ITV explains ad break timing
Discussion
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."
I have just sent this email to LG.....
I thought it would be of interest to you as the main sponsors of ITV 1's F1 coverage that I shall not be purchasing any of your products in the future, this is of course due to the appauling coverage by ITV 1 of the San Marino Grand Prix, in particular cutting to ad's just four laps from the end. Rarely do we see such an exciting challenge for the lead and it is interrupted by a lengthy break. The actions of ITV have severely spoilt your reputation in the market and your expensive sponsorship has cost you sales rather than increase them.
As the main sponsor I suggest you use your influence to sort out the total incompetence of ITV F1. Viewers are the only reason for television and you have just lost this viewer in future.
I thought it would be of interest to you as the main sponsors of ITV 1's F1 coverage that I shall not be purchasing any of your products in the future, this is of course due to the appauling coverage by ITV 1 of the San Marino Grand Prix, in particular cutting to ad's just four laps from the end. Rarely do we see such an exciting challenge for the lead and it is interrupted by a lengthy break. The actions of ITV have severely spoilt your reputation in the market and your expensive sponsorship has cost you sales rather than increase them.
As the main sponsor I suggest you use your influence to sort out the total incompetence of ITV F1. Viewers are the only reason for television and you have just lost this viewer in future.
I would like to see a global boycotting of ITV and all of the sponsors of F1, so that we can bring this sport back into the hands of the enthusiasts and fans. Stuff the stupid way this sport is run, its nothing more than a cash cow now!
You will see better more honest racing in f3000 or touring cars which is a crying shame!
You will see better more honest racing in f3000 or touring cars which is a crying shame!
I was on an oil rig in the Danish North Sea watching the race on ITV1 via satellite. When the ad breaks came on, we swithced to SBS6, a Dutch channel, which has Tom Coronel commentating (in Dutch). Watch for three minutes, then switch back.
All the guys watching were astounded at this break, I agree with the comments regarding football. However, I remember watching the San Marino GP a few years ago on a German Channel, and they have their ad breaks timed to the second, regardless of what is happening. This was the race when Frentzen was with Williams, and Villeneuve was his team mate. Schumacher and Villeneuve were coming down the pit straight, Frentzen was leaving the pits, and it was a real cliffhanger as to who got the lead. Just as Frentzen removed his digit from his speed limiter, we went to an ad break. These ones were at least 5 minutes long.
Apparently the TV channel switch board lit up like a Christmas tree!
All the guys watching were astounded at this break, I agree with the comments regarding football. However, I remember watching the San Marino GP a few years ago on a German Channel, and they have their ad breaks timed to the second, regardless of what is happening. This was the race when Frentzen was with Williams, and Villeneuve was his team mate. Schumacher and Villeneuve were coming down the pit straight, Frentzen was leaving the pits, and it was a real cliffhanger as to who got the lead. Just as Frentzen removed his digit from his speed limiter, we went to an ad break. These ones were at least 5 minutes long.
Apparently the TV channel switch board lit up like a Christmas tree!
The mere fact they're obliged to take ad breaks during a live sporting event surely shows how unsuitable they are to be showing it in the first place. Oh for the old Eurosport coverage...
I've really lost interest in F1 over the last few years, but have been slowly getting back into it this season. What looked like a dull race suddenly shaped up to be a stormer, yet ITV arsed it up not once, but three times - missing Schumacher's pit stop, chopping two of the final three laps and hacking the press conference to bits.
I've really lost interest in F1 over the last few years, but have been slowly getting back into it this season. What looked like a dull race suddenly shaped up to be a stormer, yet ITV arsed it up not once, but three times - missing Schumacher's pit stop, chopping two of the final three laps and hacking the press conference to bits.
festernath said:
Maybe if you weren't cynical you wouldn't have missed the best race of the century. Was it a Sceptic tank you were trying to rid yourself from?
best race of the century?! dont make me laugh. it was obvious that they would finish in that order. schumacher didnt have the pace out of a corner to challenge alonso and alonso knew it.
in my opinion, alonso drove a good tactical race in the final three or four laps but was trying harder to keep schumacher behind rather than he was trying to stretch out a lead. the ferrari was clearly the quicker car and the fact that alonso didnt catch the back markers and the sauber was closing in on schumacher at the end said it all. alonso was just fast enough and used the torque of the renault rather than outright pace to win. fair play to him though, he used the best attributes of his car to win the race.
Eric Mc said:
I wouldn't go so far as to say it was the best race this century (which is virtually the length of time GP racing has been going on) but it certainly was the best race since (probably) the 1998 Belgian GP for excitement.
I'd just like to remind you that 1998 WAS last century.
ITV said:
"We're sorry for any frustration it might have caused the viewers."
Quite frankly, I don't think that's good enough! It shows no compassion or understanding for it's viewers.
Yes, I can completely see why it happened - they held off putting on a break, and then *had* to put one in.
I think ITV are VERY lucky that Schumacher didn't overtake Alonso in those 3 laps!
tonyhetherington said:
"We're sorry for any frustration it might have caused the viewers."
Quite frankly, I don't think that's good enough! It shows no compassion or understanding for it's viewers.
Yes, I can completely see why it happened - they held off putting on a break, and then *had* to put one in.
I think ITV are VERY lucky that Schumacher didn't overtake Alonso in those 3 laps!
very lucky i agree but sadly it was never going to happen. schumi was two seconds a lap quicker then suddenly can not pass him... i think you only need look at the cars aerodynamics to understand why. the commentary team gave it away when they started discussing the "dirty air" problem when he overtook button. we need a reduction in ground force and areturn to flat bottomed cars in my opinion... or maybe just let then use brabham bt46s
it used to be monaco which suffered from a lack of overtaking, now it seems to be everywhere....
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