Sochi 2014 Olympic Media Updates

[JMarkSnow2012]

I'm more confused now... I looked in the Radio Times yesterday & I'm sure it said the OC runs from 3:30 to 7:30 on BBC2. Good to hear we've got some coverage on the 6th though, didn't think anyone would bother with that.

Now I'm confused by your confusion

Yes, you've got the right time for the OC, or at least for BBC2's coverage. The actual OC should start at 4:14 (8:14pm Sochi/Moscow time).

As far as I can tell, the only BBC coverage on the 6th is an introductory thingy on Radio 5 Live, 7:30-8:30pm (but that is straight after the day's 5 Live Sport news roundup at 7:00, which may well mention any significant developments from the day's competitions).

[yoshi]

Thanks, so it's plus 4 then. The proper coverage starts on the 8th, I suppose. Is it Huw Edwards & whatever English speaking Russian they can find on commentary, as normal? I guess we won't have to suffer Trevor Nelson again, thank goodness.

[Triplecast]

Yoshi, I don't think that Russia moves it time back or forward an hour in the autumn and spring like many places do. I noticed that tonight when I was looking at the Formula One schedule and there is an eight hour difference between my time zone and Sochi time for the Russian GP in October, yet the difference is nine hours for the Olympics.

Correct. Russia went to permanent daylight savings time in November 2011. See here

http://latitude.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/01/will-russia-restore-daylight-saving-time/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

There were efforts, particulary from Westerm European nations, to have Russia move their clocks back 1 hour for the Olympic year, but it was rejected.

http://olympictalk.nbcsports.com/2013/10/11/sochi-time-change-russia/

So now Sochi, Moscow and St. Petersburg, are permanently GST +4.

[JMarkSnow2012]

Thanks, so it's plus 4 then. The proper coverage starts on the 8th, I suppose. Is it Huw Edwards & whatever English speaking Russian they can find on commentary, as normal? I guess we won't have to suffer Trevor Nelson again, thank goodness.

Hazel Irvine leading the commentary team (as yet unnamed), Clare B. introducing the show:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03tvhy0

:

[Durban Sandshark]

By now, we're starting see the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic hopefuls and Sochi 2014 itself getting a lot of coverage and covers in the print media. Sports Illustrated's 2014 Winter Olympic Preview is now out. Outside magazine has Julia Mancuso as the cover girl. Hven't picked up the USA Today Winter Olympic Guide yet. Surely Time and a number of other magazines and newspapers will have its coverages. But I'm curious as to what's the magazines and newspapers coverage and profiles of the Winter Olympics in nations outside the USA? Please share your thoughts! We'll delve into that more as go along.

RTE News Now starts off Ireland's (very limited) first ever Winter Olympic TV broadcast coverage with Sochi 2014 on February 7 with a live presentation of the Opening Ceremony. Jimmy Magee is your Irish host for the Opening Ceremony at the Fisht Olympic Stadium, and Magee returns for the Closing Ceremony joined by George Hamilton (no, not THAT one!). Between them, RTE News Now will present daily one-hour Olympic news highlights and summaries of the day's actions with a special focus on the Irish Winter Olympians, hoping to gain a first ever Winter Olympics medal for the nation whenever possible. You can stay up to date with how the Irish are faring on RTÉ.ie/sport, and on Sports bulletins across RTÉ Television and Radio. RTÉ News Now is available on Saorview, UPC Channel 200, the RTÉ News Now App for mobile and tablet, and online at RTÉ.ie/News and the RTÉ Player, with its Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics coverage is restricted to Ireland only.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/features/2014/0123/499734-winter-olympics/

As for SABC, last night I looked at the SABC TV schedules online for any type of Sochi 2014 Olympic coverage it may televise. However, there is absolutely nothing on their SABC channels on there mentioning Sochi. No Opening or Closing Ceremony. Not even a daily highlights program like they all aired on SABC2 in Vancouver, when I decried them for not allowing SuperSport to be in as a partner. After the first four days, I gave up. Apparently, SABC didn't strike an agreement with the IOC's media realm for FTA coverage in South Africa. If anything, SABC2 would be the most likely place for broadcasting Sochi 2014 under those formats. Would be nice if it went further a little. Just as well with South Africa through SASOC--sorry, Sive Speelman--not sending anybody to Sochi this time and the criticism it garnered. But we can widely suppose that SABC would have greater interest in Rio De Janiero and the South Africans would be more competitive and greater interests in sports there.

