Dennis backs Ecclestone in TV row

Critics claim that ITV and other terrestrial broadcasters are being forced to accept a sub-standard service because Ecclestone wants digital TV to take off. ITV commentator Murray Walker has cryptically suggested that viewers are getting a reduced amount of on-car footage.

Ecclestone has spent hundreds of millions of pounds investing in digital technology, and Dennis claims that Ecclestone is perfectly within his rights to do what he has. 'It is more complex than the perception that terrestrial companies are getting a raw deal,' he said. 'Grand Prix racing enjoys a high level of return from TV companies, and the teams benefit from that. It's inappropriate to single out Bernie and [his] FOA [company] and say they are giving the terrestrial TV companies a hard time because effectively Bernie is representing the interests of the teams.'

Digital TV companies claimed that the multi-channel programming available to them is not sufficiently different to what is provided on terrestrial channels to persuade people to invest in digital.

'Where Bernie feels he has made a mistake is that he gave terrestrial TV many things that were not provided for in the agreement, like on-board cameras and access to the pits,' said Dennis. 'Digital upped the pressure and said it couldn't differentiate its programming from the terrestrial enough for it to make commercial sense. The terrestrial companies are feeling uncomfortable, but there is no malice in it and it's not just Bernie, it's all the teams.'

He underlined that F1 would always be available on terrestrial TV. '[There is] an absolute obligation that a terrestrial signal be provided at every Grand Prix. Digital is the way of the future. We have to have a differential because otherwise it wouldn't make commercial sense, and if doesn't make commercial sense, then it's not viable and the whole thing would disappear. Bernie has pioneered this programme, and invested his and our money in it. We've got to make it work.'

Terrestrial TV viewers have had to put up with a drop in the standard of their Grand Prix coverage since the advent of digital TV in 1996. As long ago as 1989, terrestrial broadcasters had access to on-board cameras. And as recently as 1994, terrestrial host broadcasters could choose from at least four on-board camera feeds. Now they get one.

F1's constitution guarantees that terrestrial footage will always be available. Mercedes Sport boss Norbert Haug said, 'We need the exposure and worldwide TV figures that are provided by terrestrial, but a combination between that and digital is the way to go forward.'