F1 deal: the truth?

[Satsearching]

It appears the F1 deal between the BBC and SKY is under scrunity.

BBC says.....

Ultimately, it is the responsibility of FOM to decide which broadcasters cover the sport. FOM must decide what is in the best interests of the sport, its employees, manufacturers, sponsors and viewers - when choosing its broadcast partners. On this occasion, FOM decided that a broadcast partnership between the BBC and Sky was in the best interests of the sport.

Formula 1 management had decided the new deal was in the best interests of the sport

Ecclestone says....

The BBC brought Sky to us with the idea of a joint contract. It was not us who made that decision

Don Foster (Lib Dem spokesman for Culture, Media and Sport) has wrote to both parties demanding the truth on this deal........

Critics claim BBC bosses deliberately blocked offers from their terrestrial rivals, including Channel 4, by arranging a deal with Sky behind closed doors.

[Satsearching]

Ecclestons retort so far.....

"It is not realistic; he (Don Foster) clearly does not understand the situation," he told the Daily Express.
"We would have loved to have stayed with the BBC but they could guarantee nothing."

[PaphosAL]

We have to be realistic here, guys. On the one hand, we have HMG freezing the TV License fee, so Auntie has to make a shedload of cuts, in order to guarantee their future inflation-busting annual pay rises and Gold-Plated early retirement pensions...

While on the other hand, that Poison Dwarf has to to satisfy his megga-rich daughter's wishes and fund them. So he's wanting MORE from the Beeb each year, not the same, or less.

Sky are just dabbling their feet in the water. Compared to the other sports they cover, they know that F1 is a relatively minority audience. I think their prime interest here is to fill their BIG gap between May and August, when the pubs cancel contracts bigtime, on account of no footy on. Why should they still be paying Sly £1,000 per month for a load of drivel?

Cheers- AL

[renwich]

BBC still evaluating plans for highlights of races Sky will show live in 2012




The BBC is still evaluating its plans for highlights coverage of the Formula 1 races that it does not broadcast live next year - with sources suggesting that full re-runs of grands prix have not been totally ruled out yet.
Although Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone suggested to The Independent that the BBC will be limited to highlights of just "75 minutes of every race", which appeared to dash hopes of full re-runs online or on its red button interactive service, high level sources at the television company have revealed that a final plan has yet to be agreed.
As part of the deal put in place with Ecclestone for 2012, the BBC will show half of the races live - with coverage of those that are broadcast only on Sky being shown later in the day.
As well as a dedicated highlights package on one of the main BBC channels, plans are still being looked at for full length re-runs of the grands prix being made available for some or all the races on either the BBC's online platforms or its Red Button interactive channel.
It is not clear, however, when these full race re-runs could be broadcast – because if they were too soon after the F1 event itself then it could lessen the attraction of viewers purchasing a Sky subscription.
The BBC will not comment on the plans until a final decision has been made.