I admit I made the error on TV3 Eesti regarding it and figure skating. That's all what TV3 Eesti and TV6 Lietuva will broadcast as the sole Winter Olympic sports those two chose to cover as FTA homes as part of its deal as MTG FTA Baltic channels, since figure skating is more popular in Estonia and Lithuania. Both start the Baltic Olympic coverage with those Viasat channels onn February 6 with the men's and pairs short programs live. Mart Sander, Margus Hermits, and former skater Anna Sharaskhin will represent for TV3 Eesti, Viasat, and TV3 Play at the rink. Didn't know the Viasat channels are going to be in English.

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=et&u=http://www.tv3.ee/olumpia2014/sot%25C5%25A1i-2014-iluuisutamine-tv3s&prev=/search?q%3Dhttp://www.tv3.ee/olumpia2014/sot%2525C5%2525A1i-2014-iluuisutamine-tv3s%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D855

Anna Sharaskhin (Levandi) appears in this TV3 Eesti Sochi 2014 figure skating promo skating away at a Tallinn outdoor rink

http://www.tv3.ee/olumpia2014/sot%C5%A1i-2014-iluuisutamine-tv3s-0

TV6 Lietuva's Sochi 2014 Olympic figure skating TV schedule. Note that TV3 Lietuva will show the Champions' Gala.

http://www.tv6.lt/olimpiada

Nova Sport may not have the exclusive rights to the Sochi 2014 hockey until it sold it to CT with much of the hockey going to CT Sport. But Nova Sport and VOYO are still important parts of the Czech Sochi 2014 coverage as it focuses on just hockey but other Winter Olympic sports and VOYO on its TV and online streaming schedules. Nova Sport and VOYO just released another promo that shows the Czech hockey team and Vancouver speed skating Olympic gold medalist Martina Sablikova, showing on Nova Cinema, which usually handles the broadcasting of promos and where they're seen anyway. Narrator says through the AWOLNATION's "Sail" soundtrack:"Winter. In a country where not only the speed skating oval exists but also where there are high mountains. And the snow that holds only a few months of the year, despite it all born exceptional athletes who get a chance to re-enter in Olympic history. Sochi 2014 on Nova Sport and Voyou!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrvqZetc_SA

Nova Sport and VOYO will have a combined three channels for their Sochi 2014 coverage:

http://tn.nova.cz/sport/zimnisporty/olympijske-hry-nonstop-na-nova-sport-a-dvou-specialnich-kanalech-voyo.html

Get your TV2 Norge Sochi 2014 Vinter-OL TV schedule with all the TV2 Norge channels family (TV2, TV2 Sporten, TV2 Zebra, and TV Sports) right here! Seems a little stuck right now as I write this:

http://www.tv2.no/sport/ol/tv-guide

I was hoping there was going to be a TV2 Norge Sochi 2014 promo to upload on YouTube or at least see. But there isn't. Actually there is, and it may be geoblocked.

