Good Old Aunty Beeb (Not)

[JHS18 0]

Sky's opening titles. Yeah, definitely prefer the chain.

[JHS18 0]

Interestingly, BBC actually used Just Drive as their outro for the 2010 season. See, Sky's just copying everything the BBC does! On a more serious note, I think it worked very well here, but I'm not sure it works quite as well as an intro.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nz3BWD5Hyo

[JHS18 0]

Actually got me in a nostalgic mood now looking back at past intros for F1.

This was my favourite ITV one:

This one was not so good.

But even so, I still don't think Just Drive is right for an intro.

Okay, I'm done.

[Massa 0]

I agree that the song choice for Sky is really terrible; I never like lyrics in teaser music anyway. But I do find the video for the Sky one with actual footage to be really well-produced and it does the job, while the BBC fake cars "HEY GUYS IT'S 1999 LOOK WHAT I CAN DO WITH A COMPUTER" is just tacky crap that says and does nothing (but I also understand one is probably more well-funded than the other).

Not like teasers make any difference in the level of coverage and as someone who has always enjoyed that TV/radio side of racing, I am interested to hear from the dozen or so people who watch on Sky how their broadcast is, and from those who watch the BBC highlights to see how well-done those are (and I would expect that, while not ideal, they will be just fine. Though I've watched American highlights packages that have shown the pace (recon) laps, wrecks, full safety car periods, rain delays, and post-race interviews with little else so good luck if they've outsourced production to ESPN ).

Still waiting on the U.S. TV schedule, on that note. SPEED have confirmed Australia and Malaysia (practice, qualifying, race). Keep us on our toes after that.

[Rainmaster 7]

I agree with Eric: don't like the song, much prefer the real footage. But anyway, I think Sky's coverage will be pretty good, just like the BBC's highlights/full coverage will remain excellent.

[JHS18 0]

For sake of the argument, Sky pictures with BBC music. Best of both worlds that sadly will never exist.

[Rainmaster 7]

Now that is perfect.

[HandyNZL 1]

Sky's opening titles. Yeah, definitely prefer the chain.

14sec to 26sec...now thems was reals cars...thems was precious

[JHS18 0]

So Sky's F1 channel launched on Friday. I didn't see it, for obvious reason, but I've been very interested in reading some people's opinions.

First off, during the two hour show, the audience PEAKED at 207k viewers. That's quite a bit less than what they'd been expecting.

Then, of course, there is the voice of Twitter:

sidepodcast: if you didn't catch or were unable to see sky's #f1 preview thing, you've missed out on 40mins of old men talking about nothing. #compelling - 10:43 PM - 11 Mar 12

stigslittlesis: Just seen some of the sky #f1 on pick tv not very impressed I am sticking with #BBCF1 - 10:39 PM - 11 Mar 12

ZhdZaman: Watching sky sports f1 2012 preview show. Am not encouraged at all by the presenters, #bbcf1 all the way - 10:37 PM - 11 Mar 12

gimmesumsuga: @LeeMcKenzieF1 I'm watching Sky's F1 show on PickTV. Everything about it bar Damon Hill is unbelievably cheesy. Beeb's got this in the bag! - 10:36 PM - 11 Mar 12

Pappa_Blue: Watching Sky's pre F1 show... They can't do it like the BBC!!! - 10:35 PM - 11 Mar 12

GusMacF1: @mrjakehumphrey watched the first 15 mins of the sky f1 show on pick tv, turned over, bored.com Roll on the BBC coverage. - 10:31 PM - 11 Mar 12

LeeJayDJ: Just had preview of #Sky #F1 channel. What trash talk to fill time. I turned off when they interviewed the Williams truck driver - 10:30 PM - 11 Mar 12

Another criticism people seem to have is that they seem to be giving F1 the Sky Football treatement. Apparently there were two features shown with interviews with Button and Webber both at football stadiums/grounds/whatever the heck they're called.

To me that seems completely, completely pointless.

F1 and football are two completely different sports. The only reason I can think that you'd do that was to try to appeal to the idiot masses of Sky's long established football fan base. But otherwise, why? There are plenty of race tracks around the country both features could have been filmed at and would be a more relevant location, seeing as they were talking about (unbelievable this!) motorsport!

I'm not turning this thread into a daily have-a-go at Sky topic, but seriously, from that feedback, and people's reaction, it doesn't seem it was the greatest start ever.

BBC isn't perfect but at least they know which sport it is they're actually covering.

[Massa 0]

Yes, let's be really, really bothered about a show we didn't even watch.

Mostly just messing with you...I have no opinion on it, but to try to explain it objectively, and this isn't a defense of their content nor is it a criticism of their content, just a "The More You Know" moment for you to enjoy:

The soccer stuff was more-than-likely cross promotion, not pandering to non-F1 audiences necessarily, as while they may have projected larger audiences, they also know they're not attracting the masses to a pre-season talk show about a niche sport. Sky show a lot of soccer, so it's just a rather obvious product placement type deal. They are playing on the assumption, which may be wrong, that there are new subscribers to Sky now because of F1, so they are trying to market their other channels/coverage to those people who just got Sky and may not be fully aware of it.

