Channel 7’s lack of Olympic sailing coverage

by Di Pearson on 6 Sep 2004 Thank you to all those who responded to my article re the lack of sailing coverage by Channel 7 at the Olympic Games in Athens.

Channel 7’s representatives’ excuse was that they ‘thought no one would be interested in sailing.’

Whilst none of us are naive enough to expect full races to be shown, a few minutes wrap-up each night is not too much to ask.

If you would like to try to turn this problem around, please write to Channel Seven as below and see if we can’t make inroads in the future.

If we don't band together and let them know now, nothing will change for our sport, be it Olympics, America's Cup or any type of sailing regatta.

Address letters to:

Andy Kay,

Olympic s Executive Producer,

Channel Seven,

GPO Box 4477 Melbourne VIC 3001

If you would like to send copies to Yachting NSW they will gladly forward them to Yachting Australia with the following recommendations:

1. That Yachting Australia makes representation to the Olympic broadcasting rights distributor: the IOC, and Channel Seven expressing their disappointment at the lack of coverage for the sport.

2. That Yachting Australia seeks similar correspondence from the other State Yachting Authorities and affiliated Clubs.

Yachting Association of NSW

P.O. Box 537,

Glebe. NSW 2037

or via their email:

yansw.office@nsw.yachting.org.au


This is just one of many emails I received in response to the article:

OLYMPICS COVERAGE

I so agree with your comments in relation to the poor coverage of sailing by channel 7. And amusingly enough, I would love to see what would happen to coverage if we sailors did get a bit more gear off!

The worst of it is, that not even the Sydney Morning Herald Olympics website could get it together.

I emailed them very early on in the peace to complain about the fact that we had sailors in medal contention which I had read about on sail-world. Their (SMH) 'sailing' site had not gotten beyond a comment on the weather from two days earlier. It still took 24 hours for an article to appear.

Here's hoping the mainstream media will listen soon...

Cheers

Fiona Elliott