TSN's coverage of the World Juniors: Fair and balanced? Or unreasonable and biased?

[Club]

Always biased. Can't even see an Instagram post from the official page without them sucking on Bedards big toe

 

[FastEddie]

There's a difference between rooting interest and analytical bias. Real neutral commenting tends to be terrible because it lacks passion.

Bias would be if they refused to admit something was a penalty when it clearly was. In tonight's game Gord and Jamie defended every call against Canada. To my frustration a bit, but there it is. Don't tell me rooting for Canada affects their analysis. If anything it's the Canadian way to self-criticize, especially because we're expected to win. Always looking for things to worry about.

 

[ORRFForever]

There's a difference between rooting interest and analytical bias. Real neutral commenting tends to be terrible because it lacks passion.

Bias would be if they refused to admit something was a penalty when it clearly was. In tonight's game Gord and Jamie defended every call against Canada. To my frustration a bit, but there it is. Don't tell me rooting for Canada affects their analysis. If anything it's the Canadian way to self-criticize, especially because we're expected to win. Always looking for things to worry about.

You make some good points.

 

[JackSlater]

There's a difference between rooting interest and analytical bias. Real neutral commenting tends to be terrible because it lacks passion.

Bias would be if they refused to admit something was a penalty when it clearly was. In tonight's game Gord and Jamie defended every call against Canada. To my frustration a bit, but there it is. Don't tell me rooting for Canada affects their analysis. If anything it's the Canadian way to self-criticize, especially because we're expected to win. Always looking for things to worry about.

I think that the vast majority of Canadians who complain about TSN being biased really have no idea what international commentary is like and just want to appear like a good person.

 

[thefeebster]

I've always enjoyed TSN's coverage. The only issue is Button and when they let him talk too much while seemingly being too timid to tell him to shut up so he rambles on and on about stuff nobody cares about while there's a game going on. But aside from Button, TSN's solid.

I actually don’t mind Button, because he actually does try to watch some of these players, especially some of the lesser known players.

Johnson, on the other hand, is so bad as colour, he barely knows or talks about the prospects. I edit videos on these tournaments and on so many occcasions, Johnson starts a thought then just abruptly switches mid sentence. Then he rants about mouth guards, neck guards, or rules he hated as a player. Gord seems afraid to cut him off as well. Tonally, he sounds whiny and speaks like an inconsistent jackhammer; it’s very distracting imo.

I really like the addition of Pounder to the panel. Her analysis is great and in depth. Just needs to speak a bit slower, seems like she’s not given a lot of time to speak so she speaks faster to compensate. O’Neill is meh, analysis is okay, seems to be on the panel to keep it light-hearted and joke-y.

Overall, tsn’s coverage is great.

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

They are not paid to be unbiased They are paid to bring in viewers. And that means pumping up the team that their viewers are tuning in for - Canada. And they have to cater to the unknowledgeable viewer.

 

[NyQuil]

I agree with a lot of this. Only thing is that Canada doesn't win that much anymore. 4 in last 10 but Finns and US have 3 each there too. It's close and no one has won a back to back in a dozen years. They days of Canada winning 5 in a row seem to be over.. for now. Having said that.... they got a damn good chance to win this one and be the first back to back champs. Of course, Covid, empty arenas, no Russia, always in Canada.. it's an asterisk (note I would've celebrated a Czech win like no other so the asterisks aren't an issue for me). It'd be like a World Cup without England.. they are amazing but never win it. That's Russia... amazing but never win it.

For the rest.. all of it. This was built on marketing and hype and most casual Canadian fans will insist that it goes best on best and then U20 to determine superiority. I assume the 'heyday' was when Canada won 5 in a row and that become unbearable if you weren't cheering for Canada.lol

Having said that. it's a part of Xmas with the SPengler and TSN has done a great job of creating a 'bowl' like event. I get excited every boxing day! THey even show exhibition games!

Any tournament that limits participation by age will always favour the larger hockey countries.

I don’t think the WJC provides any kind of bragging rights aside from a basic opportunity to see some of the world’s top emerging talents play against each other.

Given the range of leagues involved at this age (AHL, NHL, NCAA, USDP, CHL, European senior and Junior leagues), it’s a bit of a unique situation compared with the senior level where so much of the world’s top talent is concentrated in one league and play each other routinely.

 

[13to40]

Mike Johnson is horrible even as a commentator for the NHL. Big time Homer….

Asides from him I don’t really mind the other members of the cast.

Kind of hard not to be slightly biased in international hockey when you’re a Canadian sports broadcaster covering Team Canada.

I’m sure it’s similar in Sweden/Finland every other country that covers the games in their native language.

The passion that comes with the slight bias adds a bit of spice when you’re cheering for the underdog.

Oh and not the leave out the fact that the next generational player is currently on team Canada… this is the Connor Bedard tournament folks; all eyes are on him. Whether he’s a Canadian, German, Austrian… part of any other nation in the tournament, he would still be the main attraction about this tournament.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

I have always thought MJ was a good colour guy. Could just be me though lol getting better anyways.

 

[NyQuil]

I have always thought MJ was a good colour guy. Could just be me though lol getting better anyways.

I’ll admit he took a little getting used to as he took on the Sens regional games.

He has a very dry, dark and cynical sense of humour which takes awhile to appreciate but is actually pretty funny.

We used to have Ferraro with Cuthbert which was sort of the dream team but Miller and Noodles and/or Johnson is great too.

 

[Czechboy]

I have always thought MJ was a good colour guy. Could just be me though lol getting better anyways.

