So I was watching an infomercial on the Fox network and a World Series game broke out.
TV coverage of the World Series, which featured the hometown Philadelphia Phillies against the Tampa Rays, was horrible.
While some viewers complained about the commentators, I had more of a problem with the in-game promotions of Fox programs, the animated pop-ups on the screen and the network nearly missing the first pitch of an inning because it came back late from a commercial break.
The World Series, baseball's grandest stage, was reduced to a series of programming teasers for the Fox TV lineup. Viewers were beaten over the head with reminders that "24" is coming back in November, that "Fringe" is a new show and that "House" airs Tuesday.
During postgame interviews, Fox's Chris Myers referenced "Fringe" while talking with a player, and later slipped in "House" while interviewing a Phillie about playing a home game in his house. "Speaking of 'House,' that's a show on Fox," he said. It was pedestrian journalism, something I'd expect to hear on "American Idol," not during World Series coverage.
Fans and viewers shouldn't have had to endure Monday's monsoonlike conditions, or a 10:06 p.m. start last Saturday, either. It's not fair to the fans.
Last Saturday's game ended at 1:50 a.m., causing many viewers to go to bed, or fall asleep watching, before the outcome was determined. I wonder what advertisers thought of the late Saturday start.
This is all about TV ratings and Fox dictating when World Series games are played. The network didn't want a Tuesday game to interfere with "House," its top show, or a Friday game, which would have low ratings because of competition with the likes of high school football games.
Philadelphia Inquirer writer Phil Sheridan said this about Fox's coverage: "When baseball, like other sports, sold its soul to the networks and their craven need for prime-time sports programming, it created a situation where young fans couldn't stay up to watch the most important games of the year," he said.
It's no wonder baseball is no longer America's pastime. If fans were the priority, Game 3 last Saturday would have been postponed, same with Monday's Game 5. Instead, television dictates when baseball games are played and what conditions players and fans must endure.
Nice call, Harry: Wednesday night I had the Phillies on the radio on WCAU-AM 1210, the team's flagship station. It was great to hear Harry Kalas say "
Swing and a miss and the Phillies are 2008 world champions."
It seemed only fitting to have Kalas, the longtime voice of the team, make the final call. During the playoffs, Kalas and Chris Wheeler split time (four innings) with the Phillies' regular radio team of Scott Franske and Larry Anderson (five innings).
"Our radio team is great together, and we've got a Hall of Famer in Harry and a guy who's been with the club 30 years [in Wheeler], so we want to give them their due," Phillies broadcast manager Rob Brooks said in a telephone interview Tuesday.
It was the fans who were treated. The radio coverage after the game was excellent, featuring interviews with more than a dozen key players.
I find if interesting that during TV highlights they use Kalas' final call. I felt privileged to hear it live.
Staff writer Eric Stark discusses trends and tidbits in broadcast media each week in the Sunday News. He can be reached at estark@lnpnews.com.
