The original and best sports news channel (Sky Sports News)

Member Name: jthecrab

Product:	Sky Sports News
Date:	06/08/09 (87 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: All the top stories before almost everyone else

Disadvantages: Ads too long

Sky Sports News is a 24 hour tv channel that is dedicated to the reporting of sports news. It launched just over a decade ago and can not only be seen on Sky channel 405 but is also found on freeview channel 83.

The format is simple, 2 presenters sat at the sports news desk letting us know the most up to date information on all sport related stories. There is a banner that rolls across the bottom of the screen that announces what is on the Sky Sports channels in the near future. There is also a news board above the banner that flashes between multiple sports, letting us know the latest developments in football, golf, cricket, NFL, Baseball etc.

Although this is a 24 hour channel it splits itself into hourly segments. This makes it easy to change between it's army of presenters. During the day the hourly segments are given different names like "Good Morning sports Fans", "Football Today", "Afternoon Report" etc. During the night the 11pm show "Through The Night" is recorded and shown on a loop until "Good Morning Sports Fans" starts again at 6pm the next day. On the weekends there is the soccer special show presented by Jeff Stelling and guests who include the likes of Matt Le Tissier, Pinocchio Phil Thompson, Alan McInally etc.

OPINIONS AND OBSERVATIONS

I love Sky Sports News. It is the first channel I switch on when I get up in the morning and when I get home from work. They generally have all the exclusives before anyone else. Recently, for example, it was here that I first learned Michael Owen was to sign for Manchester United and the sad news that Sir Bobby Robson had passed away.

The presenters mostly seem to know their stuff. A couple of them seem a bit clueless and are maybe only employed as eye candy. Some of them clearly have a passion for particular sports and so they are the ones who report on their specialist subject when it comes up for discussion. I like Mike Wedderburn who really knows his cricket but can barely conceal his bias towards the West indies LOL!! Also, I like Alex Quinn who is the Sky Sports News horse racing specialist who even gives her tip for the day.

One of my favourite bits is when they have the newspaper journalists on the show. Sometimes the banter between them and the presenters is really funny. You can tell that the newspaper guys know stuff that they cannot disclose on the show.

My favourite show? Soccer Saturday with Jeff stelling and guests. Jeff has a wicked rapier wit. He pounces on anything and delivers jokes and put downs in his own jolly way, he's a top bloke. I feel really sorry for Paul Merson though who clearly has great football insight but who is also a bit dim at the same time and who gets slaughtered by the other guests when he is on. Special props to Chris Kamara as well who always seems to think everything is "fantastic" or "unbelievable", even a dull 0-0 draw LOL!!

My main gripes are thus. The adverts are too long and spend too much time promoting Sky. Also, the channel can get a bit repetitive. Once you have had it on for an hour or 2 you have usually seen everything they have to offer.

Overall though I would easily recommend Sky Sports News to any sports fan worth their salt. As a lover of most sports it is the perfect channel for me. I must also confess to being completely jealous of one of their correspondents due to his awesome name. As Andy Gray would say, take a bow Rod Studd.

Summary: Great sports news channel