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F1 publications profiteering from negativity


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#1 slideways

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Posted 21 August 2014 - 05:40

As it happens, the 2014 season has been gripping, but the amount of moaning from the more vocal parts of the sport's fanbase suggests that it isn't good enough. If this is a representative view (and proper research is needed to ensure that it's not just the more noisy feedback that is listened to), how can F1 ensure that its on-track product meets those expectations?

 
This recent quote from Autosport editor Edd Straw, in an 'exclusive' (paid) feature hyping the concept of a reverse grid, really ticked me off. It's not the first time he has accused his readers of moaning about 2014, in fact he was doing it as early as January of this year. Not only is it unprofessional journalism, it's hypocritical.
 
After seeing him at it once again I decided to quickly skim the articles he has edited this year from the page listing the 2014 Autosport+ Features, and collate the ones that focused in some way on negative aspects of F1, or promoted the idea that there may be problems. This does not include daily news articles, podcasts or other content.
 
It quickly became apparent that there was a pattern of prolonging the focus on various negative topics on F1, as well as a move towards click bait negative article titles. In fact I only found one week this year in which there was no mention of some negative aspect or other being in the spotlight. 
 
Despite including them in this list as part of my point, I am a huge fan of Dieter Rencken's work. I am not arguing against his approach or style of journalism. Just the disgusting hypocritical stance taken by an editor and publication towards their readers after spending the year profiteering on negativity.
 
Sorry to the mods if they think this is the wrong forum for this post, but I thought that the RC community may like to weigh in on the question of how responsible the F1 publications are for compounding the negativity surrounding the sport we so love.
 
 
 
Week 1
 
02/01 What we'd change about F1
 
Week 2 
 
10/01 How to stop pay drivers taking over
10/01 Kneejerk calls won't solve F1's ills
14/01 Should F1 use reversed grids
 
Week 3
 
16/01 F1 must forget double points
18/01 Another fine illusion from Bernie?
 
Week 4
 
23/01 Don't judge F1 2014 by its looks
24/01 Winter drama changing the face of F1
26/01 F1 2014 tech: Aero controversy
28/01 Why 'Formula Farce' won't last long
 
Week 5
 
04/02 Are 2014 F1 cars the ugliest ever?
05/02 F1 had to change - deal with it
 
Week 6
 
06/02 Louder isn't better in Formula 1
07/02 Why the Jerez test should have been private
12/02 Time to bring back qualifying tyres
 
Week 7
 
14/02 Don't blame Vettel for viewer switch-off
 
Week 8
 
20/02 Time for F1 to embrace alternative media
21/02 F1 will miss FOTA more than it knows
21/02 F1 2014 is not too slow
24/02 There's no excuse for F1 to be ugly
 
Week 9
 
28/02 Todt's vision for the future of motorsport (The head of the governing body and Rencken discuss in depth issues with the sport)
 
Week 10
 
06/03 F1 2014: Don't fear the new world
07/03 Key F1 decisions made behind closed doors
 
Week 11
 
13/03 Melbourne won't set the 2014 tone
14/03 The changes that shook up F1 during the winter
 
Week 12
 
20/03 F1 must never be afraid to disqualify drivers
21/03 The irony of F1's noise criticism
 
Week 13
 
27/03 The point engine sound critics are missing
28/03 F1's impossible cost-cut deadline
01/04 Why F1 needs team orders
 
Week 14
 
08/04 Is Bernie trying to buy F1 back?
08/04 F1 can focus on real problems
 
Week 15
 
10/04 Could F1 thrill every single time?
15/04 Formula 1's unfair revenue sharing
 
Week 16 
 
17/04 Don't slam Mercedes if it all goes wrong
 
Week 17
 
29/04 F1's dissenters prepare for battle
 
Week 18
 
06/05 Will the Russian Grand Prix happen?
07/05 F1 risks creating Frankenstein's monster (lol)
 
Week 19
 
14/05 F1's GP promoters miss their chance
14/05 F1 is making an easy thing difficult
 
Week 20
 
20/05 Formula 1's cost-cutting conundrum
 
Week 21
 
22/05 Trumpet should be last word in F1 noise row
27/05 Formula 1's sponsorship challenges
 
Week 22
 
02/06 Why F1 needs half the downforce
03/06 What F1 can learn from Manchester United
 
Week 23
 
05/06 F1 needs to wake up to new media world
 
Week 24
 
13/06 F1 inequality is starting to bite on track
17/06 Why F1's cost-cutting proposals fall short
18/06 What F1 can learn from Le Mans
 
Week 25
 
19/06 The biggest threat to the 2014 F1 season
19/06 F1 chassis rules too limited
24/06 How F1 can sort its cost crisis
25/06 How to make drivers make mistakes
 
