Originally Posted by
wiggy
Chewing this over this AM I think the problem with the coverage is traditionally you had the networks between NASA/the PAO and the viewer. That meant sometimes but hopefully not too often the talking heads at NBC, BBC, ITV etc would break in to explain/illustrate a point.
That doesn't happen.now, it's often PAO in Mission control straight to viewer.
I did notice on a split screen last night that on the science room wall at one point they had the inflight image up and adjacent to it a pretty much identical computer generated view with labels...it's a shame that didn't go out on the feed occasionally.
Back during Apollo, the TV networks had 'science' specialists that talked the technical aspects of the mission. Their commentary - even 50 years later when I'm much better educated on the subjects than back them - ages well.
Sadly, the networks can no longer be bothered with that level of expertise in their reporting - now they're just interchangeable talking heads.
Some of the juvenile comments direct from NASA probably stem from knowing much of their audience is completely uneducated in the science of spaceflight. During the 1960's space race, the general knowledge of such things was somewhat higher.