There’s a few broadcasting related bits of F1 news that are making the rounds that there is little point me adding to other than what is already out there, but worth me blogging about in one summary piece.
The first point is that Formula One Management produced their first 4K feed over fibre during the Singapore Grand Prix weekend. There’s a video below from Tata Communications for anyone who wants to know more.
Now, whilst I don’t know enough about 4K to answer this, the thought that always comes into my mind is whether 4K is another ‘fad’, and if so, is money being wasted here? Doing a few quick Google searches, the consensus appears to be that 4K is better than 3D (if the two can really be compared). Since Sky screened last year’s final test from Barcelona live and in 3D, the experiment in the UK has began to disappear. The next piece of news from further afield in Europe is that Czech Republic and Slovakia fans will have to subscribe to pay-TV stations to watch Formula 1 from next season. The AMC Networks International Central Europe deal is an exclusive one, including GP2, GP3 and also Sky Sports F1’s Legends series as well.
And lastly, in their bi-weekly bulletin published three weeks ago, Ofcom have cleared Sky Sports over an incident that happened during the Austrian Grand Prix race day programme involving Johnny Herbert and Gerhard Berger. The relevant bit on page 37, notes that Berger uttered the words “fuck” and “shit”, which, despite Herbert apologising at the end of the piece, resulted in one person complaining to Ofcom (not me, for the avoidance of doubt!). Sky said that it “deeply regrets the use of inappropriate language during any of its live broadcasts and takes the issue extremely seriously indeed”, and that the rest of the programme structure was adjusted so that Berger did not appear in the remainder of their live programming. Ofcom considered the matter resolved, in any case.
On a separate note, the eagle eyed of you may notice that I am now a student again, final year undergraduate for anyone interested (more on the ‘About‘ page). I’ll try and keep the blog updated throughout the next eight months, but just in case there are periods of inactivity, that is why!
Motorsport Broadcasting 
Oh that wag Gerhard & his silver tongue ….
Do you remember The Osbournes reality-TV show? It was noted for its constant naughty language, as broadcast in the UK.
Then I saw an original US version: all naughty stuff was censored, so the dialogue went something like this:
“Oh BLEEP Sharon, what the BLEEP are we BLEEP gonna BLEEP do about BLEEP BLEEP Kelly, she’s BLEEP BLEEP BLEEP again.”
Hilarious but unwatchable.
Sorry David, nothing to do with F1 but lots to do with 21st-Century prudishness & spineless broadcasters.
So the poor Czechs & Slovaks join the French in having to pay outrageously to watch F1.
Maybe you could give us a listing of which countries world-wide have stepped behind the PayWall, fattening Bernie’s wallet & losing their audiences in the process.
Good luck with your studies, we’ll wait for you …
Luckily for the Czech and Slovak fans, the Sport 1 & Sport 2 HD channels are available from the most satellite and IPTV providers in the general sport and HD packs. On the other side – these packs are offered separately. So in the end, if they’re going to use both channels, F1 fans will have to pay TWO channel packs.
I don’t think 4k will be a fad. Its the next step for high definition TVs. It wont be widespread for a fair few years yet though, and no broadcaster will support 4k until late 2010s early 2020s I reckon. I mean, it took them a long time to release HD channels after HDTVs came out.
4K is here to stay I’m afraid. As display panels get bigger what once looked amazing at 2k is beginning to look less impressive, hence 4k.
The electronics/broadcast giants have finally woken up to the Apple business model that more is more, even if we don’t need it.
I hope Channel 4 make a bid for the F1 rights in 2018.
For sure 4K is an attempt by TV manufacturers to sell more TVs now 3D is exposed as a bust (again). Unless you have a giant TV or are far too close, the difference between HD and 4k isn’t noticeable, and most people shelled out for a new HD TV at the digital switch over, hopeing to get 40-50 years out of the set, just like their tube-based ones. These people will not be junking their 5 year old 200 quid set to by a two thousand pound 4k set.