BBC treatment of F1

[tommy2k8]

I know the World Cup will always come first, but come on BBC, one and a half hours of the Austrian Grand Prix relegated to BBC2 on 22 March? What will happen when Wimbledon's on?!

[Mark]

You mean 22nd June? I think it's the normal highlights package? But yeah terrestrial coverage of F1 is dire now compared to what it was juts a few years ago.

[inimitablestoo]

It's OK when Wimbledon's on - the British Grand Prix's on the Sunday when Wimbledon doesn't play. I think. Or it's the final, in which case there's only one match to avoid. Unless it rains. At the tennis, that is. But it's one race the BBC guarantees live, so it will not be moved. Except possibly from BBC1 to BBC2. But hey, that's hardly a hardship.

On a related issue, I was intrigued to see that the new Thai regime that have just overthrown the previous leaders have forced their national TV stations to start carrying all the World Cup matches on free-to-air channels. Now I know there's not as many of us here as there used to be, but if we all got together and marched on Downing Street... it could be the first step to restoring full live coverage on a channel that isn't run by Australian criminals :D

[Mark]

but if we all got together and marched on Downing Street... it could be the first step to restoring full live coverage on a channel that isn't run by Australian criminals :D


Let's do it! Although can it wait until next week cos of my dodgy knee :laugh:

[henners88]

The World Cup and Wimbledon have to be given prime slots because their audience is far greater than F1. With F1's popularity slipping into decline globally with only a very slight increase in UK viewers from 2013, I can't see why broadcaster's would bend over backwards for it. I will probably more likely record the F1 and watch a football match live as the World Cup only happen's every 4 years. F1 isn't attempting to try and retain my viewer-ship by moving onto pay TV so I'm not sure what I owe it any more? I'll watch, but won't go out of my way if it clashes with two sports who have made themselves more affordable within my license fee. :)

[BDunnell]

The World Cup and Wimbledon have to be given prime slots because their audience is far greater than F1. With F1's popularity slipping into decline globally with only a very slight increase in UK viewers from 2013, I can't see why broadcaster's would bend over backwards for it. I will probably more likely record the F1 and watch a football match live as the World Cup only happen's every 4 years. F1 isn't attempting to try and retain my viewer-ship by moving onto pay TV so I'm not sure what I owe it any more? I'll watch, but won't go out of my way if it clashes with two sports who have made themselves more affordable within my license fee. :)

With you entirely. Very well put.

[BDunnell]

On a related issue, I was intrigued to see that the new Thai regime that have just overthrown the previous leaders have forced their national TV stations to start carrying all the World Cup matches on free-to-air channels. Now I know there's not as many of us here as there used to be, but if we all got together and marched on Downing Street... it could be the first step to restoring full live coverage on a channel that isn't run by Australian criminals :D

Whose products all three main British political party leaders are all too delighted to promote.

[Whyzars]

...if we all got together and marched on Downing Street... it could be the first step to restoring full live coverage on a channel that isn't run by Australian criminals :D



F1 is set up predominantly for the Australian audience. Most of the races are scheduled so that they are run at 9:30pm on Sunday night - the perfect viewing time for F1 - kids in bed, wife on phone whinging to her mother about you know who.

Now, if your Downing Street plan is to be arrested, banished and then come back to buy your own TV station, I'm pretty sure that transportation ain't on the books no more.

The ship has sailed so to speak... :p

[NaBUru38]

F1 is was more British than ATP or WTA.

The Fifa World Cup has plenty of British league players, I admit.

