WENDELL HUSSEY | Cadet | Contact
The International Olympic Committee has moved to clarify an important TV viewership issue today.
Speaking from Tokyo this morning, IOC President Thomas Bach confirmed that it’s mandatory for all Olympic coverage to have at least one generic pasty English commentator.
“Whether it is Rhytmic Gymnastics, Air Rifle or Skateboarding, it is essential that we have at least one faceless British journalist or sports veteran covering the sport,” Bach said.
“Even when they cover Skate Boarding and have no idea whatsoever about the sport or the athletes, it just gives it gravity.”
“It also creates a sense of uniformity for when you have to frantically change between channels to watch the sports you want – wherever you go, there will be a London-sounding voice.”
One such voice is William Tyler (42) a long-term press journo who eventually made the cross into covering things like cycling and athletics a few years ago and is now covering Tokyo.
“I just turn up on the day and they tell me what I’m on,” laughed the confident posh-sounding Englishman.
“And then I just lace in a few keywords that I get told”
“For example, with skateboarding, I’m just talking kickflips, 360s, and dropping in an occasional gnarly,” he laughed.
