CBS Exec Producer and Senior VP/Production Harold Bryant once again defended the decision to show children crying at the end of NCAA Tournament games, saying that is "part of the drama and the storytelling" of the event, according to Henry Bushnell of YAHOO SPORTS. Bryant said, “It’s part of the emotion. We try to capture the emotion and we try to strike that right balance." Bushnell noted the practice could be seen as a "cheap or lazy way to convey drama." Bryant responded by saying, "We show happy kids, we show sad kids, we show happy adults, we show players that are happy, we show players that are sad, crying on the benches or on the floor. We do our best, throughout all of these games, throughout the tournament, to strike that proper balance.” Criticism "intensified last week" after many fans thought CBS and Turner "went to shots of crying kids with increasing frequency" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 3/21). Some fans have "described the shots on social media as lazy, cheap and exploitative." Another issue is some viewers "believe the networks are treating the tournament differently from other sporting events." For example, how many "cutaways to crying children are shown" during an NFL or NBA game? (USATODAY.com, 3/21).
GARDEN TREATMENT: In Boston, Stephen Hewitt notes this weekend marks the fifth time in TD Garden's 23-year history that it will host the NCAA Tournament, and CBS and Turner Sports are "working to ensure local flavor is included." CBS Sports Coordinating Producer Craig Silver said, "It’s not the old Garden, but there is tremendous basketball history in the city of Boston, mostly on the professional side. We’ll attempt to give a taste of the history of basketball here at the Garden with the Celtics and all they’ve accomplished. The focus is still obviously on college basketball, but we couldn’t be in Boston without touching on the greatness of what happened in that space." Bryant said that this year the approach "has targeted access, from 'NCAA March Madness Confidential,' a behind-the-scenes look into the tournament teams, to 'Fast Break,' an NFL Red Zone-like digital whip-around show that jumps from game to game." Some of the changes "have been subtle, from graphic upgrades to enhanced audio, to others that are more significant." This weekend, Boston "will be one of the sites that has 'Virtual Reality,' a digital feature that allows viewers to watch games from home on an app and feel like they’re there." It is the "third straight year that the service is being used, and Boston is one of five sites that has it set up" (BOSTON HERALD, 3/22).
LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON: In Philadelphia, Rob Tornoe notes Syracuse's WAER-FM broadcaster Noah Eagle "interviewed his father," CBS' Ian Eagle, before CBS' coverage of a Syracuse-Miami game last month, and the three-minute segment, "featuring snarky give-and-takes over their attire and the pronunciation of Ian's name (It's EYE-in), quickly went viral." CBS also "carried about two minutes of Noah Eagle's play-by-play for WAER during the telecast, and the young broadcaster seemed to hold his own." Ian Eagle said, "As a father, I am beyond proud that he has a legitimate desire to follow a path that I took. At the same time, I know how difficult it is. You can’t just snap your fingers and be on the air." He added, "The reality is you have to be good if you want to be on TV. That’s all that matters. If you can do this job well, you’ll be accepted" (PHILLY.com, 3/21).