Week 26
 
26/06 Austria revived F1's feel-good factor
01/07 F1's flawed governance structure
01/07 Is a Formula 1 breakaway the answer?
02/07 The real secret of F1 success
 
Week 27
 
03/07 The one change F1 needs to make
08/07 Red Bull Ring showed up Silverstone's flaws
 
Week 28
 
10/07 The hidden agenda behind the return of F1 sparks
15/07 The race for ownership of F1
16/07 F1 tyre decision is just the tip of the iceberg
 
Week 29
 
17/07 Why F1 stars have lost their mystique
22/07 F1's dangerous rules precedent
22/07 Has Germany fallen out of love with F1?
23/07 Why Formula 1 does matter
 
Week 30
 
All articles were focused and on point with relevant sporting, technical or social topics. Plus that fictional ghost written secret mechanic thing that I don't think anyone reads. Huzzah! 
 
Week 31
 
31/07 Formula 1's definition of insanity
04/08 What Newey's move says about F1
 
Week 32
 
08/04 Are the teams holding F1 back?
12/08 F1 standing restarts are a mistake
 
Week 33 (current)
 
15/08 The Ecclestone trial unravelled
20/08 Reverse grids would guarantee F1 action
 
 
 


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#2 Risil

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Posted 21 August 2014 - 07:29

I think you're right that there's something bigger going on than just a few whining fans on messageboards. I reckon we're seeing a backlash towards the idea that with a few changes to the rules making it easier to overtake, we can have the Gilles Villeneuve/Ayrton Senna/2000s MotoGP spectacle we all want. Instead, many of the same things we were discontented at continued to happen, or got worse.

 

Anyway, when F1 is run by profiteering venture capitalists who see me only as a consumer to squeeze money out of, I reserve the right to be negative. Treat people like monkeys and you get a zoo.



#3 KirilVarbanov

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Posted 21 August 2014 - 07:29

It is very simple - to attract audience. Everybody does it. Maybe it's not a good practice, but I can tell you that earning money in the F1 world, compared to the license fees you have to pay, is very hard. 
 

The next thing you get used when reading or writing a lot is the Betteridge's law of headlines. Any headline that ends with question mark can likely be answered by the word No. I'm sure this is the case with these articles as well. So, nothing unusual. 



#4 Lazy

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Posted 21 August 2014 - 07:33

He might be hypocritical, but he's right. Maybe he had a crisis of conscience and has decided to mend his ways   :)


Edited by Lazy, 21 August 2014 - 07:35.


#5 aguri

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Posted 21 August 2014 - 07:52

The fundamental problem is that the FIA are changing all the wrong rules in the wrong way at the wrong time and it takes away from the legitimacy of the sport.

 

Turbo engines are great - why couldn't we have some big rear tyres to match the torque they produce? Likewise why couldn't we keep engine development open for a season or two so one engine isn't totally dominant.

 

How about a more even revenue split so some midfield teams can win a race every now and then and build a fan base?



#6 johnmhinds

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Posted 21 August 2014 - 08:19

The fundamental problem is that the FIA are changing all the wrong rules in the wrong way at the wrong time and it takes away from the legitimacy of the sport.

 

Turbo engines are great - why couldn't we have some big rear tyres to match the torque they produce? Likewise why couldn't we keep engine development open for a season or two so one engine isn't totally dominant.

 

How about a more even revenue split so some midfield teams can win a race every now and then and build a fan base?

 

Because the FIA wants the teams to "save money".

 

While they introduce new expensive areas of development every year and we watch the engine costs go through the roof.....



#7 F1matt

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Posted 21 August 2014 - 15:43

Are they profiteering from negativity or using their position to highlight the problems to their readers and to try and save the sport from eating itself like most people on the outside can see happening? 



#8 Nemo1965

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Posted 21 August 2014 - 16:00

Well, if magazines are negative about the modern F1 (which, in my opinion they are) they relfect the attitude of the die-hard fans (if these are represented well by the good folks on these fora).

 

I have to say that F1 2014 is one of the best F1 seasons I've seen in my whole life of watching F1... and I've been watching since I was five or so... 



#9 F1EC

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Posted 21 August 2014 - 16:20

Well, if magazines are negative about the modern F1 (which, in my opinion they are) they relfect the attitude of the die-hard fans (if these are represented well by the good folks on these fora).

 

I have to say that F1 2014 is one of the best F1 seasons I've seen in my whole life of watching F1... and I've been watching since I was five or so... 

 

With respect, aren't you contradicting yourself here? If you're a die-hard fan and are enjoying the current season, are magazines representing your views when they're negative about modern F1?  Or have I misunderstood what you're saying, and you're not a die-hard fan?



#10 Buttoneer

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Posted 21 August 2014 - 16:22

 

Sorry to the mods if they think this is the wrong forum for this post, but...
 

It is, so it's closed, sorry.  You have a PM.