Not exactly a live simulcast with Russia 1, but Channel One Russia will have a live broadcast of the Sochi Opening Ceremony with Cyril Nabutov and Anatoly Maximov as co-hosts:

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ru&u=http://www.1tv.ru/sprojects/si%3D5824&prev=/search?q%3Dhttp://www.1tv.ru/sprojects/si%253D5824%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D855

How Perviy Kanal, the RTR channels, and NTV Plus differentiate and structure their respective channels broadcasting the Sochi 2014 coverage and view what will be their top viewing events. All three, including NTV Plus, will each have their own studios to report the One difference will be that Channel One will offer the Winter Olympics Encyclopedia documentary series through out its coverage. NTV Plus plans for analysis, athletes' interviews, and experts before and after events and seems to have a surprise up their sleeves with a new and young female anchor with Georgi Cherdantsev. Russia 1 will grant priority to the Russian athletes wherever they are with Russia 2, the designated FTA Olympic Channel, showing what they can't on Russia 1. NTV Plus seems to allow just viewers find whatever sport they can, when does it start, and what channels since everything will be shown.
http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dwww.1tv.ru/olimp2014%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D855&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ru&u=http://www.1tv.ru/public/pi%3D27414&usg=ALkJrhgtgHEse-V-lEriYiVZJO9_cB2v0Q

During Sochi 2014, the First Channel will have special editions of late night talk show Evening Urgent and Let Them Talk, both live from Sochi. Also says the First Channel apparently will broadcast 4-6 hours of Olympic action daily.

http://www.1tv.ru/public/pi=27413

It's official: Sochi 2014 Olympic hockey Russian broadcasts will be called by Viktor Gusev and Andrey Golovanov (Channel One), Roman Skvortsov, Sergei Gimaev, Alexander Tkachev and Oleg Bratash (RTR), and Denis Kazan and Boris Mayorov Kazan (NTV-Plus).
http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dwww.1tv.ru/olimp2014%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D855&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ru&u=http://www.1tv.ru/public/pi%3D27410&usg=ALkJrhjREP_QvFlobGM3joEnCSxpO5i3sA

Hungarians get ready for 150 hours of Sochi 2014 TV coverage on m1 (where the bulk of the Sochi coverage will be from 8am) and m2 (two hours from 20:45 with summaries and figure skating). Duna TV, as noted earlier, will deal with the hockey, usually a couple of clashes a day but maybe more. MTVA's studio presenters are Andrea Petrovics-Mérei, Viktoria Szőke, Gabor Gundel Takács, and Zoltán Szujo. Szujo and Gabor Szabó are your Hungarian hosts for both ceremonies on m1.

MTVA Sochi 2014 sportscaster list goes like this:

Zoltan Szujó--luge, bobsleds, skeleton

Gabor Szabo--Alpine skiing, cross-country skiing

Hajdu B. István, Istvan Spiller, and Jeno Knézy--hockey

Knézy Jenő--biatlon, ski jumping

Daniel Mezei--speed skating, short track

Ildiko Zelinka--figure skating

Mate Ujvári--snowboarding, freestyle skiing

Bence Mohay and Joseph Gergelics--on the spot correspondents delivering up to date news and background information of the TV channel, MTI, Kossuth Radio, and online

No curling. Not a big winter sport with Hungarians. Seems as though a couple of them will call the action on monitors back at the Sochi IBC because of the double duty involved

www.telesport.hu/sochi2014

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=hu&u=http://sport365.hu/olimpia,csaknem-150-oraban-kozvetiti-az-olimpiat-a-kozmedia,67236&prev=/search?q%3Dhttp://www.telesport.hu/2014/01/30/csaknem-150-oraban-kozvetiti-az-olimpiat-a-kozmedia/%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D855

Schweizer Fernsehen kinda starts things off with its German coverage on February 6 by airing Sotschi Aktuell on SF2 (22:21) and SF Info (23:27)

http://www.srf.ch/sport/sotschi-im-tv/(day)/06

Anna Rossenelli's "Shine In The Light" was recently chosen as Schweizer Fernsehen's official Sochi 2014 theme song for its coverage. What you'll hear and see is the acoustic version to the track she and her guitarists performed live on SRF 3:

NHK's Sochi 2014 webpages. NHK, of course, has the bulk of the Japanese media coverage of the Japan Consortium. BS1 starts things off for NHK with its preview show entitled aptly "Thorough Research: The Sochi 2014 Olympic Spectator Guide" at 7pm Japan time followed by the men's and women's snowboard slopestyle qualifying and women's moguls qualifying. NHK proper starts with team figure skating--men's and pairs short programs at 0:10 then the Opening Ceremonies several hours later live. Wataru Abe and Hirose Satomi (also nighttime anchor) will host the Opening Ceremony with Kazou Tomazaka and Rinko Kamijo (daytime anchor). Play-by-play NHK for Sochi sportscasters are Rudo Kobu and Yuki. What's interesting about NHK's sportscasters roster here is that many will stay in their local NHK and BS1 affiliations and not travel to Sochi appearing at certain times of the day and dates like Akira Yoshi Komiyama, Nakano Atsushi, Tsuyoshi Matsuo, Hiromi Nishibori, Hiroshi Sakai, Kazuhiro Mukai, Takase Toshihiko, Funaoka Hisashi, Hideki Tanaka, Naoki Morinaka, Daisuke Kasai, Tetsuya Yokoyama, Kazuki Sawada-Stone, Hiedyuki Shimozakai, and Yoshinori Sasao. More on NHK will come next week

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://olympic.nhk.or.jp/&prev=/search?q%3Dhttp://olympic.nhk.or.jp/%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D855

http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dhttp://olympic.nhk.or.jp/%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D855&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ja&u=http://olympic.nhk.or.jp/caster-reporters/index.html&usg=ALkJrhhXYmO9qSchBF_kuOHKHZ5uURQHvQ

http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dhttp://olympic.nhk.or.jp/%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D855&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ja&u=http://olympic.nhk.or.jp/broadcast-schedule/index.html&usg=ALkJrhjYkKJeqX1DHrOdhCRXeCxHhMpuIw

Croatia's HRT Sochi 2014 website:

http://www.hrt.hr/sochi2014/

[JLishere]

The UK TV coverage is just over 200 hours on BBC2, plus two Red Button channels, which could potentially add nearly 500 hours more, if they are used to present highlights in the evenings as well as live coverage.

Google says "Moscow Time Zone (UTC+04:00)"- I think Moscow got moved into Sochi's "natural" timezone from its old Soviet-era GMT+3.

I can't see any BBC2 or BBC1 coverage from Sochi on the afternoon of 6 February. Are you looking at the BBC Sochi Schedule page? That is a list of events, not coverage.

You're right, my mistake. From this page:

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/winter-olympics/25213838

BBC starts it TV coverage on the 7th, not the 6th.

[JLishere]

CBC confirms more details about its digital/mobile coverage:

http://www.cbc.ca/mediacentre/cbc-brings-canadians-extensive-digital-experience-for-the-sochi-2014-olympic-winter-games.html

CBC is offering Canadians unprecedented access to the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, allowing viewers virtually endless access to Olympic content across all digital and mobile platforms, where and when they want it. This includes a responsive website that will act as the resource for all things Olympics; a CBC Olympic Games app for iOS, android and Windows 8; and a primetime Olympic second-screen experience called Primetime Plus. Every hour of competition on CBC and official specialty channel broadcasters (TSN, TSN2, Sportsnet and Sportsnet ONE) will be available for Canadians to livestream at cbc.ca/olympics. Mobile streaming of all events will be available on smartphone devices and tablets through the CBC Olympic Games app. Visit cbc.ca/olympics to access the most comprehensive and up-to-date competition schedule from Sochi 2014 for both TV and online viewing across all channels.

As of January 31, the CBC Olympic Games app will be available for download on smartphones and tablets from the App Store on iTunes and Android Market on Google Play. The app will allow Canadians to view the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games coverage according to their preferences, by allowing them to set alerts for events, research all the athletes and delegate countries, check the medal count and stream live coverage.

