TBH with Sky's coverage of football I literally only watch the game, don't bother with any of their post match and pre match coverage as it's riddled with adverts and genuine crap.
BBC's F1 coverage if brilliant both pre race (this week they have Hamilton and Button changing tyres in a race vs Humphreys and Brundle, guide round Mercedes factory with Schumacher) and the post race (F1 forum) all adds to the programme. Fat is BBC have absolutley nailed the coverage of F1 right now. It's going to be very difficult for Sky to beat that especially as they will have ad breaks pre and post race. You will also lose alot of casual fans for F1, 6 million tuned in on Sunday highest audience of the week for the BBC, not all 6 million have access to Sky
I will not comment on the presenters, as most of them were from the old ITV presentation, which besides the adverts was okay.
I am sure sky will bring the resources to do this, and will do this to a very high level.
Do not forget BBC do not have outside resources anymore, that is now an independent company and a bought in resource.
The production values are probably very similar, and probably the staff at sky and BBC are freelance anyway. The producer, editor may be staff, or a version of full time staff.
What you have is the production direction and the presenters, and the editorial content. i.e the format. I am sure sky will invest in more lavish presentation as it has the money to.
The BBC has to justify in financial terms it's value for money as well as other criteria. There are some licence fee payers who resent any sport, let alone F1, or football. There seems to be very little left in the BBC domain now that is not up for consideration, I feel that we have a half way house at present, remember the BBC is still working to the old remit of Inform,Educate and entertain....... along the day's of Reith. Personally speaking I cannot see the problem with giving the public what they want, if they are happy to pay for it, hence the subscription idea. You could also extend this to the arts as well, Opera, Proms,Concerts, Festivals, etc. If the BBC is to not duplicate its coverage with reporters, bj's running around just broadcasting for specific channels, they have to share there resources. This is something that Patton the chairman is looking at right now!. As the licence fee is certainly in question for the future, either reduced or kept at the same level I cannot see how they can keep the same level of output, and coverage. perhaps it should not try. Trouble is what should they cut. The independent sector claim popular tv and commercial music websites and magazines. Remember Radio 1 was introduced mainly because of pirate radio, and that got it's finance from advertising. There is going to have to be some difficult choices for the BBC Trust to decide on, and some honesty is required.
Sponsorship is also a possibility, but like advertising despite the fact that it is on BBC world when you are abroad is something that seems to be a consideration to far for many?.
I do not have the answers, just a perspective on the way the BBC works, or did till last year.......
There's only one Formula 1 race EG, but there's lots of motor racing going on in the UK and round the world. If the BBC put their weight behind a different Formula, they'd get an audience and it would be two fingers up to Bernie.
Don't get me wrong I enjoy other motorsports, I really enjoy WRC but again it's something you've got to pay for nowadays, albeit on ESPN. I just think it's sad yet another sport is being taken away from the wider public. Long term I can only see this as a bad thing for F1 too.
"Sky will be able to bring in the best commentators, better camera angles, slicker production so the armchair fan should really enjoy the experience more."
Im not quite sure that will be true, the current race coverage is produced by the FIA not the BBC, its a generic production, also the access to the cars with cameras is very strict as the teams are obviously quite secretive. Skys coverage may be glossier but the nuts and bolts will be the same (with a few ads thrown in) providing the FIA & Sky don't come to some agreement to change that arrangement.
P.S Martin Brundle is regarded as the very best English speaking commentator.
Whilst I think it is a shame for the beeb to lose it, it will be interesting how much the sky coverage is better.
I think most sports Sky has invested in from Football, cricket, Darts as well as US sports have improved massively for the armchair fan.
Sky will be able to bring in the best commentators, better camera angles, slicker production so the armchair fan should really enjoy the experience more.
I just need to point out that the in race pictures are the same for the whole world, it is a local production company for each race.
Agreed Strasburger, that is why that graphic comes up every race, some time after the start of the output.
Of course there will be more 'magazine' features like the pit stop challenge that was shown at the weekend, and the BBC seem to have good contact with the teams, I think because of the fact that Jordan, Coulthard, and Brundle are seen as one of them, as oppossed to a presenter. I still miss Murray Walker, because he gave an enthusiast's point of view, I even liked his mistakes, and 'murray's, he really could bring a sense of excitement and colour to even the most boring of races . When Schumacher was winning with ease, he still made it interesting, sometimes by non intention. James Hunt became a decent commentator too, imagine trying to control those two as a producer?......
So yes Strasburger..BBC carries the same general onboard channel as used by Sky Sport, and a driver tracker feed, available from the 2010 British Grand Prix onwards.
For the 2011 season Formula One Management released a High Definition feed to broadcasters for the first time.Wicki are claiming that the races that the BBC do not show live they will be delayed, so a bit like prem football.
