BBC may drop F1 in economy drive?

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by GolddustMini

on Iplayer if you try to watch something live it asks you to confirm that you have a tv license, it doesnt ask this on prerecorded content.

That's how I understand it; there's no differentiation between live and pre-recorded feed and I wouldn't be surprised if the BBC see it like that.

[ralf fan]

This is the best coverage we've had in a while.

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by ralf fan

This is the best coverage we've had in a while.

Maybe the 'Beeb' will keep it if the 'show' turns out to be worth watching?

What they won't want to be showing are re-runs of the 2002, 2004 seasons, however technically enthralling they may have been. You can no longer 'sell' Schumacher romping off into the distance.

It's a large audience, but it's mostly male. And even dedicated 'petrolheads' complain that it's all a bit too predictable at times.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by Marbot

Maybe the 'Beeb' will keep it if the 'show' turns out to be worth watching?

What they won't want to be showing are re-runs of the 2002, 2004 seasons, however technically enthralling they may have been. You can no longer 'sell' Schumacher romping off into the distance.

It's a large audience, but it's mostly male. And even dedicated 'petrolheads' complain that it's all a bit too predictable at times.

You'll wind the purists up with that Martyn. Can't have close, regulated racing entertainment in F1 it just won't do......

I agree with you totally on this point though (makes a change).

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by chunterer

You'll wind the purists up with that Martyn.

Normally just the Ferrari and McLaren supporters pretending to be purists.

[AndyS]

Originally Posted by Jacques Rabbit

The generation of "I'll just watch the highlights on my mobile" has made its way in to the coveted 18-34 demographic. They don't watch ninety minutes of auto racing on TV when they can get the good stuff in a fraction of the time, whenever they want it, wherever they want it, on whichever device of the month they have (hey, I'm right there with them; they're my peers ). In turn, how auto racing, and sports in general, are broadcast is going to change big-time over the next decade or so. FOM need to start gearing up for that as other sports are.

The relevance to the BBC rumors? Well, I think it puts them in context. For the current fans, it would be a loss, but for the future ones (and the FOM have to be thinking long-term, obviously), I'm not sure it's a very significant movement if it ends up on a channel some people don't get (can't pretend I know how British TV works).

Hadn't thought of it like that not being a very tech person. Having said that I think whatever age you are there will always be a market for live action, but you definitely have a point. I'm not aware of any form of motorsport that has yet fully utilised the potential of modern media.

[Jacques Rabbit]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

There's alot of truth in what you say about "I'll just watch the highlights on my mobile" generation.

As for British TV it's a mixed bag. There is public financed TV, i.e the BBC, which is paid for by the TV Licence fee and which everyone must pay if they own a TV. Then there is a mixture of public finance and commercial TV, which benefits from some of the TV License revenue as well as selling advertising for TV commrcials. Finally there is commercial TV, which is financed either by selling advertising and/or subscriptions.

However, the rub with British TV is, whatever form of TV you choose to watch, you still have to pay the TV Licence fee, so you can end up paying quite alot for the TV of your choice and in the case of Sky TV, owned by Murdoch, they have the monopoly of a lot of sports, so if you want to watch IndyCar for example you will be paying for say Premier League football, whether you like fooball or not.

As far as revenue for sports is concerned, Sky have a very exclusive deal with the FA, the Football Association, whereby the FA gets a big rake off from Sky and there are similar deals with other sporting bodies, however the Sky/FA deal is the core to Sky Sports, so if the BBC drop F1, this is where Bernie needs to make inroads, inorder to secure the TV revenue he requires; should be interesting.

Big thanks for the detailed explanation. Makes a lot more sense now.

Originally Posted by AndyS

Hadn't thought of it like that not being a very tech person. Having said that I think whatever age you are there will always be a market for live action, but you definitely have a point. I'm not aware of any form of motorsport that has yet fully utilised the potential of modern media.

I completely agree that live sports will continue well into the future, it's just a matter of adjustments to how they are broadcast live and, most importantly, how non-TV media supplements them. A move to pay-TV isn't as catastrophic if people, particularly younger fans who may be less apt to pay as younger people typically have less money, have alternatives that are just as attractive to them.

