Has the quality of TV presenters dropped?

[Ranger]

The Australian free-to-air MotoGP commentating team of Darryl Beattie and Greg Rust are the worst in the world, bar none.

I have to say that Bill Woods is much more awful, especially when he was the guy alongside Beattie commentating the season-ending round in Valencia, which was rather anti-climatic. :\

[NinjaMaster]

I pretty much agree with nearly everything that Phantom has said. Daryl Beattie just appears to be the leader of the Australian arm to the Valentino Rossi fan club and Greg Rust really sounds disinterested to me. Bill Woods at least sounds interested though he is boring and doesn't appear to know much. Fortunately I haven't had to listen to them for years.

I don't mind the Foxtel presenters in Murdoch and Magee. I really like what Magee has to say, it's just a shame he can't put a fluent sentence together. Murdoch is ok as a presenter so long as he doesn't try to come across as an expert because he falls short there.

And Jake, I look forward to your complaint about Nick Harris telling everyone what a wonderful 9th place Ant West just came in the next GP...

[tha_jackal]

And Jake, I look forward to your complaint about Nick Harris telling everyone what a wonderful 9th place Ant West just came in the next GP...

At least Nick Harris actually comentates the rest of the race as it happens, he doest commentate about Ant West when the TV doesnt show him and talk about him for 80% of the race. Thats how bad the eurosport guys were!

[NinjaMaster]

I think you overstate it a little Jake but I understand what you are saying and I do hate parochialism, even for Aussies, although I do love listening to Nick Harris mention Casey Stoner's age and nationality pultiple times every telecast! I want commentary to be unbiased and something that adds to what I am watching.

[MrJan]

I don't have Eurosport so only watch GPs on BBC. I think even if I did have Sky I'd still watch the Beeb. Suzi Perry is a fairly decent interviewer (and has a nice arse) and knows not only a bit about bikes but also the riders. Steve Parrish has a fair amount of knowledge about the sport and CHarlie Cox hasa good personality and commentary style that makes of for hsi reletive lack of knowledge.

I do admit that ITV has been poor for a while. James Cracknell has the personality of a broom, something that really stood out when doing the Red Bull Air Race on C4 and the commentary lacks excitement which makes what are actually good races seem dull.