He's one of my favs right now. I remember him debunking the whole 'guys can't play against tough guys' type argument awhile ago. eg. when Kassian is on the ice, Matthew Tcachuk plays scrared and is not effective. When Milan Lucic is on the ice, Connor McDavid is 'safe'. Shit like that. He smashed that narrative.. been my guy ever since.

To be clear though, if Kass or Lucic show up to my pickup beer leauge games I will call them and 'sir' and play scared shitless!

 

[Panthaz89]

Well yeah it's a Canadian sports network no surprise there. Can't fault them for doing their job.

 

[93gilmour93]

TSN is so much better than Sportsnet so I’m happy with the coverage. It’s balanced on describing the games but of course any channel in Canada will pump up the Canadians

 

[Stephen]

I don't think anyone outside of NA or maybe even just Canada likes TSN.

To be fair, I don't think Canadians are tuning into Finnish cable television wondering why there's an emphasis on Finnish topics all the time. Fairly self evident why there'd be a bias or focus...

 

[Stephen]

I think they have given a lot of coverage to Czechia.

Marcel Marcel is a household name after the last few days.

If anything I think some of the old school guys are a bit harsh with criticism ti Canada. The Michigan attempts weren't even that bad. But some of the media guys are trying to replace Don Cherry it seems, and running with the narrative that this was the only reason we lost game 1.

I wouldn't try to make the case that TSN is unbiased in its coverage. The WJC is basically its own Canadian hype baby holiday event that they've built up over the past 30 years. But they do a decent job highlighting certain players from other nations and building storylines. I still remember how much they doted on Igor Karpenko from the Ukrainian team back in the 90s.

 

[Sykur]

I just appreciate how well Gord Miller memorizes these foreign player names every year, and namedrops them during play-by-play as if he's been calling them for years. That takes real talent.

 

[thefeebster]

Forgot to mention Bayek, i like him as PBP generally. But i think the last two years, i've noticed a lot of errors in him calling out names. For example, i will be tracking a player visually and know who it is, then he calls out a completely different name. It is generally if someone has close numbers like #23 and #28, for example. So i question if his eyesight is worsening? Perhaps that is why he is retiring? I counted more than 5 incorrect name calls during one swedish game in the Summer WJC.

TSN is so much better than Sportsnet so I’m happy with the coverage. It’s balanced on describing the games but of course any channel in Canada will pump up the Canadians

Agree. I remember i was quite sad when they lost the NHL contract. Hope they get it back in 2025.

 

[brentashton]

Forgot to mention Bayek, i like him as PBP generally. But i think the last two years, i've noticed a lot of errors in him calling out names. For example, i will be tracking a player visually and know who it is, then he calls out a completely different name. It is generally if someone has close numbers like #23 and #28, for example. So i question if his eyesight is worsening? Perhaps that is why he is retiring? I counted more than 5 incorrect name calls during one swedish game in the Summer WJC.


Agree. I remember i was quite sad when they lost the NHL contract. Hope they get it back in 2025.

If anyone has watched TSNs production of the CFL over the years and how they focus on a single game story line and then proceed to beat it to death, terrible in stadium camera positioning, coming back from commercials and the play is underway, training a camera on an individual player on the bench for so long until he basically tells them to F off, and constant decline in their on air personalities to what they now have, I would think twice about wishing them to have national NHL broadcast rights anytime soon.

 

[Lavar Ball]

As a citizen and supporter of the USA, it doesn't bother me

 

[ORRFForever]

Agree. I remember i was quite sad when they lost the NHL contract. Hope they get it back in 2025.

All the dummies at Sportsnet, who signed that contract, jumped ship shortly after the ink dried. I doubt it was a money maker and I doubt Sportsnet will write a blank check, again, for the NHL.

If anyone has watched TSNs production of the CFL over the years and how they focus on a single game story line and then proceed to beat it to death, terrible in stadium camera positioning, coming back from commercials and the play is underway, training a camera on an individual player on the bench for so long until he basically tells them to F off, and constant decline in their on air personalities to what they now have, I would think twice about wishing them to have national NHL broadcast rights anytime soon.

I love the CFL on TSN. Having said that, I agree about the camera angles.








God bless Pope Benedict XVI. RIP.

 

[End on a Hinote]

TSN is no more biased towards Canada as the NHL network is towards the USA. the only difference is that the former is the only one people seem to have issue with...

 

[ORRFForever]

TSN is no more biased towards Canada as the NHL network is towards the USA. the only difference is that the former is the only one people seem to have issue with...

Well said.

TSN's coverage is what it is. They're trying to encourage Canadians to tune in and they are pretty successful at it.

 

[Czechboy]

Can't say I'm a fan of them cutting away to the 'top 100 bloopers' of 2022 after the quarter game. Didn't show top 3 players from the losing team OR the ANTHEM! No way they'd do that after Canada's quarter later today.

 

[FlameChampion]

I’ve felt that all the talk about breaking Eberles and Lindros’s records to be pretty nauseating. They keep going on and on about it. If Bedard was breaking Forsberg record, I’d understand it more. But they just keep beating the drum. This is more on the panel portion of it but it’s creeped into the commentating.

I think Miller and Beyak do a good job though. I don’t care much for the panel.

 

[Lambo]

I believe that we live in times where far too much is looked at themself. With the result that one has the impression that e.g. the top European nations are not sufficiently respected. Imagine the Czechs continuing to roll over their opponents and impressively win gold. Next year everything will be forgotten. Unless Canada does that, then it's unforgettable!