RODRIGO’S MEDIA WORLD

by Rodrigo Rodriguez

I love the media, I love that I am a very small (albeit for over 25 years) part of broadcast media and communications, I love the business side of media, I love the people who have a crack at media and I am even warming to social media, even though it should be called “open, sometimes anti-social media”.

As a Diego I have been lucky enough to talk on the radio every week for over 15 years about a game that I have grown to love.  I get to voice my opinion (when I can get a word in…), even though I am an unashamed fence sitter and can always see two sides to the story. I get to work with three guys, mates, whose motivation is nothing more than wanting to promote a game that has been under promoted (until now).   I love that!

In Rodrigo’s Media World, I’ll look at an aspect of football media (on-air and off-air) and share with you my thoughts, observations and will welcome your take on what you’ve noticed about our football media people and its landscape.

So, let’s start.

I am often amazed at how the great commentators like Martin Tyler keep us in the palm of their hand without distracting us from the main event and how they can hold it together, word perfectly (mostly) for over 2 hours.

Australia’s Martin Tyler is Simon Hill from Fox Sports and while he may not be comfortable that I should put him in the same sentence as the great man, he is a real pro and I would tell him to stop being so modest.

In keeping with Carlos’ Casual Observations……Have you ever noticed that at the start of every A-League game or International the broadcast goes something like this?

Adam Peacock throws to the broadcast……

“Now let’s cross to Simon Hill and Robbie Slater at The Adelaide Oval for the big game between Adelaide United and Melbourne Victory”.

Then for the next 3 - 5 minutes or more, ONLY Simon Hill talks, he paints a picture of the battle we are about to watch, throwing in some statistics about previous encounters, the history between the two States or Countries, talks us through the teams and reminds us of the important match-ups and the players we need to look out for. I also like the off-the-wall stats he gives us as well.  There is a team in the background helping him out with great graphics and crowd shots but Simon brings it to us, calmly yet excitedly, he puts us in the zone.

Take it from me….Talking for 5 minutes live to air on your own and filling the space is not an easy thing to do and is probably one of the reasons that his co-commentators would admire him and look to him to set the scene and ease them into it.

Once the match starts….He says “Welcome to you Robbie Slater”, then its game on… Robbie feels comfortable that his anchor has led him to comfortable space…The Game.

Just a small thing but I just want to say to Simon Hill and guys like Brenton Speed, I notice that stuff so well played and keep up the good work.

So let’s take a break and we’ll be back with more “Rodrigo’s Media World” next time in the Four Diegos e-Newsletter brought to you by……..Hey Carlos have we got a sponsor yet??.....anyway we’ll be back next time.

Keep Listening!