And you're right, no motorsport's gone all-in just yet. A few have tested the waters with online streaming (in fact, there will be no live televised American Le Mans rounds this yea; all online), iPhone apps, etc. On the other end of the spectrum, NASCAR have tried television alternatives; they rebroadcast a typically four hour-long race in just one hour with different commentary and such, and have found a positive response to that as well; if it were available online and on-demand, it could be a really be a success. I definitely see buying races from the iTunes store and watching them on a plane flight or train ride as something on the road ahead.

[Flavio Galtieri]

So as I read it here it's confirmed that if you don't receive a live feed you don't need a TV license. That pretty much confirms what I see young people doing today, no TV connection as such, just streaming via wi-fi from their computer to the TV. So long as it's not "live" it's legal.

The license fee will be gone in 10 years max I bet. Unenforceable nonsense.

If F1 goes to pay TV I don't think it will effect the core audience much at all personally. It'll just be irritating if it has ad breaks.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Flavio Galtieri

So as I read it here it's confirmed that if you don't receive a live feed you don't need a TV license. That pretty much confirms what I see young people doing today, no TV connection as such, just streaming via wi-fi from their computer to the TV. So long as it's not "live" it's legal.

The license fee will be gone in 10 years max I bet. Unenforceable nonsense.

If F1 goes to pay TV I don't think it will effect the core audience much at all personally. It'll just be irritating if it has ad breaks.

You are right it's live feed only that requires a TV Licence.

If it goes to pay TV I'm not sure I would watch F1 anymore, than again it depends on how it is packaged.

[Sodemo]

If it went to pay TV I can guarantee that I wouldn't be paying for it. A bit like my love of boxing now has vanished almost, as almost every big boxing match is now on Sky Box Office, which I refuse to pay for. A few times we have gone around a mates house with beers + pizza as a group to watch some of the big fights, but I just refuse to pay £15 for a fight that may only last 1 round, or just be a rubbish fight. The thing is, that if no one paid for it, they wouldn't do it. As it happens, people cough up money for this and therefore Sky keep doing it, and getting away with it.

[Super Hans]

I'd rather it stayed with the Beeb, but at least if it moved to Sky Sports I'd have another reason to watch Sky Sports. I currently pay through the nose each month to watch a couple of Liverpool games.

[MagnetON]

TV License: From what I remember when I lived in the UK you'll find that if you have equipment that is capable of receiving a broadcast TV signal then you require a license, so:

If you have a TV that has a tuner (ie: not just a monitor), you'll need a license.
If you have a "stand-alone" DVD recorder that has a tuner, you'll need a license.
If you have an old VHS recorder in the attic that has a tuner, you'll need a license.
If you have a TV card in your PC.... get my drift?

[neiltb]

the beeb should just do what the CBC did here, keep taking a bag of gold from the govt every year and start the ads already, push the license fee into the cost of the products and services you buy.

[Flavio Galtieri]

Originally Posted by MagnetON

TV License: From what I remember when I lived in the UK you'll find that if you have equipment that is capable of receiving a broadcast TV signal then you require a license, so:

If you have a TV that has a tuner (ie: not just a monitor), you'll need a license.
If you have a "stand-alone" DVD recorder that has a tuner, you'll need a license.
If you have an old VHS recorder in the attic that has a tuner, you'll need a license.
If you have a TV card in your PC.... get my drift?

I think you are right. But if you have a TV with no aerial (not even one in the loft) or use a monitor and don't use any sort of disk (many kids think cds and dvds are superfluous hence no drives in modern laptops) then you are OK.

I'm pretty sure this is the way things are going among young people who don't necessarily want or see any point in paying £148 to the Gov and £300 odd to Sky just for a bit of entertainment that is free online.

I may be wrong. I am quite often....

[MagnetON]

Originally Posted by Flavio Galtieri

I think you are right. But if you have a TV with no aerial (not even one in the loft) [...] then you are OK.

Looks like they may have changed the requirements then, rather forward thinking of them if they have!

[AndyS]

I assume the Beeb will have a contract and knowing Bernie it probably won't be easy to get out of. Does anyone know how long it has to run? The fact they have mentioned pulling the plug either suggests that they have a get out clause or they are paving the way for when the deal comes up for renewal. Either way Bernie is starting to find out he and his cronies need to get in the real world.

