Feel the Spurs: A yellow card for Channel 7

Published on March 3, 2008

Soopsip has heard many a complaint about weird editing of the broadcasts and stupid timing for ad breaks, as when a commercial cuts in just as the ball is sailing toward the goal.

The unkindest cut of all, though, came in Channel 7's recent live broadcast of the Carling Cup final from England. Defending champions Chelsea battled Tottenham Hotspur to a 1-1 draw and into extra time, and then, to the ecstasy of their fans around the globe, the Spurs grabbed the glory.

And then, after two and half hours and a glum presentation of the runner-up trophy to Chelsea - just as the Spurs were about to be handed the Carling Cup in the grand finale of all that had gone before - "Thanks for watching and goodnight!"

Channel 7 signed off and went to bed.

It wasn't even primetime! It was past midnight. It wasn't as if there was a soap opera waiting to air with a wildly anticipated denouement to its last cliff-hanger episode. Another five minutes for the trophy presentation wouldn't have blown the channel's budget.

Complaints flooded onto newspaper grumble pages and the Web chat shops. Now we're having a bitch too. Thank you.

Thaksin, get up off the pavement and give us a hug

Speaking of live broadcasts, how about that coverage of Thaksin's Second Coming on Thursday? It was like Jesus, Gandhi and Martin Luther King all arriving at the airport at the same time. Even some of the journalists got a little overwhelmed.

A few of the reporters who've been close to the former premier were at the scene calling the play-by-play with quivering voices and obvious delight.

And then there was Channel 9 reporter Penphan Laemluang, who wrapped up her coverage of Thaksin's get-together with the news media at the Peninsula Hotel by saying, "We've just been watching the press conference of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra."

Penphan realised immediately she'd given the prodigal son a bit more credit than he was due and corrected herself, but we'd have loved to have seen the expression on Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej's face when he heard that.

Dual prime ministers - it's an interesting concept. Could we afford that?

Johnny A-Ple-Seed runs out of pasture

Funny TV host Nakorn "Ple" Silachai is extremely serious about taking care of the planet: He just bought a tree - for Bt210,000!

It's a beauty of a lantom - a plumeria - but we've got some very prolific willows down by the klong he could have had for free.

Ple's pals Willie McIntosh and Kiattisak "Sena Hoi" Udomnak were razzing him the other day on Channel 3's "Tee Sib" show because they'd also bought plumeria trees and they didn't pay anything like that price.

Ple argued that his tree is special because it looks like a work of art, and he had a video clip to prove it, although the audience didn't exactly gasp with pleasure. Two hundred grand?

Anyway, Ple trucked in so many new trees for the property where he's building a house that he ran out of room - so he tried to buy the land next door. The owner didn't want to sell, so Ple got his permission to plant a few big trees on his property along their shared fence.

Try this with your neighbour. If everyone can pull it off without any disputes, we'll have this planet completely green again in no time.

You're not getting rid of us that easily

The editor of The Nation wasn't going to tell Soopsip about this fancy new Daily Xpress newspaper that our company is unveiling on Wednesday, but we found out and we've already booked some space there. So, unlike Dick Nixon, you do still have Soopsip to kick around.

In fact, the Xpress is a tabloid - perfect for our brand of news. The editor wants us to call it a "compact", though - not a tabloid, because the word "tabloid" suggests it will be full of mindless gossip.

What a quaint notion.

veen@nationgroup.com

The Nation