ITV explains ad break timing

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Autosport-Atlas.com said:

ITV Clarifies Controversial Ad Break www.autosport-atlas.com/Grapevine.aspx?id=43718&s=5 ITV Sport has apologised to it British viewers for taking an advertising break in the final three laps of today's San Marino Grand Prix but said the disturbance was unavoidable. ITV, which covers the Formula One races live to more than 11 million viewers in England, drew heavy criticism from fans today after they moved to a three-minute advertising break in the closing laps of a thrilling race, which saw World Champion Michael Schumacher battling with race leader Fernando Alonso for the win. With just over three laps to go, and the Ferrari nose right at the back of the Renault, the British station cut to advertising and returned amidst the final lap of the race. But a source at the ITV team told Autosport-Atlas the break was unavoidable, as the station had held out on cutting to commercials for as long as it could. "We are contractually committed to a number of ad breaks, and when it started to get exciting [on track] we held off, expecting the battle to be settled at any point. But when nothing happened, we just had to take the break, as we're contractually forced to do so." ITV are commited to fit in five commercial breaks, each about three minutes long. A spokesman for ITV Sport told Autosport-Atlas: "Obviously we're a commercial channel, and if you would have missed anything, we'd have brought the action [after the break] as a replay. In this case, the lead didn't change hands. "We're sorry for any frustration it might have caused the viewers."