F1 Sky v BBC Thoughts ?

4T5

4T5

4T5

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Ok so Yesterday I watched the race on Sky live for the first time, I really enjoyed the race & the coverage so watched the highlights show on BBC1 as well. The BBC although only showing highlights didn't even start the race until 12 minutes into the show, Loads of **** montages, Eddie Jordans **** & BS. :mad:
Now I usually watch the BBC coverage & haven't had the two to compare but now I have I can see just how **** the BBC coverage is, All guff/****/BS.

Just wondered if anybody else had compared the two over a single race & what you thought ?
 
Sky for me, better HD picture and 5.1 sound, I don't normally watch much of a race build up maybe just from half hour before and find Sky much better more professional and informative, the BBC seems more like Top Gear going to a GP.
 
I watched a live BBC race for the first time this year at Spa. I didn't watch the build up though as I stopped watching that a few years back. When I have caught glimpses though it does feel very 'Top Gear' style. I'm not saying thats a bad thing, and I'm sure its much better suited to the more casual viewer, but for me the Sky coverage is more professional, all be it dryer and with some god awful presenters.

As for the race coverage, I thought it was dire. Ben Edwards commentary seemed all over the place, DC doesn't seem to engage with him as well as he did with MB, Eddie talking some gumph over the restart, and Gary could send me to sleep. I get that he has the knowledge, but he just isn't a very good TV personality.

Overall I thought the BBC coverage of the race felt like they were a bit removed, just describing whats going on, not wanting to have to strong an opinion, whereas the Sky coverage seems to come from people who have much more passion for the sport. I much prefer MBs style of nailing his colours to the mast on an incident, later being proved wrong, and then explaining why. The BBC just seem to sit on the fence a bit.

So for the race Sky beat the BBC. For the pre and post race I think the BBC have the better produced 'show', but I don't like the content, if that makes sense? Sky have the better key figures and the better content but the show format and production is not quite there yet.

Overall I'm glad I got Sky F1 HD. I was 99% going to get Sky HD anyway for the other channels, but this sealed the deal, and the excellent coverage of the GP2 and GP3 (I think Will Buxton is great) has made it even better.
 
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We prefer the BBC style as SKY seems too clinical sometimes and do not rate the Front man.

From the sky coverage have to say the 5.1 sound is awesome but that permanent red dot on the live hd coverage grates me a lot.
 
Raven8472 said:
We prefer the BBC style as SKY seems too clinical sometimes and do not rate the Front man.
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Out of curiosity, where would you rank yourself as an F1 viewer? Casual, intermediate, or hard core? Do you watch much more than just the race/quali shows, and do you follow the sport between races online and through magazines and things?
 
I think Brundle and Crofty are the perfect combo for the race. Build up I like Ant Davidson's input, I've warmed to Johnny, Damon I'm not really too fussed about.

Front man wise Jake is far better than Simon imo, anyone else noticed Simon scowls quite a bit too?

And as said the pic quality is a lot better on Sky.
 
I've watched a mixture of both and it is nice in a way to have a change. I think Sky does nudge it for me though overall, things like the Sky Pad and other graphics bits they do (carried over from football I'm guessing) is fantastic.
 
I can't comment on the BBC coverage this year as since getting Sky I've not looked back once. It was shaky at the start but they are starting to get into their stride and even Simon seems a little more informed than he was. Actually enjoyed him pressing Johnny about Singapore as I get the feeling he is pretty excited about going.

Over all quite glad I got the Sky but not only for the F1.
 
Skeeter said:
Out of curiosity, where would you rank yourself as an F1 viewer? Casual, intermediate, or hard core? Do you watch much more than just the race/quali shows, and do you follow the sport between races online and through magazines and things?
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Would class myself as an intermediate, been watching F1 since 1987 ish (8 years old) onwards, switched off a little during the Schuey dominance but pretty much watch all the main coverage. Sky Just need to tweak their onscreen team a little which they will do as they are still learning.
 
I like the BBC's build up. Eddie annoys me. I like DC as he is just laid back and knows his stuff, also jake is a good presenter.

SKY is ok, the guys who stand in front of the TV and tells you what you already know is very cheesy. I'll watch either and be happy.

BBCs forum is good.Well not as good as it was last year but still good.
 
Raven8472 said:
Would class myself as an intermediate, been watching F1 since 1987 ish (8 years old) onwards, switched off a little during the Schuey dominance but pretty much watch all the main coverage. Sky Just need to tweak their onscreen team a little which they will do as they are still learning.
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Cool. Its interesting to know how 'into' F1 people are when talking about the coverage they watch.

I agree about Sky, the on screen team have issues (one named Simon and one named Georgie :p), and I hope Sky sort them for next year.
 
Considering the BBC have a 2 year head start on Sky for coverage, I think Sky are doing an ok job. I'd like to think they'll go away at the end of the season and have a good think about what they present and how and decide what to change.

I'd definitely get rid of Simon Lazenby. I just don't warm to him at all. I think Georgie Thompson has got better and isn't too bad as a presenter although she ums and ers a lot. But she isn't needed at the skypad analysis thing. Ant Davidson does a very good job running that on his own.

