Bbc Ends F1 Coverage With Immediate Effect

[Jem of the Shire 0]

So the cost savings for BBC continue, and the latest casualty is F1. And, although this wont mean much to those outside UK, the rights are going to Channel 4, who show virtually no sport (that I can think of) and makes me despair. I dread to think what terrible line-up of commentary and pundits they bring in.

I fear going back to the ITV days when they had Steve Ryder and the dreadfully dull Mark Blundell. I hope DC is recruited. Whoever's involved it'll be nothing compared to what Sky have with Hill, Herbert, and the best of them all, Brundle. And now we have ad breaks to look forward to, yay not.

[KoolMonkey 0]

The damage was done already when all the BBC could muster was half live races, and the rest highlights a day later. I know this because here in Australia we lost live coverage of each race, only to be replaced with whatever the BBC was doing that given weekend. F1 has been live on TV here for decades upon decades. I don't know what the viewing numbers are, but I've refused to watch the coverage here. I prefer hearing the Sky crew than the BBC crew during a race.

The solution I came across was to watch it live via streaming, and ACE was the best way to do this. Seems I'm not alone. It's fantastic quality and you can rewind. That's actually the best trick to stop any buffering. Just rewind it 5-10mins and you can then watch a full race uninterrupted. The bonus is being able to watch the pre and post race shows. I didn't realize how much cool stuff they cover.

At any rate, BBC ditching F1 seems inline with them ditching the proper Top Gear guys. All this money saving they need to do apparently, but I wonder if their execs took a pay cut? Somehow I doubt it.

[Jem of the Shire 0]

Yea they're also scrapping BBC3 which is a hugely popular channel over here. They're moving it online, but there's been a lot of backlash. Top Gear is the biggest gaffe of all though, that programme was by far and away BBC's biggest asset, the one programme that is massive all over the world, and although technically it still exists, it wont be Top Gear as we know it, and inevitably the viewing figures are going to plummet. In UK we pay a 'license fee' which is how the BBC is funded (it's mandatory). I pay £12 a month for that, and hardly watch BBC other than F1. So there are a lot of angry people right now!

I just hope channel 4 do a good job. Cant imagine they could afford Eddie Jordan's salary demands.

[spiral.out 0]

If its anything like this year why bother watching it anyway.

[Jem of the Shire 0]

Cos Button is gona win many, many races

[Massa 0]

Lee McKenzie will be missed—she's easily the best reporter of the three English-language F1 broadcasts I've heard (BBC, Sky, and NBCSN in the States).

If I had to guess, Jack Nicholls will get the call alongside David Coulthard for Channel 4. Coulthard's been tipped to be involved, and Nicholls, at 26 and appearing everywhere (Formula E, most recently) in motorsport but the Grands Prix, has been the inevitable heir to the commentary box for a few years now—might as well get it over with. Not that I'm a fan of Nicholls' work, though he does beat the alternatives, I suppose. In general, being from the United States, the British style of motor racing commentary is a bit too breathless for me, so I'm not sure its Nicholls' own fault. I like the slow-talking Yankees who sometimes, *gasp*, pause and say nothing at all, knowing that, dumb as the world may think we are, we can see the picture on the TV as good as they can.

A shame for F1, in any event, that the cost of these TV deals continues to shove F1 further and further from viewers. Or maybe that's the strategy—the racing is so dang boring, it's best if no one sees it at all!

It's similar to what sanctioning fees did to races a few years ago, shifting them away from spectators. That trend has started to reverse with Austria's return, COTA being a thing, and so forth. But now the TV trend is far, far worse.

[Jem of the Shire 0]

Just the simple fact that F1 is now broadcast on Channel 4 shows how bad things have got for the sport. 10 years ago it'd seem unthinkable to me. I've never heard of Jack Nicholls but excitable fast commentary is fine for me, remember Murray Walker!

[Insider 0]

DC has signed for the BBC's re-vamped Top Gear. F1 is the least popular sport, [it ranks below Darts and Snooker] on the channel. C4 must be mad. This not their bag at all.

[Jem of the Shire 0]

They'd better do it justice. Out of curiosity what's your source on the DC to Top Gear news?