In addition, there will be a number of webcasts containing raw feeds from the Sochi 2014 competition venues, featuring CBC commentators as they provide analysis for viewers, as well as The Olympic Feed, a live blog that will be a resource for all the latest news and social media highlights coming out of Sochi 2014. The webcasts will also have a unique data overlay providing additional information for the online viewer.

An additional component of the CBC Olympic Games app is the 'second-screen' companion for the primetime show, Primetime Plus, which will be available in English and French during the Olympic Primetime show with Ron MacLean, daily as of Feb. 7 from 7-11 p.m. across Canada, except Alberta (6-10 p.m.) and British Columbia (5-9 p.m.). This comprehensive viewing companion will serve as a guide for the stories being focused on during the primetime show, as well as an opportunity for viewers to interact with the programming through live polls, photo and caption contests. The second screen will give viewers a more comprehensive experience of the Olympic Winter Games through access to expanded clips, behind-the-scenes social media action and additional content, in real time as events air on television. Viewers will also be able watch the global online reaction to key Olympic Winter Games moments that catch the world's attention.

There will be two viewing schedules available the week of Feb. 3 on the cbc.ca/olympics website: Watch Online will outline the online streaming schedule, and TV Listings will provide a comprehensive schedule for CBC-TV, along with official specialty channel broadcasters (TSN, TSN2, Sportsnet, and Sportsnet ONE).

[baron-pierreIV]

Who's doing the coverage for the hearing challenged for Sochi 2014??

And will they have full-bodied commentators for the Paralympics???

[Durban Sandshark]

Xsport, formerly Hockey TV, is the official and exclusive destination for all the games from the Sochi 2014 Olympic Hockey Tournament, both men's and women's, on Ukrainian TV. Most games will be shown live with a few others on tape delay. Bought the license from Sportfive when it pledged to show only one Winter Olympic sport in Sochi for TV broadcasting. Xsport's Sochi 2014 Olympic hockey sportscasters are Yuri Kirichenko, Andrei Stolyarchuk, and--for the final stage of the competition right from the Olympic arenas - one of the Ukraine's best hockey commentators in Alexander Sukmansky. Forgot to post that in the last one I did.

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ru&u=http://xsport.ua/novosti-kanala_s/news/ves-olimpiyskiy-khokkey-tolko-na-xsport_50988/&prev=/search?q%3Dhttp://xsport.ua/novosti-kanala_s/news/ves-olimpiyskiy-khokkey-tolko-na-xsport_50988/%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D861

ESPN is broadcasting Sochi 2014 across Latin America too (except Brazil, SporTV has that in pay-TV there):

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=pt&u=http://www.meioemensagem.com.br/home/midia/noticias/2014/01/30/ESPN-entra-na-cobertura-dos-Jogos-da-Russia.html&prev=/search?q%3Dhttp://www.meioemensagem.com.br/home/midia/noticias/2014/01/30/ESPN-entra-na-cobertura-dos-Jogos-da-Russia.html%26sa%3DX%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D861

Sky Sport Italia goes Super-HD on its HD channel for Sochi beginning February 7:

http://www.digital-sat.it/ds-news.php?id=36003

[JMarkSnow2012]

"The Last Leg" is back on Uk Channel 4 (in plenty of time for the Sochi Paralympics). Quote from main man Adam Hills (with the Ashes urn and "5-0" painted on his leg) re the Sochi 2014 motto:
" 'Hot, Cool, Yours' which i'm pretty sure is also Vladimir Putin's description on Grindr"

Quote from Clare Balding:: "Putin doesn't want me there, so let's go".

[yoshi]

He's brilliant, easily the best comedian on British TV at the moment. Does anyone know if there's a printed guide available for Sochi in the UK, like the one for the World Cup that's come out?

[BTHarner]

If you need a good laugh go to the Google Play store and look for the Olympic.tv app. Then read the comments from people who were looking forward to free Olympic coverage only to find out it isn't available where they live. It's like a bunch of kids complaining that life isn't fair. WAAH. I guess they don't understand the concept of TV rights.

