It has seemed futile this last month trying to complain about the BBC's betrayal of F1 fans by jumping into bed with Sky but some people have been listening, apparently. An article in today's Mirror reveals that BBC executives, including Director-General Mark Thompson, must now answer to the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee over the anti-competitive nature of the deal and discrepancies in the BBC's account of how the deal came about. Lib-Dem Culture, Media and Sport spokesman, Don Foster, has already written to Thompson demanding answers, stating: “I do not believe plans to share coverage between the BBC and Sky promote the best interests of licence fee payers and motor racing fans. I believe the best result would have been for the rights to remain with a free-to-air broadcaster, even if this was not the BBC", adding, "The least fans deserve is a clear account of what happened." Questions will also be asked about why the BBC's account of how the deal happened contradicts that of Bernie Ecclestone. As many thousands of complaining fans have already found out for themselves, the BBC refused to comment to the newspaper. http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/tv/2011/09/02/bbc-bosses-face-grilling-from-mps-over-controversial-formula-one-rights-sharing-deal-115875-23389474/ Who knows if the deal can be overturned but this is a good start, no?
That's good news, Max - well done for trudging through the tabloid sludge to ferret it out. It's likely that this is simply posturing by the DCMS select committee to show that they take the matter seriously and I doubt anything will change because of it. Even so, it's a strong statement of dissatisfaction and I hope the BBC Execs responsible are suitably upbraided.
I am happy about the situation so far, but I would be very sad if this all dies down and there is no further action on the deal.
Well so far it has been a frustrating and infuriating experience trying to get answers from the BBC. Their high-handed censoring and now threats to ban accounts of those who persist to complain on blogs is breathtakingly arrogant. So finally, they will have to pull down their wall of silence. This is something at least. You may well be right that it's just a case of something being seen to be done but so far this is all we have and it's a lot better than nothing. Here's hoping...
Free to air tv also means channel 4 & 5 plus ITV. If BBC still decide against broadcasting then it could be back to adverts during races.
Wow this is really good news, lets just hope that it is not just an act and a slap on the wrist to try and pacify the angered fans. If anything at least it will put the deal back in the spot light and show that it is not the 'great deal' the BBC have been trying to portray it as. Autosport have now reported the news as well.
lets guess what will happen, my guess is the MPs will decide they need more information and will fly themselves 1st class to every remaining GP, and then decide everything was above board after receiving a donation from BE & RM.
Excellent! I have a better idea - as we are 'experts' in F1 we could apply to be employed as consultants for the Government and the BBC in exchange for a good fee and the aforementioned VIP package to the rest of the GP's in return we will provide a report (at least one A4 page long) advising what they should do with the contract they now have in place
I'd rather Sky had it than ITV, Channel 4 or Five. Their coverage would be absolutely terrible. Sky's services aren't cheap, but they takes their sports coverage seriously and the price you pay is reflected in the quality of the broadcasting. It's a shame that everyone can't have coverage of all the races in their living room any more, but I'm sure everyone knows someone who has Sky, or lives close to a pub which will show races. You never know, it may help to slow or even reverse the decline of pubs in Britain in recent years. Obviously the ideal scenario would be for the BBC to have coverage, but if they're going to bail, Sky are the next best choice.
Can't help but violently disagree with your final paragraph Absolutely; Sky are an abysmal choice for anyone with any interest in sport. You merely need to look at the Premier League to see what a dog's arse Sky have made of what was, until 1992, a great game. They shouldn't be allowed anywhere near F1. It'll certainly have zero effect on the decline of the nation's pubs. That resurgence won't happen until the smoking ban is repealed (and no, I don't), and the kiddie friendly mentality is done away with. But that's really for another, more general, thread, so I apologise.
Channel 4 did a very good job with the cricket coverage and ever since it has gone onto Sky the all round interest in cricket has declined. The only reason why the same thing has not happened to football is because it is so big and popular, but if F1 went onto Sky I would expect interest in it to decline. I personally think Channel 4 would do a good job, certainly no worse than Sky, and I hope they still have a chance to show it.
Have you seen any of the Sky F1 preview stuff with old jaded Jardine? I'd search it out and decide for yourselves but there's one that's like a betting advert and another in which Tony Jardine claims excitedly that one of the main attractions for watching is "Fernandes". I've nothing against Tony F. but if Tony J. thinks he's a major draw, it just shows how clueless he is, unless he meant 'Fernández' Alonso, which is even worse. Obviously, opinions are going to differ but, personally, I'd rather suffer the odd advert than pay £600 that I can ill afford to murky Murdoch. I also think Channel 4 would do a good job if the Beeb are no longer bothered, as long as they don't get Ortis Deley in to do it.
good idea, but 2 problems as far as I see it, the first is we do know a bit about F1, and as far as I can see they only appoint people who don't know what the **** they are doing, and secondly, do you think you can fill up a whole A4 sheet of paper with 'stick it up your arse Murdoch ya Nazi leech'?
Well you could try adding "Stick it up your arse Gallop..." and repeat the same for Mark Thompson, all involved at BBC Sport, Bernie and a special one for Babs Slater: "I'd be 'absolutely delighted' to stick it up your arse, Babs..." On behalf of the fans, of course
So you think it a good idea to pay 600 quid a year to watch adverts? when you could watch adverts for free on channel 4 oh well it takes all sorts to make a world, I suppose.
