MikeGNE's posts, page 18

When Granada bought LWT

And ITV didn't suddenly become unprofitable when Sky arrived, its been around a long time. I think there is going to be a problem if channel amounts are not capped - that you will simply end up with millions of channels - all with budgets that are so low none are filled with any quality at all.

When Granada bought LWT

It depends how it was operated. Some regional programmes had good ratings, and all the ones that got good ratings were axed by Granada for some odd reason, I can't think why, other than making out regional ITV was failing.

Yes continuity and and such needs to be centralised, which it has done, thats fine, but I think throwing away brand loyalty in some areas has been a bit mad. I don't see there being anything wrong with ITV Tyne Tees / ITV Yorkshire, with the announcer just saying "ITV."

Certainly the "one ITV" image hasn't really worked because even the local radio here still call it Tyne Tees on the whole.

Its like shops, you can rebrand them, but if something has been a Tesco for 40 years, people will still call it Tesco even if it becomes a Sainsburys.

The one thing ITV has over all the other commercial channels is the fact it can tap into a local area, what will make it any different to the hundreds of other channels if its just national - nothing. If you can tap into the local area, certainly people took the stations as "their own" and were proud something wasn't from London. Getting into the community, which the BBC does quite well is what originally got ITV to the people in their regions. Regional ITV does work, its just been broken, not because its not profitable, its just greed.

When Granada bought LWT

Well ATV also put the viewers first, certainly under Lew Grade anyway, took risks - some worked, some failed - but it was about making television - good TV - and from good TV good profits.

It just seems in recent years its been how can we make as much money as possible without spending too much. And its failed on the whole. And it seems Greg Dyke and Michael Grade were well aware of how it could go back in 1994.

North East Tonight and BBC Look North (NE&C) thread

http://homepages.tesco.net/mike.cas.garrett/dawn.gif

Dawn in 1990, and in the late 1990s.

North East Tonight and BBC Look North (NE&C) thread

I've got a photo of her somewhere from 1990. She looks older then, than she does now.

When Granada bought LWT

Thats right, as the documentary says, LWT was a programme makers company, on the second clip we see Greg Dyke say what has exactly happened under Granada.. its a business with television somewhere down on the list of priorities.

I think basically, ITV currently is very Granada, and looking back at Granada it wasn't really the entertainment factory, unlike ATV, LWT and Central.

Something Lee Bannister said on the ATV site which sums it up really:

Its major problem at the moment is that its sitting back on a brand that's become rather bland when it should be being shouted from the rooftops. He wants people to love it again, that's how he'll do it - make it exciting again.

We know that ITV can make themselves look really 'big' - look at everything to do with ITV50. ITV should be a family, we should know where they are... you know, make more of 'The ITV Tower' (LWT's Kent House)... make people think that ITV is special, glamourous, better than the rest. Under the most recent regime, no-one made any effort like this.

Glitz, glamour, even if you don't like this sort of thing - it's what ITV should be. Ironically, IMO although I can't quite put my finger on it exactly, it seems that ITV has quite a Granada attitude (unsurprisingly)... it needs an ATV attitude.... ....ATV = Showbiz... that's what ITV should be...

When Granada bought LWT

I think Greg Dyke and Michael Grade speak a lot of sense in that programme.

Funny that Charles Allen appears around the time they are saying TV was starting to be run by businessmen, not creative programme makers.

North East Tonight and BBC Look North (NE&C) thread

I wasn't sure if it was TTTV, as the studio didn't look familiar.

As for the leading news story.. must be a slow news day. Its happened before.

ITV Tyne Tees

Well of course they didn't ditch the Tyne Tees Television sign on City Road when it became Channel 3 North East, although all the outside TTTV signs were replaced.

However I do remember going to see Crosswits being recorded (1997) and in the reception area the TTTV logo was still present.

They also had a nice version of it made of marble I think, which was sunk into the floor by the main doors.

North East Tonight and BBC Look North (NE&C) thread

The best two out-takes as seen on that show are IMO Pam Royle presenting, the VT picture goes off cuts to the studio where you see Pam just sitting, however the VT sound is still running and the reporter says "this cow will have to be put down." Pams face is a picture.

Also, I think it might have already been said, but early 1980s (or late 70s - the cream Northern Life set anyway) the ginger guy with the beard trying to read out a story, but can't do it for laughing.

There was also the edition Tyne Tees Saturday, where the 'V' dropped off the TTTV sign in the background. (But I've never seen that since it happened.)

North East Tonight and BBC Look North (NE&C) thread

Well the lack of studio space is sad really, when you look at Tyne Tees Today with its newsdesk that could seat fifteen presenters behind it without a problem.

North East Tonight and BBC Look North (NE&C) thread

It is quite funny that out of all the editions of Tyne Tees Today, they messed up the ending of one that had a special closing!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d83Xox4L87s

Oops!