To think that the Olympics coverage on BBC is a bit too British?

[BlueberryPancake]

I don't know much about anything to do with sports, but I have always seen the olympics as being an international event. Isn't that the essence of it all.

So why is the BBC only interviewing British medalists? Aren't there any other winners? They had John McEnroe on the other day commenting on various achievements, but why don't they make the effort to try and interview athletes from other countries, just a bit even, once a day or something. Profiles. Whatever.

I have the family of an athlete staying with us right now, they are from the US, their daughter won a silver medal last night. I am trying to find a little bit of coverage about the high jump final on the bbc and really, there is so little. Almost nothing at all. I wanted to show it to my kids. But there is nothing at all.

I know they can't cover everything but the olympics has been only about our medals, and Husain Bolt. I am sure that the Americans are covering American athletes on their shows, but we are the host country. Shouldn't there be a bit more about other athletes?

I want to hear about our successes after all this is the best we have done for years. I think we would all be up in arms if team GB were third in the medal table and getting the most medals for decades and the BBC were interviewing the Latvian winner of a gold that no one had heard of. No the BBC has got it right in my book - leave them alone.

YANBU

I find it a bit sickening too, and it is ruining the Olympics for me. I agree completely with your statement "I have always seen the olympics as being an international event." - I want to see the best athletes and competitiors, regardless of whether they're British or not.

Boggler - if the BBC did interview the Latvian winner of a gold that no one had heard of and they had an interesting story to tell, would that really be so awful?

I am pleased Team GB are doing well but that is not the only story of this Olympics. Michael Phelps anyone?

YADNBU

This was discussed on Jeremy Vine the other day. As has already been pointed out, each nation is concentrating on their own athletes. Go to the US France, Germany et al and you won't find much reporting on other countries other than their own.
Plus, Google is your friend.

OAM You mean the same Michael Phelps who was interviewed by the BBC after every race he won and discussed extensively in the analysis in the BBC studio by Ian Thorpe and his co-presenter?

Or were you getting confused with Chad Le Clos, the South African swimmer whose father Bert was interviewed after his race by the BBC?

Or maybe Missy Franklin...

I'd never heard of the last two before these Olympics, so the Beeb must be getting something right.

I find it all overfocused on Team GB as well, I'd love to see more non-British winners being interviewed. Coverage in my own country is overfocused on national winners as well, I'd say each country could do with extending their horizons a little.

That said, I do find the commentators quite gracious when Team GB lose and give credit where it's due to other finalists.

It is also quite possible that some of the international medallists do not speak English too.

I watched the high jump final last night as part of the BBC athletics feed so, without Googling and from memory, can say that Brigetta (think this was her name) did very well getting a personal best of 2.03m, beating her previous one of 2.01cm. All this was reported on the BBC.

Great interview with David Rudisha - lovely gentleman.

In fact, now I've gone hunting, here is the BBC article about the women's high jump.

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/18912864

The winner, Anna Chicherova, had a baby 3 months ago!!!

Sorry, read that wrong. She won the 2011 World Championships 3 months after having her baby. But still, check out her abs. Mine are never going to be that again!

I must be watching different coverage. I have seen lots of international athletes interviewed; Michael phelps, usain bolt, chad Le clos, Blake, Kenyan 800m winner, netherlands hockey captain etc etc.
I have 8 Americans staying with me, they hve enjoyed our coverage and feel it is much better than NBC. They have been pleased with the crowds cheering on other teams and feel the commentators are respectful and gracious.
So YABU!

Yabvu! The BBC is doing a great job. Remember translation issues are magnified for live TV - ie many or most of the gold-winning Chinese athletes don't speak English - and the UK audience are overwhelmingly interested Team GB. I much preferred to see the footage of Tom Daley, who won bronze in diving last night, jumping in the pool with his entire team to celebrate, than cameras concentrated on the US winner, although the BBC did manage to do both.

For me the BBC's Olympics coverage has justified the license fee several times over - so much better value for money than eg. Sky, and no adverts.

In fact if you were watching the Olympics solely on US broadcasters you'd be surprised to find out any other nationalities besides Olympians were competing!

Let's see how Channel 4 handles its exclusive coverage of the Paralympics later this month...

