One of the most English language Formula 1 journalists in Formula 1 is Joe Saward.
I am an avid reader of his JoeBlogsF1 site, it really provides deep insight into the sport’s issues while his historic knowledge is peerless and quite astounding. Always a riveting read and an essential bookmark for those with more than a passing interest in Formula 1.
But at the same time he is annoyingly self-righteous. He regards sites like GrandPrix247 as ‘bottom feeders’ or ‘scavengers’ and regularly has a go at media that do not fit his dated views of who should cover the sport.
His swipes at us ‘bottom feeders’ are inevitably followed up by how ‘top feeders’ like himself are the real deal.
Truth is his views are out of sync regarding how modern news is disseminated to the masses these days. He appears to believe that the 400-500 or so reporters, TV crews and photographers that attend each grand prix are the only ones who have a right to spread the news from each race weekend and beyond.
Truth is that the sport will simply not evolve with such a few number providing ‘live’ coverage of Formula 1 to a global audience of billions.
Liberty Media have taken over the sport and one of their mandates is to improve the show for fans attending races, but also high on their agenda is the liberation of information through all media that cover the sport.
It makes sense to destroy the archaic rules that prevented the growth of new media during the short-sighted reign of media midget Bernie Ecclestone.
By all accounts Liberty chiefs know that there is a huge gap, ripe for development, regarding the manner in which Formula 1 is covered on a day-by-day basis and that the 400 or so ‘live’ journos are hardly going to make a dent in the exposure that is expected of a global sport.
The ‘bottom feeders’ which include numerous sites like GrandPrix247, have to be serviced and encouraged to help grow the footprint of coverage. Therefore a rethink of how to engage with the ‘scavenger media’ should be high on the agenda.
With regards to the bona fide FIA accredited media that descend on each grand prix, this should remain despite the fact that many of dubious media credentials do attend. Let’s call them the freeloaders among the ‘top feeders’ and to be honest they are part and parcel of most major sporting events.
Freelaoders bring little value and at the same time do little harm, while preventing them from applying to be ‘journos’ would take huge resources and time. So easier to grant them access than do due diligence to establish their credentials.
Furthermore, ironically, many modern Formula 1 Media Centers are positioned at circuits with no view of the track at all, and most journos attending the event live watch the action on TV screens. Drive access is also very limited during the course of race weekends and most other times too. In other words media attending races are exposed to pretty much what any home or office bound writer has at his or her finger tips.
Even high quality photos are made available globally by teams a few hours after each session, while team and driver Twitter feeds provide blow-by-blow coverage of everything that is going on throughout each race weekend. Being there is hardly essential as it was decades ago before the internet era dawned.
I don’t care for the ‘top feeders’ as GrandPrix247 is a small operation, with encouraging potential for growth in a market that is now dominated by one news organisation – Motorsport.com and all their appendages, including Autosport which they recently gobbled up in their relentless colonisation of motor racing news.
They to me are far more dangerous to the credibility of Formula 1 coverage than anyone else. The fact that McLaren chief Zak Brown is the non-executive chairman of the organisation is, in my book, a conflict of interest.
But no one speaks out about this plight because there are not many left to do so, that have not been taken over, to deliver pure and honest Formula 1 news like Joe Saward does and as we strive to do.
GrandPrix247 subscribes to reputable news agencies for F1 information, just as New York Times and any other major news organisation does. We also generate our own content, and of course like any other reputable news website depend largely on major websites as a source of news stories.
No news gathering organistaion, in these modern times, has the capacity to cover every corner of the globe. No motorsport outlet has the capacity to cover everything that happens in the sport. Ditto Formula 1. Too much happens for a single entity to have everything covered.
This is the way of the modern world: Have information, publish it and everyone is on it, rehashing, copying and republishing. This is the reality and the modus operandi will not reverse. This is the way of the future of all news, including F1 news. Adapt or die.
With Liberty Media at the helm there is optimism that things will change and hope that they show the ‘bottom feeders’ respect we deserve. Indeed ‘bottom feeders’ are an essential element for marine life to thrive. Remove the scavengers form the ocean floor and these oceans will die.
Therefore, as much as Joe Saward will hate the concept, it is time to liberate and embrace the Formula 1 scavengers.
A good start would be for Liberty Media to consider an ambitious programme to incorporate those who cover the sport, but for whatever reason cannot attend every race, by catering to their needs.
An idea is to create an all encompassig F1 Virtual Media Centre: A gateway of ongoing Formula 1 information provided to accredited online journalists, editors, photo editors and news gatherers. Where interviews, reports, press releases, photos, video etc are available live and in real time from each grand prix weekend.
The physical Media Centers at the various grand prix venues, which cater for the 400 or so ‘top feeders’ will continue to exist, but in the virtual world the extended digital Media Center could cater for thousands of the ‘scavengers’ who have the objective to get as much Formula 1 information out to as many people as possible. Liberty Media will relate to that I am sure.
As important as Joe Saward is to Formula 1 journalism, there are others among us – perhaps not so illustrious – who do contribute to the sport’s landscape.
With Liberty Media – provided they do not stick all their eggs in the Motorsport.com basket or own it for that matter – we will grow in numbers as the sport breaks down the shackles of Ecclestone’s antiquated methods, and when fans eventually realise that the media monopoly that has emerged is merely a puppet or a public relations portal.
GrandPrix247 is a ‘bottom feeder’ packed with great ideas of how to engage and develop the virtual element of Formula 1 media. I am sure we are not alone and collectively we are not going away. For us covering Formula 1 is not about making money (what money?) or click-bait, but rather a genuine interest in feasting on and sharing information about a sport that we are eternally passionate about.
The message to the ‘top feeder’ supremo Joe Saward is: Play nice.
We respect you up there in your lofty world of ‘real deal’ journalism. Quit the disdain and drop the anger. Learn to live in harmony.
And remember that without the abundant ‘bottom feeders’ like us, you up there in bright waters would not exist. Formula 1 is popular because of us all, not just you and your Media Center mates.
Meanwhile to all readers of Grandprix247 who do not know about JoeBlogsF1 – do visit it. Just ignore his holier-than-thou rants, but at the same time continue to enjoy the information this ‘bottom feeder’ works relentlessly to provide you with.
Note: As the Editor of GrandPrix247 I am loathe to linking to other Formula 1 websites but JoeBlogsF1 is essential reading for real fans.
Inside Line Opinion by Paul Velasco
Read the full story at GRAND PRIX 247
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