Japan gets only tape-delayed home Grand Prix

   Copyright c 1998 Nando Media
   Copyright c 1998 Agence France-Presse

SUZUKA, Japan (Oct 31, 1998 - 12:26 EST) - Sunday's season-ending Formula
One Japanese Grand Prix on will be televised live to dozens of countries
around the world. But Japan is not among them.

"Viewing rates, sponsorships and other factors are not yet sufficient
for live coverage in Japan," said Fuji Television Network, which has
broadcast the home Grand Prix at Suzuka since 1987.

Japan is the only country among the 16 Grand Prix host nations which does
not have live coverage of the races.

"The program can be sold at a higher price for viewing at night. Its
marketing calorie is less if it is broadcast live in the afternoon,"
said Tetsuo Hamaguchi, chief motor sports coordinator for the network.

The Suzuka race was to be broadcast to some 200 countries, mostly live, and
watched by nearly one billion people, according to F1 officials.

But it will be aired at home from 10 p.m. to midnight for an estimated
seven million viewers. Fuji also broadcasts F1 rounds from other countries
late at night, live or delayed.

"I think Japanese F1 fans are accustomed to late F1 shows,"
Hamaguchi said, adding the rise of global satellite broadcasting would make
the network consider repackaging the race as a live show.

"Only live broadcasts can excite you to the limit," said
Toshitaka Mori, a 23-year-old car dealer from Nagoya. "In delayed
coverage, accident scenes will be left out."

An estimated 1.5 million out of the five million people in Finland were
expected to watch on television their hero Mika Hakkinen aim to sew up his
first world title against a tough comeback bid by Germany's Michael
Schumacher.

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