In 2006, ESPN did a decentish job of actually putting the games on screen, but – without naming any names – the commentary and coverage left a lot to be desired. Here’s an interesting report on ESPN’s World Cup 2006 coverage from ESPN Ombudsman George Solomon. I watched several games on Univision, and I don’t speak Spanish.

ESPN released a statement yesterday, outlining its plans for World Cup 2010. And it looks like good news.

We already knew that Sky Sports legend Martin Tyler (pictured, above left) will be the lead commentator. Which is a coup. The man knows his business, so there will be no “Michael Beckham” faux pas this year. Yesterday ESPN also confirmed that:

1. All 64 matches will be broadcast live.
2. In high definition.
3. On either ESPN, ESPN2 or ABC.

Of those 64 matches, 52 will be simulcast online at ESPN360.com. Which means many many Americans with be able to either secretly or not so secretly watch games at work 100% legally and in high quality (although the service is only available via certain internet providers). The only games not simulcast on ESPN360.com will be those being screened on ABC only. In which case, all you need is a TV and some bunny ears.

ESPN have also confirmed that every World Cup 2010 match will get a pre-game, half-time and post-game show, broadcast live and on location. As opposed to from Bristol, Connecticut. Teams coming out, national anthems and handshakes will all be broadcast. Which hasn’t always been the case.

Here’s the full ESPN World Cup 2010 TV schedule, image captured and pasted from this ESPN press release:

A hazardous materials team has been dispatched to an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) building in Ogden, UT, and the FBI is at the scene to investigate white powder that has been found in the building. Additionally, local news station KSL-TV says that two people have been taken out of the building on stretchers. The station has a live stream of emergency crews outside the building here. Today’s incident is the second high-profile incident involving IRS buildings in recent weeks. Last month, disgruntled Austin pilot Joseph Stack rammed his airplane into the IRS building in Austin, Texas, killing both himself and an IRS worker. When questioned by ThinkProgress, Rep. Steve King (R-IA) said that he sympathized with Stack’s grievances.

The Washington Post reported that Google — the world’s largest search engine company — is negotiating an information-sharing agreement with the National Security Agency (NSA) — the world’s largest network for routine, mass communications surveillance.

The NSA is part of the military, and its primary mission is spying. How can we trust that it will fix any security holes that it discovers, rather than make use of them to secretly spy on our communications — especially given the agency’s record in the past 8 years of carrying out unconstitutional warrantless domestic wiretapping?

The ramifications of companies like Google working with the NSA are frightening. Please join me in taking action today by sending a letter to Google. Tell Google that you object to such a deal and value your privacy online. http://action.aclu.org/nsagoogle

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