ABC TV should be banned from F1 TV coverage - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

steve adams · 9th June 2002, 21:45

Local ABC TV affiliate (WSOC TV) screws viewing audience in major U.S. metro area....

tuned into channel 10 in Charlotte NC ready to watch the Canadian GP today ... and there's Victoria Principal selling cosmetics!!!!

Following is the letter I sent to ABC and WSOC ...

if anyone knows the best way to contact the FIA and FCC to complain, please let me know ...

9 Jun 02 12:30 pm EDT

URGENT!!!! PLEASE CALL ME TODAY AT phone ***.***.**** in Charlotte NC

To: ABC Sports
From: Steve Adams

RE: WSOC –TV Charlotte NOT broadcasting the Canadian Formula Grand Prix live today as adverstised nationally by ABC Sports.

It is extremely urgent that I speak your EVP of Television Programming at ABC Sports. You can reach me anytime at my cell phone number ***.***.****. I'd like to schedule a concall with ABC Sports and President of the ABC local TV affiliate in Charlotte NC , WSOC-TV.

As I write this on Sunday June 9th, I have a houseful of guests gathered at a party to watch live coverage of the Canadian Grand Prix. We have a core group of loyal BMW-Williams team fans that want to see Juan Pablo Montoya (who won the pole position in qualifying yesterday) race to victory over Michael Schumaker and Ferrari!

UNFORTUNATELY, WSOC-TV in Charlotte is not broadcasting the race! This has caused me great embarrassment and the guests are very upset.

Because of this complete disregard for the viewing audience in the Charlotte metro area, I am seeking removal of the programming director at WSOV-TC from the post as well as a public apology for this ridiculous breach in broadcast etiquette.

I will also file a formal complaint with ABC-TV and the FIA (Formula 1 racing governing body) in the effort to ensure that ABC-TV be banned from being the U.S. broadcast agent for F1 racing for a minimum of 2 years.

It is unconscionable that ABC-TV would secure F1 race broadcast RESPONSIBILITY (it's not a right, it's a privilege), and then have such lax policies that the local affiliates can choose not to broadcast F1 coverage.

Mr. Bernie Ecclestone of the FIA will also be hearing from me via phone conversation. Mr. Ecclestone has stated that a priority goal of the FIA is to build F1 racing viewing market share in the U.S. It would appear that through 1) sheer incompetence, or 2) unacceptable political maneuvering, that one of the prime TV race viewing markets in the U.S. (Charlotte NC metro area) has been sabotaged for F1 racing by WSOC-TV, and possibly with the consent of ABC-TV Sports.

I am also going to contact the FCC concerning censure of ABC Sports for this breach of responsibility to the viewing audience. ABC Sports advertised the coverage of the Canadian Grand Prix from the beginning of the season. I am appalled at this mis-representation to the consumer.

Speed Channel would never pull a stunt like this. ABC did well with the coverage on the GP of Monaco, however, ABC Sports has just committed a huge mistake in not ensuring the broadcast of the Canadian GP today. I hope that there will be legal ramifications affecting your contract with the FIA resulting from this lack of control over affiliate coverage of what is the biggest revenue generating sport in the world.

Again, please contact me asap to schedule a concall with the President of WSOCTV so we can begin the process to correct this situation. Be aware that, at this point, it is my goal to get ABC Sports barred from F1 race coverage.

Andrew2.8L · 9th June 2002, 23:01

Wow. Thats rediculous that they didnt show the race. Its not like you live out in the middle of nowhere either. Sounds like you are pretty serious about your F1. Go get em!

Andrew

Adam · 9th June 2002, 23:33

Steve..that is terrible..they cant advertise that they are showing it and they show something completely different..and to show cosmetics?!!

Your doing the right thing..keep us posted on how your fight goes..

all the best
adam

steve adams · 9th June 2002, 23:50

Thanks for your support. I am very upset about this.

I have registered a consumer complaint with the FCC.

I have contacted marketing dept's at the following major F1 participants / sponsors:

BMW
Michelin
Phillip Morris USA (Marlboro)
Compaq Computer (now HP)

BMW Mfg NA HQ is within 90 miles of Charlotte. Michelin Tire Group's NA HQ is within 90 miles of Charlotte. Both of these firms are MAJOR contributors to the regional economy in our area.

WSOC TV, the ABC TV affiliate for the metro Charlotte viewing market, has insulted BMW, Michelin and loyal F1 race fans.

I am sure that BMW and Michelin can get the attention of Mr. Lee Armstrong, the Gen Mgr. of WSOC TV. Their programming director is history!

