BBC berated over Thames coverage

THE BBC has been berated from all sides over its coverage of the Queen's Jubilee Pageant on the Thames, and its constant interruption to feature various speakers instead of showing the many boats.

Most of its coverage was of the rowed boats at the start and then those representing the Commonwealth, then the constant interruptions resulted in very limited views of the other boats being seen, and those wanting to see the narrowboats were particularly disappointed, as very few were seen and only for a few minutes.

Interrupting

Not only were there the somewhat inane comments from the many speakers interrupting the view of the boats, but time taken up with ridiculous sketches by comedians and even cake making.

The following day the newspapers slammed the BBC for its non-coverage, with even MPs joining in the complaints.  As long after as today (Wednesday) the BBC's own Radio Four was condemning its coverage.

Boaters, including our own Alan Tilbury told us they switched to Sky that had a far better coverage of the boats, including the narrowboats.

The comment

There was a great deal of comment in the newspapers, similar to the couple given here.

....time and time again, their cameras cut away from the magnificent river sights—never seen before, never to be seen again—to watch Tess Daly, jiving in a park. Or Anneka Rice wittering on about art....Daily Mail.

....mistake was its incomprehensible refusal to show the pageant from start to finish. This was a unique historical event yet the Beeb seemed to think that viewers couldn't possibly be interested in watching the flotilla and would far prefer to watch C-list celebs spouting nonsense....Daily Telegraph.

No tide

One of the BBC commentators at the event wittered on about how the boats would turn in the tide—yet there wasn't a tide as the barrier had been closed!

It seems the BBC has lost its facility to present what it was once famed for—royal occasions, for even when the massive crowd was coming down the Mall at the Tuesday event, it often left the scene to switch to someone or other telling us of something or other totally uninteresting and unconnected.  Over at ITV they did it far less often, and when they did interrupt did it with a window.

It seems the BBC has really lost the plot, making such a mess of what was a very unique and never to be repeated occasion.