We need an alternative to Masters debacle
The easy thing would be to brand Channel Seven’s decision to cut the golf coverage in Sydney and Melbourne as a disgrace. A travesty the conclusion of a major Australian tournament was missed in the two biggest markets. You’ll read those columns in the newspapers, most likely of the tabloid variety.
But before you call Seven every name under the sun because you missed Aaron Baddeley get to thank God again, put yourself in the shoes of the decision makers.
Sunday night is the most important night in television. Has the most viewers of any night. The success of the night usually depends on the start provided by the news. As exciting as we think Baddeley v the Swedish bloke with the Indian name was, more people wanted to watch the news.
A lot more people.
So the idea that the news is more important than the golf is a valid one, but viewers should have had access to the finish somewhere.
Anywhere.
For example, there are some of us - not many - who paid good money for one of those set-top boxes. You know, the ones that allow the viewer to see the pores on David Caruso’s face, and that’s about it. There’s a plethora of extra channels just sitting there, waiting for content. The government has complained that not enough people are interested in the new technology. Well, here’s a sure-proof way to get people keen, quickly.
Seven could have also offered the Masters finish to Fox Sports. You would think the heavies at North Ryde would have been delighted to jam the golf on their Sports news channel. If not, the surely the Christian Channel would have interrupted regular prayer time for their man Badds.
Whatever, there could have been a way around the debacle we were served.
Anti-siphoning laws in this country are extensive, but not specific. As crazy as it seems, showing an event doesn’t necessarily have to encompass the finish. Some will call for those laws to be scrapped completely. The laws don’t need to be turfed, just modified.
There’s a perception golf is struggling in this country. Hard to change that image when half the population can’t see the finish of the nation’s second most important tournament.
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