History lesson.
ITV racing was a feature in World Of Sport. It came over to Channel 4 because the then boss Jeremey Issacs, wanted something to show in the afternoon and thought the 'fresh air and green of the turf' would be ideal to fill the gap on his channel during the afternoons.
However, as ITV racing was still produced in-house for World Of Sport by the ITV contractor who was broadcasting to the area where the race track was (mostly Thames/LWT, Anglia, Southern and Yorkshire), in the short term the same team produced the coverage for Channel 4 as a '3 on 4 production'.
When ITV withdrew fully, Channel 4 then put the contract for coverage out to the indies, and the ITV Sport team left to set up Highflyer Productions..
Rest = History.
I have mixed feeling about this deal. Yet again, a sports governing body has take the money over visibility. It's monstrously hypocritical of some of the courses to moan about falling viewer numbers with Channel 4, but then agree a new four year deal with ITV which then proposes to move at least 2/3rds of the regular live Saturday afternoon coverage to ITV4.
If anything, ITV4 should be used to do a Morning Line style programme around an hour before the first race from whichever main track they are at that week, then show the first couple of races, move over to ITV for the 6 biggest races of the day from that and a secondary meeting, then move back to ITV4 for the last couple of races and a round-up/review.
Also - what is this love for Highflyer? It was only the increase and improvement in technology that was noticeable in the coverage.
Presentation wise it stood still for many years.
You had John McCrick (who on The Sunday Forum on At The Races, actually talks a lot of sense) but his dress sense and manner made him look like the sports resident clown. Alistair Down droned through his nose about the how wonderful the parade ring looked. John Francome always managed to talk about how it was different in his day, and Derek 'Tommo' Thompson, claimed to be everyone's mate, but they were all to quick to move away from him if they thought his interviews were dragging on for too long.
I've said it before. I prefer IMG coverage. Yes, during Royal Ascot and The Grand National between races there is a bit too much graded film pieces with deafening orchestral music over the voices, but the coverage has been solid. Having the 'studio' (which in reality is a converted NEP Vision OBU) where you can escape the braying hordes in the betting ring, and using the big touchscreen to analyse the last race was a great innovation.
They were on difficult ground to start with.
1 - It didn't help that many of Highflyers 'mates' in the sporting press were only too happy to knock them down before and during the coverage. It wasn't that bad. At least we didn't have Willie Carson, giggling like a schoolboy all the way through the coverage for the past 3 years of Royal Ascot. (Edit - I know Carson was BBC but IMG could have imported him across to 4, but thankfully didn't)
2- Viewing figures were not helped by the RHA allowing on-line book makers to stream races to internet punters if they staked a certain amount of money on that race.
If you are elsewhere in the house, and on-line and stick a £5 e/w on Operation Yewtree in the Grand National, you'll then stop on-line and watch the race there, rather than, in the 'old days' log off, find the nearest television and watch the coverage that way.
I wish ITV well trying to get traction for their new sport next year. I just hope they choose the production company well. They could do no worse that giving to Racing UK for them to do it - as they show most of the main or crown jewel races that ITV will show on a Saturday.
If not, hope we get a presenter with a good knowledge of the sport, plenty of experience of live television, and a cheeky sense of humour.
(waves at Matt Chapman of At The Races...)
Last edited by Hatton Cross on 2 January 2016 6:17pm
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