F1 goes to Sky sports

[Flavio Galtieri]

Originally Posted by garcon

Seriously, anybody who finds it within themselves to be truly angry about this really needs to reassess their life priorities. There's honestly far more important stuff out there.

The problem with that "oh well never mind" attitude is that you are missing the wider picture.

Corruption in government and at the top of major corporations with international influence is something we should all take seriously.

The neutering of the BBC was demanded by James Murdoch in an astonishingly vindictive speech given during the Edinburgh TV festival (see http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009...gh-tv-festival )

Just at this very time our now Prime Minister Cameron, aided by his disgraced press secretary ex- News of the World editor Andy Coulson were cosying up to Murdoch to enlist his media's full editorial support for the forthcoming General Election.

Payback came shortly after the election, one of the first thing Cameron's government announced was a freeze on the Licence fee for 5 years and a cut in Foreign office funding for the BBC World Service. Since the BBC is funded by the public and not out of general taxation the only help to deficit reduction was the FO cuts. Moves made out of pure spite but no doubt with full consultation with News Corporation during their numerous "private" meetings with Cameron and Osbourne.

James Murdoch, a man currently under investigation for corruption and bribery by the Met Police, the FBI, Parliament and the US Senate is the only winner from this grubby little deal.

The viewing Public and the BBC have been well and truly turned over by probably the most disreputable bunch of politicians in living memory.

That is what you should be concerned about.

[Adam43]

Thin edge of the wedge...

The problem is that the outrage here isn't driven by what you describe, it is driven by a load of people who can't watch a motor race in quite as convenient and comprehensive way as before.

This situation is mainly driven by realism. The beeb can't afford to spend what others can. However, they have been realistic and managed a decent deal. Is this situation a result of corruption? Nah. IMHO.

Fight corruption, yes. Do it here and your attacking the wrong part. IMHO.

The selection criteria of this forum misses all those people who, equally selfishly and vindictively as some posting above, will be thrilled at this, but wish it had gone further. For everyone who thinks BBC3 is a waste of time, there is at least another who thinks F1 is a waste of time.

[Adam43]

See you after the break...

[Paulaweybridge]

F1 Forum - I am sure that Jake Humphrey deliberately went over to see the fans (many were Brits).

"We don't want Sky", said one of them.

It's time that the BBC listened to the fans and public opinion, but the deal is done and it's too late.

Without the fans as MB said "We could race on a Wednesday behind closed doors" !!!

PS. Jake keeps doing it "Since we started coverage in 2009" - I am sure that the three of them are actually very p****d off and I would love to talk to them in private and ask how they really feel about the whole saga.

[vintage]

Well Bernie the Godfarther is at it again. Money is the root of all evil and he needs more. As for the BBC they may not have enough in the pot to pay for F1 but they they have enough to pay waste a space Clarkson £2m a year, (Which would you sooner watch) and whats the real story behind no more Turkish GPs after a poor country spends all that money on a GP circuirt ? what will happen to India he doesn't get what he wants from that. Bernie please retire and give us a break.

[Adam43]

Public opinion probably doesn't reflect this as they are a different set compared to F1 fans. As it is.

[garcon]

Thanks for the lecture Flavio.

It's precisely because of the wider picture you portray that I can't get over excited about the F1 situation. It is a tiny part of that picture that really very few people care about.

In the grand scheme of things, I couldn't really give a toss who broadcasts F1. What I do care about is the poisonous hold over our so called democracy that Murdoch has been allowed to nurture for far too long.

And if you believe it is only Cameron and Osbourne who have been drawn far too close to the Murdoch spell you are deeply misguided. (But that's another debate for elsewhere).

[garcon]

P.S. On the subject of what to chop and what to keep on the BBC, given the choice between Clarkson and F1 or BBC4 and F1, I'll keep Clarkson and BBC4 every single time, thanks.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by vintage

Well Bernie the Godfarther is at it again. Money is the root of all evil and he needs more. As for the BBC they may not have enough in the pot to pay for F1 but they they have enough to pay waste a space Clarkson £2m a year, (Which would you sooner watch) and whats the real story behind no more Turkish GPs after a poor country spends all that money on a GP circuirt ? what will happen to India he doesn't get what he wants from that. Bernie please retire and give us a break.

I've no massive desire to defend Clarkson, but this demonstrates something. You don't like him so make this point. You like f1 enough to want this.
Others do like Top Gear, yet you don't care for that.
Top Gear makes money for the beeb, that's why they invest.

I'm not having a go, but we have to be careful here. F1 isn't liked by all.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by garcon

P.S. On the subject fo what to chop and what to keep on the BBC, given the choice between Clarkson and F1 or BBC4 and F1, I'll choose Clarkson and BBC4 every single time, thanks.

If the BBC was funded purely for me then a lot of things would be dropped. Although I'd probably keep all of the above including F1.
However it isn't and shouldn't be.

[beau1]

Originally Posted by Adam43

I've no massive desire to defend Clarkson, but this demonstrates something. You don't like him so make this point. You like f1 enough to want this.
Others do like Top Gear, yet you don't care for that.
Top Gear makes money for the beeb, that's why they invest.

I'm not having a go, but we have to be careful here. F1 isn't liked by all.

