GMTV boss quits

How very stimulating.....

I've watched GMTV and let me tell you I was left neither informed or with a smile on my face.

I can only assume the reason the show has absolutely no journalistic edge is the presenters - John Stapleton aside (who I'm sure if he could land a proper job he'd be out the door like a shot) - are completely incompetent at handling anything remotely serious. Honestly - when there's a major news story who the hell turns to Ben Sheppard & Penny Smith? Also Penny is really not as funny as she seems to think she is.

I have to agree - `The Newshour` should be done under the trade descriptions act, it's not an hour of news. 20/25 mins at the most, the rest is fluffy mind-numbingly rubbish money grabbing premium rate phone competitions and trail aheads to features in `GMTV Today` -

In `GMTV Today` They'll do the top story in detail and hand to the newsdesk for a quick summary of the rest of news, without fleshing out the detail. The rest of the hour is filled with sick kids, health issues, deadly important celeb news from the newspapers, and in-house jokes between Richard Arnold who reviews the TV.

I'm not saying the whole show should be wall to wall news, but the balance has shifted too far in one direction.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b4/Royle_Family.jpg
Typical GMTV viewing family.
Low income, living on a council estate, generally poorly educated with low/medium intellect.

http://www.experienceplus.com/reading_room/archives/images/florencefamily.jpg
Typical BBC Breakfast viewing family
Moderate/high income, father is probably a teacher, lawyer, accountant or manager. Most likely to live in the home counties and drive a Volvo estate.

I think GMTV is good because its so different to all other news programmes. I feel the lighter way they do the news is good for the mornings.

GMTV is pretty bad. I guess there isn't really much choice. If you want serious news its the BBC, the rest is either kids stuff or GMTV.

If there was a comfy rival, GMTV with standards maybe - and decent presenters, then those who want a serious but cosy programme would opt for that.

I can't take the Newshour seriously when its got opening titles with the presenters grining like its some gameshow.. although its padded out with the cheap competitions and lifestyle stories (that appear an hour later), so maybe fitting.

How can you make sweeping generalisations like that? I watch Breakfast and I live in Merseyside.

Couldn't agree more, GMTV know their audience and play to them.
If you Gideons hate GMTV so much, try doing what Breakfast's audience can't do without a stiff gin and a crossword first - c h a n g e t h e c h a n n e l

I know which living room I'd rather be sat in.

Would you say GMTV is so bad its good?

I've watched GMTV for many years now and enjoy it. A mix of light news, lifestyle - street stories among other things. Now thats how i like my mornings. If GMTV turned into a hard hitting, wall to wall news its viewing figures would dissapear as fast as lightning. We all know what GMTV offers, if your looking for hard news - its not the station/show for you.

I don't think it should be hard hitting all the time, but if a News Hour is called that, then that is what it should be. If they can't be bothered, do what TV-am did, and make it 30 minutes.

GMTV, all it would take is a serious rival on another channel and I'm quite sure people who want lifestyle reports, light news, serious news updates and a wide range of interviews from interesting people in the news/media/tv, but presented in the less American, less chav and cheap style that GMTV stinks of would switch.

I've never understood why we don't get wall to wall cereals, bacon and eggs, and of course toast with BREAKFAST. Twit.