Anyone else agree the channel was better in it's pre-five days? The launch line-up was pretty ropey but overall it was a better channel and had a really good feel to it. I probably watched it more then than I do now.
I agree - it did something different, it stood out. Now, it's just a bit quiet and "meh" and just fits.
The original news style was particularly brilliant.
Anyone else agree the channel was better in it's pre-five days? The launch line-up was pretty ropey but overall it was a better channel and had a really good feel to it. I probably watched it more then than I do now.
I agree - it did something different, it stood out. Now, it's just a bit quiet and "meh" and just fits.
The original news style was particularly brilliant.
I agree there, I used to watch 5 quite a lot, loved the presentation of the channel, even through the celebrities, it was developing a great brand. Towards the later 5 years, the channel was becoming stronger in terms of brand and in terms of programming.
The early stuff such as the jack docherty show, exclusive, pepsi chart, comedy store, even night fever were programmes that I actually used to watch most of the time. I was even a fan of family affairs until they blew up the family, surely the main idea of the programme.
Plus back in the days before we had sky, back in the days of the mag and the core (even though the latter was filled with repeats), I used to spend my weekends watching them.
Ah memories. I couldn't tell you the last programme that i watched on five, though I have been watching joey and CSI on five US.
As for the news, I totally agree, sky should pull ou their finger and do something unique, or beating that just create a studio within a newsroom again, or how about within sky's newsroom, surely more of an impact.
Even though people see the 5 of 8-10 years ago as being trashy, it was aiming for the young audience, where even if they did get a smaller audience, if it was dominated by younger viewers, surely the advertisers would be happier.
You're all having a bit of a go at 5 as if this downtrend in exciting programming is exclusively theirs - haven't ALL the channels had some sort of lowering of quality / edginess since 1997?
BBC1 - Brilliant idents and the highest rated soap became laughed-at dancers and overkill of Casualty. Now resorting to poaching BBC2 programmes like The Apprentice, Little Britain and Have I Got News For You. Half decent lottery shows have become parodies of themselves. One good point: Doctor Who
BBC2 - Exception to the rule but only just. Again classic idents were ironed out and replaced with a slightly underwhelming set both in 2001 and now. Programming continually shifting to BBC1. Lost the Simpsons, show cult favourites Family Guy and Star Trek in graveyard slot. One good point: Top Gear.
ITV: Yes well we all know... Quiz TV, ITV News channel closed, the Plus saga, loss of regionality, sh!te idents, ITV Digital collapse, ITV Sport debacle, children's programming cut down to death, SMTV Live finished...it's a bit of a damning catalogue. One good point: sports coverage.
C4: Still the best UK presentation package by miles, but repeats of Friends, obsession with Bollywood, doing-to-death of Big Brother, crappy daytime schedule and a general lessening of the edginess that defines it have dulled that somewhat.
