F1 2016 - now on C4, not BBC

[samoht]

"the immediate termination of our TV rights agreement for Formula 1"

In common with perhaps some others, I was continuing to pay the licence fee to watch F1 and Top Gear.
Time to give it up, perhaps?

Wonder how bad the ads will be on C4...

[Bungleaio]

I can't say I blame them, it's expensive and is past it's glory days.

The ones that are dedicated to watching it will have a sky subscription so I bet the viewing figures are a lot lower than they uses to be.

[33q]

I was expecting this but not so soon... thought they would let the contract run

C4 is better than nothing. I only do F1 as a sport so Sky is not really a viable option.

Can you do a pay per view or something similar?

[patmahe]

33q said:

I was expecting this but not so soon... thought they would let the contract run

C4 is better than nothing. I only do F1 as a sport so Sky is not really a viable option.

Can you do a pay per view or something similar?

Its every 15 minutes in their normal programming so I'd imagine it'll be something similar for this, thats 6 ad breaks per GP on average, is it worth watching anymore, really have my doubts at this stage (speaking as a long term fan).

[Krikkit]

patmahe said:

33q said:

I was expecting this but not so soon... thought they would let the contract run

C4 is better than nothing. I only do F1 as a sport so Sky is not really a viable option.

Can you do a pay per view or something similar?

Its every 15 minutes in their normal programming so I'd imagine it'll be something similar for this, thats 6 ad breaks per GP on average, is it worth watching anymore, really have my doubts at this stage (speaking as a long term fan).

Per the Channel 4 Press Release there's no ads during the race.

[patmahe]

Krikkit said:

patmahe said:

33q said:

I was expecting this but not so soon... thought they would let the contract run

C4 is better than nothing. I only do F1 as a sport so Sky is not really a viable option.

Can you do a pay per view or something similar?

Its every 15 minutes in their normal programming so I'd imagine it'll be something similar for this, thats 6 ad breaks per GP on average, is it worth watching anymore, really have my doubts at this stage (speaking as a long term fan).

Per the Channel 4 Press Release there's no ads during the race.

Hurray, delighted to be proven wrong

[Derek Smith]

Krikkit said:

Per the Channel 4 Press Release there's no ads during the race.

I don't think your interpretation is correct. What they actually say is:

". . . no advertising breaks will be taken through the duration of the live races."

When ITV took over F1 they considered using split screen, with ads on one sides and F1 on the other. Also there was the suggestion of 'ticker-tape' ads throughout the race. The revenue they would have received put paid to both ideas.

However, I think it has merit, at least from the broadcaster's point of view. No one would get up for a pint/fag/leak during the advertising if the race was being shown.

So we wait and see what they will be doing to fund their broadcasting rights.

I doubt it will be worth tuning in before all the lights go red unless you want to see a meerkat.

[nick_k_wilson]

Sod them. I've cancelled my TV licence:

Dear Mr Wilson,

Thank you for contacting us. We’ve cancelled your Direct Debit as requested.

We’ve automatically refunded the payments you’ve made towards your next TV Licence. This should appear in your account within 5 working days.

You can apply for an additional refund at tvlicensing.co.uk/refund. Once you’ve completed your application form online, you may need to print it and send it to us with evidence of your claim. Or, if you’d prefer me to post you a refund application form, please let me know.

Thank you for contacting us and I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely

[Mr_Thyroid]

you still need a licence to watch channel 4.

[skeggysteve]

Derek Smith said:

When ITV took over F1 they considered using split screen, with ads on one sides and F1 on the other. Also there was the suggestion of 'ticker-tape' ads throughout the race. The revenue they would have received put paid to both ideas.

I'm sure I read somewhere neither is allowed on British TV.

[Otispunkmeyer]

nick_k_wilson said:

Sod them. I've cancelled my TV licence:

Dear Mr Wilson,

Thank you for contacting us. We’ve cancelled your Direct Debit as requested.

We’ve automatically refunded the payments you’ve made towards your next TV Licence. This should appear in your account within 5 working days.

You can apply for an additional refund at tvlicensing.co.uk/refund. Once you’ve completed your application form online, you may need to print it and send it to us with evidence of your claim. Or, if you’d prefer me to post you a refund application form, please let me know.