I think it's a shame that Sky have bought some of it for those of us that do not have Sky. However, I can't help wondering what the justification is for the BBC to keep paying for F1 when they can't show all of it. If you HAVE to get Sky to watch all the races why don't the BBC just let Sky have it all and spend the Licence Payers money on something else?
I've been a keen watcher of F1 for a couple of years since I unexpectedly won a weekend ticket for the British GP. I can't see me bothering to watch half of the races next year so unless I get Sky I won't bother to watch any of it. Unless I'm a little unique it makes more sense for the testeral channels to have it all (even if they share it) or for them to let Sky have it all. I also think that, unlike football, highlights of racing cars racing are a bit of a waste of time. The excitement is in the fact that with different stargegies you can't really be sure what the outsome will be. The overtaking is such a small part of the event that I can't see highlights working.
I also, depsite really enjoying the races, don't fine the rest of the program to be worth bothering with, The last three minutes of Q3 and the race itself are all that botheres me so it could, literally, be on any channel save for the race commentators.
Well I am not convinced as well Kings hill..... as i previously posted it does seem a bit of a mystery, taking aside the tie up with sky, I can imagine quite a few BBC staff 'baulking' at the business philosophy of this. The BBC seem to think that the British GP and Monaco with all the glitzz attracts more than the F1. I quite like motor sport and would watch drag racing, as I used to attend meets at Santa Pod years ago, and loved the isle of Man TT racing on the box a few weeks ago, god that looks really hairy racing about like that, and as for the guy with the arm injury, he must have been nuts!. Makes these footballers look like a bunch of tarts with a 'slight groin strain', try argueing with a brick wall at 180 mph.... Reminded me of Joey Dunlop down at the Brighton speed trials going down the straight on one wheel on his works bike......
Well I am not convinced as well Kings hill..... as i previously posted it does seem a bit of a mystery, taking aside the tie up with sky, I can imagine quite a few BBC staff 'baulking' at the business philosophy of this. The BBC seem to think that the British GP and Monaco with all the glitzz attracts more than the F1. I quite like motor sport and would watch drag racing, as I used to attend meets at Santa Pod years ago, and loved the isle of Man TT racing on the box a few weeks ago, god that looks really hairy racing about like that, and as for the guy with the arm injury, he must have been nuts!. Makes these footballers look like a bunch of tarts with a 'slight groin strain', try argueing with a brick wall at 180 mph.... Reminded me of Joey Dunlop down at the Brighton speed trials going down the straight on one wheel on his works bike......
I prefer the BBC coverage but am not averse to Sky broadcasting races either. As long as they don't make a complete cock up of it as ITV did with showing adverts during the race although it seems I shouldn't be too worried:
Just bumping this because since the Govt. e-petitions have come back online there has been quite a bit of interest in this subject. The F1 petition I believe is currently running at #6 in the most popular petitions.
Just bumping this, I know there are other F1 threads on here, but this was more specific to the Sky/BBC deal. Official figures have just been released and paint a picture of declining audiences (even though 2012 could be argued was a classic year for on-track action), but I, as well as others, stressed the case originally that the concept of the BBC and Sky sharing the rights as 'flawed'.
BBC (2011) Australia 4.2m (Early race + Rerun) Malaysia 4.5m (Early race + Rerun) China 4.7m (Early race + Rerun) Bahrain 4.8m(2010 race) Spain 4.8m Monaco 5.2m Canada 6.3m Europe 3.9m Britain 4.9m Germany 4.3m Hungary 4.7m Belgium 3.7m Italy 4.2m Singapore 4.3m Japan 4.4m(Early race + Rerun) Korea 4.1m(Early race + Rerun) India 5.6m(Early race + Rerun)viva Abu Dhabi 4.7m USA - Brazil 4.9m 0.54 + 5.2 = 5.7m
Sky figures on left, BBC on right * = races shared on both networks bracketed figures represent an early race + rerun
Change (year on year) Australia = -0.6m Malaysia = -0.8m China = +0.4m Bahrain = -0.3m Spain = -0.8m Monaco = -1.5m Canada = -3.2m Europe = +0.4m Britain = -1.2m Germany = -1.4m Hungary = -0.4m Belgium = -0.5m Italy = +0.1m Singapore = -0.4m Japan = -1.5m Korea = -0.6m India = -2.2m Abu Dhabi = -0.3m USA = - Brazil = +0.8m
Only 3 races showed an improvement on 2011 figures. The net figures show that actually a lot less people watched F1 in 2012, (fourteen million cumulatively). I wonder if the teams had properly considered the implications of the deal they might have told Bernie to get stuffed?