I for one could not justify the expense, I know it's not a huge amount but paycuts, rising prices, an 11 month old baby, nursery bills and my other half now working part time have significantly reduced our disposal income. We are by no means living on the bread line, but we have to manage our finances much more closely than a 2 or 3 years ago and I don't see the situation changing for a couple of years or possible longer. I wonder how many others will take the same view.

I have only continued watching F1 because it is FTA (I know we pay a license fee) and would I'm afraid have to defect to the BTCC on ITV and what is on offer on Eurosport and Motors, which I do have. I'm afraid the show does not justify paying for it anymore. I will be very interested to see how Bernie reacts in general to the changed reality, which is the 21st century and if he and F1 don't if anybody will take the opportunity to fill the gap. In some respects very interesting times indeed.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by Super Hans

I'd rather it stayed with the Beeb, but at least if it moved to Sky Sports I'd have another reason to watch Sky Sports. I currently pay through the nose each month to watch a couple of Liverpool games.

Sheeez man, is it worth even that??

With my Virgin subscription I was going through a sort of streamlining process and had to choose between dumping Sky Sports or Eurosport. I chose the former because there wasn't really any motorsport regularly left to watch and Eurosport had the GP2, FR3.5, LMS and the World Boring Cars etc.

I've often been tempted by Motors but I can't justify shelling out for any more channels, in fact i'd be looking to shed more rather than have to cough up for F1if it went that way.

[Al Weyman]

I wouldnt loose any sleep over it, the show is a bore now. Funny how we have to pay to have club races aired on Motors TV and yet Bernie gets away charging millions for this overated farce.

[Matt]

The fact you need a license to own a TV is ridiculous.

[Paradise City]

F1 is a good sport now and it can definetely improve again. The rule-makers need to stop running into each other like headless chickens and they stop looking over their backs thinking up gimmicks. Just stay calm and fix the aeros.

Oh and Bernie needs to knock off 39 million from that 40 million price tag to keep it on the BBC.

[duke_toaster]

Originally Posted by Matt

The fact you need a license to own a TV is ridiculous.

It's not exactly uncommon, most European countries use television licences to fund public television; in Europe television is generally structured differently (we don't have a networks and stations setup, for example).

[Steve Mclaren Mercedes]

Hope they don't cancel it. Might ask my mate at the beeb to see if he's heard anything! How can we live without the theme tune!

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

I wouldnt loose any sleep over it, the show is a bore now. Funny how we have to pay to have club races aired on Motors TV and yet Bernie gets away charging millions for this overated farce.

And they charge to watch the Premier League, but there are far more goals in a Sunday league pub match. Trouble is no one even bothers to open a thread about club racing to complain it is boring!

Originally Posted by Sodemo

The thing is, that if no one paid for it, they wouldn't do it.

True.

As it happens, people cough up money for this and therefore Sky keep doing it, and getting away with it.

Getting away with what? Providing coverage of events people want to watch?
How do the grounds get away with charging a fee for a ticket? What about concerts? And those pesky cinema and Sky Movies, charging for something that people want to watch. Outrage, they shouldn't be allowed to charge for it.

I have to go before the sarcasm makes my head explode. I'll just have to stick to shaking it slowly in disbelief.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by Paradise City

F1 is a good sport now and it can definetely improve again. The rule-makers need to stop running into each other like headless chickens and they stop looking over their backs thinking up gimmicks. Just stay calm and fix the aeros.

Oh and Bernie needs to knock off 39 million from that 40 million price tag to keep it on the BBC.

Yup Bernie and his mates must concentrate on making the sport healthy, the racing is not what it should be and it is beginning to damage its credibility. They are killing the goose which lays the golden eggs.

Pay TV imo would be the death of F1, it would remove it from mainstream public viewing and kill it. Free to air was one of the best decisions that Bernie ever made, it was brilliant.

Wonder who the liquidators could sell the wind tunnels to? What could you use them for other than F1 and the military who I would think have got their own?

[Adam43]

I think Bernie has always considered making the sport healthy. And, by and large, he has exceeded in that area.