UK could lose terrestrial WRC coverage

[Plex]

The WRC could be set to lose it's UK terrestrial TV deal amidst faltering talks between WRC rights holders International Sportworld Communications and British broadcaster ITV.

According to this week's 'Motorsport News', ITV's current 3 year deal ends this month and although the company are thought to be keen to extend the relationship it is likely the coverage will be shown on one of ITV's digital-only stations rather than terrestrial station ITV1.

Although a large percentage of people in the UK do have access to these channels, either through Cable Television, Satellite or Digital TV, viewing figures for these stations are much lower than the mainstream broadcaster.

The quality and quantity of WRC coverage has steadily decreased in the UK over the last few years. After an exciting deal was struck with Channel 4 in 2002, promising primetime free-to-air coverage each and every evening of a WRC event, things were looking up. Channel 4's 3 year contract was broken a year early however after they were no longer able to guarantee it's timeslot and ISC desired a move to Britain's largest commercial terrestrial station ITV1.

ITV initially aired the coverage in a one hour slot on Sunday afternoons, often occupying the empty space between F1 weekends which ITV also had the contract for. Although they used ISC footage, the show's content was made independently and unique to the channel. Coverage has however slipped later and later into the schedules and ITV abandoned their own show in favour of the cheaper option of buying in a ready-made highlights show at the beginning of 2006.

The lack of a top-flight British WRC star is thought to have been partially influential in the negotiations.

Source: http://www.rallye-info.com/article.asp?sid=0&stid=5823