Kerry Packer dies.....

[pete55]

It has been announced that Kerry Packer has died. I wonder what difference this will make to any future motor sport coverages.
RIP.

[STEVO]

Why would it?

What has Kerry Packer got do with Motorsport coverage?

[johnny yuma]

he did have a few humble television interests............

[STEVO]

Errr....yeah....NINE?

What has that network ever had anything to do with motorsports apart from some late night coverages of the F1??

I fail to see the connection?

[johnny yuma]

I'm thinking with the big fella no longer in the picture so to speak priorities might change.

[STEVO]

Well James has had the more hands-on role lately anyway, and with Cricket and NRL high on their priority list, I hardly think Cochrane's 13 round competition is what NINE are after at the moment.

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by STEVO

What has that network ever had anything to do with motorsports apart from some late night coverages of the F1??

I fail to see the connection?

Ahh, I remember now. Nine's F1 coverage must have been doing something right as Channel 10 has replicated it.

Channel Nine in 2005 will have Motorsport on its screens. Drags, Brutes, Aus GT/ APDC etc

[storyline]

The only have 5 days left to show it all then.

[STEVO]

TEN has replicated NINE's F1 coverage? You mean the ONE race at Albert Park that NINE actually produced? And then for the rest of the season they just connected the live feed to the stations in Australia from overseas?

Err....TEN are doing the same thing? So how exactly are they replicating that? F1 was the missing piece on the "home of motorsport" puzzle.

And yes this Brute Series and Drag races will be a sure fire ratings bonanza. Expect to see them on Saturday avo's...dead time.

I'm sure Chisolm has more to worry about than broom broom cars? NINE ain't a motorsport channel, never will be. As long as Chisolm and James are there, things wont change.

Which is a good thing too.

[GTRMagic]

Mr Packer, beleive it or not, was a fan of motorsport, thanks to a longstanding personal relationship with Mr Bartlett amongst others....

The big #9 Camaro was fairly well backed in its day too... even if mostly a niggle for the #7 sportscasting of the day.

There was a Skyline GT-R that KP was to run in Targa Tasmania more than once... that KB ran instead... it was a rocketsip... funded by the Packer empire.

Perhaps Mr Packer Jr can be better persuaded as to the merits of the sport?

Lets not forget too that ACP publishes everyone's favourite magazine, Auto Action...

Sad to see an icon in Mr Packer disappear from the world... Nice to see the cricketers give him a minute's silence on todays game vs South Africa....

[STEVO]

Why would you want Motorsport on NINE?

We complain when TEN give AFL preference over V8's...imagine NINE's priorities?

Forget it. Leave it where it is. It's a niche sport for the time being which suits TEN to a tee.

[johnny yuma]

What a coup it would be if 9 could parcel up the best of Motorsport,minus the Cockroach Circus,and get some interest and balance back into both at-the-track and TV viewing.Maybe a home-grown Top Gear as well,or whatever.

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by STEVO

TEN has replicated NINE's F1 coverage?

Late night, delayed, cut and edited GP's by 10.

Back on track. Packer gave alot to sport, entertainment and the rest, a sad day in Australia's history. A lasting memory as GTR said is the #9 Camaro

[storyline]

Maybe some need to consider the whispers doing the rounds in Countberra in relation to one particular network still lobbying the government to relax/completely change their digital broadcast rules in relation to multiple different broadcasts from the same station.

Word is that one network is saying nein to only being permitted to broadcast the one channel and wants to set up their own free to air digital sports channel.

Hmm when you consider that this network has offered to screen eight AFL games per week during the AFL season - it cannot do that on a single FTA channel (and yes there has been talk about Foxtel being involved in this equaiton but, like this line of stories, this has not been confirmed by the Nine Network) but it is able to accommodate this by using multiple digital channels - which it can't currently do under the regulations.

The question though - what do they broadcast for the rest of the time if they are able to broadcast multiple channels?

Thus the talk of them wanting a broad ranging sports channel.

[PVDA]

Don't forget that Packer (PBL) owns 25% of Foxtel.

[racer69]

Originally Posted by STEVO

Why would it?

What has Kerry Packer got do with Motorsport coverage?

