I've taken the decision to completely boycott Formula One this season (and all the subsequent seasons that the entire season is not available free to air in its entirety) and considering that F1 is a sport I have followed since I was a kid it's not one I've taken lightly. I am so angry that the BBC sold out - years ahead of the end of the current contract.
The coverage was getting good again, after the ITV nonsense (ad breaks in Formula One? Gadzooks!) and having had a couple of seasons of a changing of the guard at the top of the pecking order the racing was quite compelling at times. The BBC team were getting into their stride (the occasionally cringeworthy exchanges between David Coulthard and Eddie Jordan notwithstanding) and things were coming together nicely. The on screen info was good. The driver tracker was a revelation (albeit a few seconds behind what was actually happening). All these things I will miss.
However, I object most strenuously to my TV license being devalued. I already pay to watch television in this country. I refuse to pay more to another company in order to watch the stuff I used to be able to watch in the monthly amount I already allocate to watching television. I am incensed by this cheapening of the quality of the BBC's output.
Half a season of total weekend coverage is worse than none at all. I'd rather the BBC had just sold out completely rather than present me with their half baked, half arsed, completely ineffectual half-way house offering, for which no doubt they expect me to be grateful. Well, I'm not. I am baffled, disappointed, confused and a little upset, in case you hadn't already noticed.
I've been mulling this over ever since the fateful announcement. Despite the BBC being a public service it seems that our opinions as licence payers have been completely ignored, nay not even asked for. There was no vote, there was no seeking of points of view on the matter. This is what we're doing whether you like it or not, so suck it up, peasants.
I don't suppose that my statistically irrelevant teeny tiny blip on the viewing figures will make much difference, but the various F1 powers-that-be have seriously overestimated my desire to pay extra money to receive the same thing.
In summary: up yours, BBC. Up yours, Sky. Up yours, Bernie. Up yours, F1.
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I loved the BBC footage, even though I had to use a proxy service to be able to access the iPlayer's race rerun (and keep myself from seeing the results online). But here in the US we get it from the Speed channel, and everything is really pretty great about it except for the commercial breaks. :(
ReplyDeleteWell, you'll only get the full fat BBC goodness for 10 of the races this year. No, the first race isn't one of them. There's no way Sky would open themselves up to competition on a level playing field on the first race - yet another example of commercial concerns overriding what would be best for viewers.
DeleteApart from F1 ranting, how are you doing?
Tolerably well, thanks. Living in Boston for now, but still hoping to move over to Europe at some point. Or Iceland. Struggling with some technical certifications, but if I can quit being lazy I'll pass 'em.
ReplyDeleteAnd even though the F1 tv situation is really shitty, I'm still planning on attending the inaugural Austin race this year. At least I hope I can.
How's Aberdeen? And your lovely wife?