Three and a half hours a day doesn't seem like much compared to the other majors, where you can watch 10 hours of golf a day. I get tired of turning it on the Golf Channel and hearing the announcers trying to explain to me what is happening on the golf course when it should be showing on tv. Why wouldn't the officials at Augusta want more coverage for their tournament?
The coverage is beyond awesome on masters.org.
at 7:45 pacific, coverage of 11, 12 and 13 starts and at 8:45 pacific, coverage of 15 and 16 starts. At noon pacific, Masters extra is just an early hour of regular full 18 coverage.
Broadcasting (wikipedia)
CBS has televised the Masters in the United States every year since 1956, when it used six cameras and covered only the final four holes. Tournament coverage of the first 8 holes did not begin until 1993 because of resistance from the tournament organizers, but by 2006, over 50 cameras were used. USA Network added first- and second-round coverage in 1982, which was also produced by the CBS production team. The Masters is broadcast each year in high-definition television, one of the first golf tournaments to ever hold that distinction, and the early round coverage previously aired in that format on USA's sister network, Universal HD. In 2008, ESPN and ESPN HD replaced USA and Universal as the weekday coverage provider;[57] coverage will continue to be jointly produced with CBS.
In 2005, CBS broadcast the tournament with high-definition fixed and handheld wired cameras, as well as standard-definition wireless handheld cameras. In 2006, a webstream called "Amen Corner Live" began providing coverage of all players passing through holes 11, 12 and 13 through all four rounds.[58] This was the first full tournament multi-hole webcast from a major championship. In 2007, CBS added "Masters Extra," an hour's extra full-field bonus coverage daily on the internet, preceding the television broadcasts. In 2008, CBS added full coverage of holes 15 and 16 live on the web.
While Augusta National Golf Club has consistently chosen CBS as its U.S. broadcast partner, it has done so on successive one-year contracts.[59] Due to the lack of long-term contractual security, as well as the club's limited dependence on broadcast rights fees (owing to its affluent membership), it is widely held that CBS allows Augusta National greater control over the content of the broadcast, or at least perform some form of self-censorship, in order to maintain future rights. The club, however, has insisted it does not make any demands with respect to the content of the broadcast.[60][61]
There are some controversial aspects to this relationship. Announcers are required to refer to the gallery as "patrons" rather than spectators or fans, and use the term "second cut" instead of "rough".[60] Announcers who have been deemed not to have acted with the decorum expected by the club have been removed, notably Gary McCord.[60] There also tends to be a lack of discussion of any controversy involving Augusta National, such as the 2003 Martha Burk protests.[61] However, there have not been many other major issues in recent years.
The club mandates minimal commercial interruption, currently limited to four minutes per hour (as opposed to the usual 12 or more).[59] In the immediate aftermath of the Martha Burk controversy, there were no commercials during the 2003 and 2004 broadcasts,[60] although international commercial broadcasters continued to insert their own commercials into the coverage. The Players Championship began imposing the same rule in 2007 and some of the other major championships have tried to follow suit.
The club also disallows promotions for other network programs, with the sole exception of an on-screen mention of 60 Minutes should the final round run long, or right before the coverage ends.[59] Other broadcast material not allowed include sponsored graphics, blimps, on-course announcers, and the regular CBS sports graphics template.[59] CBS and ESPN coverage as of 2008, use a variation on an older CBS graphics set with additional gradients for high-definition. When USA Network covered The Masters from 1982-2007, they used their regular graphics except that instead of blue and red, it was green and yellow. There is also typically no cut-in for other news and sports, either from CBS or its affiliates. It uses "Augusta" by Dave Loggins as theme music instead of the normal ESPN and CBS Sports golf music. USA Network's broadcasts of The Masters used a different version of "Augusta" with different instruments.
Significant restrictions have been placed on the tournament's broadcast hours compared to other major championships, perhaps to increase the tournament's Nielsen ratings, or to reward ticket-holders. Only in the 21st century did the tournament allow CBS to air 18-hole coverage of the leaders, a standard at the other three majors.[60] Only three hours of cable coverage is scheduled for the early rounds. International broadcasters do not receive additional coverage, although they may take commercial breaks at different times from CBS or ESPN. The networks always stay past the allotted times until the end of live golf action on all four days, whereas on American television coverage of the other three majors (and The Players Championship) continues only until the end of a scheduled broadcast window on all days except Sunday or a Monday-finish.[59]
Westwood One has provided live radio play-by-play coverage in the U.S. since 1956. This coverage can also be heard on the official Masters website. The station provides short two to three minute updates throughout the tournament, as well as longer three to four hour segments towards the end of the day.[62]
The BBC has broadcast the Masters in the U.K. since 1986, and it also provides live radio commentary on the closing stages on Radio Five Live. With the 2007 launch of BBC HD, UK viewers can now watch the championship in that format. BBC Sport currently holds the TV and radio rights through 2010.[63] The BBC's coverage airs without commercials because it is financed by a licence fee. In Ireland, from 2008 Setanta Ireland will broadcast all four rounds live having previously broadcasted the opening two rounds with RTÉ broadcasting the weekend coverage.[64]
at 7:45 pacific, coverage of 11, 12 and 13 starts and at 8:45 pacific, coverage of 15 and 16 starts. At noon pacific, Masters extra is just an early hour of regular full 18 coverage.
