Good Old Aunty Beeb (Not)

[HandyNZL 1]

Exsqueeze me! Those damn Aussies are nothing like us fine upstanding Kiwi's - they're a nation of crooks and thieves sent off from Mother England for being naughty little toe rags, whilst we Kiwi's left the warmth of our Mother England looking for adventure and new opportunities, sailing for months to reach our fair shores of the land of the long white cloud, henceforth constructing the worlds best rugby team, the world's second best rugby league team, providing Europe with much needed no. 8 wire ingenuity in the 60's through our Driver to Europe programme, that gave rise to McLaren, aided in March and Mallock, gave the world some of the best ever designed F5000's in the McRae and Begg racecars, invented Pavlova, bred the finest racehorses, split the atom, gave the vote to women first, stood tall against bully America and their big nuclear stick, brewed the best lager beers in the world (and served them cold), serve Snapper with our chips, and don't have a big red pimple in the middle of our country, amongst other things.

I have seen a few races in Australia, and funnily enough I actually watched that one you posted...well, idly watched it as the then wife was having a shower and that was far more interesting....but I digress...the point I was going to make is that Australia's coverage is actually pretty p**s poor compared to NZ - often buried away, only highlights and sometimes with their commentators. However, if Mark Skaife ever wanted to commentate on F1, then he'd get my vote - sat listening to him with my headphones from the Jim Clark stand at the fast chicane at the 2008 Aussie Grand Prix - he did very well I thought.

[Grabthaw the Hammerslayer 4]

Aussies and Kiwis? You're all the same - a bunch of sheep-shaggers

Well, Eric I think the significant thing about your viewing figures is that it does not demonstrate a mass migration to Sky. i.e. people voted with their feet. There's a lot of strong feeling in the UK about this. Longer term it will be interesting to see if the Sky package is sustainable from their perspective. I know a few people who have Sky and the comments back were that it was "cheezy" or "a bunch of old farts" or the graphics were good. I saw the pre season warm up and to be honest it was fairly dull.

I do think the BBC did a half-reasonable job - agree that the concept of highlights is a bad one in whatever form.

I still think there is a principle here in making watching of F1 a luxury item and for that, Bernie needs his shrivelled testicles stapling to a flagpole.

And I can't believe our ex-colonies get full BBC live coverage - b#####ds!!! I'm gonna write to DC and ask him to pull the power lead on the video mixing desk right at the critical moments

[pabloh20 1]

Exsqueeze me! Those damn Aussies are nothing like us fine upstanding Kiwi's - they're a nation of crooks and thieves sent off from Mother England for being naughty little toe rags, whilst we Kiwi's left the warmth of our Mother England looking for adventure and new opportunities, sailing for months to reach our fair shores of the land of the long white cloud, henceforth constructing the worlds best rugby team, the world's second best rugby league team, providing Europe with much needed no. 8 wire ingenuity in the 60's through our Driver to Europe programme, that gave rise to McLaren, aided in March and Mallock, gave the world some of the best ever designed F5000's in the McRae and Begg racecars, invented Pavlova, bred the finest racehorses, split the atom, gave the vote to women first, stood tall against bully America and their big nuclear stick, brewed the best lager beers in the world (and served them cold), serve Snapper with our chips, and don't have a big red pimple in the middle of our country, amongst other things.

I have seen a few races in Australia, and funnily enough I actually watched that one you posted...well, idly watched it as the then wife was having a shower and that was far more interesting....but I digress...the point I was going to make is that Australia's coverage is actually pretty p**s poor compared to NZ - often buried away, only highlights and sometimes with their commentators. However, if Mark Skaife ever wanted to commentate on F1, then he'd get my vote - sat listening to him with my headphones from the Jim Clark stand at the fast chicane at the 2008 Aussie Grand Prix - he did very well I thought.

Yes, but you are fruits.............no more needs to be said

[pabloh20 1]

Aussies and Kiwis? You're all the same - a bunch of sheep-shaggers

Well, Eric I think the significant thing about your viewing figures is that it does not demonstrate a mass migration to Sky. i.e. people voted with their feet. There's a lot of strong feeling in the UK about this. Longer term it will be interesting to see if the Sky package is sustainable from their perspective. I know a few people who have Sky and the comments back were that it was "cheezy" or "a bunch of old farts" or the graphics were good. I saw the pre season warm up and to be honest it was fairly dull.

I do think the BBC did a half-reasonable job - agree that the concept of highlights is a bad one in whatever form.

