Horse Racing Coverage: you are the producer

[Tal]

http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse-racing/fitzgerald-latest-to-land-prize-role-on-itv-racing-team/2147110/top/#newsArchiveTabs=last7DaysNews

I knew they'd employ him. You only have to look at his recent form to see why he got the nod. The bookies got this one all wrong.

[Doobs]

http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse-racing/fitzgerald-latest-to-land-prize-role-on-itv-racing-team/2147110/top/#newsArchiveTabs=last7DaysNews

I knew they'd employ him. You only have to look at his recent form to see why he got the nod. The bookies got this one all wrong.

V good tal

[Simon Galloway]

Might be a lol sample, but anything he tips up BEFORE the off is pretty much an auto-lay?

[Dewi_cool]

So what are thoughts on the new production?

[Marky147]

I like it. Especially Lucy

[Marky147]

In all seriousness, I think they've done a good job.

I'd have preferred they left Micky Fitz on ATR, and brought Nick Luck over, but on the most part it's good.

[bobby1]

I didn't watch the Saturday morning Opening show until last night but I just didn't get it. What's the point of a preview show to whet the appetite that only covers one race in any real depth and then only really talks about the studio guests mount in the big handicap of the day?

Very little betting news in the preview too.

It was more a magazine type show that could have been aired at any time or day of the week if you took that 10 minutes out of the show.

I really like Oli Bell, Harvey is maybe too excited for his own good but he's like a kid that gets paid to do summit he loves so can't fault him too much and tbf he nailed the race he talked about too. They had a weather girl on that actually talked about the weather but they didn't really attach that to the going at the meetings or possible going changes that weather might bring. She just said it might rain at A and will be foggy at B.

On New Year's Day I flicked over from RacingUK on the off of a race just to see how it was covered on ITV, why would anyone that has RacingUK chose to watch a race about 6-7 seconds delayed on ITV instead of live on RacingUK?

I turned str8 back over and haven't been back yet.

[Marky147]

At a guess. I think they're aiming to attract people who know about as much as I do about racing, and leaving the more specialist stuff to the other 2 channels.

As for viewing, I've got RUK now, but never had previously, and will pick the channel dependent on who is working. I like Mellish & Hislop, but can't abide Nevison.

[Karabiner]

I've not been impressed with the new show so far either -  and there seem to be quite a few glitches causing dodgy handovers and loss of sound in stark contrast to the smooth Highflyer productions I've grown accustomed to with Ch4.

I'm also intrigued as to how they plan to increase the number of viewers while hiding the show away on ITV4.

5/10

[arbboy]

The reality is in 2017 horse racing is such a niche sport that is TV gambling adverts were banned there probably wouldn't even be coverage on a mainstream channel.  In a similar manner Sky sports are PAID by BAGS and the greyhound board to show the live sky meetings to give the declining sport a show window to the bigger public outside of the immediate industry.  Sky don't pay a penny towards the cost of producing the show as they know they all the power and said they would simply drop Sky dogs show unless what they demanded happened.  The numbers just wouldn't add up outside of the big 4 or 5 festivals annually for horse racing hence why it is on ITV4 and not ITV.  It is hardly like Saturday afternoon is over flowing with top quality programmes on ITV anyway on a typical week.

In turn ITV have to dance to the tune of the piper the sponsors of the show Hills and that means not much discussion of the exchanges which is where the prices are formed.  Having Champan in the betting ring in 2017 is pointless because all he is doing is reporting on on course bookmakers being a slave to the machine.  With hills sponsoring the show though they have to convince their potential customers that the betting ring does still rule the roost in 2017 and not the exchanges.

It would be much more interesting if Chapman went into the hospitality boxes of the in running on course boys at the track using the fast pictures to see how the betting market really works in 2017.

Ed C is a true pro surrounded by a bunch of novices tbh.  Still can't believe he left being the main man on Sky sports for this gig.  Amazing.

[Marky147]

Loves racing more than he loves money and football, I guess.

[arbboy]

Loves racing more than he loves money and football, I guess.

He might have even had a pay rise you never know.  I always got the impression he wasn't paid inline with the Gary Nev's/Henry etc for the great job he did quietly fronting the show for years whilst others took the spotlight.   Barring a Keys/Gray moment it was a job for life though surely?  Certainly can't say that about ITV racing!

[Marky147]

Can't see he's getting more for this, than he got for fronting a massive show on Sky, even though I'd definitely think you're right on him being paid a fair whack less than the ex players.

He wrote a piece on for Sporting Life shortly after he was named, and said it wasn't even a hard decision. Racing is top for him, and he said on one of the podcasts that his first job was at a bookies. Think he joked about being terrible at it, and moving on pretty quickly

Guess he's pretty confident he could hop back over if it doesn't work out with the racing?

[redsimon]

I've not been impressed with the new show so far either -  and there seem to be quite a few glitches causing dodgy handovers and loss of sound in stark contrast to the smooth Highflyer productions I've grown accustomed to with Ch4.

I'm also intrigued as to how they plan to increase the number of viewers while hiding the show away on ITV4.

5/10

stopped using Highflyer in 2012?

I thought it was Ok so far , the big meetings will be the crunch though.

[Karabiner]

I've not been impressed with the new show so far either -  and there seem to be quite a few glitches causing dodgy handovers and loss of sound in stark contrast to the smooth productions I've grown accustomed to with Ch4.

I'm also intrigued as to how they plan to increase the number of viewers while hiding the show away on ITV4.

5/10

stopped using Highflyer in 2012?

I thought it was Ok so far , the big meetings will be the crunch though.

FMP