Broadcasting (wikipedia)
CBS has televised the Masters in the United States every year since 1956, when it used six cameras and covered only the final four holes. Tournament coverage of the first 8 holes did not begin until 1993 because of resistance from the tournament organizers, but by 2006, over 50 cameras were used. USA Network added first- and second-round coverage in 1982, which was also produced by the CBS production team. The Masters is broadcast each year in high-definition television, one of the first golf tournaments to ever hold that distinction, and the early round coverage previously aired in that format on USA's sister network, Universal HD. In 2008, ESPN and ESPN HD replaced USA and Universal as the weekday coverage provider;[57] coverage will continue to be jointly produced with CBS.
In 2005, CBS broadcast the tournament with high-definition fixed and handheld wired cameras, as well as standard-definition wireless handheld cameras. In 2006, a webstream called "Amen Corner Live" began providing coverage of all players passing through holes 11, 12 and 13 through all four rounds.[58] This was the first full tournament multi-hole webcast from a major championship. In 2007, CBS added "Masters Extra," an hour's extra full-field bonus coverage daily on the internet, preceding the television broadcasts. In 2008, CBS added full coverage of holes 15 and 16 live on the web.
While Augusta National Golf Club has consistently chosen CBS as its U.S. broadcast partner, it has done so on successive one-year contracts.[59] Due to the lack of long-term contractual security, as well as the club's limited dependence on broadcast rights fees (owing to its affluent membership), it is widely held that CBS allows Augusta National greater control over the content of the broadcast, or at least perform some form of self-censorship, in order to maintain future rights. The club, however, has insisted it does not make any demands with respect to the content of the broadcast.[60][61]
There are some controversial aspects to this relationship. Announcers are required to refer to the gallery as "patrons" rather than spectators or fans, and use the term "second cut" instead of "rough".[60] Announcers who have been deemed not to have acted with the decorum expected by the club have been removed, notably Gary McCord.[60] There also tends to be a lack of discussion of any controversy involving Augusta National, such as the 2003 Martha Burk protests.[61] However, there have not been many other major issues in recent years.
The club mandates minimal commercial interruption, currently limited to four minutes per hour (as opposed to the usual 12 or more).[59] In the immediate aftermath of the Martha Burk controversy, there were no commercials during the 2003 and 2004 broadcasts,[60] although international commercial broadcasters continued to insert their own commercials into the coverage. The Players Championship began imposing the same rule in 2007 and some of the other major championships have tried to follow suit.
The club also disallows promotions for other network programs, with the sole exception of an on-screen mention of 60 Minutes should the final round run long, or right before the coverage ends.[59] Other broadcast material not allowed include sponsored graphics, blimps, on-course announcers, and the regular CBS sports graphics template.[59] CBS and ESPN coverage as of 2008, use a variation on an older CBS graphics set with additional gradients for high-definition. When USA Network covered The Masters from 1982-2007, they used their regular graphics except that instead of blue and red, it was green and yellow. There is also typically no cut-in for other news and sports, either from CBS or its affiliates. It uses "Augusta" by Dave Loggins as theme music instead of the normal ESPN and CBS Sports golf music. USA Network's broadcasts of The Masters used a different version of "Augusta" with different instruments.
Significant restrictions have been placed on the tournament's broadcast hours compared to other major championships, perhaps to increase the tournament's Nielsen ratings, or to reward ticket-holders. Only in the 21st century did the tournament allow CBS to air 18-hole coverage of the leaders, a standard at the other three majors.[60] Only three hours of cable coverage is scheduled for the early rounds. International broadcasters do not receive additional coverage, although they may take commercial breaks at different times from CBS or ESPN. The networks always stay past the allotted times until the end of live golf action on all four days, whereas on American television coverage of the other three majors (and The Players Championship) continues only until the end of a scheduled broadcast window on all days except Sunday or a Monday-finish.[59]
Westwood One has provided live radio play-by-play coverage in the U.S. since 1956. This coverage can also be heard on the official Masters website. The station provides short two to three minute updates throughout the tournament, as well as longer three to four hour segments towards the end of the day.[62]
The BBC has broadcast the Masters in the U.K. since 1986, and it also provides live radio commentary on the closing stages on Radio Five Live. With the 2007 launch of BBC HD, UK viewers can now watch the championship in that format. BBC Sport currently holds the TV and radio rights through 2010.[63] The BBC's coverage airs without commercials because it is financed by a licence fee. In Ireland, from 2008 Setanta Ireland will broadcast all four rounds live having previously broadcasted the opening two rounds with RTÉ broadcasting the weekend coverage.[64]
Well, not everybody has a computer or DirecTV handy. I like that the Masters shows 59 minutes of every hour of commercial free golf, but they really need to start showing this tournament from morning to afternoon on ESPN or the Golf Channel. I've got my money on Olgivy. And I pretty muched missed all of his round this morning.
One thing we know for sure, they don't need the revenue. Though I'll bet ESPN and the Golf Channel have begged Augusta for more coverage. Personally, I don't see why it would hurt to have more coverage like the U.S.Open or the PGA do. There are alot more diehards out there than you think. And seeing as how the winds are blowing 40 mph in Oklahoma right now, I have nothing else to do but watch this tournament or The View. I would rather have my golf.