You should have been in Canada for the winter Olympic period. I thought I would die of Canadian fervour. I almost didn't do a subscription to the Red Cross because the girl who was at my door doing it said she liked it because it was Canadians helping Canadians. Umm that would be the INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS and the BRITISH PERSON you are trying to sign up.

Every country does it.

Haha Freudian slip there (blame iPhone) "Any other nationalities besides AMERICANS competing", not 'Olympians'!

I don't really care what other countries are doing. Why weren't the high jumper's parents at the games with the high jumper?

But which British sporting successes do you think the BBC should have ignored in order to give air time to a sportsperson from another country? Every day we had a new sport to watch and new GB effort to learn about and celebrate.

We had so much individual success to celebrate how could it be justified to miss someone out. I've loved it! I've loved hearing all the back stories - where they trained, where they went to school and about their parents. I could watch Laura Trott all day! I love that I now know loads of GB sporting stars for DCs to look up. DH said last night that he's pleased DD will hopefully feel that being a woman is about being strong, healthy, competitive, focussed and fit and not about clothes, make up, sex tapes, reality TV etc. !

Superstars from other countries have been discussed. Michael Phelps was celebrated and highlighted.

Is this just people finding patriotism and celebration of GB uncomfortable?

I don't think it's over focused on Britain, we are British! They are interviewing our own athletes plus the absolute stars (Bolt, Rudisha etc). They always show us how our athletes our doing but in events where we aren't at the front they discuss those athletes that are (eg mountain bike, marathon walk)

Brigitta Barrett was shown jumping, they just didin't interview her - I'm sure she was interviewed by her own country.

They had the high bar gymnast from holland on the other day....

And the south African runner with the prosthetic legs (name escapes me at the minute sorry)

They interview the winners at the althletics tracks if they can get hold off them.

I saw many American swimmers interviewed.

There's always someone ready to complain. Given what was happening in the UK 12 months ago, the state of the nation, the economy, the lack of proper role models for our children, the constant BBC bashing, when at last we have something to feel good about, to celebrate, someone is always ready to whine how it's not good enough for them.

Typical bloody Mumsnet.

The USA coverage has been very biased towards their own athletes, not a criticism, an observation.
Do you have any of the digital/Sky/red button options? I don't, but that apparently gives you a lot more flexibility about what you can choose to watch.

It's nothing like as one-eyed as the Australian coverage, where you'd think there were no other individuals competing; all are simply obstacles to the march of the Oz people.

I find it frustrating when the British media only report on the British athlete's result in a certain event. I would actually like to know who won gold & bronze or whatever! Interviews with just British athletes I can understand if there are language barriers.
Some coverage has been irritating. Why do I want to see runners warming up in the depths of the stadium with nothing happening when they could be showing the triple jump final - which is what happened earlier this week.

ohforfox Exactly! I thought the same. Am sure I'll only ever hear that view on MN! Or maybe from my DM who has to go against the tide regardless..!

To describe BBC coverage as a "bit sickening" and "ruining the olympics" is so far away from my experience of watching it for last 2 weeks. I've loved the presenters being openly overjoyed and celebratory with Team GB. The Ch 4 newsreaders wore sideburns to celebrate Bradley W. gold. It's felt like the end of term at school when teachers stop being grumpy and strict and let you have your lessons outside!

We've won 62 medals - 28 golds in two weeks! It's not like we weren't successful and have ignored foreign Olympic achievement in favour of someone coming 12th. We've justifiably celebrated.

YABU.

YABU I have found the coverage quite even. The American sprinters were always interviewed as I remember Richardson-Ross? being interviewed as I remember thinking she has a lovely smile and always seemed happy to be interviewed and very polite.

The Jamaican ladies team were interviewed as my son thinks they have the coolest accent on the planet.

the man who beat bladerunner (the South African athlete who has fins) in a heat was explaining why swapped name things with him (as he is an insipiration)

As well as Bolt and Blake there were lots of other nationalitys being interviewed especially in the swimming.

I was annoyed the other day that they showed the Handball final when Tom Daley was diving.

• I have a crap memory for names

I didnt know Usain Bolt was british & i didnt know that the USA was in Britain. Iv seen commentators speaking to both Bolt and the USA womens relay team. There have been other non british people interviewed in other sports. Maybe you just havent watched enough of it to discuss it.