British World Cup Broadcasters Criticized For Use Of Pundits, Commentators

Britain's World Cup broadcasters "have been attacked for using pundits who can’t understand English in their coverage of the 2014 tournament's opening games," according to Oliver Duggan of the London TELEGRAPH. Angry viewers "have complained that a number of the pundits employed by the BBC and ITV don’t speak fluent English, fuelling wider concerns about their coverage of the competition." Former Brazil midfielder Juninho Paulista and Italian defender Fabio Cannavaro "have been criticised for being incomprehensible and at times confused by their co-presenters analysis." Commentator Jonathan Pearce "was ridiculed on Sunday after making a series of on-air gaffes less that 24 hours after his BBC colleague Phil Neville was described as 'boring'" (TELEGRAPH, 6/16).