Thank you for contacting us and I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely

Prepare for numerous angry letters badgering you for a TV license. Its law don't you know.

Knobs.

You'll still need one to watch the races live on C4 as its still Live TV (and I believe C4 do get some money from the license fee). But I think at this point its simply gotten to the point where watching pre-recorded highlights on catch up will do and for that, no license required.

[Derek Smith]

skeggysteve said:

I'm sure I read somewhere neither is allowed on British TV.

There are agreements as to the proportion of time given to adverts. With the current government I reckon that a certain degree of latitude would be allowed. There're various ways around such restrictions, more or less nodded through.

There is nothing wrong with having a split screen evidently in the way ITV proposed. It would have been accepted. That was to have a quarter of the screen devoted to the race. It was the advertisers who showed little enthusiasm for it.

[davepoth]

So long as the races don't have ad breaks I'm really not bothered which channel it's on. The BBC have really not been bothered much about it for the last year or two and have just turned in to a rubbish version of Sky (there is other music than dubstep for video pieces) hopefully Channel 4 will do something to move the game on a little bit.

Maybe go a little more in depth with the technical stuff that is such an important part of the sport but seems to never get covered that much. I did learn quite a bit when the BBC had Gary Anderson and he would draw little diagrams on a scrappy bit of paper.

[Grandad Gaz]

Well, that's me finished with F1 after 45 years or so. I refuse to have anything to do with Sky and it goes against the grain for anything like pay to view.

TBH, because the BBC have not shown all races live, I have got used to not watching it as often as I used to. Also, you must admit, it has been a bit boring over the last couple of years. Either that or I'm turning into an old fart!

It's probably done me a favour actually, as I get to do other things now instead of sitting on the sofa on a Sunday afternoon.

Not even going to bother with C4. Far too many ads for my liking.

[DrDeAtH]

Grandad Gaz said:

Well, that's me finished with F1 after 45 years or so. I refuse to have anything to do with Sky and it goes against the grain for anything like pay to view.

TBH, because the BBC have not shown all races live, I have got used to not watching it as often as I used to. Also, you must admit, it has been a bit boring over the last couple of years. Either that or I'm turning into an old fart!

It's probably done me a favour actually, as I get to do other things now instead of sitting on the sofa on a Sunday afternoon.

Not even going to bother with C4. Far too many ads for my liking.

Did you not read the bit about no ad breaks during races on C4 then?

Edited by DrDeAtH on Monday 21st December 20:28

[Vaud]

Grandad Gaz said:

Not even going to bother with C4. Far too many ads for my liking.

So record it and skip the ads. If there are any.

You get your afternoons back AND you get to watch F1.

[Hi]

Otispunkmeyer said:

nick_k_wilson said:

Sod them. I've cancelled my TV licence:

Dear Mr Wilson,

Thank you for contacting us. We’ve cancelled your Direct Debit as requested.

We’ve automatically refunded the payments you’ve made towards your next TV Licence. This should appear in your account within 5 working days.

You can apply for an additional refund at tvlicensing.co.uk/refund. Once you’ve completed your application form online, you may need to print it and send it to us with evidence of your claim. Or, if you’d prefer me to post you a refund application form, please let me know.

Thank you for contacting us and I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely

Prepare for numerous angry letters badgering you for a TV license. Its law don't you know.

Knobs.

You'll still need one to watch the races live on C4 as its still Live TV (and I believe C4 do get some money from the license fee). But I think at this point its simply gotten to the point where watching pre-recorded highlights on catch up will do and for that, no license required.

If you respond to the first letter explaining that you don't require a licence then they won't bother you for 2 years, it's only if you ignore the letters that they keep sending you more!

[The Moose]

Now TV is a viable option

[anonymous-user]

The issue with F1 isn't anything to do with what channel it is shown on!!

It's just rich people driving boringly in circles and no longer a " sport" IMO....

[The Hypno-Toad]

Funny that when the BBC lose the live coverage to Sky, my facebook page was littered with people screaming outrage and organising pages to defend the rights of the public not to pay more to watch F1.

Now its going to CH4, not a whisper. Just because its the same package/different station or is it the state the sport is in?