wants to hear!

I am personally so sick of him i have to turn the sound down when he is commentating, and i do not enjoy the tennis as much when the sound is a low grumble.

I would be wholly satisfied with the tennis and i think so would alot of other people if Jim Courier was OFF THE AIR.

To add to my complaint if a tennis match is on i want to see it i dont want to miss it to some stupid soap opera no one watches-Home and Away- Agreeing with the comment about Sam Stoza.

1.Jim Courier Gone.
2. All tennis matches to be aired.
3.No tv programs played over matches
4. Australian Commentators
5. and last but not least LIVE TENNIS!1!

I completely agree. I am from England and have been shocked at the way Channel 7 cuts away from sports to show the news and soaps...usually when its a critical part of the games being played. The AUS v PAK one day cricket had 3 overs left and it was a real game...and they can't wait the 15 minutes it would have taken to complete the game. Also the news is on every other channel, why do they all have to show it at the same time...if getting their news program on at 6pm every night is so important to them then they shouldn;t be showing sport.

We find the tennis commentary so intrusive, particularly from the two garrulous Americans (and the ghastly voice of the woman) that we simply mute the whole commentary of the tennis telecast. We also find it pathetic that Australia cannot choose one of its own to interview the winners in the Men's competition including covering Australia's major tennis tournament.

Channel 7's performance is an insult to its viewers.

Ballarat, Victoria

Sign this Petition ... http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/channel7

Absolutely agree! Lecunte was appauling and added zilch to the overall commentary. His bias was totally over the top and embarrassing to listen to. Just what hole did they pluck him from. Drop him right now! Might as well find another biased supporeter from Switzerland and put him/her in the commentary box to parry lecunte during the next match.

The two-hour delayed presentation of the Australian Open is frustrating but why does not Channel 7 at least do something about its commentaries? Li Nah says her coach talks too much, which may be so. BUT Jim Courier especially, Tracy Austin, Todd Woodbridge et al DO talk too much. The commentators should take a cue from courtside spectators. Do they not notice that before a player even goes into the service action, courtside noise stops? Commentator noise should do the same.

David Durrant,
Perth, WA.

Henri Leconte was appauling during the Tsonga Djokovic last night. It was like watching alongside with an excited ten year old Tsonga fan-boy. He provided no information, no insight into the game... Jim was doing his best to salvage the situation politely... even asking Henri some questions of a tennis related nature. All we got was 'Cmon Joe, unbelievable, whoo, ohhh, fffff'.

I work with a Serb who understandably is livid - spending his hours watching the game and swearing his head off at the ridiculous commentary.

No more polite work-arounds - let me do you all a favour - get rid of Leconte now - not next year - right away - he is an embarrassment.

Appart from the having extremely poor coverage of AU open - even today NOT SHOWING A FANTASTIC FEDERER VS DAVYDENKO MATCH! they are also racist and discriminators - shown tonight on Dokovich -Tsonga match. It was impossible to listen to the comments. They have no longer my support.

I think as a channel has the right to cover the grand slam of tennis then they should actually cover it and not play Today tonight and Home and Away as they are pre taped an not very interesting anyway.

Very disappointing to have the most interesting of matches interrupted for rubbish... (again as it was the same last year)

I am absolutely disgusted with channel 7 and its coverage of the tennis in Adelaide. Even when the Federer vs Davydenko match has finished, it chooses to show replay of that match rather than show the live match between Djokovic and Tsonga. What a joke! If channel seven don't take sport seriously, maybe they should give the rights to another channel that will show live tennis!

I am so frustraited with channel 7...today is the mens quarter finals and I have been waiting ALL day to get back from work to watch LIVE tennis only to find they at 7pm the STOP the LIVE tennis for the news and today tonight...they are not showing the Federra match live and at 7.30 when the tennis programme starts again they are showing a repeat of the Tsonga game from this afternoon...UNACCEPTABLE CHANNEL 7! WE want LIVE tennis!

channel 7 is utterly useless. showing garbage like today tonight on 4 of its channels. absolute garbage

The channel 7 Australian Open coverage is appalling. They didn't show the Sam Stosur match and we are currently missing the Federer qtr final match. If they aern't going to show it they shouldn't be getting an exclusive contract, at least make it available on Sky Sports

Channel 7 - you suck! What are you thinking! Some one actually made a decision to show crap like Today Tonight and Home and Away instead of Aussie Open finals - is this a ploy to make people get pay tv!?!?!?! You suck!

this is ###.u have to show federer match.u ###

What is going on! Some crap about a silly women sending nasty text messages to her family - instead of Fedderer in the Aussie Open! What are you doing chennel 7. Idiots! You have proved my original thoughts about your network! Crap - stick to home and away, weight loss pills, celeb gossip, leave the serious stuff to others that can handle it. Angry

I think it is disgusting how channel 7 can have the exclusive rights to the Australian Open and in the quarter finals in particular (currently unable to watch federer being beaten (WTF) by Davydenko because they have to show the news followed by Home and Away. What is the point having the rights for the Aussie Open and in the most important matches of the day - you dont get to see them! Just like the Roddick upset last night - must have been great to watch. Unfortunately the braindead idiots at Channel 7 have no idea what they are doing! What the hell are they thinking "Oh they'll all want to watch Home and Away over the Quarter finals of the tennis." My God channel 7, you have blown it big time. Face up to it and apologise to all the tennis fans. You ###s.
Bring back the BBC, can you imagine if they stopped televising in the middle of a big game at Wimbledon to show bloody Eastenders? Ridiculous.

I can't believe that they've done it again. After not showing Stosur's match, once again they've decided to screen the news, Today Tonight and Home and Away instead of the end of Roddick's five set match against Cilic! Totally apalling.

If Channel 7 doesnt want the Tennis give it to a channel that does! Im furious that Channel 7 showed Today Tonight and Home and Away (WTF?) rather than show our remaining woman finalist! Im furious, furious, furious and as of tomorrow morning will no longer be watching Sunrise or evening news programs!

I can, t believe channel 7 played Home and Away over Sam Stoser, s game, that, s appalling, I will no longer support Channel 7, s morning shows, or Sports coverage, or lack of!

I find it utterly appaling the channel 7 coverage of the Australian Open 2010. I am a Brisbane viewer and not only do I have to watch the evening live games an hour behind, unable to use another media source in case of getting the score ahead of time; but I was today watching the Mayer v. Del Potro match only for it to go into an ad and then start playing Home Improvement - WHAT? Why would I sit and watch a match for it only to conclude with an awful American sitcom. If you're going to broadcast a live sporting event, especially one as prestigious as the Australian Open then it should be treated with the respect it deserves, as do the viewers. Sort it out channel 7.