Rezf · 9th June 2002, 23:59

This is absolutely inexcusable

I am sorry to hear this. However, I must admit, that since the Monaco GP coverage disaster (i.e. not showing formation lap (jumping right into the race), not showing the trophy presentation and the full post race interviews)
ABC cleaned up their act considerably. Probably, due in large part to fuming e-mails sent by fans, including myself. They actually had a timer countdown to the Formation lap showing on the screen. They also had headlines of intra-race occurrences showing on the screen - "Officials are reviewing infraction of car 24 in pitl lane"

They also had linkage to team radios communicating with their drivers. Overall a MUCH BETTER coverage than Monaco.

farcknorf · 10th June 2002, 00:22

And just how are you going to get hold of Bernie Ecclestone for a phone conversation ?

Seems a little utopic to me.

Good luck.

steve adams · 10th June 2002, 04:42

I was speaking with a friend in Houston by phone and he mentioned the information that ABC was passing to the viewer on the Canadian broadcast was better than the Monaco broadcast....

As to conversation with Bernie, I have the main phone number to the FIA in France from their website and plan to contact them during their business hours on Monday ... couldnt find an email address on their website ... if anyone has an email address for the FIA, please feel free to let me know what it is ...

I expect that the FIA is paying close attention to the US viewing market since it is a huge potential audience ...

Sometimes it's worth the trouble to get on the CEO's schedule ... candid customer opinion is worth something ...

I am going to do everything I can to get this local ABC affiliate keel-hauled for putting a paid cosmetics advertisement on during the F1 coverage they agreed to provide ...

MAVERICK · 10th June 2002, 16:53

Go get'm, Steve!

dwasifar · 10th June 2002, 19:27

I'm trying to work up some sympathy for you here, but I'm having a hard time of it.

Your outrage, if I understand you correctly, comes from your belief that any local affiliate of a given network is obliged to show all programming from that network, or at least all programming that the network advertises (which probably amounts to much the same thing). I don't think affiliates of any broadcast network are under any such obligation. If the program director decides that some other programming is more profitable, as far as I know, they're free to put it on. I can't see how you can hold the local affiliate responsible for what the network chooses to advertise, either.

I think you're way out of line. It's not as if you're paying for something and not receiving it. Broadcast TV is free to you, brought to you by the station with money from the advertisers. Since you're not paying for it, I don't see what gives you or any other viewer the right to demand certain shows. You want to see heads rolling and high-level government action because you didn't get to see the free TV show you wanted. This is not an "extremely urgent" matter requiring an immediate conference with network VPs, nor does it warrant draconian government interference or immediate firings. Get a grip, man - it's not a matter of life and death, it's just a TV show.

Racin' Randy · 10th June 2002, 20:58

Well, from my perspective, I did get to see the race and the coverage was fairly good, with one exception.

Did anyone else notice the total ineptness of Danny "The Corpse" Sullivan????? and the incredibly stupid questions and comments that exuded from his worthless brain and mouth????
My god.......if you pay that much money for the broadcasting rights, then please get announcers, commontators and analysts that are professional.

Spin and Win Danny!

F1Eddy · 11th June 2002, 18:18

I gotta weight in here.....ABC "coverage" of open wheel racing has been a pet peeve of mine for a while now. I've written several emails to ABC Sports over the past couple of years, and of course heard nothing back from them (didn't really expect to -- it just made me feel better knowing that someone might have ready the notes).

For example: (1) CART coverage had been abysmal when they had the rights to that series - i.e. beginning coverage AFTER the race has started (in order to show some trophy award ceremonies for a taped golf tournament that went long). (2) Leaving coverage before CART races were over (like 5 laps to go type stuff) to go to a re-run of some sitcom; (3) Paul Page - what an idiot. Need I say more? (to wit: his comment during one of the last CART races ABC covered that the taped interludes they aired while the race was still running under green, "...sometimes the excitement of the segments are better than the action on the track.....I'm gonna hear about that!" - almost a direct quote).
(4) F1 coverage this year - showing Monaco taped is akin to ABC showing a Monday night football game on tape delay. Would they EVER consider doing such a thing? Of COURSE not (I imagine they thought it was better to air Monaco after the Indy 500 to get the pull through audience - right - after watching nearly 5 hours of race preview and 500 coverage (and a few beers) anyone was going to sit through their abysmal Monacao coverage (except me, of course!!); (5) Danny Sullivan - great racer, cbut ouldn't commentate his way out of a paper bag (read the teleprompter copy at least once before you try to read it live, Danny); (6) I think someone already mentioned the unceremonious way ABC chose to show the start of the Monaco race..........

Getting off my soapbox now. My theory is that ABC was forced by Tony George and Bernie to carry other F1 races in order to get the USGP coverage. They are going through the motions, and it sorely shows.

Ok, now off my box...