Writer checks in from games in Torino

By Adam Bagni
Collegian Staff
March 1, 2006

What you see at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games on NBC is not always what you get.

This isn’t an unethical thing, but what many viewers don’t realize is that sporting events airing on tape (a rarity in today’s technology-driven society) allow for a great deal of “television trickery.”

As a logger for speedskating, I have had the privilege of working closely with one of NBC Sports’ most accomplished producers, Tommy Roy. Roy, a former Executive Producer of all of NBC Sports, presents all of the speedskating events marvelously (it is one of the few sports where all our events appear in primetime). He and his staff utilize commercial breaks to make the coverage “feel” live.

In speedskating, there may be up to 30 pairs of skaters competing in a given event. However, when the event airs on television, you may see only 10 races from start to finish. After an advertisement airs, you may or may not have noticed that multiple pairs have come and gone within the three-minute break. Not only is this done in an effort to save television time, but also to avoid airing the dreadful matchup of a Kazakistanian and Bulgarian speedskater. No matter how uncompetitive they may be, the races that consist of athletes from Team USA are almost always aired, and if you do see two unknown skaters from small countries on an NBC broadcast, it’s probably because a violent crash is about to ensue. Regardless, the NBC speedskating crew does a great job of making a taped event “feel” live.

Heavy editing isn’t limited to the event itself. In fact, it goes way beyond that. From fixing misspelled graphics, to voiceovers, to interviews, much of what you see on television in America has been through a series of adjustments. I would imagine many viewers would cringe after watching reporters interview and re-interview athletes because of a language flub or a technical problem. There’s nothing more awkward than seeing a newly-crowned medalist answer the same questions over and over again.

If you think your favorite commentator is not only a great speaker, but also witty, think again. Jokes, and even laughing, are often scripted. The “play-by-play” of an event is often voiced-over again later in a voicing studio either because a commentator made a false statement or mispronounced something. Unethical? No. Tricky? Yes.

On the sports front, I spoke to Chad Hedrick via teleconference after Team USA was eliminated from the men’s pursuit. Tension has been boiling in the U.S. Speedskating camp after Hedrick noted that the pursuit team would have a much stronger chance at gold if teammate Shani Davis agreed to compete. Davis claimed he needed the time to prepare for the men’s 1,000 meter, an event in which he went on to win gold.

I asked Hedrick if he would still compete in the pursuit if he were in a similar position as Davis, where his marquee event was a few days following the team event. Hedrick smartly replied, “Any chance I have to win a gold metal, and represent my country, I’m going to take it. I can’t speak for anyone else.”

bagnia1@lasalle.edu