Comments
BBC's F1 coverage if brilliant both pre race (this week they have Hamilton and Button changing tyres in a race vs Humphreys and Brundle, guide round Mercedes factory with Schumacher) and the post race (F1 forum) all adds to the programme. Fat is BBC have absolutley nailed the coverage of F1 right now. It's going to be very difficult for Sky to beat that especially as they will have ad breaks pre and post race. You will also lose alot of casual fans for F1, 6 million tuned in on Sunday highest audience of the week for the BBC, not all 6 million have access to Sky
Don't get me wrong I enjoy other motorsports, I really enjoy WRC but again it's something you've got to pay for nowadays, albeit on ESPN. I just think it's sad yet another sport is being taken away from the wider public. Long term I can only see this as a bad thing for F1 too.
produced by the FIA not the BBC, its a generic production, also the
access to the cars with cameras is very strict as the teams are
obviously quite secretive. Skys coverage may be glossier but the nuts
and bolts will be the same (with a few ads thrown in) providing the FIA
& Sky don't come to some agreement to change that arrangement.
P.S Martin Brundle is regarded as the very best English speaking commentator.I think it's a shame that Sky have bought some of it for those of us that do not have Sky. However, I can't help wondering what the justification is for the BBC to keep paying for F1 when they can't show all of it. If you HAVE to get Sky to watch all the races why don't the BBC just let Sky have it all and spend the Licence Payers money on something else?
I've been a keen watcher of F1 for a couple of years since I unexpectedly won a weekend ticket for the British GP. I can't see me bothering to watch half of the races next year so unless I get Sky I won't bother to watch any of it. Unless I'm a little unique it makes more sense for the testeral channels to have it all (even if they share it) or for them to let Sky have it all. I also think that, unlike football, highlights of racing cars racing are a bit of a waste of time. The excitement is in the fact that with different stargegies you can't really be sure what the outsome will be. The overtaking is such a small part of the event that I can't see highlights working.
I also, depsite really enjoying the races, don't fine the rest of the program to be worth bothering with, The last three minutes of Q3 and the race itself are all that botheres me so it could, literally, be on any channel save for the race commentators.
http://www.formula1onlive.com/2011/07/sky-sports-confirmed-no-adverts-through.html
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/57
BBC (2011)
Australia 4.2m (Early race + Rerun)
Malaysia 4.5m (Early race + Rerun)
China 4.7m (Early race + Rerun)
Bahrain 4.8m(2010 race)
Spain 4.8m
Monaco 5.2m
Canada 6.3m
Europe 3.9m
Britain 4.9m
Germany 4.3m
Hungary 4.7m
Belgium 3.7m
Italy 4.2m
Singapore 4.3m
Japan 4.4m(Early race + Rerun)
Korea 4.1m(Early race + Rerun)
India 5.6m(Early race + Rerun)viva
Abu Dhabi 4.7m
USA -
Brazil 4.9m 0.54 + 5.2 = 5.7m
Sky figures on left, BBC on right
* = races shared on both networks
bracketed figures represent an early race + rerun
Sky + BBC (2012)
Australia - (0.71 + 0.20) + (2.7) = 3.6m
Malaysia - (0.91 + 0.07) + (2.7) = 3.7m
China* - (0.50 + 0.05) + (2.9 + 1.6) = 5.1m
Bahrain - (0.82) + (3.7) = 4.5m
Spain* - 0.52 + 3.5 = 4.0m
Monaco* - 0.57 + 3.1 = 3.7m
Canada - 0.92 + 2.3 = 3.1m
Europe* - 0.53 + 3.8 = 4.3m
Britain* - 0.46 + 3.2 = 3.7m
Germany - 0.99 + 1.9 = 2.9m
Hungary - 0.72 + 3.6 = 4.3m
Belgium* - 0.37 + 2.8 = 3.2m
Italy - 0.72 + 3.6 = 4.3m
Singapore* - 0.48 + 3.4 = 3.9m
Japan - (0.39 + 0.12) + 2.4 = 2.9m
Korea* - (0.27) + (1.62 + 1.56) = 3.5m
India - (0.56) + 2.8 = 3.4m
Abu Dhabi* - 0.54 + 3.9 = 4.4m
USA - 0.86 + 2.2 = 3.1m
Brazil* - 0.54 + 5.2 = 5.7m
Change (year on year)
Australia = -0.6m
Malaysia = -0.8m
China = +0.4m
Bahrain = -0.3m
Spain = -0.8m
Monaco = -1.5m
Canada = -3.2m
Europe = +0.4m
Britain = -1.2m
Germany = -1.4m
Hungary = -0.4m
Belgium = -0.5m
Italy = +0.1m
Singapore = -0.4m
Japan = -1.5m
Korea = -0.6m
India = -2.2m
Abu Dhabi = -0.3m
USA = -
Brazil = +0.8m
Only 3 races showed an improvement on 2011 figures. The net figures show that actually a lot less people watched F1 in 2012, (fourteen million cumulatively). I wonder if the teams had properly considered the implications of the deal they might have told Bernie to get stuffed?