Formula One coverage on ITV: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 22:49, 16 December 2013

Revision as of 14:08, 22 January 2014

Line 23:

==History==

When the BBC lost their rights to broadcast Formula One in late 1995, ITV gained the coverage for 1997. The deal worth £60 million was negotiated by [[Formula One Management|FOM]] president [[Bernie Ecclestone]]. ITV chose to bid for the rights due to constantly being beaten at weekends while the ''[[Grand Prix (TV programme)|Grand Prix]]'' coverage was on.<ref name=walker>{{cite book | title = Murray Walker: Unless I'm Very Much Mistaken | first = Murray | last = Walker | authorlink = Murray Walker | isbn = 0-00-712696-4 | publisher = [[HarperCollins|CollinsWillow]] | month date= September | year = 2002 | pages = 217–223}}</ref>

ITV's first broadcast was at the [[1997 Australian Grand Prix]] featuring [[Jim Rosenthal]] along with [[Simon Taylor (journalist)|Simon Taylor]] and [[Tony Jardine]] as expert analysts along with [[Murray Walker]] and [[Martin Brundle]] as the commentators. The pitlane reporters [[James Allen (journalist)|James Allen]] and [[Louise Goodman]] stayed on for the whole of ITV's coverage over 11 years. ITV had set about focusing their efforts into more in-depth pre and post-race analysis, better camera angles and conducting more interviews.<ref>{{cite web|title=F1's return to the BBC - what did you think?|url=http://www.crash.net/f1/news/144606/1/f1s_return_to_the_bbc__what_did_you_think.html|publisher=crash.net|date=2009-03-30}}</ref> Rosenthal, Taylor and Jardine all presented from a studio with a view of the paddock and the studio was transported to all the races. One feature for 1997 was known as 'Inside F1' where a driver would demonstrate a certain piece of equipment and summarise what the equipment does. There was also a track guide using a computer simulation provided by [[Psygnosis]] also for 1997. The post-race qualifying and race coverage was mainly a discussion between the presenter and the experts going over the key facts of what occurred.<ref>{{cite web|title=A look back at ITV's first live Formula 1 broadcast in 1997|url=http://f1broadcasting.wordpress.com/2012/06/05/a-look-back-at-itvs-first-live-formula-1-broadcast-in-1997/|publisher=The F1 Broadcasting Blog|date=2012-06-05}}</ref> In the same year, Simon Taylor was left unable to broadcast live after feeling seasick during the Monaco Grand Prix when the team were presenting on a yacht that kept moving around.<ref>{{cite web|last=Stephen|first=Duncan|title=Memores of ITV-F1|url=http://doctorvee.co.uk/?s=Memories+of+ITV-F1|publisher=doctorvee|date=2008-11-14}}</ref>

Line 34:

In a one-off move for the return of the [[United States Grand Prix]] in 2000, ITV moved the coverage over to [[ITV2]] as the schedule of the national channel could not occupy the coverage of the race.<ref>{{cite web|title=British F1 fans get raw USGP deal|url=http://www.crash.net/f1/news/36758/1/british_f1_fans_get_raw_usgp_deal.html|publisher=crash.net|date=2000-09-14}}</ref>

The [[2001 United States Grand Prix]] was Murray Walker's last in the ITV commentary booth, having missed four other races that season.<ref>{{cite book | title = Murray Walker: Unless I'm Very Much Mistaken | first = Murray | last = Walker | authorlink = Murray Walker | isbn = 0-00-712696-4 | publisher = [[HarperCollins|CollinsWillow]] | month date= September | year = 2002 | pages = 356–359}}</ref> James Allen moved up from his former role as pitlane reporter to replace Walker in the commentary box with Brundle still commentating as usual and [[Ted Kravitz]] inheriting Allen's old role.

In October 2002, the BBC had prepared pay £175 million to gain the rights off ITV when their contract was to expire at the end of 2004.<ref>{{cite web|last=Bryne|first=Michael|title=BBC prepares to snatch F1 from ITV in £175 million deal|url=http://www.mediaweek.co.uk/news/161047/BBC-prepares-snatch-F1-ITV-175m-deal/?DCMP=ILC-SEARCH|publisher=Media Week|date=2002-11-15}}</ref> In April 2004, ITV signed a six-year extension to their contract worth £150 million.<ref>{{cite web|title=ITV extends F1 deal|url=http://www.sportbusiness.com/news/154356/itv-extends-f1-deal|publisher=Sport Business|date=2004-04-26}}</ref> In that same year, the coverage dropped its trackside studio and the presenters and analysts provided the coverage directly from within the paddock. With the advent of new Anti-Tobacco advertising laws in the United Kingdom that were placed in force on 31 July 2005, it was feared that Formula One coverage would be blacked out because with the showing of tobacco company logos on television, the broadcaster would face extra charges even in a country where tobacco sponsorship was permitted.<ref>{{cite web|title=ITV loses a big F1 supporter|url=http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns13901.html|publisher=Grandprix.com|date=2004-11-26}}</ref> In September 2005, it was reported that ITV had secured Steve Rider's services and would replace Rosenthal from 2006 onwards to present coverage of Formula One. Rider made his debut broadcast covering ITV F1 coverage at the [[2006 Bahrain Grand Prix]].<ref>[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,5923-2061238,00.html "Rider opts for some driver practice]" [[The Times]], 4 March 2006; Retrieved 2 April 2006</ref>