ITV - A call to action
I found out a few weeks ago that ITV hold the rights to a number of pro cycle races that for some reason they decide not to show. I am guessing endless repeats of Take Me Out or showing yet another Bond film get precedent. Cycling Weekly have also picked up on this and have started a campaign to get them to the races live rather than not at all or some crap highlights show 3 weeks post race. Here is their online article:
Cycling Weekly is today starting a campaign to encourage ITV to show more cycling on its digital channels.
As reported in this week's CW magazine, ITV holds the terrestrial broadcast rights to several UCI Worldtour races, but is only going to show delayed highlights of them.
CW understands that, as part of their contract to show the Tour de France, ITV could broadcast the Criterium International, Paris-Roubaix, La Flèche Wallonne and Paris-Tours, which are all run by Tour organiser ASO.
Currently, ITV4 will show highlights of Paris-Nice on March 26, and they look set to air edited coverage from Liege-Bastogne-Liege for the second year running. Both are also ASO-run events.
Having been the topic of conversation on Twitter recently, CW is encouraging people to contact ITV in support of more free-to-air cycling.
Ned Boulting, who presents the station's daily Tour of Britain highlights programme, supports our efforts.
He told CW: "There's no doubt the will from the fans is there, but there's never been an 100 per cent concerted campaign, and perhaps that will change now.
"In the past, it's either been the Tour de France or nothing for British viewers."
He added: "If the coverage is put out, I'm sure people would tune in and, from there, who knows what would happen next?"
There are several ways of contacting ITV; you can email them at viewerservices@itv.com, write to them at ITV Viewer Services, Gas Street, Birmingham, B1 2JT or phone 0844 881 4150 (5p per minute from a BT landline, calls from other networks may be higher, and from mobiles will be considerably more).
LInk is here http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/519467/call-for-itv-to-broadcast-more-cycling.html
If you want to get these races on TV then please contact ITV and tell them so - if it helps the guy who runs the Team Sky Fans site has made it very easy, with a "pre-pack" form you just need to virtually sign and hit the send button.
http://www.teamskyfans.com/itvcampaign.html
Come on BR lets get some critical mass on this.
Cycling Weekly is today starting a campaign to encourage ITV to show more cycling on its digital channels.
As reported in this week's CW magazine, ITV holds the terrestrial broadcast rights to several UCI Worldtour races, but is only going to show delayed highlights of them.
CW understands that, as part of their contract to show the Tour de France, ITV could broadcast the Criterium International, Paris-Roubaix, La Flèche Wallonne and Paris-Tours, which are all run by Tour organiser ASO.
Currently, ITV4 will show highlights of Paris-Nice on March 26, and they look set to air edited coverage from Liege-Bastogne-Liege for the second year running. Both are also ASO-run events.
Having been the topic of conversation on Twitter recently, CW is encouraging people to contact ITV in support of more free-to-air cycling.
Ned Boulting, who presents the station's daily Tour of Britain highlights programme, supports our efforts.
He told CW: "There's no doubt the will from the fans is there, but there's never been an 100 per cent concerted campaign, and perhaps that will change now.
"In the past, it's either been the Tour de France or nothing for British viewers."
He added: "If the coverage is put out, I'm sure people would tune in and, from there, who knows what would happen next?"
There are several ways of contacting ITV; you can email them at viewerservices@itv.com, write to them at ITV Viewer Services, Gas Street, Birmingham, B1 2JT or phone 0844 881 4150 (5p per minute from a BT landline, calls from other networks may be higher, and from mobiles will be considerably more).
LInk is here http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/519467/call-for-itv-to-broadcast-more-cycling.html
If you want to get these races on TV then please contact ITV and tell them so - if it helps the guy who runs the Team Sky Fans site has made it very easy, with a "pre-pack" form you just need to virtually sign and hit the send button.
http://www.teamskyfans.com/itvcampaign.html
Come on BR lets get some critical mass on this.
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Comments
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mr_poll wrote:Ned Boulting, who presents the station's daily Tour of Britain highlights programme, supports our efforts.
He told CW: "It will be more money for me, and maybe I won't have to go to Kiev to watch Aston Villa anymore"
I thought I'd edit that bit.
Seriously though, Ned and his producers need to realise that there is a really good cycling programme to be made - along the lines of Ski Sunday.
