ITV

On alot of forums, including these, many people seem to disagree with the direction that ITV has taken in the recent years. Ratings have declined, and there is a large perception that ITV is the home to trash tv. But why is there so much much ill feeling against the company in the first place? Why do people focus their anger against ITV more than say, Ch4, and what, if anything, stems some of your anti-ITV feeling?

For me, my problem stems back to 2002. ITV decided to drop its daytime soap Night and Day back to 11pm, which I wasnt really bothered with at first, but then they started to shift the program round the schedule every week, with it never starting on time. Sometimes it would start at 2am in the morning, which caused alot of the fans to get in contact with ITV to beg for a more reasonable slot, especially since it was airing after imported american crap and junk like Wudja? Cudja? but the replies we recieved (if any) were basically mail merges cobbled together from old press releases that didnt answer the points we raised. Obviously, ITV is a business, it needs to make money and 'NAD' was failing, but was it too much for its viewers to ask for a little respect (and not like idiots) and to feel that our points were being listened to? I personally feel that I was lied to as well. One reply told me that it was to be shown at 11.30pm, which ended up being nonsence and I dont like being lied to.

It may seem a little stupid to base my feelings against things that happened 3yrs ago, but I totally lost all respect for the channel during that time, and I can see that the overall programming content is dire. I can honestly say the only programme I watch on the network is Coronation Street (which is on too much now). The news content is dire - its tacky, patronising, and full of pointless miracle cure, obesity, and lifestlye issues, but I wont go to far into that as thats probably for the newsroom board. Another thing that bugs me is the arrogant press releases that are released by ITV, especially by bloody Charles Allen - how much junk can one man talk! Also, the fact that people like him are lining their pockets for doing basically nothing, whilst the real hard workers are working on a pittance, and have the threat of job losses hanging over their heads leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Sorry for the longish post, but I was just wanting to know what other people think?

You say it is the home to trash tv, yet your problem with them stems from the time they moved Night & Day- the ultimate trash tv/soap!
People have always looked down on ITV since its inception and nothing has changed. Its always been regarded as down market and if the internet was as widespread back then you would here the same complaints you do today. (I mean in the real world, away from TV forums do you ever here people complaining about ITV?) People seem to look back thinking ITV was full of quality programming- it wasn't I remember. The fact that its ratings have declined are due to multi channel television and the failure of the daytime schedule due to the loss of the anchor programme Home & Away. There was a time when ITV could put anything on during Primetime and it would be watched but there are too many channels now, so obviously its audience will fall.
People complain when they take a news break during a film then other people complain when they move the news to show the films uniterupted- they cant win.

Of course people dont complain about ITV in real life, but my point is that there is a hell of a lot more vitriol spouted around here and other forums directed at ITV more than any other broadcaster, and i just want to know why people feel like that.

Many people resent the abandonment of the regional structure and the growth of the Single ITV Network, The channel used to be friendly and approachable but now it's just another media source. The personalities that presented were respected, admired and available for local events.

ITV is now simply a mess without a soul that badly needs to address it's roots and get back to them.

What longevity is there in the existing format?

Well alot of people on here (and certainately the most of the TV Ark Forum people) won't ever forgive ITV for taking away Regional branding. Though as sorry as I was to see it go, frankly times have changed and ITV has to move on. Simple as this really, 20 years ago ITV only had to compete with 3 other channels and was effectively a Broadcasting monopoly, as it did control advertising on Channel 4 until 1992. Where as now ITV has to compete with 300 other channels. If it makes sense to save money to have X amount of Regions controlled from one centre under one brand, then do it, as money is saved and hopefully goes back into programming.

Now there's the decline in programming, everyone thinks that ITV is Trash TV, it's not, it produces some trash like I'm A Celebrity and what have you, but it still produces some high quality Dramas, it has a rather good Sports side, I also don't mind the News either. Now people can't point the finger at many blames, one such person people tend to hate is one Maggie Thatcher, some people on here thinking that getting rid of Thames was a mistake, yes it was to an extent, these are the people who also think that Cartlon were the axis of evil. Carlton tried at first believe it or not, but the public weren't as aware, though Carlton are a business, one that took advantage of relaxed Government rules to create one ITV.

One other problem where ITV has gone wrong IMO is that they want to copy Formats from other channels in order to gain ratings, such as reality TV and DIY programmes and so on. Because ITV may think that this could attract the viewers, meaning more advertisers, more money and better programmes.

