Sky Racing

[bacco007]

Not recently

[Jack_Laverty]

Are you talking about Sky thoroughbred central? There was a channel called Sky racing world a long time ago so I guess they decided to change it back to the way it was?

[melbviewer]

Any update on SKY 1 going HD on Foxtel?

[TC25]

Not unless Tabcorp pay for it

[greenpea]

…and DAZN want to provide and broadcast it.

[melbviewer]

Maybe the new owners will invest.

[Jack_Laverty]

Wasn’t there talk of Stan Sport Getting the Sky Racing channels?

[JohnsonTV]

Ep 11 - Reins of power - Media Watch

[WAtvVideos]

Now in HD on Foxtel.

[Jack_Laverty]

Why does it only say Sky Racing 1 in HD? Nothing about Sky racing 2?

[SamuelGS]

I was watching Sky Racing (via IP) on my IQ5 a few hours ago but didn’t notice whether it was SD or HD. Will have to check in the morning.

[BigVic]

Nothing yet via satellite

[melbviewer]

Haven’t had a chance to check yet. I have satellite. If that’s true it’s very exciting.

[SamuelGS]

Still SD on my IQ5 via IP.

I imagine the HD feed is on the satellite for testing prior to being made available to subscribers.

[oethesaint]

Still SD on my IQ4 via satellite

[melbviewer]

Wonder if you need to reboot your box?

[WAtvVideos]

@SamuelGS

I imagine the HD feed is on the satellite for testing prior to being made available to subscribers.

Looking that way. Normally they make new channels available immediately when they show up on a scan. I wonder what the hold up is?

[AddictedtoTV]

I’ve always wondered why Sky Racing is only on Foxtel and not Kayo? It is already on Foxtel Go/Now so wouldn’t it be the same rights or no?

[SamuelGS]

A bit of a reduction in Sky Racing’s commentary ranks.

Sky Reveals Major Shake-Up To Calling Ranks - Greyhound Recorder

Long-serving Queensland caller Josh Fleming, senior NSW greyhound caller Matt Jackson and much travelled SA broadcaster Brett Davis will all leave the business.

In a further shake-up, respected Tasmanian race caller Colin McNiff, who in February called his 35th consecutive Hobart Cup, will also depart following a long and decorated career.

Gerard Daffy will also call time on his long association with Tabcorp, as will Nicole Thomas who in recent years has been integral to the brand’s media division.

The article goes on to state the decision came as a surprise even to those being let go and…

A Sky Racing spokesperson said on Wednesday that the changes reflected “a simpler and more efficient broadcasting model” which “forms part of a broader modernisation of the network”.

Which is probably corporate-speak for more races being called remotely, especially small meetings. It’s already a well-established practice for covering some race meetings at Sky, especially when people are unwell and a replacement can’t get there in time.

At the extreme end of remote broadcasting, changes to British greyhound racing broadcasting at the start of the year resulted in all UK greyhound races being called remotely by just a few people (usually two covering the whole country at any given time) with no real pushback from viewers.

Races being called off-tube won’t make a big difference to quality given most of the action takes place a large distance from the caller, and in bad weather the cameras often get a better view than the caller’s binoculars, but it will be a problem when it comes to updating people on the status of injured participants, and may impact the radio division which often fills airtime by crossing to commentators for thoughts a few minutes ahead of the race between other races, which will be hard to do if the caller has multiple meetings to cover.

I do worry that it will reduce the ability for up-and-coming callers to develop. But alas it seems to be the trend in sport broadcasting everywhere.

[foxyrover]

Well because for racing it doesn’t matter. It’s not an actual spectator sport.