[philipbain]

The BBC's coverage of F1 has slid into decline unfortunately, though this was somewhat inevitable once the rights to screen all the races live went to Sky and key personel in the BBC's lineup left for new pastures (Martin Brundle & Ted Kravitz from BBC TV to Sky F1, Natalie Pinkham, David Croft & Ant Davidson from BBC Radio to Sky F1 and finally Jake Humphrey from BBC TV to BT Sport). As for the BBC now, Ben Edwards is a decent commentator and DC is ok but I do find that fact that he can't say the word "mirrors" properly ever so slightly disconcerting! For me the optimal lineup is still David Croft & Ant Davidson which is something we only get during free practice on Sky F1, i'm not saying that Martin Brundle isnt good, he is, its just that as a combo Crofty & Ant offer more than the sum of their parts. As for a change to this status quo, I don't realistically see any prospect for a change in the broadcasting of F1 in the UK until the end of the current deal in 2019. After this date, who knows, if F1 continues it's decline in TV ratings and fails to embrace the changing landscape of media it might have become devalued enough to be affordable to a free to air broadcaster once again!

[Mark]

I quite like the BBC highlights programme, as with a family in the summer you can't sit down for 2 hours on a Sunday afternoon to watch a Grand Prix, but 90 minutes on a Sunday evening is possible.

That said I found BBC coverage in Austria quite strange, it certainly wasn't 'as live', seemed quite wooden and acted out in some ways. The coverage of the race itself was good, but the rest of it left some room for improvement! I would also like to see the drivers podium ceremony in the highlights package, rather than cutting to interviewing the winner in the pit lane, but I suspect the BBC is quite limited in terms of what they are allowed to show as part of their contract with Sky.

BTW, how long does that have to run now? i.e. How long before the BBC drops F1 entirely? And thus the entire country loses interest forever.

[philipbain]

BTW, how long does that have to run now? i.e. How long before the BBC drops F1 entirely? And thus the entire country loses interest forever.

The current contract for Sky showing all the races live and the BBC showing half the races live and the others with extended highlights is valid through to the 2018 season inclusive, so realistically the soonest we'll see any change to this arrangement is the 2019 season.

[Mark]

Thanks Philip, I so we will at least get highlights for a good while yet then. Having said that we thought we were going to get live coverage and that changed!

[AndyL]

As for the BBC now, Ben Edwards is a decent commentator and DC is ok but I do find that fact that he can't say the word "mirrors" properly ever so slightly disconcerting! For me the optimal lineup is still David Croft & Ant Davidson which is something we only get during free practice on Sky F1, i'm not saying that Martin Brundle isnt good, he is, its just that as a combo Crofty & Ant offer more than the sum of their parts.

My favourite line-up was the one from the last year of exclusive BBC coverage, Brundle as the main commentator and Coulthard as summariser. Brundle was great as the main commentator and the two of them worked really well together. That was the best year ever for F1 coverage in the UK, shame we won't see its like again for a long time.

[Mark]

My favourite line-up was the one from the last year of exclusive BBC coverage, Brundle as the main commentator and Coulthard as summariser. Brundle was great as the main commentator and the two of them worked really well together. That was the best year ever for F1 coverage in the UK, shame we won't see its like again for a long time.

Agreed. The BBC when it originally had it didn't really do it justice, then ITV got it and it was riddled with adverts :(. Then when the BBC got it back it was where the coverage should have been, but it was only 3 years and they let it go again :(

[henners88]

The BBC's coverage of F1 has slid into decline unfortunately, though this was somewhat inevitable once the rights to screen all the races live went to Sky and key personel in the BBC's lineup left for new pastures (Martin Brundle & Ted Kravitz from BBC TV to Sky F1, Natalie Pinkham, David Croft & Ant Davidson from BBC Radio to Sky F1 and finally Jake Humphrey from BBC TV to BT Sport). As for the BBC now, Ben Edwards is a decent commentator and DC is ok but I do find that fact that he can't say the word "mirrors" properly ever so slightly disconcerting! For me the optimal lineup is still David Croft & Ant Davidson which is something we only get during free practice on Sky F1, i'm not saying that Martin Brundle isnt good, he is, its just that as a combo Crofty & Ant offer more than the sum of their parts. As for a change to this status quo, I don't realistically see any prospect for a change in the broadcasting of F1 in the UK until the end of the current deal in 2019. After this date, who knows, if F1 continues it's decline in TV ratings and fails to embrace the changing landscape of media it might have become devalued enough to be affordable to a free to air broadcaster once again!
I think the BBC have held back on F1 in recent months because they don't need to make the effort any more. Don't get me wrong I still enjoy the BBC's coverage and agree with Mark that the highlights can be handy during the summer months with a family. I didn't watch the race at the weekend because of the weather and football in the evening clashed with the highlights show, so I watched a day delayed having learned the result. The BBC are in a unique position where they pick up the lion's share of F1's UK audience and although their viewing figures have slipped slightly this season with Sky gaining 40k on average from 2013, they are still the primary source for viewing the sport in this country. They do enough to maintain this and have the obvious advantage of being on FTA. I may be in the minority here but I really dislike Martin Brundle and feel his ego is far too obvious during his commentary. I used to think F1 wouldn't be the same without him, but the odd race I have caught from him, the speech he did at Autosport International, and some of his twitter comments have really turned me off the chap sadly. I was never a huge fan of Ted when he was on the Beeb and wanted him replaced then I seem to remember. Any way that is by the by.