What is liked by all? Is eastenders? Is Doctor Who?
It's liked by enough to justify it still being on Free-to-air TV. The illusion that F1 is not a popular sport is just nonsense. Formula One is one of the BBC's biggest audience shares throughout the year, that in itself should make them prioritise it over other programmes that get lower numbers.

The sport mostly going to sky is just going to take away fans. Sky is a slippery slope, I wouldn't be surprised if they get the majority of TV coverage after 2018 and that is what everyone's main worry is. You give them a bit and they will find a way at taking a lot - It's the Murdoch way.

[Paulaweybridge]

Here Here.

I like Clarkson but the salaries paid these days are crazy.

Originally Posted by vintage

Well Bernie the Godfarther is at it again. Money is the root of all evil and he needs more. As for the BBC they may not have enough in the pot to pay for F1 but they they have enough to pay waste a space Clarkson £2m a year, (Which would you sooner watch) and whats the real story behind no more Turkish GPs after a poor country spends all that money on a GP circuirt ? what will happen to India he doesn't get what he wants from that. Bernie please retire and give us a break.

[garcon]

Originally Posted by Adam43

If the BBC was funded purely for me then a lot of things would be dropped. Although I'd probably keep all of the above including F1.
However it isn't and shouldn't be.

Indeed so, and I'm not saying that just because I prefer them.

Clarkson is an extremely popular presenter and an obvious audience magnet. And when the BBC stops broadcasting the sort of quality programming we get on BBC4 it may as well stop being the publicly funded special case and just respond to the dumbed down market that drives the commercial channels.

I am a great defender of the BBC as a whole, for what it does and what it is able to do that the commercial channels won't or can't. Spending outrageous sums of money on sports coverage is a long way from top of that list.

[JeremySmith]

beau1


Not everything is liked by everybody, and for 145 pounds a year you get an enormous selection at the beeb...

[beau1]

Originally Posted by JeremySmith

beau1


Not everything is liked by everybody, and for 145 pounds a year you get an enormous selection at the beeb...

I just think dropping the ball on one of your biggest audience share programmes is insane, regardless of how much it costs. You make use of your strengths, not sell them off to another channel whilst Graham Norton etc get a new sunday afternoon programme with his nice big salary or the like.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by beau1

What is liked by all? Is eastenders? Is Doctor Who?

That is my point!

It's liked by enough to justify it still being on Free-to-air TV. The illusion that F1 is not a popular sport is just nonsense.

Are you just trying to find something to disagree with here? I'm not saying F1 is not popular. My point is, well, it is what I said.

Apologises, but I find this a blummin' interesting topic. I'm not here for a fight, I'm here to discuss this. Although there is a lot of emotion around here.

I love the BBC coverage - they are brilliant. For me it would never move and there is no way sky will do it better.
That doesn't mean I have to through away all sense of perspective though.

[Paulaweybridge]

Jake's comments at the end of the forum summed it all up to me.

Passionate enthusiasts like us.

[Paulaweybridge]

And they are still the finest broadcaster overall.

Originally Posted by JeremySmith

Not everything is liked by everybody, and for 145 pounds a year you get an enormous selection at the beeb...

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by garcon

Indeed so, and I'm not saying that just because I prefer them.

sorry if I gave the impression I thought you were saying something different. I was trying to add to what you said.

[beau1]

Originally Posted by Adam43

That is my point!Are you just trying to find something to disagree with here? I'm not saying F1 is not popular. My point is, well, it is what I said.

Apologises, but I find this a blummin' interesting topic. I'm not here for a fight, I'm here to discuss this. Although there is a lot of emotion around here.

I love the BBC coverage - they are brilliant. For me it would never move and there is no way sky will do it better.
That doesn't mean I have to through away all sense of perspective though.

Sorry, I wasn't disagreeing with you Adam I was just extending your point and adding to the discussion.

At the end of the day my view on the matter is that F1 was massively popular on the BBC and they could have cut costs in so many other ways rather than doing a deal with Sky.

[Adam43]

I've just done that too

[Lrawlings]

Wonder if it will go the same way as some of the boxing an football. Where I pay to watch the matches they cover in hd. But then big matches etc they go an put them in box office. Paying once for sport is bad enough. Then shifting it to box office is robbery! Stream Internet I thinks

[JeremySmith]

Originally Posted by Paulaweybridge

And they are still the finest broadcaster overall.

Agree 100% I stream BBC Radio 4 all the time, I could not live without it, brilliant programming..

[Al Weyman]

Boxing is a good example of what will happen here. Years ago in the days of Ali, Tyson, Cooper even Bugner were household names because of terrestrial TV coverage these days top boxers dont seem nearly as well known I couldnt begin to tell you who was world champ in any class. Also just reading the new regs in Autosport I am wondering if this will be a masterstroke by the Beeb getting out before the whole thing comes tumbling down.

[Paulaweybridge]

Hi Jeremy,

I am in the States almost every year and I must admit that the TV is pretty dire.

I even prefer Noel Edmonds version of 'Deal or No Deal' to Howie Mandel's Stateside show(which is now finished, of course) whereas our version goes from strength to strength....

Take care

Originally Posted by JeremySmith

Agree 100% I stream BBC Radio 4 all the time, I could not live without it, brilliant programming..