BBC vs Sky

[raymondu999]

So we're 6 races in and about to embark on a 7th. With 6 races of viewing experience, how does everyone now feel about the qualities/flaws of each team? I find the pre/post-shows to be better on Le Beeb, but commentary has to be Sky. Mind you I can't not watch Sky either - Brundle always has some great things to say during the pre/post-shows

[bhall]

Might not matter.

Bernie Ecclestone suggests free-to-air Formula One could end on BBC

[raymondu999]

I'm not asking about it for that. I'm just wondering who people thought have done a better job so far.

[Cam]

I would offer an opinion on this (as we've gone from BBC to SKY this year) although my posts seem to polarise the lookens peepers. Here we go, tentitively.

Martin Brundle is good. I like him. He knows his $hit and he can look past the other $hit. Coultard is okay but he needs to fire up and do a Simon Cowell every now and then. He is perfected positioned to be the ultimate protagonist, but he won't try the pants on. If he took the side of the driver, come hell or high-water, I'd love him.

The rest - no real opinion. Mr Walkers shoes are large I'm afraid.

I'll go.....Sky. For now.

[Websta]

We get the Sky broadcast here in Australia, but of course it is interspersed with a 5 minute ad break every 7 laps. Comparing it to last years BBC broadcast, it is pretty much identical - they haven't improved it (I can't comment on the pre/post race shows though), aside from the fact that there's a lot less Eddie Jordan and Jake Humphrey now. I can only imagine how the BBC broadcast will be suffering without Brundle, Kravitz and Anthony Davidson. At least they have Coulthard.

Edit: Of course, during the race there wouldn't be much difference between any broadcast because they just commentate on the World Feed - that was stupid of me.

[astracrazy]

Sky is good

At first Crofty made a lot of mistakes and i thought Georgie just didn't know much about the sport. But i have to say both have improved a lot and i enjoy watching it on Sky. (+ theres georgie and natalie...what is there to complain about?! )

& i enjoy watching the F1 show. Theres not much to complain about Sky now.

I saw a bit of the highlight show on the bbc when flicking through the channels one sunday evening and it just seemed like the 2nd best show. They had the 2nd best people for everything compared to sky (except for Jake). And i guess it could be true as they lost a lot of top people to sky. IMO of course, and I haven't watched a full show so i can only comment so far.

[ESPImperium]

I watch the Sky coverage as i can't be arsed with Jordan and Humphry, even tho they did a great job over the past 3 years.

Sky have done a good job for the start of the year, however they are still finding their feet and will improve even further. Sky have taken the commentary team from BBC 5Live which was always a winner for me, however Brundle comes in for Quali and the Race and Davidson goes to the Pod with Thompson for more in depth coverage. Kravits is no change from BBC, however with a camera team he now is more lethal as the tech side is much better. I love Pinkham as she is great at interviews and is learning more tech, and always has a camera as well, making her role much better. In the paddock with Lazenby and Herbert, Hill and another like McNish or Villeneuve he has proven drivers that can see past the bull and call things correct. Herbert is a great pundit as he can give a stewards point of view, which is where Sky are better than BBC in my view. Lazenby isn't as condescending as Humphry for me, he dosnt ask a stupid question, however i just wish he would stop telling us it is in HD and glorious Dolby 5.1 surround sound.

The F1 show is a great, it is showing off even more and is more insightful than what the BBC can do.

I think Sky have it covered in so many different ways the BBC didn't, or couldn't. I think eventually Sky will expand their team, possibly by adding a third commentator and a third pit lane reporter, hopefully by possibly putting Davidson in the commentary team and getting Jennie Gow for the 3rd pit lane reporter would be enough for me.

Sky are here to stay, and i look forward to my F1 journey with them.

[myurr]

Have to echo ESPImperium. Only slight disagreement is a personal preference for Humphry over Lazenby, I just find he has more natural charm. So far the biggest draws for me have been the commentary team and that Eddie Jordan doesn't feature, really can't stand that man.

They've established a great baseline so it will be interesting to see how they improve over the next few years.

[Absolutelee]

I happen to like Humphrey more than Lazenby too...Brundle is great, but for me Brundle/Coulthard > Brundle/Crofty. The first race when Crofty was clearly completely unaware of the tire rules just made him sound like an idiot to me...But then again I'm a newbie to F1

[Red Schneider]

The fact that Croft and Brundle get on well together improves the presentation in my mind. They have an obvious camaraderie. I think Coulthard is still getting comfortable as a commentator.

[SAKY]

BBC is for me best.
they are talking much more and also important stuff so you dont need to reading news

[munudeges]

Might not matter.

Bernie Ecclestone suggests free-to-air Formula One could end on BBC

I'm afraid that's nonsense. Nothing much has been talked about Sky's viewership, or how the Sky coverage is being packaged for others around the world. That will transpire over the course of this year.

Ecclestone is trying to put a brave face on it by talking about Sky's 10 million households, but he's just trying to paint over what he knows is true - you're going to get a far smaller proportion of the total. Sky's coverage of the Chinese GP peaked at less than a million at 887,000, and that is only going to go down and fluctuate over the course of the season. The BBC's coverage was 4.21 million for the same live race, down a million on last year as to be expected really. The coverage just hasn't helped, there isn't any momentum with them not showing all the races live and Sky aren't even making up the losses. There is just no contest.

Basically, everyone has been hurt by this and the momentum built up over the past few years of the BBC building up the viewership for Formula 1 been seriously eroded, if not lost. It makes no sense for Formula 1 because unlike football they are not being funded by Sky subscriptions.

[Crucial_Xtreme]

ESPImperium +1 Although I do like & miss the voice of Lee McKenzie. I also think the F1 Show sort of puts Sky over the top in comparison to the BBC.

I personally think all broadcasts should have access to driver cameras and pit channel radio. IMHO

[zyphro]

Meh, I don't bother with the pre and post race shows; only the commentary. I don't like either commentary combo's, I thought DC and Brundle went very well with one another. Both Crofty and Edwards are far too energetic in the wrong sense, a far cry from good ol' Murray.

I'd side with Sky though.

[Nando]

I think this Sky has taken it to a completely different level.
This is perfect in my opinion.

Only guy i don´t like is the "main guy" in Sky team. If news broke out tomorrow that he was on a rampage, naked, and running through the city i would have just said "told you so"

Very strange guy.