OLN's Coverage of Giro d'Italia

[Keith A]

While OLN is looking at providing the TdG live next year, they want you to pay for the daily coverage of the 2005 Giro d'Italia. OLN "TV" is only going to be broadcasting weekend updates of the GdI this year. However, you can pay $5.95 for the daily webcast coverage -- see the details here (http://www.olntv.com/pressreleases/OLN-Giro.doc).

While I'm certainly happy to have more cycling coverage on cable, however OLN used to broadcast the GdI live and then do a recap show at night. Now they want you to pay for this and watch over the Internet. I have to say this stinks :mad: Not only am I already paying more each month to get OLN on cable (as you have to move up to the next tier of service from my cable provider to get OLN), but with the webcast you won't be able to record this on your VCR/digital recorder to watch at your leisure or to prehaps save for some of those trainer sessions.

Maybe OLN is wanting our feedback for more coverage for the TdG next year just so they can charge us for this. Just look at the fine coverage they have lined up for tonight....

7:00PM SIGHTING IN WITH SHOOTING USA
7:30PM HUNT FOR BIG FISH
8:00PM BEST & WORST OF TRED BARTA
8:30PM E-FORCE
9:00PM ULTIMATE PLAYGROUND
9:30PM OUTDOOR OUTTAKES
10:00PM MYSTERIOUS ENCOUNTERS
10:30PM THIS HAPPENED TO ME
11:00PM BEST & WORST OF TRED BARTA

Now tell me they don't have a little room for same day coverage of the Giro d'Italia :crap: I think we need to provide them with a little feedback (http://www.olntv.com/feedback.asp) regarding this as well.

[BarryG]

I'm still not clear from their web site what they mean by "Just $5.95 for all week-day stages". Is that per stage or in total?

[jeffhall]

And it looks like it's the audio only and the posting of the leader board, not the video.

I'd pay if it's the video and it's shown over and over again, showing that days action. But it looks like audio only.

Am I wrong?

[Keith A]

Good point Barry -- I can see how this can be taken either way. However, I think this statement in their press release helps clarify it...

"Cycling fans will be able to watch all the action of the Italian Grand Tour online without commercial interruption for only $5.95."

One other interesting perspective from reading OLN’s press release (aka marketing spin) is that they are making a big deal of how they are providing all the coverage for the Giro d'Italia -- as if this is something new. Yet as I mentioned before, OLN has provided all of this coverage in the past via live and taped broadcast on OLN TV for no additional cost. Certainly $5.95 is a trivial amount, but that isn't the point. What concerns me is the precedent they may be setting -- is the format that they will be using for broadcasting their future cycling events?

I certainly realize that the viewing numbers for cycling events must be relatively small, but I wouldn't expect the viewing numbers for their PBR series to be huge either. If you are going to call yourself "OLN®, the home of professional cycling" and cater to the cycling community, then IMHO you need to step up to the plate and make it count.

[jeffhall]

Ok, it looks like video and the past stages available too, but is it $5.95 per day?

[dbrk]

Many satellite networks, like our Dish, have RAI though their coverage is not entire. I'll be subscribing for the month if only because the Italian coverage is so colorful and zany---plenty of on the spot interviews and after race sitting about. It's quite good for honing one's Italian. Plus we might learn who made those red patent-leather shoes that they buried the Pope in...

dbrk
who remembers fondly two Giros in Italia, including last year, and who wrote a caustic missive to OLN this morning 'cause it's always fun to vent at corporate anonymity, can't hurt anyone's feelings because no one is accountable...looking forward too to all those fishin' shows! RV World!! Wooohooo!!!!

[93legendti]

Ok, it looks like video and the past stages available too, but is it $5.95 per day?
That's what I want to know...

[Climb01742]

since OLN isn't usually part of basic cable (least not where i live) we're already paying for coverage. to then pay even more... :no:

i wish my cable system offered eurosport. anyone know of any satellite systems who do? does yours, douglas?

[BarryG]

anyone know of any satellite systems who do? does yours, douglas?
Nah, none of them do.

