ITV Discussion Thread

there has been a semi - transparent stap for a while - not seen it tonight , so not sure whether it's changed , but from your description , I would say it hasn't.

Christmas is coming

The provisional schedule looks atrocious, I can't remember exact timings but as it stands:

7.00pm Emmerdale
8.00pm Corrie
9.00pm Marple

I kid you not. Shame they're not making a small effort like last year with DOI and Harry Hill on Christmas Day.

Considering the effort they've put in to making ITV1 the home of weekend entertainment it's a shame not to see that reflected in the Christmas schedules, with less emphasis on soap and more on being the home of Christmas entertainment.

I know they're in a catch 22 situation on Christmas Day, but the BBC will win if ITV role over and let them. The BBC isn't showing anything on Christmas Day that ITV can't attempt to compete against - indeed they've shown just last week they can go up against EastEnders and win, there is a significant anti-Doctor Who audience out there and whatever the BBC serves up at 9pm, that is where ITV1 can make their mark on the schedule.

Forget Marple and commission a Britain's Got Talent or X Factor special instead - not a competitive show, just a showcase of the talent that the show has produced.

I didnt really expect ITV's Christmas night schedule to be anything different, they arent too worried about Christmas Day as they never win the ratings battle whatever they put on and also they are more concerned with the weeks before Christmas hence why Im a Celeb and X Factor are shown then.

I heard that Poirot would be on at 9pm tho not Marple

I agree, I really do. Something like this for Christmas Day 2010 IMO

3.00pm The Queen
3.10pm Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
5.50pm ITV News
6.00pm Emmerdale
7.00pm Coronation Street
7.30pm Harry Hill's Christmas TV Burp
8.00pm Britain's Got Talent Christmas Special
9.30pm Coronation Street
10.00pm News at Ten
10.15pm A Christmas Film

Hour-long Emmerdale to begin, then the first of a big Corrie event at 7pm and 9.30pm - big cliffhanger at the end of the first ep etc etc, great Christmassy feel, loads of the cast, a dramatic story at the fore.

Then a Christmas TV Burp, the conclusion of Corrie at 9.30pm, then a Christmas News at Ten - would do really well in the ratings methinks.

It would at least put up a serious fight and the public would change perceptions about ITV1 (even if it costs a bit) - at the moment the casual viewer just presumes the channel is cheap etc

'World Idol' was a flop and 'Dancing on Ice' christmas special didn't do that great so why bother.

I think you'll find Dancing on Ice pulled a decent number for ITV.

5.7m is not that great for 'Dancing on Ice'.

At the end of the day ITV are more bothered about their Ratings from now until the days before Christmas, as long as they're high, they get more money from advertisers. People usually stick with the BBC or DVD's on Christmas Day mostly. I think they got it right in 1993 when they just showed wall to wall Films, although the ITC weren't too impressed, I can't say I'm impressed with the BBC's line-up over Christmas either.

The last time more people watched ITV over BBC1 on Christmas Day was back in 1987, and the schedules on both channels weren't too different than today's.

ITV are usually at a loss when The X Factor finishes. They don't know what to do with themselves the rest of the year - relying on soaps and The Comedy Awards to take them through to January.

and from what I have heard: Dacing on ice will be just like X factor, Saturday and Sunday. adn we might even get a mid week show!

It is for Christmas Day ITV1 non-soap.