Personally I think ITV is in a better state than what it was about 5 years ago, if you think about it, the schedule was in a state, the News was moved about, there was more crap in the 9pm slots such as TV Nightmares, Daytime was hardly spectacular, usual repeats of Corrie and Emmerdale all over the place, with Who Wants to Be A Millionaire on every night.

The ITV is better in 2005, as the News has found its feet now and people know what to expect. There's usually a Drama most nights at 9pm now, there's usually a Film at 11pm some nights, Daytime seems to have been sorted out as there have been loads of new programmes comissioned. Though ITV tend to put out Corrie and Emmerdale a bit too much, but this in order (as I said) to gain ratings for programmes and create more money for the channel.

I also don't see why people hate Charles Allen so much, he's only doing his job. Being the boss of ITV can't be easy, he has to please God knows how many shareholders so the company can make so much money and so the shareholders get their money too.

I think ITV is a unique service, that it provides a Public service that has good Dramas, good Entertainment, provides a good News service and three other channels that are completely FTA! You don't see that from Sky, which your average household pays £400 per year for, about 3 times the Licence Fee IIRC.

There is nothing on it that I'm remotely interested in seeing.

One quick example:

What ITV used to broadcast - 'World in Action', 'TV Eye', 'This Week'
What ITV gives us now - 'Tonight with Trevor McDonald'

Argh, the ultimate in ITV trash TV, Tonight with Trevor McDonald. It claims to be serious current affairs but ends up as utter tabloid trash.



The real shame is that they could have been done credibly; just pitching the programmes slightly differently…
With the Chip & Pin programme, aiming it at Chip & Pin will solve these problems.
With the Tesco programme aiming it at supermarkets who each do "a"," b" and "c".

The real shame is that the BBC seem to have followed this type of programme with “Real Story”, again utter tripe, and a shame that it is held up next to Whistleblower and The Secret Policeman.

ITV worked as a regional network, 16 different bodies (if you split HTV Wales & West) doing their own thing and sharing each others programmes. They also had the big production houses such as Thames, LWT, ATV/Central, Yorkshire and Granada., as well as the smaller production houses such as Southern, TVS and Anglia. The entertainment was varied; game shows, comedies, drama, variety and soap.

Today, ITV1 or Granada England & Wales and it should be known, provides wall to wall pap, shows are produced by mindless idiots who have no idea who their target audience is and the real stars are pushed aside for the likes of piss poor five minute wonders. The word Celebrity means nothing on ITV1, its just someone they want to make famous. Then suddenly they notice that the only thing they have left are a few soaps from yesteryear and then they rely on them to fill the schedule for hours on end, madness.

People hate ITV nowadays as it is arrogant. This all stem from the likes of Charles Allen who are screwing the network into the ground. He won't care what the state of ITV will be in a few years time when he's been paid a huge payout to leave.

ITVplc needs a new person at the helm and a new sense of direction. Okay, its probably now too late to return to the regional values of the past but at least they can provided some decent, varied programmes. Then and only will people start to feel that ITV really does have a decent service.

My gripe is the single ITV.Excluding SMG Channel and UTV of course long may they all stay the way they are.

I know that we have to move forward and that things have to change but sadly unlike the old days bosses in tv know nothing about making tv only money .

I'm sick of Millionaire - All New Naughtiest Blunders -and the old faithful Bond Is Back not a ******* again .Also the movie that still takes a break for the ITV news which now starts on time but finishes four minutes late .

ITV should have stuck to it's regional roots it's just the poor relation to BBC.

ITV News is a shadow of the old ITN set up .

ITV 2 is just a load of rubbish replay this replay that who the **** wants it when it's just been on STV three hours earlier.

ITV 3 what was the point of that i would prefer to see more old seventies and eighties programming on there.

I give you there two high-quality programmes that were both treated appalingly by ITV. One ended up axed and the other went off to a new TV station where it's now their second most-watched programme. Both because ITV didn't know a good thing when it saw it.

I think the big issue I have with ITV - and to a degree five - is that they have been granted a very special right to use a large chunk of broadcast space to provide a national network - and this is broadcast space that you and I, as citizens of the UK, own. They pay for this - but not a huge amount.

However in return for this spectrum, well into the 80s, ITV was expected to provide a wide range of public service programmes - stuff that catered not for a single "majority" - but for the various, varied, minorities as well (who add up to quite a lot of people when you add them together)

These days ITV seem to be able to broadcast pretty much anything they like - as long as it keeps the advertisers happy (who are only interested in flogging soap powder and the like at the end of the day), makes as much money for the network, and thus profit for shareholders as possible.

These days ITV don't care about their whole audience - just those consumers that advertisers want to target, and thus make them the most money... Where's the public service in that?