SEPTEMBER 30, 2005

Fun and games in the F1 TV world

A lot is happening in the world of Formula 1 television at the moment with a change coming not only in the presenters of ITV's coverage - which appears on channels all over the world - but also in the production of the show. Although ITV has the rights to broadcast F1 until the end of 2010, it has been sub-contracting this work to a company called North One, which is one of the divisions of a company called All3Media, which was formerly known as Chrysalis Television, until a takeover in 2003 led by former Granada TV man Steve Morrison. North One not only covers Formula 1 but also produces a show called Speed Sunday and covers the FIA World Rally Championship for David Richards's ISC.

The word is that the production company will be changing next year with ITV handing over the job to ITV Production, which is the old Granada company renamed. There was a major reshuffle at ITV a few days ago with the top men being ousted and replaced by a new team under chief executive Charles Allen. These include three new divisional heads. One of these is Ian McCulloch, who was the early force behind the ITV-F1 website. As part of the reshuffle sport comes under the control of Clive Jones, a former chief executive of Carlton Television.

It is against this background that the current team of presenters are being changed with Jim Rosenthal being transferred away to boxing and rumours that ITV will hire Steve Rider, one of the BBC's top sports presenters, to front the F1 show. It is not yet clear what other changes will be made but clearly a lot is going on at the moment.