BBC drops F1, ITV steps in

[Trevatanus]

Presumably they will only be taking the small number of races that BBC show?
I thought for a minute I might have had the final reason to keep Sky removed :/

[Mr_Yogi]

stevesuk said:

If you have a look on YouTube, someone has uploaded what I believe to be ITV's coverage of a lot of the 2004 races, and its not half bad. E.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXSFAn_dL7I

I hated ITV's coverage, and doubt I'll be watching if it goes over to them. I still enjoy the BBC coverage, and think Suzi has done a good job this year. Obviously it was best when Jake was presenting, but that was because of the whole team, the full season was live and they had a better budget to show/ do more things.

My memories of ITV's F1 coverage:
The “build up" being full of trivial crap, such as Truli (or some other driver) cooking a meal for Louise Goodman?
Pointless, irrelevant 'news' from the pits.
Add breaks.

Stuff like that I could do without.

I persevered with F1 through the boring Schumacher years, and endured the unovertakable 1 stopping Truli train, but I was younger then didn't have so much to do at the weekends, at least in the days. Now I have a house and a family, I find the number of races a bit relentless. As others have said if you don't watch the race live, and you catch the result before the highlights, you can feel like missing the highlights, especially when they are on late and you have to get up for work the next day.

This coupled with F1's perennial problems such as lack of cars, areshole self-interested teams, etc. will probably see me give up on the sport.

If it wasn't for the rest of the family I'd also give up on the BBC/TV full stop.

[klunkT5]

Definately a good move cancelling my tv licence, BBC F1 was the only live TV i watched

[jbudgie]

Please dont keep mentioning James Allen.

It's not so much the shouty thing, but the patronising way he commentates, as though he is talking to a load of schoolkids.

[F1GTRUeno]

Could all stop being cheap bds and just get Sky.

Or y'know, stream it on t'web, it's not hard.

[markcoznottz]

Sir Bagalot said:

VolvoT5 said:

ITV coverage back in the day was terrible.......

Wow. You have a short memory... Let's see now.... ITV gave us

Live Qualifying
Race Buildup
Gridwalk
Indepth interviews before and after race
Oh, and Martin Brundle

Yes yes, they also gave us 5 x 2min ad breaks during the race, and increase these over time to 5 x 3 mins..... And that's what killed it. Ads during the races.

Agreed. The BBC's coverage in its original incarnation was dire, rose tinted spectacles and that. Murray walker was good though, he sounded the part, but lost the plot later, in all fairness he was no spring chicken in an increasingly technical sport. Brundles time had come and he made it his own, a legend on the mic.

[rdjohn]

On a positive note it does look like Andrew Benson on t'Internet was the first to go.

[jbudgie]

An android box is a very useful item.

[deadslow]

jbudgie said:

Please dont keep mentioning James Allen.

It's not so much the shouty thing, but the patronising way he commentates, as though he is talking to a load of schoolkids.

Yeah, thanks, you managed to get Legard for us

Both Sky and BBC commentators are crap.

I like the guy who does BTCC. You never know.....

[MitchT]

As if it wasn't bad enough only seeing half the races live we now have commercial breaks too. I think that's me done with F1.

[Emeye]

About time they canned the TV licence - why the fk do I have to pay for crap like Strictly Come Dancing, East Enders, and all the other chav bks that ITV and Channel 5 do anyway?

I've had Sky F1 since it started, but occasionally watched the race on iPlayer as it streamed better or was available sooner than Sky. Suzi Perry killed BBC F1 for me - she wasn't bad on the Gadget show etc, didn't have a clue about F1, which for me is unforgivable - just pandering to the fking PC brigade.

Since Top Gear went I really feel reluctant to pay the Tv licence, though I do listen to Radio 4 quite a lot.....

[gingabloke]

the other me said:

There is no technical reason why ITV couldn't do what has been done in the past on Spanish TV (and no doubt others ) by having a small supplementary screen in the corner, showing the coverage, visible at all times during the Ads. You don't have the commentary but at least you can see who is pitstopping /crashing/overtaking or whatever until they come back on air vocally.

Loss of continuity is unforgivable, when this simple solution could be easily implemented.

This point was raised the last time ITV had the F1 deal. It's against the law (well, one of the Television Broadcasting Acts) as it stands.

There must be separation between advertising and programming - although sponsored content is now permitted, with warning symbols displayed, so you could have Shouty Man and DC discuss the exciting new Hotpoint dishwasher (or Daz or Colgate etc) as part of the commentary. It's a regular thing on US TV, they handle it quite well but it still feels crow-barred in to sensitive UK ears.

[Mr_Thyroid]

deadslow said:

Both Sky and BBC commentators are crap.

I like the guy who does BTCC. You never know.....

People used to say that when Ben Edwards did BTCC.......maybe it's the sport not the commentator.

[deadslow]

Mr_Thyroid said:

deadslow said:

Both Sky and BBC commentators are crap.

I like the guy who does BTCC. You never know.....

People used to say that when Ben Edwards did BTCC.......maybe it's the sport not the commentator.

could be ...

[klunkT5]

Ben Edwards is no more 'Shouty' than Murray Walker was, I'd listen to Ben anyday over Allen or Legard, I thought Ben and DC worked well

[rubystone]

Sir Bagalot said:

Wow. You have a short memory... Let's see now.... ITV gave us

Live Qualifying
Race Buildup
Gridwalk
Indepth interviews before and after race
Oh, and Martin Brundle

Yes yes, they also gave us 5 x 2min ad breaks during the race, and increase these over time to 5 x 3 mins..... And that's what killed it. Ads during the races.

Yes, they upped the game but the ads irritated me.

[patch5674]

stevesuk said:

If you have a look on YouTube, someone has uploaded what I believe to be ITV's coverage of a lot of the 2004 races, and its not half bad. E.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXSFAn_dL7I

Oh God, the noise, the beautiful noise.

[FourWheelDrift]

Bernie says no - http://www.crash.net/f1/news/225852/1/ecclestone-i...

[Eric Mc]

Erm - you always need to listen CAREFULLY to what Bernie is ACTUALLY saying.

He's not saying that the BBC can't drop F1. What he is saying is that if they do drop it, they will have to pay him some money.

[jbudgie]

deadslow said:

jbudgie said:

Please dont keep mentioning James Allen.

It's not so much the shouty thing, but the patronising way he commentates, as though he is talking to a load of schoolkids.

Yeah, thanks, you managed to get Legard for us

Both Sky and BBC commentators are crap.

I like the guy who does BTCC. You never know.....

Now, mentioning Legard you really have gone too far.