- Race highlights, not just road - track, BMX and MTB too. With proper analysis (see Cyclcosm's 'How the race was won').
- A bit of the Real Peloton banter about the news.
- Interviews with all sorts.
- Some off-beat features (like Inner Ring does sometimes).
- Maybe some techie stuff.
- You could even have celebrities talking about their favourite routes.
Goddam it Boulting. It's not going to be expensive. And it's better than repeats of Minder (and I like Minder).
Coming soon (maybe) - how live TV coverage of cycling could be dragged out of the dark ages.Twitter: @RichN950 -
You are of course right Rich, however to be honest just showing what they have rights to will be a start. Even if they just use a Euro feed and have 2 guys sat in a studio in London commentating that would be a start. If the viewing figures pick up then perhaps ITV can then be persuaded to create (and pay for) something of the ilk you are talking about.0
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mr_poll wrote:You are of course right Rich, however to be honest just showing what they have rights to will be a start. Even if they just use a Euro feed and have 2 guys sat in a studio in London commentating that would be a start. If the viewing figures pick up then perhaps ITV can then be persuaded to create (and pay for) something of the ilk you are talking about.
This is the strange thing. The TdF is one of ITV4's biggest ratings hits of the year, and they have an opportunity to build on it, and they don't (I don't expect anything on the main channels). Many cycling fans miss the live coverage or don't have Eurosport, so they'd appreciate it. Match of the Day shows that people watch even if they know the result.
Let's build this thread with ideas and then tweet it to Ned Boulting.Twitter: @RichN950 -
Emailed."That's it! You people have stood in my way long enough. I'm going to clown college! " - Homer0
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Emailed.
Hope that ITV show the Criterium International, I beleive Eurosport wont be showing it this year?0 -
Thanks Max.
You are right Rich - I often watch the highlights on Eurosport - either as I work (for week long stage races) but at weekend I can be out on the bike or doing Dad stuff.
I think they should hire afx to do some sort of PTP comp. People can text in and make ITV even more money.
I have noticed alot of cyclists have started blogging, either thoughts on cycling (the race radios debate get them talking) or training tips and insights. Surely some of these media hungry teams would be happy to get some Pro's on the air televising such thoughts.0 -
Yep Deal - ITV have the rights, not sure why they gave the Paris-Nice ones up, Eurosport must of stumped up the cash for it but felt the Criterium wasnt worth it????
The issue is not ITV not selling the rights on but why they dont show it - as an example here is this Sunday's schedule for 3pm - core race time.
ITV 1 - Midsomer Murders - (some racist
programme and a REPEAT)
ITV 2 - The Only way is Essex (a bunch of Chav's do nothing and a REPEAT)
ITV 3 - Inspector Morse (REPEAT)
ITV 4 - The Appaloosa (Western from nearly 50 yrs ago - REPEAT) / All Quiet on the western Front (cracking film but how many times has this been screened)0 -
Have you considered that the above repeats don't cost anything to produce? It's all about cheap fillers. Frustrating that they have the rights and don't use them. If only Channel 4 or Channel 5 picked them up instead.-- Dirk Hofman Motorhomes --0
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Not sure what all the fuss is about: ITV4 have shown the following every year for the past few years (as a trawl through the forums would show): Paris-Nice, Paris-Roubaix, Liege (and i think one year the Fleche Wallonne) & Paris-Tours. Usually in a saturday lunchtime slot.
In fact, they're showing Paris-Nice next Saturday at 10am on ITV4.kop van de wedstrijd0 -
blim wrote:Not sure what all the fuss is about: ITV4 have shown the following every year for the past few years (as a trawl through the forums would show): Paris-Nice, Paris-Roubaix, Liege (and i think one year the Fleche Wallonne) & Paris-Tours. Usually in a saturday lunchtime slot.
In fact, they're showing Paris-Nice next Saturday at 10am on ITV4.
But they could show it live! Recorded sport is just not the same. If its going to be a highlights package, they need to show it the same day so that viewers don't know the result.0 -
'tis doneYou're the light wiping out my batteries; You're the cream in my airport coffee's.0
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Out of interest when are the tv rights up for renewal? Any way of finding this out?0
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Emailed, lets hope something comes of it, sick of tv schedule being full of football.0
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phil s wrote:Have you considered that the above repeats don't cost anything to produce? It's all about cheap fillers. Frustrating that they have the rights and don't use them. If only Channel 4 or Channel 5 picked them up instead.