[BarryG]

Assuming the price is $5.95 for the entire Giro commercial-free, this really is a bargain and I hope it proves successful for OLN. I can't get broadband at home, but I'll probably subscribe if I can sneak the telecast through the firewall at work.

Barry

[Keith A]

since OLN isn't usually part of basic cable (least not where i live) we're already paying for coverage. to then pay even more... :no:
This is exactly one of my gripes about their new pay per view approach. I too am paying more per month just to get OLN -- as this is part of my cable's "Premier Pack" channels and not one of their "Standard cable" channels.

The icing on this cake was about 3 or 4 years ago, my cable company (Time Warner which is now Bright House) decided to switch OLN from the standard channel group to the premier group during the last week of the Tour de France. Here I was fat and happy watching the TdF one day and the next day it was gone -- and the kicker was that they were unable schedule me for an upgrade until after the TdF was over :crap:

[BarryG]

they were unable schedule me for an upgrade until after the TdF was over :crap:
Partly because I don't have access to cable, I've been with DirecTV for 6 years. At least there's one IMPRESSIVE feature with DirecTV's technology - I can go online and change my program package and within two minutes or so, the changes are reflected in my reception :p

[Keith A]

Believe me I have been close to switching from my cable provider so many times. But the two things that keep me with them is that (1) my friends that have a satellite service do complain about the "rain fade" which happens often during the summer time here in Florida and (2) I get a price break on the cable TV and broadband internet combo.

[Ray]

I think we've all gotten spoiled with the amount of cycling coverage we've had in America during the LANCE YEARS, relative to any previous time. And I think we're gonna have to get used to seeing less and less once we no longer have a world slayer / cancer survivor riding under our flag. While I'd much rather have the same day coverage of the Giro that we had a couple of years ago, I'll settle for being able to watch key stages over the web for a relatively insignificant additional cost.

In regards to OLN's steady diet of huntin' and fishin', I don't watch it either and would rather see cycling, but there are a huge number of hunters and fisherman in this country, relative to cyclists, and I'm sure OLN makes a boatlad more money on those shows than on most of their cycling broadcasts.

Lance has been a nice focal point for a lot of people who aren't into cycling to get into it temporarily. But until we get another American hero dominating the world of cycling, I'll be very surprised to see recent levels of coverage in the US again and will be prepared to make due with whatever internet sources I can find. And will probably even be grateful for them.

-Ray

[BarryG]

Hopefully this web streaming technology will get more and more popular and present a minimal capital investment to bring broadcasts to a scattered audience of relatively low numbers compared to cable/satellite. Maybe we'll eventually get eurosport coverage that way in the US. I would love to listen to Sean Kelly's analysis.

[Dekonick]

What a bunch of Cr@p.

I somehow doubt there are more redneck hunters watching OLN than cyclists.

you want me to pay for Giryo coverage ON the NET!?!

screw you!

I can get each stage via peer to peer for free. Why should I pay for something thats available for free?

This just plain sucks. I guess I expected too much of OLN after the past few years... guess its time to get a fishing rod, a bull, and perhaps a yacht to sail. Nevermind the cyclists in the USA/


I rant.

sheesh.

[Onno]

If you have Dish network, I just discovered that you can add just OLN for 2 bucks a month. This may not be great news for the Giro, but it will be when the Tour rolls around.

Apparently OLN is the only channel you can add on its own. Weird. How long before some enterprising soul comes up with a TV service where you get to choose all your channels!??

Onno

[Onno]

I take that back. Dish will add the Outdoor channel on its own, not Outdoor Life. The difference is that the former has nothing but hunting and fishing and RVs.

O

[Keith A]

So how many hunting, fishing and bull riding channels do we need? :confused:

[KKevin]

How long is Mysterious Encounters? Hour, Half hour? Get rid of that show, and if she does happen to find Bigfoot then OLN can do a 2 hour special.

[Lanny R. Levenson]

[QUOTE=Dekonick]What a bunch of Cr@p.


I can get each stage via peer to peer for free. Why should I pay for something thats available for free?



What do you mean by "peer to peer?"