They really need to think about how they fill the 90-120 minutes either side of the race though. A lot of the time they just don't really seem to have much of any great substance. It's 3-4 guys chatting or the championship table for the 3rd time or drivers playing basketball or sample cuisine from the local town for no particular reason, or playing some buzz wire game. Get rid of that tat and give us useful things like some F1 history of the teams, drivers and tracks, technical features, explain what's in the safety car and what it does and interview the driver, maybe go behind the scenes of Race Control for the duration of a race, follow Charlie Whiting for a race weekend, show how much preparation goes in to getting the teams and cars to a venue. There are so many other things they could do instead of the silly stuff or chatting to Damon Hill.

I think the commentary team are fine and Ted is very good. They should make a bit more of his post race team news run downs. Natalie is reasonably good. There's only so many ways you can ask a drive how it went!

Overall I'm happy to have paid up for sky sports to get it. I don't watch the BBC coverage at all now (except when I happened to be at my parents for the British GP and DC's grid walk was awful as he didn't say anything while he floundered around trying to find people to talk to - MB on the other hand talks about tyres or weather while he finds people) although I think Jake is much better front man and DC would work well on Sky.
 
Kevin Clark said:
Get rid of that tat and give us useful things like some F1 history of the teams, drivers and tracks, technical features, explain what's in the safety car and what it does and interview the driver, maybe go behind the scenes of Race Control for the duration of a race, follow Charlie Whiting for a race weekend, show how much preparation goes in to getting the teams and cars to a venue. There are so many other things they could do instead of the silly stuff or chatting to Damon Hill.
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Oy, Sky, listen to what this guy is saying!

Really like those ideas. Following Charlie for a weekend would be great.
 
Watched a full sky broadcast yesterday for the first time.

I am in two minds about the whole thing. On the one hand I really liked Brundle being back in his (much better) technical support role, that was really good to listen too. I also really miss Ted down in the pits, something about him really makes the pit stuff interesting.

On the other hand I don't care much for Crofty on race day, I liked him on free practice doing a friendly chat with Ant and that bloke from Force India, always made practice worth watching, but he's just irritating on race day.

By comparison the BBC have done almost exactly the same things right and wrong. DC is perfect for the support commentator role, very interesting to listen too and a big asset for the BBC coverage. I am warming to Gary down in the pits as he's very intelligent and interesting, just the think NI accent is a bit much when F1 cars are screaming past.

I also cannot stand Ben Edwards! Just like Crofty he really isn't suited to main commentator role as he just isn't likeable. BBC do have an ace of James Allen and Jamie on 5 live. Not 100% sure what it is about those two but they work really well.

So yeah both have exactly the same commentary problems! :p

For build up, I miss the old BBC (and ITV) stuff with tech intros and all sorts, BBC now clearly don't have the passion or the budget and they 3 palls stuff is getting very tired.

Sky need to sort it out from the opposite end, there were far too many people messing about at the start, too much time to fill and too many chopped up segments that didn't work (that quiz yesterday was the worst offender). Worse still, I do like (and care very much) about past drivers and tragic losses, but that is not build up material. Really put a downer on the start of an exciting race.

Both approaches have identified what is good (some of the people involved) but both have completely missed the point of F1, it is never going to be something that 15m people watch ever week, so they shouldn't bother trying to make it popular because it makes the whole thing look cheap and shoddy. I dread to think what nonsense gimmicks both channels roll out for the 4am Japanese GP. I almost want them to bring back the classic ITV coverage just because it never tried too hard, just got on explained some cool tech stuff, chatted about controversial incidents, showed all the sessions (by the end) and enjoyed the important stuff of racing.
 
Love the sky commentary pair, hate the build up. Someone above said that the BBC approach might appeal more to the casual viewers, but I have to disagree entirely, I find it both informative and entertaining, compared to sky who I think talk a lot of guff in the unscripted sections. On top of that, I think that the BBC's guys are more up to date on their F1 knowledge. The presence of EJ and DC gives a good cross section of opinion, and Eddie likes to play devil's advocate a lot which usually results in worthwhile debate. Gary Anderson's Q1/2 cut off time predictions are the most accurate I've seen, and really helps to keep track of what drivers are in trouble. And their behind the scenes features are usually pretty good insights in to areas you wouldn't otherwise see much of.

With Sky, I like Anthony Davidson's sections the most, and don't bother to watch anything except for that and brundle's grid walk.
 
I watch both, when it's on BBC I'll watch that and when it's on Sky I'll watch that. (I also watch BBC Highlights on Sky weekend also.)

The Sky coverage is far less likeable than the BBCs I think, although this year without MB and Ted the BBC coverage feels slightly too gimmicky in places.

Unfortunately the best combination is what BBC had last year :(.
 
pingwing said:
Sky need to sort it out from the opposite end, there were far too many people messing about at the start, too much time to fill and too many chopped up segments that didn't work (that quiz yesterday was the worst offender).
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That was only part of a far longer and much more cringe worthy sponsors quiz thing for Casio (I think). It's on youtube if you want to see the full horror. All 4 looked like they just wanted it to end as quickly as possible so they could leave. Why on earth big wigs think people will actually like that kind of stuff I'll never know.
 
Like the sky coverage. The bbc races feel like an extenstion of the f1 forum. Too laid back and lack a bit of seriousness.
Love the f1 forum as its the prefect way to send off a race weekend.
Any reports of jake leaving the beeb now the olymipics is now finished?
 
Watched both and the BBC is so much better in every way and you don't have to pay extra for it ;)
 
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