[Derwent]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

I can't justify the expense of Sky and don't expect my family to allow me 2½ hours access to the TV on a Saturday & Sunday to watch the qualifying & race highlights 'live'. (Well, they'd probably let me watch it but would talk over the coverage as they're not interested. When I'm watching something I'm interested in, I like to be able to give 100% attention to it). I tend to record both programmes and then get up early the following morning to watch them. This also gives me the opportunity to fast-forward past the dross and only watch the 'action' if I'm short of time.
Initially the purist in me didn't like Steve Jones either as he has no Motorsport background, but I have gone through the tolerating him phase into liking the guy. He does appear to be genuinely enthusiastic about the sport, his knowledge is growing and he seems to be quite passionate about it too. (Either that, or he has a good script writer anyway). I think the coverage needs an anchor man to hold things together, not for the type of motorsport fan who reads this forum, but for the less knowledgeable and more casual viewer. To make money from advertisers the programme has to attract as many viewers as possible so they have to widen the appeal to draw a larger spectrum of viewers in. (If they relied on people like me who record the programmes & fast-forward through the breaks, the advertisers would not be interested!) I think that C4 have got the balance right (especially now Eddie Jordan has been put out to grass) with David Coulthard, Mark Webber & Billy Monger for us petrol-heads, with Steve Jones there to hold it all together, pull the others back into line if they start spiralling into an over-technical discussion, and also to be able to ask them to 'describe to the man in the street what is really happening here in a non technical way he would understand'.

But other sports don't need to speak to the "man in the street", the folk who watch tennis or rugby are enthusiasts just as we are and deserve intelligent presenters.