TSN Lewis Hamilton Bias?

[Ray]

...Hobbs is a funny ass old man with alot of wheel time...

Sometimes, I think he's high.

My favorite thing about him, besides his sense of humor, is the names he comes up with for the drivers. Bob Kubica, Louise Hamilton, Fred Alonso, Phil Massa, Kazoo Nakijima. He has a unique way of calling races, and it's great to hear Matchett in stitches laughing at his off the wall comments.

[Ray]

Did I mention Bob Varsha is aware that F1 engines rev up to 19,000 RPM? He tells us every quali session and every race.

You have to remember there aren't many F1 fans in the US like the rest of the world. They do that because they have to cater to a potentially new audience. And maybe the producer tells him to. I do agree that they miss things alot, Hobbs and Varsha. Matchett is usually on top of things though.

[Giblet]

Wow that was fast Ray

Still, as often as they cater to the noob, they also need to cater to the people who are in the know, and odds are good that more people watch that are fans that are not.

It's just the balance is a little skewed on Speed.

[Giblet]

And Hobbes making Cat sounds as the cars zoom by.

meeEOOOOooooowwwww........

[Ray]

My favorite was him calling Adam Carroll a dork. Won a SpeedTV award too!

[rghai6]

Also did anyone notice how LH was acting as if he owned the track ? Each time he overtook a slower driver for a position, he would gesture towards them as if they should've let him go and not make him "work" for it. WTH ? He did it to Sato, Davidson and Fisi, even though he took two laps to overtake Fisi.

[jamsbong]

I do agree. the ITV guys were SOO sure that 'evil' Alonso was brake testing... bla bla bla...

I don't like the ITV commentating at all. They support and praise their own drivers and give all the crap --- to drivers of other nationality. They continue to forgive and praise the UK drivers even when they were lining up at the bottom 4 of the track. This is an international sport. Not UK racing.

I think Alonso and Hamilton are fine drivers, full respect! But James Allen and Martin Brundle are horrible

[Conceptual]

On the SpeedTV crew...

I watch them here in the US, but I caught the Malaysian GP on the Star Sports stream on TVU Player, and I must say that I was pleasantly supprised as to the complete and utter lack of anything resembling favouritism.

They were very knowledgeable, had some deep insight, and showed zero bias.

That is a far, far cry from the man/boy love that Peter Windsor exudes from every orifice at every opportunity. The thing I hate most about Windsor isnt necessarily him shining Hammy's knob, but how he villifies the other competitive teams. He goes out of his way to make Ferrari look as if they have signed a pact with the King of Hell just to beat McLaren, and he is even starting to knock on BMW. His comments are very subtle, but apparent. Its not journalism, its man/boy love.

Quite frankly, he makes me want to puke. The best is when people refuse to talk to him... LOL... I will replay that OVER AND OVER AND OVER.... LMAO!

Chris

[RedMaple]

On the SpeedTV crew...

I watch them here in the US, but I caught the Malaysian GP on the Star Sports stream on TVU Player, and I must say that I was pleasantly supprised as to the complete and utter lack of anything resembling favouritism.

They were very knowledgeable, had some deep insight, and showed zero bias.

That is a far, far cry from the man/boy love that Peter Windsor exudes from every orifice at every opportunity. The thing I hate most about Windsor isnt necessarily him shining Hammy's knob, but how he villifies the other competitive teams. He goes out of his way to make Ferrari look as if they have signed a pact with the King of Hell just to beat McLaren, and he is even starting to knock on BMW. His comments are very subtle, but apparent. Its not journalism, its man/boy love.

Quite frankly, he makes me want to puke. The best is when people refuse to talk to him... LOL... I will replay that OVER AND OVER AND OVER.... LMAO!

Chris

I understand broadcaster cheering their own countrymen. Everybody does it. I just can't stand slagging rivals of your countrymen with childish remarks, backhanded compliments or subjective "man/boy love" reporting. It is sickening having to listen to some of their biased comments. I wonder how some of the stuff they say gets allowed on the air sometimes.

Is objective reporting too much to ask for?

[donskar]

I get up at 6 am to watch F1 live on SPEED TV,and can not help chuckling at the fact that the commentators are here in the States (Connecticut?) giving us their "expert commentary" on a race they are watching on TV?!!!

As a side note, Russian River Chardonnay is superb (regardless of the specific vineyard/label) but after a bottle, careful editing of your posts is an absolute essential!

[Ciro Pabón]

As a side note, Russian River Chardonnay is superb (regardless of the specific vineyard/label) but after a bottle, careful editing of your posts is an absolute essential!

... and if you do not edit the post, you do not care. Hip.

[SMP]

I caught the Malaysian GP on the Star Sports stream on TVU Player, and I must say that I was pleasantly supprised as to the complete and utter lack of anything resembling favouritism.

Lets hope this stays this way even if there are Indian/South-East-Asian drivers on the grid (That's where Star Sports gets their sponsorship from).

As a related topic (don't know if I should create a new topic for this), which magazines/publications offer the best objective reporting and analysis of F1? I subscribed to F1 Racing for some time and although some of their articles are really good, it is certainly showing signs of going the ITV route of Hamilton-Mania. Wondering if I should put my money in the Autosport website instead. Any advice please?

[DaveKillens]

Up here in Toronto, Canada, we have two feeds ... TSN which basically carries the ITV broadcast, and SpeedTV. Both, in their own ways are bias. Speed treats the viewers as if they were noobs. They lay on all the basic stuff, details regular fans have been aware of for years. But I understand their logic, they want to keep any first-time viewers.
Peter Windsor is the worst.. and using the term "man/boy" in how he adores Hamilton is fitting. And sickening.
Hobbs is Hobbs, take him with his warts and all. He's also very anti-Alonso.

[Rob W]

Also did anyone notice how LH was acting as if he owned the track ? Each time he overtook a slower driver for a position, he would gesture towards them as if they should've let him go...

Maybe he was just saying thanks when they let him by in a manner which didn't really hinder either of their progress. I noticed it also and he didn't seem to be waving his hand in a frantic manner like some do.. it was more a 'yo!'

I could be wrong but I didn't hear the commentators mention it either.

R

[Tom]

What we really need is a website that shows the F1 with sound but without commentary, or optional commentary. Viewers should at least get TV feed but delayed, by say 5 mins, to avoid the need for a TV licence. In a perfect setup viewers should be able to choose their own cameras and replays, but thats getting pretty tricky. There should be a mic and cameraman on the grid before the race asking relevant questions with no bias, and an option for Louise Goodman finding any driver who has retired and getting their account.

Bernie, there could be a market here, I'd pay for it.