I'm not saying that makes it compelling television, but that's why they do it. I'd have to see the interviews to say whether or not they were also trying to portray those drivers in a certain light, i.e. regular guys like the rest of you, where you'd kind of see soccer as an association being "every man's sport" or whatever. It's not uncommon on Murdoch's networks in the U.S.A.; the NASCAR coverage on FOX (same parent as Sky) actually uses the same theme music from their National Football League coverage. It's not uncommon anywhere, really, to cross-promote, but some channels are more subtle about it than others (Sky, if it's like FOX or SPEED or any of the others News Int'l owns, I would assume, do not try to cover up promotions and product placement).

Up to you if that bothers you or not...but it's how TV, outside of something government-run like the BBC, works. The advertisements are advertisements, and the shows themselves are advertisements. It's easier to say that being so used to it in the U.S.A., so I get where you guys come from. Still, there is merit to this kind of TV, and there are downsides to it, too, and there's merit to something like the BBC, and downsides to that, too.

Hopefully the race broadcast goes smoother for those subscribing and they figure it all out in time, or the audience just adapts to the new style in time.

[Rainmaster 7]

I'd like to see the show before I judge it, on the assumption that most people are biased fools.

[Massa 0]

I'd like to see the show before I judge it, on the assumption that most people are biased fools.

Yeah, that.

Though I usually just assume these things won't be much good, don't watch, and don't bother reading what others are saying about it (Twitter just allows you to be wrong in front of a larger audience, which is why I like using it, and hate reading it ). If it interests me, I try to enjoy it, if it doesn't, I just let it go.

And then I complain that I never get to see the drivers' personalities.

[yurp 0]

I'd like to see the show before I judge it, on the assumption that most people are biased fools.

yep - me too - would like to see before judging (AND I'm a biased fool)

[Massa 0]

Remember that drastic decline in British viewership?

Last year's Australian Grand Prix, live on BBC, peaked at 3,100,000 viewers.

This year's Australian Grand Prix highlights on BBC peaked at 3,200,000 viewers.

Showing the race in the afternoon instead of the morning didn't seem to hurt, and then you'd have to tack on any unique viewers of the Sky broadcast for the overall British viewership (I suspect Sky will bump it up to about 3,200,024).

About 5.14% of the country watched the BBC highlights, just to throw a number around (about .18% of the U.S. population watched on SPEED, but go ahead, give us two USGPs anyway).

I'm going to chalk this thread up as off-season dramatics that subside as soon as you see the fast racecars on your TV again, whether it's at 2 PM or 7 AM or on a channel you pay for or a different channel that you also pay for. Ecclestone knows how to make more for himself without driving his customers away, both fans and track promoters/governments. Clever guy.

[Rainmaster 7]

Bah, just 'cos it was a reasonable commercial decision doesn't mean people have to like it, or that we are not entitled to our dramatics! To understand the reason for the upset of some fans, all you have to recognise is that Ecclestone's desires and the desires of a fan will not always coincide. Once you have that you can accept that a.the viewership is still good, and b.some people will still be a bit annoyed by the deal. Just because their annoyance doesn't translate into some mass protest doesn't make it any less true or valid. It just means it reflects the importance of the thing you are annoyed about; F1 is a luxury item so it would take a much more significant event for people to not watch it when they can. Ecclestone being happy doesn't make everything else meaningless!

For the record, I watched the highlights package and felt it was nicely done. It was good to not have to be sitting (okay I was bed hungover but whatever) in front of the TV for 4+ hours (I only like being at my laptop screen for that long, of course).You can't miss what you don't know is missing, which is a sort of horrible feeling as F1 is one of the few things I don't consider myself completely ignorant about, but in a way kind of appealing too. Being too immersed in F1 can take the fun out of it a little.

[JHS18 0]

Remember that drastic decline in British viewership?

Last year's Australian Grand Prix, live on BBC, peaked at 3,100,000 viewers.

This year's Australian Grand Prix highlights on BBC peaked at 3,200,000 viewers.

Showing the race in the afternoon instead of the morning didn't seem to hurt, and then you'd have to tack on any unique viewers of the Sky broadcast for the overall British viewership (I suspect Sky will bump it up to about 3,200,024).

About 5.14% of the country watched the BBC highlights, just to throw a number around (about .18% of the U.S. population watched on SPEED, but go ahead, give us two USGPs anyway).

I'm going to chalk this thread up as off-season dramatics that subside as soon as you see the fast racecars on your TV again, whether it's at 2 PM or 7 AM or on a channel you pay for or a different channel that you also pay for. Ecclestone knows how to make more for himself without driving his customers away, both fans and track promoters/governments. Clever guy.

