interesting comments from a well respected rally journalist

[MJW]

This weeks Martin Holmes article in gp week. page 41 about ISC and also on page 35 on Japanese manufacturers and their attitudes to competition.
Well worth a read. - I will miss this online magazine when it takes its off season break.
http://mag.gpweek.com/

[cosmicpanda]

Indeed. Here's hoping that ISC keeps it together.

[wrc_flipper]

great item from Martin. And I do agree with some of the points raised.

ISC idea with having one source for pictures is rather bland, having your own pictures to a magazine both internet and printed gives a uniqueness to it. But is also very expensive.

Press releases come from all the top teams, but smaller teams do not tend to have resources to do press so they don't always get the coverage they deserve, so a central press releases for the teams or event would seem like a good ideal to get information out.

I've worked on various rallies for the last few years and getting information from smaller teams is hard work and time consuming, but worth doing.

WRC.com is also going though a revamp soon, so perhaps the ISC want to start keeping things inhouse.

[AndyRAC]

This weeks Martin Holmes article in gp week. page 41 about ISC and also on page 35 on Japanese manufacturers and their attitudes to competition.
Well worth a read. - I will miss this online magazine when it takes its off season break.
http://mag.gpweek.com/

I do look forward to Mondays, it is always a good read. And very good points raised, particularly about ISC. I do wonder sometimes about ISC, if they are meant to be promoting the sport, then make it easier for media outlets to cover the sport. I also agree about the Corsica 'problem', they have got rid of the wrong island event - Sardinia should have got the boot.

[sal]

Very interesting points especially about ISC spending more time blowing it's own trumpet rather than promoting the sport itself! Obviously journalists like MH have livelihoods to protect but totally agree that one source of pictures and stories is dangerous and will further undermine the already fragile foundations of the sport at all levels.

[Barreis]

I like it..

[MJW]

I like it..
What the article or ISC's way of doing things?

[RS]

Did ISC already start their job as global promoter??

[Barreis]

What the article or ISC's way of doing things?

GPWeek.. I don't like ISC..

[J4MIE]

Of course, if you have independent media representatives at an event then there might be some negative coverage of "rally" which may put prospective fans off it, and we couldn't be having that, could we?

I think they have far too much influence, surely they are only there to promote/cover the events/championship as it is and always has been? What did we do before the ISC days? :s

[AndyRAC]

Of course, if you have independent media representatives at an event then there might be some negative coverage of "rally" which may put prospective fans off it, and we couldn't be having that, could we?

I think they have far too much influence, surely they are only there to promote/cover the events/championship as it is and always has been? What did we do before the ISC days? :s

Funny you mention that - remember Rallycourse? Once known as 'The World's leading Rally annual'. Last year it became the 'Official Annual of the WRC' so another outlet which no longer has fair and balanced coverage. Do they honestly think we are stupid? That everything is okay in the WRC? I want somebody yo write about the sport and point out it's good points as well as the bad.

[General Prim]

I totally agree with MH. Do you remember Orwell's book "1984"?

[General Prim]

Just one example, in 1991 RAC Rally before ISC arrived there were 41 Spanish journalist & photographers with at least 4 TV channels following Carlos Sainz. In Cardiff a few weeks ago just 2 journalist and 2 photographers, one working for an Italian angency. OK, Sordo is not Sainz but in early '80 there were 2 Spanish jounalists and 1 TV cameraman with no Spanish driver in the top.

[Javiero]

ISC = propaganda!
Bad for small teams, worst for regular trackside fans.

[Oppositelock]

Martin Holmes is absolutely right. But unfortunately times are changing and the media has no chance but to change with them.

I can only judge the situation in Germany. Because there's no German driver and no German manufacturer involved in WRC at the moment basically nobody is really interested. Especially nobody "wants to pay for coverage". Au contraire, M. Holmes.

The German press is only too happy to live with cost-free photos from websites or other parties involved in rallying. One photo editor even told me he is happy about at least somebody semi-independent like the ISC to provide free photos. That's because you will never find a good photo of an accident or any other "unfortunate" moment on the manufacturers websites . . .

I'm pretty sure most of the German media could well live with free stories as well. At least as long as from time to time some sponsor is inviting an editor to an WRC round. Because nowadays travel expenses are a bigger problem than journalist's fees.

If the print magazines want to survive the battle with the internet they unfortunately have to cut down costs dramatically. Especially because nowadays only very few people are willing to pay for "content". The circulation of motorsport magazines in German language is going down since years, mainly because of the internet where everything is free.

Sorry for the journalists, but the real question is: What is best for the sport? I remember the early 90s when TTE was providing free TV footage of the WRC. We had much more rally on German TV (I'm talking about the big broadcasters) then we have with today's system.

[General Prim]

"""Sorry for the journalists, but the real question is: What is best for the sport? I remember the early 90s when TTE was providing free TV footage of the WRC. We had much more rally on German TV (I'm talking about the big broadcasters) then we have with today's system""".[/QUOTE]



So ISC must disappear as they are doing money with TV stations asking so much money for a sport with only two Makes involved and lacking of national drivers....

[General Prim]

Funny you mention that - remember Rallycourse? Once known as 'The World's leading Rally annual'. Last year it became the 'Official Annual of the WRC' so another outlet which no longer has fair and balanced coverage. Do they honestly think we are stupid? That everything is okay in the WRC? I want somebody yo write about the sport and point out it's good points as well as the bad.

Anybody remember the late David K.Williams (RALLYCOURSE's editor) who was fired from MOTORING NEWS (before it was bought by Haymarket) to write the truth after pressures from DR?

[AndyRAC]

Anybody remember the late David K.Williams (RALLYCOURSE's editor) who was fired from MOTORING NEWS (before it was bought by Haymarket) to write the truth after pressures from DR?

Yes, an excellent journalist and writer, who knew his subject. Saying that, Jerry Williams sticks the boot into the WRC almost every week. And providing it's well deserved I see no problem with that.