The Kennel Club, Crufts and the BBC: The Whole Story

Well, the dust is beginning to settle and dog lovers of all persuasions are digesting the fact that for the first time in four decades there will be no Crufts dog show on BBC television in 2009.

So what happened behind the scenes?

What were the key sticking points that lead to this breakdown?

And could there have been a different outcome?

K9 Magazine has learned from a BBC insider that discussions took place about the possibility of Crufts 2009 being broadcast if the Kennel Club’s ‘at risk’ breeds would not be featured in the showring but they COULD have been featured in the TV broadcast provided a critical, unbiased commentary was given referring to the health of the breeds in question along with a similar proviso for the two ‘Pedigree Dogs Exposed breeds’ the Rhodesian Ridgeback and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

As we now know, the Kennel Club rejected the BBC’s terms and the show will now not appear on terristrial TV in 09.

Furthermore, the Kennel Club’s claim that the BBC had failed to “take into account” measures the club had put in place to improve the health of pedigree dogs has been knocked back. Our BBC contact assures us that the health plans were taken in to account but that it would be inappropriate to cite the breed plans as a reason to air Crufts given they have not yet been given the time to be evaluated in terms of their effectiveness.

K9 Magazine understands that discussions are ongoing between the Kennel Club and the BBC about the terms of the broadcast contract in relation to the suspension.

The BBC retains the rights to broadcast Crufts until 2010. It will be reviewing the progress of breed health over the coming year before making a decision on whether Crufts will return to our screens in the future.

In a further clarification the Rottweiler is NOT - as had been previously reported on some sites - on the ‘at risk’ list and was not a breed being disputed.

http://www.dogmagazine.net/archives/1561/the-kennel-club-crufts-and-the-bbc-the-whole-story/

Author Details
Ryan O'Meara is editor-in-chief of K9 Magazine, the lifestyle magazine for dog lovers. He lives in the East Midlands with his own two dogs, Mia and Chloe.
Ryan's homepage.
http://www.k9magazine.com/

be interesting to see what happens

i dont really care tho tbh. :nhy:

lol me neither to be truthful, still interesting though :2431:

I only ever watch he flyball anyway, I get too annoyed at the crap editing, too much rubbish inbetween seeing dogs and I sit there shouting at the telly :2445:

As far as the health side goes, I think we need a big overhaul on dog ownership and breeding practices. The country is over run with homeless and unhealthily bred dogs.

fredsmum wrote:

be interesting to see what happens

yes Paula the gsd breeders want the health issues to be compulsery before dogs can be breed and the litters registered but the kc is the stumbling block by refusing this there was 16000 gsd registered last year but how many from health screened animals .