I still think Bernie and co need to realise the split deal hasn't really worked out. A dedicated channel only a select number of fans can receive and chopped down coverage on FTA has undoubtedly harmed the sports popularity. Forums are quieter around the net and most of my F1 loving friends don't follow as much as they once did. The sport is in decline in more ways than one and the TV part could be fixed by lowering broadcasting fees and once again making it available for all. I think there is more chance of seeing a flying pig and Bernie will be six feet under by the time the consequences are felt I fear.

[Mark]

There are many things which F1 should do to improve things for fans, having all the races live free to air is certainly one of them. Another is having a race every two weeks, from the start of the season to the end, no back to back races, no three week gaps, always every two weeks then you know if there's a Grand Prix on without having to check.

[acescribe]

We all know that contracts aren't really worth the paper they are printed on half the time. The BBC had exclusive live rights for five years but effectively bailed after three. Whilst, yes, they are in this deal with Sky until 2018 it wouldn't shock me if they pulled the pin. Nothing wrong with putting the highlights on BBC2 though, they always used to in the 80's!

I lucked into getting Sky's F1 channel, got an HD Sky+ box for my birthday just as the time they were throwing it in as an extra. Would I pay extra to watch F1 on Sky? No way! But equally now I have it I wouldn't even slightly consider watching BBC's coverage over Sky's when live and/or highlights, they have far and away the best team.

Wouldn't surprise me to see Suzi Perry end up with BT on their Moto GP coverage next year though. (Predictably) Melanie Sykes lasted all of three rounds and you get the sense that Chris Hollins and Craig Doyle are just temporary replacements.

[henners88]

But equally now I have it I wouldn't even slightly consider watching BBC's coverage over Sky's when live and/or highlights, they have far and away the best team.
An opinion that divides F1 fans in this country including myself. I think we all have different opinions on this but I really don't think Sky have a better team than the BBC right now, but this comes down to personal taste. I don't like Crofty or Brundle so for me race commentary is the most important part of the program.

[tommy2k8]

I quite like the BBC highlights programme, as with a family in the summer you can't sit down for 2 hours on a Sunday afternoon to watch a Grand Prix, but 90 minutes on a Sunday evening is possible.

That said I found BBC coverage in Austria quite strange, it certainly wasn't 'as live', seemed quite wooden and acted out in some ways. The coverage of the race itself was good, but the rest of it left some room for improvement! I would also like to see the drivers podium ceremony in the highlights package, rather than cutting to interviewing the winner in the pit lane, but I suspect the BBC is quite limited in terms of what they are allowed to show as part of their contract with Sky.

BTW, how long does that have to run now? i.e. How long before the BBC drops F1 entirely? And thus the entire country loses interest forever.

It runs until 2018, but it wouldn't surprise me if they terminate the contract before!

[tommy2k8]

My favourite line-up was the one from the last year of exclusive BBC coverage, Brundle as the main commentator and Coulthard as summariser. Brundle was great as the main commentator and the two of them worked really well together. That was the best year ever for F1 coverage in the UK, shame we won't see its like again for a long time.

Ben Edwards was so much better commentating on the BTCC.