In the early to mid-90s the only places to watch motorsport on TV was Channel 7 or Channel 9. 7 had the ATCC of course, but among other things on 9 over the nineties you had;

- F1
- CART/Indycars/Indy 500
- NASCAR (though usually only Daytona, Talladega and the Brickyard 400)
- 500cc GP bikes
- WRC highlights
- Winfield Triple Challenge
- Peter Brock Classic in 1995
etc etc etc......


As GTR mentioned of course the #9 Camaro, which among other things came about because Packer had failed in his bid to get the rights to the Bathurst 1000 from Channel 7 in 1979, the ARDC choosing to stay with 7. This was Packers solution, put the 9 symbol all over the telecast on another network

[storyline]

PVDA - PBL may own 25% of Foxtel, but that doesn't mean they would have used it - PBL aer well aware that pay-TV does not reach into the same demographic areas as FTA TV - otherwise they wouldn't be pushing the multiple digital channels cause.

[cavvy]

Kerry Packer negotiated the sponsorship to get the Camaro with Kevin Bartlett:
'How much would you need? .... and no bull****.'
KB told him the cost.
'Right, we'll do it. Get over to America and get what you want and I'll get the Network boys cracking on a sponsorship tie-in.'
'Well - **** off, I've got things to do.'

From Big Rev Kev - Kevin Bartlett with Jim Shepherd

[Also a Believer]

The short of it is that today Australia lost an Australian that did it the Australian way and told it as it was, I was very interested watching him being questioned at the cross ownership commission and enquiry this morning on the tribute channel nine did, he was very literate. RIP Kerry.

[dsg]

So long Kerry. Hell is a bit more crowded tonight.

[Just Do It!]

It would be nice if we could all honour Kerry for his business achievements, and also pay respect to his family at this time, as they are without doubt mourning the loss of such an enigma of a man, rather than cut to this petty crap about 9 being better than 10, or worse than 7 or whatever seems to tickle the fancy.

Kerry Packer was a great man who spent his health to get his wealth then spent a fair amount of his wealth to try and recover his health. Knowing someone close to him, he said that he would give half his fortune to regain his health.
That aside, it really cannot be argued that the legacy he leaves behind was built on a vision and a dream - something that we all have inside of us, but sadly so few of us know how to truly unleash.

What lessons can be learned from the life and experiences of such a man could teach all of us - even the seemingly unteachable - a thing or five.

Kerry, your hunger for success and your desire to be a leader in business were undying. You groomed James for this day, and now it is finally upon us. The foundation that you have laid in your short 68 years would make most families blush with embarassment as they struggle to achieve 20% of that in 5 or 6 generations.

Kerry, I hope you now find the time you deserve to put your feet up and read one of your many publications in a more relaxed environment than what you have been subject to across a busy career of building your empire.

God's speed, great man.

[johnny yuma]

Not everybody loves a winner obviously,but nobody loves a sycophant.

[Gaz170]

Originally Posted by dsg

So long Kerry. Hell is a bit more crowded tonight.

According to Kerry, Hell doesn't exist. Neither does heaven. "There's nothing there" he was quoted as saying after his heart attack.

[Aarrgh8]

Originally Posted by Just Do It!

he said that he would give half his fortune to regain his health.

I haven't heard that before. If he had the opportunity to do that, he would have been left with a personal wealth of only $3,500,000,000+.

Kerry Francis Bulmore Packer was a product of his upbringing. A ruthless, uncompromising bully of a man. Yes, he was generous - as he could well afford to be. I'm sure he was loved by those close to him, and he had the loyalty of those people he owned.

I admire his 'win at all costs' attitude, and the risks he took in business. If being wealthy is our 'raison d'etre', and walking all over people is the way to do it, then we all have to admire his success. I just couldn't gush quite like some others are right now.

[jd yort]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

There was a Skyline GT-R that KP was to run in Targa Tasmania more than once... that KB ran instead... it was a rocketsip... funded by the Packer empire.....

This was the GTR that was the Clerk of the course car for a while at Eastern Creek when KB use to be the driver. Was an original Australian delivered car I think and it was very very very quick.