• Subscribe
  • Advertise
    • Media Info
    • Terms & Conditions for Advertisers
    • Mechanical Data

Broadband TV News

Independent. Since 2003

  • Home
  • News Line
    • Central & East Europe
    • People
  • TV
    • On Demand/VOD
    • IPTV
    • Cable
    • Satellite
    • Terrestrial
    • Distribution
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Columns
    • Chris Dziadul
    • Julian Clover
    • Robert Briel
  • Events
    • Events Diary
    • BTN Events
    • Events Coverage
    • Submit the details of your event
  • Features
  • Resources
    • White Papers

Clover’s Week: Amazon enters Primetime

August 31, 2018 10.59 Europe/London By Julian Clover

There’s something comforting about tennis coverage. Whichever channel you turn to there’s a reasonable chance that you’ll get the same presenters and commentary team.

And so it was when I switched on to Amazon’s coverage of the US Open. Previously the event had been split between Sky and Eurosport, with the Discovery-owned channel taking last year’s event exclusively.

Immediately my commentators on Andy Murray’s second round match against Fernando Verdasco were familiar from previous years. Mark Petchey was sat alongside Greg Rusedski. We had a new excellent anchor in Catherine Whitaker, who has previously worked for Eurosport, beIN Sport and IMG Media, but as far as the production was concerned business as usual.

But it wasn’t all plain sailing. When I first navigated on my Apple TV box to the Amazon app I was confronted with a wall of Amazon-US Open logos. Which one do I choose? The description referring to individual courts and commentary from “our tennis experts”. If was Rusedski’s agent I’d be having a word.

The picture quality was questionable. This wasn’t the HD I had watched on Sky and Eurosport and seemed to be missing a frame from time to time. Other broadcast channels, such as BT, don’t have these issues when streaming.

And when the commentators told me I could see what was happening on other courts I was of course tempted. But I then lost the coverage for 30 seconds while I navigated from one to another.

Online criticism has been overblown, pausing the action for your own “comfort break” is fine, but there are no highlights or the text screens we’ve come to expect.

And of course when I fancied an early night Amazon Prime wasn’t available on my bedroom TV.

Amazon clearly has work to do before it begins its coverage of the Premier League next year.

Watching via an app, be it on the TV or a mobile device, is always going to be a different experience. But remember we’re told this is the future of our industry.

In switching from vinyl to .mp3s we’ve swapped quality for convenience. But as we know, sales of vinyl are increasing.

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: Clover's Week Edited: 18 August 2019 10:20

Avatar photo

About Julian Clover

Julian Clover is a Media and Technology journalist based in Cambridge, UK. He works in online and printed media. Julian is also a voice on local radio. You can talk to Julian on Twitter @julianclover, on Facebook or by email at jclover@broadbandtvnews.com.

Latest News

  • 24i partners with Amagi
  • yes selects Synamedia and 3SS as it gears up Smart TV alternative
  • End of the line for Poland’s ‘Lex pilot’
  • Three-quarters of SVOD services will introduce ads next year.
  • Live tennis ready to return to Sky

Free Ebook

Whitepaper: Why Wi-Fi 6 is Key for ISP Success

Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E client devices are entering the home in an unprecedented way, surpassing 50% market share since their introduction in 2019 (compared to four years for Wi-Fi 5). … [Download the eBook...]

Q & A

Q&A with Przemyslaw Frasunek, Redge Technologies

Broadband TV News speaks with Przemyslaw Frasunek, the CEO of Redge Technologies, about the CEE region OTT landscape and the most effective video security solutions.

Broadband TV News

  • Subscribe
  • About us
  • Contacts
  • Logos & Pictures
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions

Advertising

  • Media Info
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Mechanical Data
  • Video Services

News

  • Latest
  • Central & East Europe
  • TV
  • Tech
  • Streaming
  • Cable
  • Satellite
  • Terrestrial
  • IPTV
  • Business
  • People

Events

  • Events Diary
  • BTN Events
  • Submit the details of your event
  • Media Meet & Greet

Broadband TV News

PO Box 499
Cambridge
United Kingdom
CB1 0AH
news@broadbandtvnews.com

Connect with Us

 

Copyright © 2023 Broadband TV News LLP · Log in

 

Loading Comments...
 

    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OK