[JLishere]

If you need a good laugh go to the Google Play store and look for the Olympic.tv app. Then read the comments from people who were looking forward to free Olympic coverage only to find out it isn't available where they live. It's like a bunch of kids complaining that life isn't fair. WAAH. I guess they don't understand the concept of TV rights.

To be fair, the IOC could simply have restricted the app and target the right countries to begin with.

[JMarkSnow2012]

He's brilliant, easily the best comedian on British TV at the moment. Does anyone know if there's a printed guide available for Sochi in the UK, like the one for the World Cup that's come out?

I wonder if any of the Sunday newspapers will produce a supplement?

[Durban Sandshark]

TSN and TSN2 will carry a total of 250 combined hours for Sochi 2014 as the official speciality channel. Coverage of course will be hockey-centric (but not exclusively so) led by NHL ON TSN host James Duthie, Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie and analysts Craig Button, Mike Johnson, and Jamie McLennan. In addition, SportsCentre reporter Ryan Rishaug will be in Sochi to deliver all the news surrounding Canada's Olympic hockey squads. SportsCentre's Nabil Karim will also be in the TSN Studio to host the networks' non-hockey Olympic events. Thought that the likes of Brian Williams and Kate Beirness could perform the studio anchor duties on TSN back in Toronto and send the action to Sochi. Turns out not.

TSN Radio will deliver live coverage of all Team Canada hockey games on TSN Radio 1050 in Toronto, TSN Radio 690 in Montreal, TSN Radio 1290 in Winnipeg, TSN Radio 1200 in Ottawa, TSN Radio 1260 in Edmonton, and TEAM 1040 in Vancouver, and online at TSN.ca/Radio with all the men's games called by play-by-play commentator Gord Miller and analyst Mike Johnson, with Jim Tatti and Jeff O'Neill co-hosting TSN Radio's men's hockey coverage. Miller will be also joined by analyst and two-time Olympic gold medallist Cheryl Pounder for all of Team Canada's women's hockey games. All TSN Radio's team of stations will also feature news and updates from reporter Jonas Siegel on site in Sochi with news on Team Canada hockey.

http://www.tsn.ca/olympics/story/?id=442647

[Brekkie Boy]

BBC OC coverage starts at 3:30 WTF. I thought Sochi was on GMT+3

No, it's GMT+4. For once they've actually given the broadcast enough time to cover the ceremony - usually they schedule the OC's at 2 hours for Winter and 3 hours for Summer despite the fact they always run at least an hour longer.

Now I'm confused by your confusion

Yes, you've got the right time for the OC, or at least for BBC2's coverage. The actual OC should start at 4:14 (8:14pm Sochi/Moscow time).

As far as I can tell, the only BBC coverage on the 6th is an introductory thingy on Radio 5 Live, 7:30-8:30pm (but that is straight after the day's 5 Live Sport news roundup at 7:00, which may well mention any significant developments from the day's competitions).

Isn't it 8pm - all the guides I've seen seem to say that. I suspect though we'll have this rumour for every games up until 2058 - or 20:58 if you like!

No BBC2 coverage on Thursday, but there is coverage on the red button. I really don't see the need for these events to start before the Opening Ceremony - it's not as if there isn't enough room in the schedule to accomodate them within the games, and really don't like the idea of people being eliminated before the Opening Ceremony.

"The Last Leg" is back on Uk Channel 4 (in plenty of time for the Sochi Paralympics). Quote from main man Adam Hills (with the Ashes urn and "5-0" painted on his leg) re the Sochi 2014 motto:

" 'Hot, Cool, Yours' which i'm pretty sure is also Vladimir Putin's description on Grindr"

Quote from Clare Balding:: "Putin doesn't want me there, so let's go".

