Broadcaster acts on Games ads
TVNZ has responded to criticism of its Commonwealth Games coverage by saying it will change how it’s scheduling adverts.
Dame Valerie Adams took to Twitter this week, asking TVNZ where its coverage of the weightlifting was, when Kiwi athletes were competing.
‘‘No weightlifting @tvnz have kiwi lifters on right Help please,’’ she said.
Other New Zealanders replied, expressing their disappointment at the coverage – especially at the way adverts broke into live events such as yesterday’s triathlon.
TVNZ spokeswoman Georgie Hills said the broadcaster had experienced some technical difficulties and was working hard to make sure advertising breaks didn’t interrupt live events.
‘‘We are trying to pick the points to break into the action.’’
Hills said TVNZ had adjusted the breaks already, and promised that for the rest of the Games, commercials would be played only during breaks for team sports, and they would be shorter than normal.
‘‘We are definitely taking on board the feedback viewers are giving us about the ads, and we are doing our utmost to time our commercial breaks at appropriate points to minimise interruptions ??? We now ?
No weightlifting @tvnz ??? We have kiwi lifters on right now ? Help please Valerie Adams
best live to viewers. Our big focus is to show New Zealand teams and athletes while they are in action free to air.
‘‘Advertising is the way we fund our Commonwealth Games coverage that New Zealanders are watching.’’
The first day of coverage was watched by 1.6 million New Zealanders.