I think, with all due respect, basing what we'll see this season on the first race alone is a bit foolish.

I'm sure many people unconvinced by the Sky/BBC would have tuned in anyway, just to see what the highlights were like and see whether they liked the new format or not. I think the real test will be at Malaysia and subsequent highlights races, particularly for two of the big races BBC are not showing live - Canada and Monza.

No doubt the new highlights package won't be for everyone, and the Sky package won't be for everyone either. I think they'll both see ups and downs throughout the year in terms of viewing figures.

I'll confess - I thought the highlights package would be a lot worse than it was - the only real obvious cutting came in qualifying. The edited race worked pretty well - as I said in the Australian GP topics, from my point of view there were some confusing elements where it skipped a bit, but nothing too dramatic.

It still felt a bit odd though. I'll never, ever be totally convinced on watching highlights over watching the actual race live. I'm not a highlights kind of guy. When races begin to be on at a more sensible time here, I may well watch some races, like Canada, online if I can find a stream.

There's some kinks they need to work out, but it'll get better as the season goes on.

So yeah, still not totally happy. I'm not done throwing BBC/Sky/Bernie or anyone else any some abuse when I feel disatisfied. The F1 fan is the customer after all, and has the right to voice complaints.

The thing I still remain concerned about is the long term future. I hope BBC will stick to their word and keep showing 10 live races (or more if the calendar grows further) over future seasons, but I fear it'll slowly all disappear to Sky over the next few years.

But that's a rant for another day.

[Massa 0]

I think, with all due respect, basing what we'll see this season on the first race alone is a bit foolish.

I'll take my foolish one race's worth of numbers over everyone else's brilliant zero races' worth they were running with in their theories of what we'll see this season. Hell, we've already handed Button the title, fired Massa, determined Räikkönen's lost nothing, written Mercedes' race pace off...why can't we conclude this is the greatest contract ever signed?

Honestly, I only shared it show that this deal hasn't had the sudden negative impact people predicted. There will be races with worse ratings, races with better ones, stable races, too. But British fans leaving the sport in large quantities? It was never going to happen, and Ecclestone knew that all along, and I think everyone else did too. They'll voice their complaints, but they aren't going to act their complaints, and I do the same, we all do the same, in so many ways. And that doesn't mean you shouldn't voice complaints, it just means you shouldn't expect something to happen afterward other than some American guy with no attachment to the situation coming in here to jostle you guys around a little.

And maybe I was just being a little bit of a smug ***hole and reopening a topic I liked better closed. It's self-policing, these forums, I've said that from day one and I just policed myself, so, hey, I'm correct again! Two scores in one thread.

I won't be touching this thread in a long time, though maybe I ought to complain about the Sky deal, because now SPEED and Sky, both being News Int'l entities, are sharing teaser footage, and apparently, information, too...never seen the SPEED guys so off their game calling a race...Bob Varsha, your job will be mine soon...

[HandyNZL 1]

Just to rub it in...NZ had the full live BBC feed for the race (FP1-3, Q and Race)...not the Sky feed.

So.......

SUCK IT

:P

This is of course karma for having to get up at midnight to watch 85% of the races on a Sunday night all our lives and everyone going nur nur to us....

[BradSpeedMan 6]

Just to rub it in...NZ had the full live BBC feed for the race (FP1-3, Q and Race)...not the Sky feed.

me too, how nice it is, with no breaks inbetween, as it has always been...very nice!!

Finish. Nada. Nassuno. Capische

[dribbler 6]

Just to rub it in...NZ had the full live BBC feed for the race (FP1-3, Q and Race)...not the Sky feed.

So.......

SUCK IT

:P

This is of course karma for having to get up at midnight to watch 85% of the races on a Sunday night all our lives and everyone going nur nur to us....

W-w-wait a minute; You're saying you had full live BBC TV coverage for the weekend?

[HandyNZL 1]

W-w-wait a minute; You're saying you had full live BBC TV coverage for the weekend?

Yuppers

Just don't get the pre-race hooplah...feed always picks up 5-mins before the race / qual / free practice, which must be when the pre-race crosses over to the commentators.

[BradSpeedMan 6]

Yuppers

Just don't get the pre-race hooplah...feed always picks up 5-mins before the race / qual / free practice, which must be when the pre-race crosses over to the commentators.

We have exactly the same package...

[HandyNZL 1]

We have exactly the same package...

Quit checking out my package......

[BradSpeedMan 6]

[JHS18 0]

Yuppers

Just don't get the pre-race hooplah...feed always picks up 5-mins before the race / qual / free practice, which must be when the pre-race crosses over to the commentators.

Hasn't that always been the case though? I recall seeing a YouTube clip of Australian footage where the main presenters handed over to the ITV commentators just before the start.

Here in fact:

I know Australia and NZ aren't the same places, but...close enough.

Seems like many things, you guys are too damn lazy to do your own commentary so have to rip off our excellent quality commentary.