And she also pointed out her job is to cover the sport, which I think people forget. I'm sure though once the games get underway just like in Beijing the sport will take over. For me the focus now needs to move on to FIFA. It was too late really once this law was passed to move the games, but it isn't too late for FIFA to move the 2018 World Cup - and indeed the 2022 World Cup. They can't on the one hand be seeking tolerance within the game and then on the other be holding their showcase events where homosexuality is banned from being promoted in one and outright in the other.

He's brilliant, easily the best comedian on British TV at the moment. Does anyone know if there's a printed guide available for Sochi in the UK, like the one for the World Cup that's come out?

I've not even seen an online TV guide. Obviously every event will be on the connected red button but it would be nice to see more info about what they're showing on BBC2 and BBC RB1 & RB2.

And absolutely agree Adam Hills is one of the funniest people around at the moment - while Micky Flanigan is easily one of the least. I don't understand why shows keep booking him.

[Tony E Loves Architecture]

The Opening Ceremony starts at 16:14 Here in England.

[Brekkie Boy]

P.S. Adam Hills also confirmed that MI6 had been in touch with them and advised them it might be best not to imply that Putin is gay.

[JMarkSnow2012]

Isn't it 8pm - all the guides I've seen seem to say that. I suspect though we'll have this rumour for every games up until 2058 - or 20:58 if you like!

The Sochi website says 20:14 local time, but I'd imagine most national broadcasters (with one obvious exception) will start their live coverage at least a half-hour earlier anyway.

No BBC2 coverage on Thursday, but there is coverage on the red button. I really don't see the need for these events to start before the Opening Ceremony - it's not as if there isn't enough room in the schedule to accomodate them within the games, and really don't like the idea of people being eliminated before the Opening Ceremony.

Oh yes, I'd forgotten that Radio Times has details of Red Button coverage. They do indeed state that it will include events on 6 Feb, so ignore my previous statement about not starting live coverage until 7 Feb. Radio Times also states that, as I had hoped, the Red Button coverage of the Opening Ceremony will be commentary-free.

I really don't see the need for these events to start before the Opening Ceremony - it's not as if there isn't enough room in the schedule to accomodate them within the games, and really don't like the idea of people being eliminated before the Opening Ceremony.

Oops, looks like I've confused the Quote facility. Anyway, agreed; it does seem harsh and unnecessary.

[Brekkie Boy]

Apparently the Radio Times will have a 16-page pull out this week. I've found the listings on Digiguide now too.

Also recommend the excellent BBC2 documentary Dan Snow's History of the Winter Olympics. I didn't realising what we'd now consider the flagship events of Downhill and Slalom didn't actually debut until 1936 - and it was a Brit behind their entrance into the games. Also interesting to see footage from the other Nazi-games - and indeed all of the early games (that Norwegian figure skater is sublime!). plus quite a bit on the fight between amatuerism and professionalism through the 60s and 70s.

[gotosy]

IOC urging Sochi to sort out hotel problems

SOCHI, Russia (AP) - The IOC is urging Russian Olympic organizers to move quickly to resolve the issue of accommodations that are not ready for accredited media personnel in the mountains outside Sochi.

According to the Sochi organizing committee, only six of the nine media hotels in the mountain area are fully operational.

Some media have arrived and found they had no place to stay, and thousands more journalists are expected to arrive Monday.

The matter was being examined Sunday at a meeting of the International Olympic Committee executive board.

"There are still some issues to be solved as always just before the games," IOC President Thomas Bach said. "We are in contact with the organizing committee and we hope that the situation will be solved in the next couple of days."

...

[Rob2012]

Rookie mistake.....keeping the journalists happy is surely Rule #1.

[4gamesandcounting]

Don't know what they can do to fix this in a matter of days?

Anyway we've known for quite a while haven't we about the accommodation situation - or lack of it.

[Gangwon]

I think one journalist found a stray dog in his room the other day.

[ofan]

Rookie mistake.....keeping the journalists happy is surely Rule #1.

Especially the British ones...