Rachel_Sandford
News Hound
In July of this year, both BSkyB and BBC announced that they worked out a seven-year deal to share coverage of the Formula One races beginning the 2012 season. Sky will show 20 grand prix and practice sessions live, while BBC will show 10 live and 10 in another format, which is yet to be announced. BBC has been covering the races exclusively since 2009 after the rights to air it had been with ITV for 13 years.
While the deal worked out between both broadcasters seemed fair enough, LibDem culture spokesman, Don Foster, raised the issue that live coverage of half of the Formula One grand prix would no longer be on free-to-air TV. Foster claimed that no one was speaking on behalf of the F1 viewers, and that there were other problems with the deal.
Conservative MP and chairman of the Commons culture, media and sport select committee wrote to Foster saying: “The committee has received a large number of emails and letters on the subject. The new licensing agreement for Formula One coverage is a commercial decision for the BBC and Formula One Management.. However, the committee will be holding its annual evidence session with the chairman of the BBC Trust and the director general of the BBC in December. It is highly unlikely that members will wish to explore at that meeting some of the concerns that have been expressed over Formula One.”
So Mark Thompson, BBC Director General and BBC Trust Chairman, Lord Patten will be facing MPs this December on BBC governance. With regard to the Formula One TV rights, a BBC spokeswoman said: “On this occasion, FOM decided that broadcast partnership between BBC and Sky was in the best interest of the sport.”
Apart from the fact that only half of the races will now be on terrestrial TV, other issues have also arisen. Sky, which is working to make their first Formula One season a success, has started talks with some of BBC's commentators and reporters. Reports made by The Telegraph have claimed that BBC commentator Martin Brundle will be moving to Sky for £1 million per year plus thr promise to be the star of Sky's F1 coverage, involved with extra programming and its planning. He is set to take over the commentating booth with BBC Radio 5Live reporter David Croft. Ted Kravitz, BBC's pit-lane reporter was also seen in discussions with Sky executive producer, Martin Turner. Other developments have also fueled the belief that Simon Lazenby, who has been the presenter of The Rugby Cup, will be presenting Sky's Coverage, and Steve Rider will be given the chance to return to maybe do a feature on some of the past drivers.
Though Brundle claims to not have made a decision yet, the situation puts BBC in a tough position. They can either use Sky's commentary or come up with a new set of their own commentators. According to sources, they are considering Leigh Diffey, Speed TV's Australian commentator, to sit alongside David Coulthard.
At present, nothing has been confirmed, though the story is sure to develop before the end of the year.
While the deal worked out between both broadcasters seemed fair enough, LibDem culture spokesman, Don Foster, raised the issue that live coverage of half of the Formula One grand prix would no longer be on free-to-air TV. Foster claimed that no one was speaking on behalf of the F1 viewers, and that there were other problems with the deal.
Conservative MP and chairman of the Commons culture, media and sport select committee wrote to Foster saying: “The committee has received a large number of emails and letters on the subject. The new licensing agreement for Formula One coverage is a commercial decision for the BBC and Formula One Management.. However, the committee will be holding its annual evidence session with the chairman of the BBC Trust and the director general of the BBC in December. It is highly unlikely that members will wish to explore at that meeting some of the concerns that have been expressed over Formula One.”
So Mark Thompson, BBC Director General and BBC Trust Chairman, Lord Patten will be facing MPs this December on BBC governance. With regard to the Formula One TV rights, a BBC spokeswoman said: “On this occasion, FOM decided that broadcast partnership between BBC and Sky was in the best interest of the sport.”
Apart from the fact that only half of the races will now be on terrestrial TV, other issues have also arisen. Sky, which is working to make their first Formula One season a success, has started talks with some of BBC's commentators and reporters. Reports made by The Telegraph have claimed that BBC commentator Martin Brundle will be moving to Sky for £1 million per year plus thr promise to be the star of Sky's F1 coverage, involved with extra programming and its planning. He is set to take over the commentating booth with BBC Radio 5Live reporter David Croft. Ted Kravitz, BBC's pit-lane reporter was also seen in discussions with Sky executive producer, Martin Turner. Other developments have also fueled the belief that Simon Lazenby, who has been the presenter of The Rugby Cup, will be presenting Sky's Coverage, and Steve Rider will be given the chance to return to maybe do a feature on some of the past drivers.
Though Brundle claims to not have made a decision yet, the situation puts BBC in a tough position. They can either use Sky's commentary or come up with a new set of their own commentators. According to sources, they are considering Leigh Diffey, Speed TV's Australian commentator, to sit alongside David Coulthard.
At present, nothing has been confirmed, though the story is sure to develop before the end of the year.