I still think there is a principle here in making watching of F1 a luxury item and for that, Bernie needs his shrivelled testicles stapling to a flagpole.

And I can't believe our ex-colonies get full BBC live coverage - b#####ds!!! I'm gonna write to DC and ask him to pull the power lead on the video mixing desk right at the critical moments

I watched the sky coverage because we already have it, so thought I would give it a go. It was ok-ish. Simon, whatever his name was, was nowhere near as good as Jake at presenting the show. I seem to remember Jake was good right from his first show, so I am not holding much hope that Simon, whatever his name is, gets that much better, but we shall see.

I thought the sky coverage was a tad bitty, to be honest. It was just annoying things, for example, interrupting Damon mid flow, just to go to the footy F1 screen with Ant and Georgie to see an analysis of a replay we had seen 28 times before, obviously in HD though Don't get me wrong, I am all for seeing Georgie, but it would be better if she was in the pit lane in a tight fitting latex race suit.........or a schoolgirl uniform, either or really, I am not that fussy.

I didn't watch all the practices and qualifying bollocks, but there didn't seem to be much added in the way of cams, footage, etc, in that sense. Aside from the footy F1 screen, there wasn't an awful lot different. Oh, there was a helmet cam, but to be honest it disappointed me in the way the dyson ball cleaner disappointed me. Commentary was ok, but I think Brundle and DC was a better pairing.

I think for the races that the beeb show live, I would probably watch their coverage, but we shall see if sky gets any better.

[Massa 0]

Yeah, voting with their feet, that Bernie can do whatever he wants and they'll still be right there, at the TV, watching the race, in whatever way it's being shown, because it's a niche sport, it always was a niche sport, it always will be a niche sport, etc.

Though it's interesting, actually, that Britain's F1 viewership is around 5% or higher. The world's F1 viewership of a normal race is barely over 1% (most watched in the world, the World Cup Final, draws about 4.5% of the world's population. Super Bowl gets about 1.8% of the world, and 38.5% of the U.S., so F1 doesn't rely on Britain that heavily, but still, the U.K. is about 5.33% of their total worldwide viewership of a normal Grand Prix if my numbers are all correct).

I get what all of you are saying. I'm just glad people are still watching whether they like the way they have to watch or not, because it's still the same sport on highlights or on pay TV or in person or whatever and we have some great British members who I would hate to see contribute less.

I think I said I was going to stop replying here, too...hmm...how do I moderate myself...

[freaky2 1]

I liked the highlights. I watched the race live in Spain and then the highlights yesterday night, and it felt as if I was watching a different race. Not whole - but no ads. Not whole - looks whole. What else could I ask for? Oh, yes, Coulthard calling all the mistakes, crashes, etc as they happened and getting it right most of the time. As I said, completely different and so much better. And I shouldn't forget the lack of constant prattling about Alonso. I find them good, because half the time I would miss the races anyway because I was busy with something, so it's still the best alternative, it even suits me more. (Now die hard fans can come and kill me if they want to )

[JHS18 0]

Reason *looks at list* 137895 to not like Bernie Ecclestone:

Oh my god Bernie Ecclestone and and Simon Cowell in one photo! The only way you could possibly get any more evil into that shot was if

lady was stood in the background!

I know this is really off topic, but I thought this thread needed a bit of lightening up, especially from my side after what I wrote a few weeks ago.

[JHS18 0]

Just thought I'd throw this out here. From Darren Heath, an F1 photographer, on Twitter.

#skyf1 are making an impression... Of sorts. "We've got ex-Marines, so, get in our way and they'll punch you in the chest". Nice #f1malaysia

Scumbag Sky strikes again!

[Volatilis 0]

Having watched both the BBC & SKY present their own packages (oo-er) in my opinion the BBC is doing the best job so far, by a long shot.

I like the pairing of DC & Ben, who invoke experiance and enthusasim in equal amounts, with an eye for detail that is lost on SKY with Brundle (as its been a while since he drove).

It will be interesting to see @ the China GP how interviews will be conducted and which broadcster will be given preference. I imagine Eddie coming back for the BBC will help them in this respect, as he is likely to do merry jig and grab whoever he wants!

Roll on China.

[Rainmaster 7]

I'd like to see the Sky broadcast but I still haven't had the chance. Both should have no problem getting their interviews, after all there have always been plenty of media organisations competing for those from all over the world, Sky are just another fish in that pond.

[Volatilis 0]

Yeah, that is true I guess. It did seem from comparing the two broadcasts that SKY were getting them first and BBC after. I could be wrong though so roll on China for the head to head!....