After reading that particular article from Press Gazette, I am even more incensed about these redudancies. ITV might as well go ahead and tell Ofcom that it no longer wants to be a public service broadcaster.
I sent a letter to Michael Grade - I bet he won't read it - saying that he is destroying ITV's reptuation further. Stating, as well, even if there has to be cutbacks, there is other ways to stem this redudancy drive such as for ITV bosses not to have year-end bonuses and for it to concentrate on ITV1 and not its other channels. Let's see if I get a response.
I saw North East Tonight last night. It was quite sad. All of Tyne Tees' popular long-lasting presenters are going. A true shame. Nice to see Mike Neville make a brief appearance, though.
...on last week's final edition of 'The Westcountry Tonight' they were hinting that the new news programme would begin in 'the next few weeks' which had me thinking of 5 January?
It was due to be 5 Jan, strangely enough, but I hear that it is likely to move back a few weeks as they're still sorting out staffing.
<snip> and for it to concentrate on ITV1 and not its other channels.
That is one thing that is VERY unlikely to happen. Whilst ITV1 is inevitably losing share as the multichannel fragmentation continues - ITV2-4 are building stronger profiles. If anything ITV should be investing more - as with a strong portfolio of channels appealing to very distinct demographics, they are able to sell much more desirable advertising slots.
Remember - not all viewers are equal. If you are a high-spending professional - a channel that you watch is very important to some advertisers (airlines, high-end consumer electronics, watches etc.) whereas if you are a busy mum on a limited income, a different set of advertisers want to sell you stuff (budget supermarkets, savings schemes etc.) You need to have channels that pull in both audiences - not just one. Trying to make shows that will pull in both at the same time is increasingly tricky as there is expanding choice in the market.
Trying to make one channel the be-all and end-all is like trying to be King Canute in this day and age isn't it?
Reading some of these posts is a bit like listening to people pining for the days when footballers wore Brylcreem and wooden studs.
The simple fact is that historically-declining audiences with little interest in parish pump television news make these hugely expensive regional news programmes completely unviable.
Every time an ageing weather presenter gets the chop or some Women's Institute pin-up presenter with an inflatable ego and salary to match gets the heave-ho then ITV regional news takes another step into the real world.
In case you hadn't noticed there is a recession happening,
The simple fact is that historically-declining audiences with little interest in parish pump television news make these hugely expensive regional news programmes completely unviable.
aside from the fact this began before the recession I'm interested to see you're still banging on about the declining audiences when its been shown on numerous occasions that the audiences for said shows are strong.
Isn't it interesting how a troll who simply posted inane and baseless theories and ignored all comments from others had people convinced he was you for two weeks on the other site.
The simple fact is that historically-declining audiences with little interest in parish pump television news make these hugely expensive regional news programmes completely unviable.
aside from the fact this began before the recession I'm interested to see you're still banging on about the declining audiences when its been shown on numerous occasions that the audiences for said shows are strong.
ITV and Channel Four have been aware of their massive financial problems for a bit longer than the more recent "UK in recession" crisis, but they do have very serious problems.
Even with the closures of regional news operations etc. they are still having to cancel projects - like the high profile re-make of "A Passage to India" that was in pre-production.
Commercial terrestrial TV is going to have to seriously re-invent itself to survive for more than 10 years or so.
ITV and Channel Four have been aware of their massive financial problems for a bit longer than the more recent "UK in recession" crisis, but they do have very serious problems.
indeed, and the fact that C4 is also having problems would suggest that the regions are more of a scapegoat than route cause of ITV's problems.
Surely the main factor at play is the fragmention of the advertising market and all those other little channels nibbling away at the market share of the main stations? However as their ratings are still strong compared to say hallmark +1 or other dross up there in the EPG, I find it odd that they have such shortfalls as you'd expect the advertisers would still view them - and pay them - as at a higher rate.
ITV and Channel Four have been aware of their massive financial problems for a bit longer than the more recent "UK in recession" crisis, but they do have very serious problems.
indeed, and the fact that C4 is also having problems would suggest that the regions are more of a scapegoat than route cause of ITV's problems.
Surely the main factor at play is the fragmention of the advertising market and all those other little channels nibbling away at the market share of the main stations? However as their ratings are still strong compared to say hallmark +1 or other dross up there in the EPG, I find it odd that they have such shortfalls as you'd expect the advertisers would still view them - and pay them - as at a higher rate.
That's probably why you're not a television executive faced with the problems of a decline in advertising and a fall in audience share.
They, unfortunately, cannot afford to live in the past.
I presume also from the spelling errors in your post that you are not a journalist working in regional news which explains your obvious stupidity when it comes to the reality of today's television.
SP
Sput
Showbizguru posted:
Hymagumba posted:
noggin posted:
ITV and Channel Four have been aware of their massive financial problems for a bit longer than the more recent "UK in recession" crisis, but they do have very serious problems.
indeed, and the fact that C4 is also having problems would suggest that the regions are more of a scapegoat than route cause of ITV's problems.
Surely the main factor at play is the fragmention of the advertising market and all those other little channels nibbling away at the market share of the main stations? However as their ratings are still strong compared to say hallmark +1 or other dross up there in the EPG, I find it odd that they have such shortfalls as you'd expect the advertisers would still view them - and pay them - as at a higher rate.
That's probably why you're not a television executive faced with the problems of a decline in advertising and a fall in audience share.
They, unfortunately, cannot afford to live in the past.
I presume also from the spelling errors in your post that you are not a journalist working in regional news which explains your obvious stupidity when it comes to the reality of today's television.
"You're not the boss therefore you're not entitled to an opinion, and you've made typos and that obviously renders your underlying message incorrect"
I presume also from the spelling errors in your post that you are not a journalist working in regional news which explains your obvious stupidity when it comes to the reality of today's television.
I can see one spelling and one grammatical error in my post which, having written it in a hurry, I feel is acceptable.
Do tell me, as I'm interested, what is "the reality of today's television" and why is it completely incompatible with regionality?
Whilst I believe Thatcher went too far and - with regard to Thames, had a vested interest in its demise - there was indeed overstaffing in ITV in the 80s which, if it had continued today, would have nearly bankrupted the station.
Why I do not understand however, with regards to ITV in particular, is the bizarre manner in which they have reached their present situation. As was mentioned earlier, the regional structure was more based around competition than regionality, and is in that case redundant. Whilst I think its a shame that we no longer have Tyne Tees and Yorkshire as separate identities I can understand the reasoning.
However instead of being rational and carefully restructuring the regional stations to proper newsrooms ITV seemed to pretend they were still a consortium of independent companies for several years whilst churning out dross from Carlton and Granada and wondering why people turned off.
I can understand why Tyne Tees now have a small building, a regional newsroom doesn't need a massive studio complex, however whilst expensive regional news does pull in ratings. Which then brings into question their frankly stupid idea to relaunch their news hour sans advertising breaks; instead of raising additional money from these and increasing the quality of their services they instead forced themselves to produce another 7 minutes of content and filled it with dross.
Channel 4 meanwhile, I suspect have lost money due to some careless business ventures (quizcall / dab) and an overreliance on big brother distorting their ratings early on, and then when interest waned they couldn't reclaim the revenues. Their digital channels meanwhile are excellent but, as was said in another thread, More4 is underutilised and underpromoted.
So yes, the realities of today's TV world, do explain. Franky I'm surprised you want rid of regional journalists especially what with their impeccable spelling.