As a Canadian who has the advantage of being able to watch both my own country's coverage of the Olympics and the US coverage, I can say that there are differences.
Generally speaking, Canadian commentators talk over the events less and make fewer awkward and unnecessary comments about issues unrelated to what the athletes are actually doing.
While of course there is a focus on the efforts of Canadian athletes, there is generally at least some coverage of all the leading competitors in any marquee event - usually more than I see on the American coverage. Finals of popular sports are shown whether or not there is a Canadian competing in them.
Also, there seems to be more of an assumption that the audience will be interested in the background and history of non-Canadian athletes - so we get a lot of quick profiles about training details or previous medals or whatever about leading competitors and other competitors of interest (the human interest stuff, about the person who may be the first one from her country to medal in an event, and so on.)
There is also a different tone, and I think one that is more respectful, less "jingoistic," from most of the Canadian commentators when discussing athletes who are not Canadian in comparison to the tone of many American commentators who are discussing athletes who are not American. It's almost as if American commentators sometimes present other athletes only as opponents whose natural role is to be defeated by the American competitors, and this can be very grating.
no subject
Generally speaking, Canadian commentators talk over the events less and make fewer awkward and unnecessary comments about issues unrelated to what the athletes are actually doing.
While of course there is a focus on the efforts of Canadian athletes, there is generally at least some coverage of all the leading competitors in any marquee event - usually more than I see on the American coverage. Finals of popular sports are shown whether or not there is a Canadian competing in them.
Also, there seems to be more of an assumption that the audience will be interested in the background and history of non-Canadian athletes - so we get a lot of quick profiles about training details or previous medals or whatever about leading competitors and other competitors of interest (the human interest stuff, about the person who may be the first one from her country to medal in an event, and so on.)
There is also a different tone, and I think one that is more respectful, less "jingoistic," from most of the Canadian commentators when discussing athletes who are not Canadian in comparison to the tone of many American commentators who are discussing athletes who are not American. It's almost as if American commentators sometimes present other athletes only as opponents whose natural role is to be defeated by the American competitors, and this can be very grating.