Lanny

[BarryG]

Re-reading the announcement at the OLN Web site, it doesn't appear that their streaming video coverage will actually include race video - just audio and the leader board. Count me out. Bit of a buzz kill . . .

[Keith A]

BarryG -- Just curious why you think it will be audio only? In their Press Release it states "Cycling fans will be able to watch all the action of the Italian Grand Tour online without commercial interruption for only $5.95." It doesn't say listen :confused:

They also state "OLNTV.com will offer streaming video of the world feed and archives of those stages." When I see video, I assume that I will be seeing something and not just listening -- no?

[BarryG]

Keith, here's the text:

This Webcast will contain all the exciting race sound plus the Italian on-screen leaderboards, time gaps and other race graphics. No ads. Just pure racing action. Follow the ups and downs of each stage of the Giro Monday through Friday while at work or at home. And in case you miss a moment, you can go back again and again as each of these stages will be archived for later viewing. Just $5.95 for all week-day stages.

Notice they say race sound and follow the race, not watch the race. Plus, the price seems too good to be true for actual race video.

I could be wrong, but that's my take.

[davep]

But, it also says "each of these stages will be archived for later viewing." Viewing implies more than sound, but who knows at this point.

It also says "Just $5.95 for all week-day stages." I guess this means that whatever they have on their web site they will not have on Saturday and Sunday when they have limited TV coverage.

[Dekonick]

Using a peer to peer file sharing service/program. Think of Napster only for video. The hard part is finding someone who has the shows you want to see.

To find a peer to peer program go to www.download.com or www.tucows.com and search. Make certain you read reviews - and beware some have spyware built in. It works by sending a program/file from one computer to another via the internet.

Example - I record a show on TV using a video capture device (heck a VCR can be used and then converted to digital media) I then place that show in a directory that allows public sharing and leave a peer to peer program running. This program will let other's with the same software download this show to their computer (it takes a LONG time as video takes alot of space)

I don't suggest or endorse using peer to peer as a means to obtain copyright protected media - but it is a nice way to get hard to find 'stuff' like European shows. The hard part is FINDING the show in the first place.

Good luck!

[Keith A]

The peer to peer option certainly isn't viable for the average forum user. Additionally, all most all of the video that is being made available via PTP is copyrighted and therefore if you participate in watching or posting a copyrighted video, you indeed are breaking the law. Copyright violations have become a huge problem since the Internet has come into existence and would discourage anyone from further exacerbating this problem.

[Lanny R. Levenson]

I was just reading on rec.bicycling.racing and saw the following link for the Giro:

>
> Giro streaming video, windows media
>
> http://www.beelinetv.com/ select 492 Italy Rai Sport
>
> RAI-Sport via BeelineTV will have the Giro!
>
> Thursday, May 5th - 22.20 - 1.20 pm (Pacific) and 4.20 (Eastern) Giro
> d'Italia (Presentazione delle squadre)
>
> Saturday, May 7th - 23.00 - 2.00 pm (Pacific) and 5.00 pm (Eastern) 88mo
> Giro d'Italia (Prologo)
>
> Sunday, May 8th - 23.55 - 2:55 pm (Pacific) and 5.55 pm (Eastern) 88mo Giro
> d'Italia (Reggio Calabria - Tropea)
>
> Not sure of times beyond that. Should be able to figure it out from the Rai
> Sport web page.
>
> ....and it's free..... Wink
>
> Or, do Eurosport streaming audio.
>

I just checked the link out and it's valid but I'm using dial-up and don't speak Italian.

Hope this will help.

Lanny

[Keith A]

Larry -- Great find, thanks for posting this info!

[BarryG]

Various announcments on the OLN web site seem to have clarified "what you get" on their webcast. It looks like it will indeed be live video, but NO audio :crap:

Follow all the week-day stages of the Giro d'Italia LIVE via OLN's exclusive world video feed. . . Please be aware that you will be enjoying the direct world feed as it happens and there will be no commentary during the race.

[mdeeds71]

Great find on the RAI site....working great for me...just trying to use the translator to find the programming is painfull...but at least I get to watch the Giro!!! :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: