Israel’s Kan 11 host Tal Berman posted an Instagram behind-the-scenes story on Saturday night, explaining the simple but crucial trick that helps global broadcasts stay synchronized during major tournaments like the World Cup.
According to Berman, before every match one technician spends about 30 minutes doing a repetitive task so that broadcasters around the world can align the video and audio to the millisecond. He wrote that this person performs the action for half an hour so all the world’s broadcasting networks can synchronize the picture and sound.
The photo he shared shows a technical crew member sitting on a chair in the middle of the pitch, holding a special FIFA clapper. The point, Berman noted, is that what looks like a high-tech process still depends on a human being carrying out a monotonous routine before kickoff.
The post was meant to reveal the “trick” behind the seamless timing viewers see at home, when commentators shout “goal” at the exact moment the ball hits the net. Berman’s message also highlighted the odd job of the person responsible for that synchronization.
