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GROCKLES welcomes you all to the world of Somerset Cricket.

WELCOME to the 30th summer of Grockles and discussions about the life of Somerset County Cricket Club. We officially start the 2024 season in Kent in...

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Re: Supporter commentary ends
Mike TA1 11 January, 2014 13:18
That's a bit of a mouth full LoL! (eight-course lunch )

Re: Supporter commentary ends
Clarence Parker 11 January, 2014 14:00
Perhaps the gentleman who last season took over the club's PA announcements could do a ball - by - ball commentary whilst he has the microphone in his hand?

winking smiley

Re: Supporter commentary ends
Grockle 11 January, 2014 18:29
Ben Manning (one of the commentary team) will be doing a cricket blog show with occasional contributions from Julian (the PA announcer) and his twin brother (I believe) online at the following address;

The World Cricket Show

I think last night was their first show at 10:30 pm. I think there might be podcasts. I'm sure the details will be found at on the site.

Good luck to them both.



(Sm72)

Re: Supporter commentary ends
Botham 17 January, 2014 17:47
I'd like to add my thanks to all involved with this venture, which I didn't often listen to, but when I did it was very enjoyable and offered a real life experience, rather than the professional's 'talking up' experience.

If there is any chance of resurrecting what was clearly a very popular fans experience, I'd be happy to sponsor the venture.

Re: Supporter commentary ends
Grockle 17 January, 2014 19:00
Very generous of you Botham. You'd need to let SCCC know because it's their decision.

I'm not sure it was popular enough in their assessment but external sponsorship might be something they would be interested in.



(Sm72)

Re: Supporter commentary ends
Bagpuss 17 January, 2014 19:25
It may have been more popular in this last season if the club had put a link to the commentary on their website homepage - it disappeared when they moved to a new website last winter. I seem to remember emailing Richard Walsh on the first day of the first match this season to say there was no link! After this they put it within the wording of the match previews/reports but not obvious to anyone looking for it.

Re: Supporter commentary ends
Grockle 18 January, 2014 05:57
The link on the website was never really easy to find anyway. The facility was never particularly pushed by the club. I always thought it tended to be dealt with as; "of course there is commentary....ohhh you want to know where it can be accessed?" There was a big sign but that was only really clear to those who already knew it existed and that seemed to be expected to become knowledge by word of mouth.

I remember for example looking for places to post the fact that we were covering international matches like the Pakistan visit on relevant websites because there was no attempt by the powers to advertise this in any way to the rampant Pakistani support.

It was an underused, and I believe under valued resource. To be fair it did operate at a time when the marketing team at the club changed managers as Guy Wolfenden went on his merry way to Edgbaston.



(Sm72)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 18/01/2014 08:47 by Grockle.

Re: Supporter commentary ends
Mike TA1 18 January, 2014 08:34
Guy Wolfenden went on his merry way to Edgbaston.

That move didn't last long!

Re: Supporter commentary ends
Grockle 23 January, 2014 09:00
Yeah he's the Chief Exec at Exeter City now it seems.

How the Mighty have risen from their humble beginnings



(Sm72)

Re: Supporter commentary ends
somersetpete 27 April, 2014 20:51
Hi

Part of my enjoyment on attending County Cricket games at Taunton was the ball to ball commentary.
I would first like to say, a huge thank you to all the volunteer's who made it such a pleasure to listen to.

On attending the first home County Championship game this season I was dismayed to find that there was no radio coverage via normal radio what so ever.
I thought the BBC were going to transmit a weak FM signal so that people in the ground or near by could listen in.

I was informed at reception I would need to use my smartphone to listen to a streaming broadcast from the BBC.
It didn't take me long to realise that my 3G user allowance would rapidly be used up, as well as my battery life. Streaming broadcasts when at live events are useless due to the delay in receiving the signal and the app you are using translating it. This can sometimes be maybe 15 seconds upwards, so what you are listening to happened in the past. OK if you are listening at home!

So what happened to the BBC promise of a FM broadcast?

Re: Supporter commentary ends
Bagpuss 27 April, 2014 21:10
I think the licence for the particular FM frequency used belonged to the club but that licence expired - so would have needed renewing - at the end of last season.

My guess is that either the club didn't renew the licence, or there is some problem transmitting the BBC commentary which is designed to go out online only on to the radio frequency rom the ground (I have no technical knowledge beyond plugging thee machine in, switchin on and startingg to talk so not sure if there would be any difficulty)

I had comments about this frm several people at the ground during th Yorkshire match and would encourage anyone who thinks similarly to email the club (maybe copy in the CE). The reason given by the club for stopping the service wa 'lack of numbers listening' but I think they were only assessing the online followers, not those using the radio transmission in and around the ground.

