UK mainstream media coverage of pro-cycling

[Hont]

In the UK, at least, we have seen a huge upturn in coverage of cycling by the mainstream media recently. We've gone from almost zero coverage of Cav's MSR win in '09 to the Mirror (yes the Mirror) reporting on this year's Giro (albeit wedged in between 17 pages of football coverage).

What's everyone's thoughts? Do we welcome it, detest it or somewhere in between?

I think I'm somewhere in between. I love the fact that kids and the general population are getting into cycling and that the sport can be associated with something other than drugs. But I despair at the sheer number of things the mainstream media get wrong and I'm sure that if the GB glory days were to go, so would they.

 

[Strathlubnaig]

The UK media will only cover it to any great degree as long as it involves a major British rider (Cavendish, Wiggins etc and Team Sky in general) Any race where they are not winning / competing well in , will be largely ignored. The big difference is that on the Continent pro cycling is well covered at all times regardless of who etc, which is sad. The UK based media will never cover cycling to the same degree, sadly.

 

[Rasmus]

The UK media will only cover it to any great degree as long as it involves a major British rider (Cavendish, Wiggins etc and Team Sky in general) Any race where they are not winning / competing well in , will be largely ignored. The big difference is that on the Continent pro cycling is well covered at all times regardless of who etc, which is sad. The UK based media will never cover cycling to the same degree, sadly.

As a foreigner living in the UK, I have found that the sports media here only gives attention to ANY sport, with the exception of football, if there are british athletes involved - cycling is just one of many.

 

[yello]

As a foreigner living in the UK, I have found that the sports media here only gives attention to ANY sport, with the exception of football, if there are british athletes involved - cycling is just one of many.

Same here in France. The 4 days of Dunkirk got greater coverage than the Giro in the daily sports round up!

I was amused by a BBC report last week - apparently David Millar is not going to support Bradley Wiggins in the Giro, and is instead riding for one of Wiggin's main rivals It's disgusting! No doubt anti-English feeling from the Scots again

 

[Peteaud]

If it continues to grow as a spectator sport, i.e the TOB then coverage will increase.

Take the 2014 TDF in Yorkshire, can only be good.

 

[oldroadman]

It wold be even better if the TV commentators could actually find out how races work and get it right. Like movement of team cars, when neutral service comes in, why neutral is at the head of the line in some places and at the rear in others, why some people work with others. Sometimes the despair is evident in the voice of the ex-rider co-commentators...that said, Mr Harmon is an honourable exception and does refer to his expert if in doubt, before spouting incorrect trivia as some of the others are prone to do. Mr Quigley...

 

[dragon72]

As far as the media getting things wrong is concerned, have you ever been close to a news story and seen it reported 100% accurately?