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The Daily PollIRISH ATHLETES have been enjoying tremendous success at the 2012 Paralympic Games – though many have complained about the poor coverage of the games, particularly on free-to-air TV channels.
Labour senator Mary Moran yesterday criticised RTÉ for not showing the games live – the domestic TV rights are owned by Setanta Sports – and for limiting its highlights to a half-hour package often aired late at night.
RTÉ has defended its coverage, saying it’s streaming the games live online and that its highlights shows are delayed by late sporting action. The fact that the games aren’t live on RTÉ TV, however, means those without Setanta or Channel 4 can’t see the games live on telly.
Given that debate – and the fact that the Irish athletes are doing so well – we thought we’d simply ask: Have you been watching the Paralympic Games?
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The channel 4 coverage has been excellent. The ads can sometimes be annoying though.
Who watches RTE anyhow?
It’s on C4 it’s not on RTE !
I’ve been watching the Paralympics on Channel 4 and Setanta, and I have to say first of all that ALL the sportspeople from ALL the countries have been magnificent, in view of their disabilities. As an Irishman I’ve watched with pride as we won medals, with yet more to come.
But RTE, our main national broadcaster, should hang their heads in shame. Not too long ago they gave blanket coverage to those useless athletes and swimmers who performed so badly in the Olympics, and came up with pathetic excuses for their failures. Only for the boxers and one showjumper, plus Annalise Murphy and Rob Heffernan who at least tried and came close, it would have been a disastrous Games for us. Yet they are only showing brief highlights every night of our brilliant Paralympians, who have already passed the medals haul won by their able-bodied counterparts in the FIRST week. SHAME, SHAME, SHAME on you RTE!
Yes, apart from all the medals we won, we won nothing! Its such a disgrace! Those athletes who didn’t win medals or who aren’t among the top 10 in their sport in the world should hang their heads for the shame they have brought upon our nation.
Even qualifying for the Olympics is a monumental achievement, beyond the physical capabilities of anybody I know. Its very easy for you to criticise sitting on your couch there Eddie. Odds are you’d struggle to even finish most events.
Well Jimbo, considering that I’m fast approaching my sixties I probably would struggle to finish most events these days, but that’s hardly the point, is it? The point is these people were put forward to represent Ireland at a top sporting event, purporting to be among the top 10-15 in their particular sports. But yet again the reality was they didn’t deserve to be there in the first place. What good is it simply “qualifying” when they don’t come within a whisker of medals? Fair enough, if they really tried and just lost out, I would accept that. But most of them were totally out of their depth. I would even accept that if they admitted as much, if it wasn’t for the pathetic excuses they come up with. By the way, I never said they should hang their heads for the shame they brought on our nation; I said they were useless and performed badly. The words you contributed to me in that context were aimed at RTE for their lack of coverage of the Paralympics and our wonderful Paralympians, which is in total contrast to the blanket coverage given to their able-bodied counterparts. You also seem to have overlooked the fact that I wasn’t just being critical; not only did I praise our medal winners, but also two others who came close.
RTE? Are they still broadcasting?
Way too many ad breaks!
Better having coverage with ad breaks than none at all!
I was surprised but I did a bit – huge inspiration! Even I find the Olympics very boring and am not into sports at all but its amazing what people can achieve when they do not allow themselves to be knocked! We can learn from them loads!!!
I voted “no, not interested”, but that’s nothing to do with the athletes.. I didn’t watch the other Olympics either. I find the lot just boring
Yep, I agree. I expressed a similar “not really interested” view in a few comments when the Olympics were on and it never went down well.
While C4′s coverage has been top notch, it is very Team GB centric. My cousin James Scully was swimming for Ireland last week (he’s been brilliant btw as have all our athletes :) ) and his heat wasn’t shown on C4 as they were interviewing some of the Team GB athletes.
Our grandmother couldn’t watch it online live so we had to play it back for her afterwards which didn’t have the same excitement.
Would it really have killed RTE to cut into regular programming on RTE2 to show the odd race? The used to do it the whole time back in the day for Athletics World Championships etc.
I feel that way too, Aodh. Their coverage has been ecxellent, but they do tend to concentrate a little too much on their own people. Even a couple of my British cousins have said the same thing.
They of course will give more coverage to team GB because they’re British! But they have given a good bit of coverage to Irish athletes too speaking to them at the opening ceremony, as well as showing the medal ceremonies. PS CLARE BALDING IS GOD!
CH4 have great coverage… channel 453 on sky platform have ch4 in hd for the games coverage… pity RTE couldn’t follow there lead…. i guess they’d rather keep their money to pay the likes of Dunphy and Giles….
SHAME ON RTE>>>>>>>>>
Living overseas and following the games on the london2012 site and thejournal.
rte wasting taxpayers money on shite American imports,abolish the licence fee and get rid of these wasters
They waste plenty of money on even more shite homemade shows too!
The channel 4 coverage has been amazing the athletes are inspirational and I am certain that any disabled child watching and seeing the way these athletes are getting so much positive coverage would be a great boost. Their ABILITY has been to the fore not their disability. I agree about Clare Balding she is playing a blinder also the show “the last leg with Adam Hill” which us on after the evening coverage is so funny and again would show young people that having a disability doesn’t mean you have to hide away.
Yes RTE should have covered these games but in all honesty they wouldn’t be able to match channel4.
There are two major problem with the Para Olympics. The classification and the equipment.the Classification system defines an individual’s level of disability and bunches them together ( there are 27 different 100m gold medals to compete for ). This is suppose to level the playing field but there is to much room for error or cheating. ( China had 700 athletes reclassified before the games ). Then there is the equipment. The richer you are you can afford the best and most expensive equipment ( wheelchairs, limbs etc ) competing against inferior equipment. So keep these in mind when your watching.
That makes 81 medals for the 100m, I think there was 82 competitors in all, I pity the poor guy who got nothing!
Most of my family has actually been to see some of it.
I have been watching these events on Setanta who, in fairness, have enormous coverage and all free to view although you do have to have Sky coverage.
But, Setanta do put RTE to shame with their coverage.
C4 have great coverage as do Setanta Ireland (on freeview) they are a both a bit country centric, but, which channel is completely unbiased?. In addition rte.ie/live has four channels. Anybody with upc/sky & decent internet shouldn’t miss too much.
RTE should be showing it live ……………………..they have done us proud !!!!!!!
RTE has let us down on this. Should be covering it just like the Olympics.
I like the idea of the Paralympics but i have had enough of any sort of Olympics by now.
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