Daybreak - the launch onwards

[quote="Badger264" pid="718903"]

But they never would have given Kate Garraway the main job, even when Fiona left they brought in Emma Crosby and specified all presenters were "equal". I think only now, they are realising that viewers really like Kate and she is very popular. Thank goodness that they did keep her on for Daybreak because I think she has been a saving grace.

A saving grace? What remaining viewers there are aren't tuning in just to see Kate Garraway.

Why are people looking back so fondly at GMTV? I just don't get it. If it was still going now, they'd be getting probably exactly the same viewing figures as Daybreak is. It was a cheap and tarnished brand and I completely understood why they got rid of it.

Unfortunately, the Daybreak brand is going the same way. I know I'm not the first to say this, but if they'd stuck to their guns with the original format, aside from the odd tweak, they'd be in a much better position now.

You said it.

I've heard of short memories, but this site takes the biscuit for rose-tinted specs, it really does.

I don't think anyone is saying GMTV was fine as it was, its more that it had a good team that wasn't used properly in the final months/years, but you can't deny that a lot of the problems Daybreak has is that it simply isn't GMTV. ITV just didn't take the right steps in easing the transition.

Personally I found Kate an awful and egotistical presenter as soon as Fiona left. Say 'equal footing' all you want but she was the main face of GMTV, not just because she presented the start of the week but because she got all of the press attention. Since Daybreak she has returned to being a lot more likeable but after what happened they should be very reluctant at giving her the top job should Christine be pushed or leave.

I absolutely agree, I really do miss Penny she was an excellent presenter. As Badger 264 and other's have said she was very warm, full of charm and a naturally funny person who could switch from light to serious stuff with ease. I also couldn't understand why she never was given the GMTV Today anchor role when Fiona had left. I remember thinking when Adrian had moved to the ITV if they had kept Penny on I think they would have had fantastic chemistry together.

However, all new Phil raises a very important point with regards to GMTV. There was a fundamental problem with it's cheap and tarnished brand in reference to phone-in scandal of 2007. As well as the fact that in the period of over five years they virtually lost half their viewing audience with the erosion of BBC Breakfast and the rise of new multi-channels. If ITV hadn't poached Adrian and Christine they would have probably still axed GMTV. I think ITV executives were heavily focussed on trying to revitalise the ITV Breakfast brand trying to build new audiences and attract new viewers, without paying much attention to the core viewers who still watched GMTV to the very end. When Adrian and then Christine came on board ITV did get caught up in the moment thinking that they would be a ratings success. As many people have said, if Daybreak had stuck to the original format at the launch in the long term they would probably be in a much better position now.

Everybody is entitled to their own opinions regarding the Daybreak and it's fair share of problems. It is not that
forum members miss GMTV as a programme exactly it's as Badger 264 said is that they already had a good presenting team in place. However, for me as I've said Daybreak's current problems are not about the presenters it is the format of the show. Last week, was an excellent example of how the right balance can be made in terms of editorial content proving how Daybreak can be the breakfast show it first intended to be.

I think Daybreak have a very good presenting team in place with a lot more credentials than that we seen on GMTV, Dan Lobb for instance although he was on GMTV towards the end, Adrian Chiles has a good all around experience of covering anything you could possibly want for a breakfast programme, Tasmin Lucia Khan is very professional on screen and although perhaps not through the traditional route for a national newscaster has covered a range of stories. They have (with the exception of Matt Arnold who should have been kept) all of GMTV’s strongest reporters and ditched all of the awful ones except for Cordellia Kretzchmar. As much as I love Penny Smith on other things she’s been on Tasmin is more professional and is fresh and Penny was very GMTV and ITV were trying to give Breakfast television a whole new identity and to have to many old faces there would damage this.

GMTV was pointless to keep it was outdated and had pointless content . Who could truly burn with curiosity to hear what Carla had to say about Brad’s latest scuffle with Angelina or what wonderful progress someone had made in the Bikini weight loss diet. Sometimes that view was an injustice and there was some things I do miss such as Ben Shepherd and Emma Crosby but the sad truth was there was no real place for them on this new programme and that’s sadly television today, As much as I wish Emma would have been kept on as deputy presenter and been Economics Editor or something it’s not the direction ITV wanted to take their programme . And at the end of the day every time Daybreak make a slight fault in their content or viewing figures go down with it being school holidays we can’t reminisce of what’s come and gone. If you want to see all our yesterdays watch Loraine you get Loraine, Kate, Fiona, Helen and even Jackie Brambles presenting from time to time

Worth noting on Bank Holiday Monday (29th) that Daybreak will only be on air between 7 and 8.30am with remarkably Jeremy Kyle occupying the 6-7am slot on that day.

A nasty early morning shock then...

But but but but Bank Holiday Monday is the 29th.

Indeed you are correct...

I am not really that surprised about that they've decided to fill the 6.00 - 7.00 am slot with Jeremy Kyle . Given Daybreak's history of dire Bank Holiday ratings of 400,000 maybe executives believed it was much cheaper to only air the programme between 7.00 - 8.30am. Remember back in January Daybreak had come perilously close to BARB's zero rating between 6 and 7 am. However, having said that the first Bank Holiday at the new year only aired 7 - 8.30 but only attracted an average of 300,000. Although GMTV suffered the effect's of the Bank Holiday with kids off school it is fair to say Daybreak has a significant problem. It will be interesting to see whether this will increase the average rating threshold.

Jeremy Kyle at 6am in the morning?

Are ITV sadists ?

(Then again I wouldn't entertain Kyle on my telly full stop, along with Cowell & Co!)