Charlotte Varcoe
FINISHING off his television career by covering the Paris Olympics is a dream come true for Mount Gambier sporting fan Don Dyson.
First beginning his journey in broadcasting at Channel 8 in 1980, Mr Dyson worked in the technical department and helped produce decades of local news content.
He has spent the last decade working as the operations and technology manager in Adelaide for Channel 9 before recently retiring.
Last September, Mr Dyson received a phone call from the television channel asking if he would be happy to travel abroad for the up-and-coming Olympics where he would assist in the broadcasting of the mammoth event.
“I have done a lot of work around the Nine Network in operations and technology and building television stations for them,” Mr Dyson said.
“Their operations manager rang me last year and asked if I would like to be a part of broadcasting the Olympics to which I said yes.”
He said it was a privilege to have the opportunity to be a part of the operations and technology team broadcasting the biggest sporting event in the world.
“When I retired I thought the opportunity for the Olympics had gone but when Channel 9 got the rights to the Olympics right through until Brisbane 2032 and when I was asked I thought it was a big tick to end my television career,” Mr Dyson said.
“My role will be looking after our spaces, the technology aspects at the swimming venue and athletic venue as well as back-up support for the main international broadcasting centre.
“All their feed comes in and then they go to Sydney where it will be produced.”
He said the channel will be producing 22-hours worth of content for 17-days consecutively.
“I will get the chance to work with people like Ian Thorpe and to me those sort of people with exciting iconic names, you just pinch yourself to think it is real,” Mr Dyson said.
“We have our commentary centres and what they call a mixed sign which is right down by the pool deck and they are my areas to make sure they work.”
He said although he had worked alongside celebrities before including athletes he was looking forward to the international opportunity.
“In the end the celebrities are just a part of our team and you treat them like your workmates,” Mr Dyson said.
“The last Olympics there were no viewers due to the Covid-19 pandemic so this is the chance to get back to normal where there will be the atmosphere of the crowd cheering and all those things which were missing in Tokyo.”
He said there would also be a lot more to look forward to with iconic Paris landmarks also playing a part.
“The volleyball is almost under the Eiffel Tower and by picking iconic venues to run their events is great,” he said.
Although looking forward to broadcasting the sporting event, Mr Dyson said producing 22-hours of live television for 17-days straight would be the biggest challenge.
“We will not get a chance to take two so if we miss an event that is it,” he said.
“We do take the international feeds for the main camera work but our commentators will call on those and our cameras will produce shots of them and our athletes as they come off the track or the swimming pool.
“We do have the backup of being international feeds as required which is good.”
As well as covering the main Olympic event, Mr Dyson will also be broadcasting the Paralympics which is due to begin on August 28 until September 8.
“We have a two week break so we will cover the Paralympics which is different,” he said.
“We will build a new studio at a different location and we picked a motel where all the athletes’ families are staying.”
He said staff would produce a studio there and all operational management for the Nine Network would happen at that location.
“It is slightly different but it is still a big event and the Paralympics goes for a similar duration of a couple of weeks,” Mr Dyson said.
He said anybody who was an eager sports fan was always interested in the Olympics and enabled them to see some of the best athletes in the world.
“Swimming is my number one sport I am interested in because Australia can do very well in that and after that I think it would be things like basketball, athletics, cycling and all things I am fairly passionate about,” Mr Dyson said.
“Once it is all over I think there will be a pretty big voice because there has been a lot of work leading up to this.
“We have been working on this from my perspective since about September last year and getting it together has included things like venues, logistic circuits, making sure we have the equipment we need and getting it over there.”
Mr Dyson said he was happy to have the opportunity which would complete decades in the broadcasting industry.
“I really love any sort of sports and to go to the Olympics is an incredible opportunity but to be involved with the broadcast of it is a real tick to my career and I feel like this is a great way to finish up and hang my hat on,” he said.
The Paris Olympics will begin on July 26 and run until August 11.