Repeats dont cost anything to produce but often Actors have a repeat inserted in thier contracts (although this is less often due to the need for multi channel 24 hour TV) repeats do cost TV companies money.
If they own the rights to show it how much does it cost to get 2 commentators in a booth in London to commentate about it for 3/4 hours?
blim wrote:
Not sure what all the fuss is about: ITV4 have shown the following every year for the past few years (as a trawl through the forums would show): Paris-Nice, Paris-Roubaix, Liege (and i think one year the Fleche Wallonne) & Paris-Tours. Usually in a saturday lunchtime slot.
In fact, they're showing Paris-Nice next Saturday at 10am on ITV4
Yes Blim they are showing Paris-Nice on Saturday weeks after the race finished as they did with the others, whish is pointless - highlights are ok on the day or the day after but weeks later!!! - show the damn thing live then you dont have to employ an editing crew to edit it.0 -
E-mailed!0
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blim wrote:Not sure what all the fuss is about: ITV4 have shown the following every year for the past few years (as a trawl through the forums would show): Paris-Nice, Paris-Roubaix, Liege (and i think one year the Fleche Wallonne) & Paris-Tours. Usually in a saturday lunchtime slot.
In fact, they're showing Paris-Nice next Saturday at 10am on ITV4.
Is that Saturday as in tomorrow? A week after the event when cycling fans will be more interested in MSR.0 -
Definitely emailing. I love the idea of a ski sunday style show with highlights from different disciplinesSee, because of me now they have a warning0
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If we're going down the entertaining magazine format, there should be a feature called "Mike on a Reasonably Priced Bike". Various celebrities, all called Mike, compete to see who can set the fastest lap around a velodrome. First up, versatile Welsh actor Michael Sheen... which would be a ratings winner, no doubt, because some people might tune in expecting to see Charlie Sheen instead.0
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emailed0
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afx237vi wrote:If we're going down the entertaining magazine format, there should be a feature called "Mike on a Reasonably Priced Bike". Various celebrities, all called Mike, compete to see who can set the fastest lap around a velodrome. First up, versatile Welsh actor Michael Sheen... which would be a ratings winner, no doubt, because some people might tune in expecting to see Charlie Sheen instead.
naaa, same mike each week as well, just ply him with a different drug each time and keep the times on a board
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mfin wrote:afx237vi wrote:If we're going down the entertaining magazine format, there should be a feature called "Mike on a Reasonably Priced Bike". Various celebrities, all called Mike, compete to see who can set the fastest lap around a velodrome. First up, versatile Welsh actor Michael Sheen... which would be a ratings winner, no doubt, because some people might tune in expecting to see Charlie Sheen instead.
naaa, same mike each week as well, just ply him with a different drug each time and keep the times on a board
Or just scrap the Mike bit and the Bike bit and just have a segment where we feed Charlie Sheen a new drug each week and see how he reacts. I'm sure he wouldn't object.0 -
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Good to see Milan-SR on Eurosport today - thats this afternoon sorted. Imagine if it was part of ITV's right, no coverage with some highlights 3 weeks after the event.
Get emailing people.0 -
DoneGiant XTC Pro-Carbon
Cove Hustler
Planet X Pro-Carbon0 -
Apparently the guy who runs the Team Sky website has tweeted that he has had over 300 submissions to ITV from the form I linked in my OP - thanks to those who have taken the time to email direct or use the form.0
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Sent0
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Sent. Just thinking this the other day.
Take Me Out rules though.0 -
Got this response today, I assume everyone else will be getting the same thing:
Not exactly encouraging...Thank you for your recent email regarding Cycling featured on ITV.
ITV is proud to broadcast a range of major cycling events including the Tour de France, Tour of Britain and Tour Series on ITV4. We continually review all our sports coverage and scheduling in conjunction with ITV’s wider programming commitments.
May I take this opportunity to thank you for your comments and if we can be of further assistance in the future please do not hesitate to contact us again.
Regards
Tracey
ITV Viewer Services0
