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Horse Racing on Terrestrial TV |
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#1001 |
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Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hull - UK City of Culture
Posts: 27,235
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I appreciate Chapman isn't everyone's cup of tea, but he is undoubtedly the best option to be the face of racing broadcasting. As someone said above, a key thing is that he understands punters. He is engaging, enthusiastic, opinionated and is willing to speak his mind about things that others won't.
That last one is a primary reason why the usual interests wouldn't want him in such a role. Conversely, Mick Fitzgerald adds almost nothing to the coverage but is completely inoffensive (and he is a decent bloke), so is a perfect option. |
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#1002 |
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Walsall
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Fat Al. The perfect man for the job. Or, when she comes back, lovely Alice Plunkett.
So couldn't do the whole year |
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#1003 |
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Join Date: Apr 2012
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On the subject of Channel 4 pundits, does anyone here find Jim McGrath extremely monotone and very bland with seemingly very little personality?
He never seems to get over excited about anything, yes he has the knowledge but for the viewer he dosent seem to come across with any warmth or character. Found it most odd that the likes of Francome and Thompson got dropped but this guy stayed on, he really does nothing for me to make me switch on and listen to him. Maybe, probably is, just me but just cant warm to him |
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#1004 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hull - UK City of Culture
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Quote:
On the subject of Channel 4 pundits, does anyone here find Jim McGrath extremely monotone and very bland with seemingly very little personality?
He never seems to get over excited about anything, yes he has the knowledge but for the viewer he dosent seem to come across with any warmth or character. Found it most odd that the likes of Francome and Thompson got dropped but this guy stayed on, he really does nothing for me to make me switch on and listen to him. Maybe, probably is, just me but just cant warm to him I much prefer Jimbo to Cunningham but I wonder now they have Mick Fitz and AP if his role will be reduced now. |
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#1005 |
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Join Date: Apr 2012
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Francome didn't get dropped, he chose to leave I understand.
I much prefer Jimbo to Cunningham but I wonder now they have Mick Fitz and AP if his role will be reduced now. Seems like in any sport now if your a big name you have a career on TV ready made for you maybe even at some regular's expense. |
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#1006 |
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Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hull - UK City of Culture
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Thanks Darren, as for AP its just a case for a big name to come in on its jumps racing much like Dettori on the flat and off course Hayley Turner going to ATR.
Seems like in any sport now if your a big name you have a career on TV ready made for you maybe even at some regular's expense.
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#1007 |
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Devon
Posts: 48,013
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Whilst both are excellent, neither have a particular love of flat racing.
So couldn't do the whole year As Darren says Francombe choose to leave as he didn't agree with C4's changes, I always thought he and McGrath made a good pairing. I've no idea why any coverage needs two jockeys to give viewers a jockey's perspective, so AP or Fitzgerald but not both and I'd choose AP. |
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#1008 |
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Join Date: Dec 2004
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I thought AP was really good on Saturday, for what it's worth. Really insightful and a lot better than I was expecting. A lot more relaxed than we're used to seeing him, and seemed to enjoy it.
The Morning Line needs a complete overhaul though with a lot more time devoted to race previews than is currently the case. They haven't got enough time to be dwelling too much on racing news or past races. |
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#1009 |
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Join Date: Feb 2010
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The biggest thing that frustrates me about both channels is how they work with the fixture list compilers.
Nothing worse than during Cheltenham festival week when after the race of the day RUK have to go straight over to Huntingdon. At the same time ATR have no meetings in the afternoon. Then during the Punchestown festival ATR send Chapman over and his interviews are hardly played out because they have Newton Abbott or something similar to squeeze in alongside the adverts. So basically ATR and RUK should work it that for the main festivals there are no other meetings to cover. There are enough blank days for them to get the BHA and other courses to swap. Quote:
Similarly when a channel has no fixtures...........RUK has no meetings today and none tomorrow. No live racing for 2 days
ATR has 3 meetings today and 4 tomorrow There must be other days when RUK has 3 or 4 and ATR just 1 or none You'd think TV coverage is something the Fixture compilers would bear in mind Quote:
As Darren says Francombe choose to leave as he didn't agree with C4's changes, I always thought he and McGrath made a good pairing.
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#1010 |
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Join Date: Mar 2007
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Fat Al. The perfect man for the job. Or, when she comes back, lovely Alice Plunkett.
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#1011 |
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: Liverpool UK not EU !
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It's simple the jockey club racecourses and RUK are so up their own backsides they do not care about the man on the street.
Chapman is by far the best presenter for racing. Entertains, knows his stuff and is not slow in asking the proper questions the viewers want asked. Maybe he will front the racing when ITV win the next contract? At this moment in time it does seem that ITV could well end up with horse racing rights, however the BBC which has lost the rights to show the Open Golf Championship and The Voice UK might be tempted to bid for horse racing and hopefully at least end up with the rights to show The Grand National. |
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#1012 |
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 218
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It's by no means certain ( as Jamie Jay has suggested ) that ITV will win the rights to show horse racing. I remember it was in 2006 if my memory serves me well that the rights to show FA Cup TV coverage were up for auction. The BBC seemed to be favourites to win those rights until ITV which at that time had Michael Grade as it's network Chairman put in a late bid and ended up showing FA Cup coverage.
