In
sports broadcasting, a
commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in
real time, usually during a
live broadcast. The comments are normally a
voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of
television commentary, the commentator is on screen rarely if at all. In
North American English, other general terms for a commentator are
announcer and
sportscaster. In British broadcasting, the
presenter of a sports broadcast is usually distinct from the commentator, and often based in a
remote broadcast television studio away from the sports venue. Often, the main commentator is assisted by a
color commentator, and sometimes a
sideline reporter. In case of big events, teams consisting of many sideline reporters are placed strategically so that the color commentator has many sources to turn to, for example some sideline reporters could be in the dressing room area while others could be between the respective team benches.