David Liddiment

Am I the only one who thought 'pot calling kettle black' when they heard about Liddiment's speech about the BBC becoming more commercial and that simply getting high numbers isn't the way to run television (!).

If British TV is losing its 'soul' as he put it and not being as creative and imaginative it isn't the beeb's fault it's ITV's! Who removed World In Action for Tonight? Who has dumbed down the ITV News to a level that would make The Sun seem intellectual?

It seems to me that Mr Liddiment is running scared because the BBC are managing to do popular, quality programmes and beat ITV at their own game...

...Mr Liddiment you are the Weakest Link, Goodbye.

You can say that again.  When he's doing interviews for media news stories on TV, he always acts as though ITV is the best network.  Well, it is not.  He must be the the main TV boss who has the biggest ego.  I  hate him, and so should everybody else.

(Edited by lmillward at 2:54 pm on Aug. 27, 2001)

Well I actually agree with him on many things. The BBC should not be endlessly looking for ratings, they should be more bothered about producing good quality, well thought out programmes which, admittedly, would bring big ratings if popular, but they should not be churning out programmes like all these DIY shows and anything featuring Jeremy Spake.

Yes, ITV are the same, but they need to have programmes which will be ratings winners, as they need these to survive. Whilst I agree that perhaps Mr. Liddement was a little hypocritical, I do in fact believe that ITV1 is the best channel in the UK. I know not many of you will share this view (unless it changed it's name to BBC ITV1) but I would simply rather watch ITV1's programmes, like Emmerdale, Coronation Street, SM:tv Live etc, than morbid Eastenders, bloody Airport, and that godawful Live and Kicking.

As for ITV News, I simply can not see what is wrong with it. I find it informative, accessable, and above all, a lot nicer to watch than the BBC's offering.

I agree with much that you have said there Phil, and I agree with what David Liddiment had to say. The point is the BBC is a public service broadcaster, funded by us all to Entertain, Educate, Inform and Innovate. It has a remit to produce top quality, innovative, informative programming. They are supposed to provide programming for everyone, whoever you are, regardless of age, gender, ethnic origin and minority groups. They have the most freedom of any broadcaster to try out new formats, genres and can take more risks. However, they don't seem to use this role to it's best effect, they'd rather get embroiled in a bitter ratings war with ITV. ITV being a commercial broadcaster and market leader, who are having to fight against increasing numbers of broadcasters for the decreasing amount of commercial revenue. They are playing a much different game. So, ITV have to produce populist TV appealing to the largest audience possible, which some of you may see as dumbing down. They really don't have the opportunity to 'risk take' or perhaps be as innovative as they might like. The BBC do not need to be fighting a ratings war, we shouldn't be having another episode of Eastenders or all these DIY / garden makeover, docusoap clones, police and hospital dramas. The BBC should be leading the way, however seem happier to adopt copycat formulas and produce tired, unoriginal programming in an attempt to grab the ratings.

I agree with you Big Phil. But my point wasn't that the BBC are doing more chasing of ratings winners, my point was that Mr Liddiment is totally the wrong person to be saying these things when you look at how he has dumbed down ITV. It seems that ITV has hit rock bottom now though to quote from The Voice Of The Mirror ' Saturday Fright With more entertainment choice than ever, only the best will thrive. ITV, especially on Saturday nights, is failing that test. And the viewing figures show it. Its programming looks tired and flat. That is no way to get millions tuning in on the big night of the week. ITV needs to find fresh, exciting new shows. Or the big Channel 3 switch-off will intensify.'

Well, yes, I suppose, but then again I'm quite happy to spend my Saturday evening watching Cilla Black, Des Lynham and Melanie B. The person who speaks the most sense, however, on this subject, is Garry Bushell, who believes that what is needed is proper family entertainment shows with comedians, entertainers, and singers *who actually sing*.

I still believe that Mr. Liddement is perfectly entitled to say that as, as I mentioned, I believe that ITV are doing a pretty good job at the moment, despite what rubbish like The Mirror say.

Yes whereas the BBC had

Anne Robinson
Philip Schofield
Terry Wogan

What better reason to switch over to ITV1 ?

Many months ago, a friend of mine had the aerial on her roof wrecked in heavy weather. But she already had Sky Digital by then, so has never been without BBC One, BBC Two, Channel 4 and Channel 5. She's never got the aerial fixed for the sake of getting ITV (as it was still called when she last saw it), because she says she 'NEVER used to watch it because it's a sh*t channel!'

I am inclined to sympathise with her attitude...

(Edited by sittingovation at 5:32 pm on Aug. 27, 2001)

And of course your friend speaks for the rest of the nation. I think not.

I don't completely hate, loathe and despise ITV1, (In fact I enjoy the occasional  bit of 'Saturday-Night-Cheese' type programming - things like Cilla's Moment of Truth). BUT it seems that ITV1's schedual 24/7 is made up of nothing but 'Saturday-Night-Cheese'. Either that or unneccessarily scare-mongering stuff like 'XXX From Hell' (which is very Channel 5).

Perhaps it doesn't help that I live in Carlton Central (West) territory - because the botched way that Carlton have put the ITV1 logo on their idents, plus the crap look of the Birmingham version of Central News make the whole channel look cheap.

I do watch ITV1 almost as much as any other cahnnel. But if, like my friend, I suddenly was without it, I wouldn't particularly miss it either.

(Edited by sittingovation at 5:32 pm on Aug. 27, 2001)

The thing about the tabloid press is they are media companies and have vested interest in what happens on the TV. The BBC have always had a rough ride with many of the papers, and not necessarly because it has done something wrong. It's just because it's the BBC.

So you say ratings shouldn't matter to the BBC. Well, yes that should be right. But would it not be arrogant of the BBC not to make programmes that appeal to a substantial portion of the nation? After all we all contribute to it financially.

And how about every time the BBC make a programme that attracts a relatively small audience. The tabloids have a field day describing some monumental failure and a complete waste of licence fee money. They can't have it all ways.

The BBC is know way near perfect, but dammed if they do, and dammed if they don't from some corners of the media. Oh, and if a programme becomes really popular, what happens??? The very same papers want to become involved and have some 'official' connection with the programme. Hypocrites.

Well that's the gutter press for you!