At this moment in time it does seem that ITV could well end up with horse racing rights, however the BBC which has lost the rights to show the Open Golf Championship and The Voice UK might be tempted to bid for horse racing and hopefully at least end up with the rights to show The Grand National. At least with ITV winning you would see the smaller fixtures on ITV4 potentially. If they want to boost the coverage then move the big summer meetings to the evening and get Ant and Dec to host. Would upset the purist who can watch RUK but certainly draw in loads of viewers. |
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#1013 |
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Walsall
Posts: 1,716
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Quote:
On the subject of Channel 4 pundits, does anyone here find Jim McGrath extremely monotone and very bland with seemingly very little personality?
He never seems to get over excited about anything, yes he has the knowledge but for the viewer he dosent seem to come across with any warmth or character. Found it most odd that the likes of Francome and Thompson got dropped but this guy stayed on, he really does nothing for me to make me switch on and listen to him. Maybe, probably is, just me but just cant warm to him The morning line has a lot of knockers, things id change would include getting rid of the endless stream of bookies stooges, hardly any differ anyway. I'd have four on the sofa. The jockey, the form expert, the betting expert (Tanya mainly) and a bookie with a genuine opinion (Banks springs to mind) The rest of the format is simple, preview the days big races. Its what we want. |
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#1014 |
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Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,793
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Down is great when doing special segments, but I don't think he's the right person to front it. I don't mind Alice either, but again, I don't see her as a lead presenter. I don't think she's particularly impressive when she fronts TML.
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It's by no means certain ( as Jamie Jay has suggested ) that ITV will win the rights to show horse racing. I remember it was in 2006 if my memory serves me well that the rights to show FA Cup TV coverage were up for auction. The BBC seemed to be favourites to win those rights until ITV which at that time had Michael Grade as it's network Chairman put in a late bid and ended up showing FA Cup coverage.
At this moment in time it does seem that ITV could well end up with horse racing rights, however the BBC which has lost the rights to show the Open Golf Championship and The Voice UK might be tempted to bid for horse racing and hopefully at least end up with the rights to show The Grand National. ![]() Quote:
Channel 4 have said in the past they will drop all racing if they don't get Cheltenham. I believe but may be wrong that they put all the Crown Jewels together for the last round of bidding. So the thought of BBC taking Cheltenham would see channel 4 pull out and no terrestrial racing on the smaller weekends.
At least with ITV winning you would see the smaller fixtures on ITV4 potentially. If they want to boost the coverage then move the big summer meetings to the evening and get Ant and Dec to host. Would upset the purist who can watch RUK but certainly draw in loads of viewers. In my opinion, showing racing 52 weeks a year is no longer sustainable. |
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#1015 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 106
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In my opinion, showing racing 52 weeks a year is no longer sustainable. |
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#1016 |
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 218
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It would appear to be sustainable at present, you only have to watch the plethora of 'gambling' adverts throughout the show on C4 to see they must be making some good money from advertisers, they even do PIP adverts as the horses are guided in to the stalls to squeeze a few more in.
The average punter, which would include my dad, does not care if he gets his winner in a seller at fontwell of a graded hurdle at aintree. |
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#1017 |
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Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 3,924
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It was always traditional to show 2 meetings every Saturday and that is how it should be , 4 from one and 3 from the other, all people want to see are the races anything else is superfluous especially as most are channel hopping to keep in touch with the football on SKY
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#1018 |
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Walsall
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I always thought it was a mistake to lose the link to the scoop 6.
A TV bet always gives the afternoon a narrative. |
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#1019 |
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Join Date: Jan 2006
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Quote:
I always thought it was a mistake to lose the link to the scoop 6.
A TV bet always gives the afternoon a narrative. |
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#1020 |
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Join Date: Mar 2007
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Where were you between 2009-2012? Both were the main anchors for the jump racing.
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#1021 |
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#1022 |
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Join Date: Apr 2012
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For the like of me I really cant understand why the BBC wouldn't bid for the biggest meetings. If its true and they may lose the formula 1 rights then any racing rights would be peanuts in comparison. |
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#1023 |
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Walsall
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That's how I read it too. Redvers is an outspoken character, but a very big name in the game. This is an interesting turn of events
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#1024 |
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Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 726
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The drift of this piece though is that C4 is paying too much attention to betting, whereas my feeling like some others above is that this aspect has if anything been reduced, particularly on The Morning Line.
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#1025 |
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Walsall
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The morning lines problems highlighted today. Paul Nicholls looked uninterested and like he'd rather be somewhere else, presumably because Spencer was just asking banal questions, and Cunningham was his fawning usual self.
Why on earth is she presenting on such a big day? And the betting was very minimal this morning. |
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