ITV

In Britain yes, but throughout the rest of the world Formula One is the third most-watched sport today, particularly in Spain and Japan, behind football and the Olympic Games. Many more Spaniards are watching it as a result of Fernando Alonso's current good form. It's opening up in India (one of the most populated countries in the world) especially since Narain Karthikeyan's become the first Indian driver in the history of Formula One. It is enjoyed as an alternative to NASCAR and CART in the States and Canada. There are now races in Bahrain, Turkey, China (most populated country) and the like.... globally it's massive.

I think that if you read some of my comments in here, that isn't right.

katherine has an awful lot to say about a channel she never watches. a cynic would say she is talking out of her fanny.

Well then let's hope we can all lip-read.

In life, I tend to learn from the examples other people display.... some have been good teachers indeed.....

As a thought here Katherine...

I watch ITV. I watch the BBC. Occasionally I'll record something to watch it when I like it, not when the broadcaster shows it.

I watch what I like. I like F1. I watch F1 on ITV, because it's the only channel to show it. ITV is a commercial broadcaster, and makes money through said commericals inserted between shows. Okay. Now onto my point...

If ITV had the time and channel space to show every F1 practice / qualifying / race session live and uninterrupted, then they would. However, they don't, simply because there's no real need, and not enough people watching to justify it. Because there's not enough people watching, they won't get the money from the commercials. Therefore, they show just the bits they need to to get said money, and satisfy the viewer. Sky's F1 Digital Plus service had the space and time to show everything, but ultimately closed. Why? Because there weren't enough people willing to pay £12.99 a month (or whatever it was) to watch EVERYTHING. Also, a heck of a lot of the press-conferences and so on are, to be frank, boring. It's only the die-hard fans who would / could watch that. There's also still a lot of people who don't have Sky, be it cause they have Analogue, Freeview, Cable or IPTV.

So, when you say that ITV's coverage is 'slipshod' because they show a race that's on at 3am live AND tape-delayed (as per Australia), I don't really get your point. You get to see it live should you want, and if not, it's on later on in the day. Ok, there's not all the extra features, but that's because of what I've outlined above. The only real thing I agree with you on is James Allen, although he has got slightly better since he started.

Oh... and PLEASE change that sig. It's really beginning to grate on me now.

I'm trying to - but need someone who can make animated signatures.. do you know anyone who can help in that respect?

Somehow I don't think an animated signature will be any less irritating!

Will be of totally different topicality....

The announcer on ITV 1today (Sonia i think ) informed us,"in half an hour actress Laila Rouass who plays Amber Gates in Footballers Wives would be on Loose Women it's gonna be a good one ".This was not the case. Do the announcers actually bother to research anything about the programmes .That's one of the reasons i can't be bothered with ITV these days the national announcing team aren't that good.

how about this one kat ...

http://www.andrew986.clara.co.uk/calendar.jpg

I agree with kat, Id be exactly the same if it was BBC Wales, id refuse to appear on that programme.