Re: Supporter commentary ends
Scrumper 28 April, 2014 00:23
Maybe we need a new Radio Caroline.

Re: Supporter commentary ends
Grockle 28 April, 2014 03:50
I'm afraid like most of the club support for this initiative it seems never to be more than half hearted.

It may very well be something like no-one was tasked to renew the licence.

Most of the time no one official knew who was responsible for the operation or the person tasked with it was nowhere to be found.

Can't say I am at all surprised



(Sm72)

Re: Supporter commentary ends
MIkeTr 28 April, 2014 09:34
I asked Guy Lavender why the BBC were not broadcasting on the FM frequency and he told me that OFCOM had stopped the BBC from doing it. The club are now appealing that decision. As I understand it from last season the club renewed the broadcast license before the decision to stop the ball by ball. Guy also said that the club now have a few tablet computers available available for blind spectators who wish to log into the internet bbc coverage.

Re: Supporter commentary ends
Grockle 28 April, 2014 16:27
Good. Hope that initiative gets advertised as soon as the appeal gets the nod if it does.



(Sm72)

Re: Supporter commentary ends
somersetpete 29 April, 2014 20:10
Hi

I emailed Somerset ccc, and got a couple of nice replies

Lets hope the appeal overturns OFCOM's decision
I can't see what OFCOM have objected about

This is what Guy Lavender wrote:-
the BBC had agreed to transmit coverage but OFCOM chose to refuse permission which is a great shame. We are appealing and in the interim internet based streaming is the only option. My primary concern is visually impaired spectators and we have purchased some tablets to enable those with impaired sight to continue to listen albeit on line. I hope this helps to explain the current situation.

and today a got another reply from Spencer Bishop stating:-
I just wanted to contact you in addition to Guy as I have just been speaking with BBC Somerset who have said that they will be covering our one day matches on 1566 MW.

So some good news, now just gotta sort OFCOM out(Sm100)

Re: Supporter commentary ends
AGod 29 April, 2014 21:01
Absolutely absurd for OFCOM to involve themselves in this matter, IMO.

Re: Supporter commentary ends
Frome Exile 30 April, 2014 00:16
It's their job!

Re: Supporter commentary ends
Frome Exile 30 April, 2014 00:20
Not that I am supporting their decision.
But they didn't "involve themselves": they are the regulator of communications.

Re: Supporter commentary ends
AGod 30 April, 2014 06:41
Sorry, FE, but surely their 'job,' is to deal with matters of national importance relating to broadcast communications?

Surely, it's not their job to intervene to prevent highly localised coverage of a cricket match for the benefit of blind people?!

Re: Supporter commentary ends
AGod 30 April, 2014 07:43
Okay, I thought OFCOM was a watchdog/inspectorate a la OFWAT and OFSTED and all the other OFs.

What I didn't realise is that they are also the licensing authority, hence their involvement.

Still cannot see or understand any possible harm that could arise from what I understood to be a highly licalised frequency with a range of all of about 1.5 miles.

Re: Supporter commentary ends
Frome Exile 30 April, 2014 10:48
As I said (at least I think I did winking smiley), I was not vommenting on the decision, just their reason for involvement.

Re: Supporter commentary ends
chunkyinargyll 30 April, 2014 11:22
Quote:
Frome Exile
As I said (at least I think I did winking smiley), I was not vommenting on the decision, just their reason for involvement.

I know Grockle doesn't like the quote feature being used- but FE might edit his post.

I assume you meant Commenting (what with C and V next to each other on the keyboard.

smiling bouncing smiley

Re: Supporter commentary ends
Loyal of Lhasa. 30 April, 2014 11:30
I suspect that Grockle is not keen on the over-use of the quote facility. Chunky's use thereof seems entirely appropriate and FE's Freudian slip was so delicious it should NOT be edited out.

One thing I have noticed is that some posters do not seem to be aware that they do not have to quote the whole of a post to which they wish to refer. It's easy enough to delete the irrelevant bits.



LoL

Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter

Re: Supporter commentary ends
Grockle 30 April, 2014 12:04
Thanks LoL. Very true and I hope you don't mind me saying that if you find it easy the most should as you are an unapologetic technophobe.



(Sm72)

Re: Supporter commentary ends
Loyal of Lhasa. 30 April, 2014 12:25
Actually I'm a phobic techno-apologist.



LoL

Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter

Re: Supporter commentary ends
Grockle 30 April, 2014 12:41
That's what I meant to post.



(Sm72)

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