Corrie is pretty much where Eastenders was 2 years ago. The common perception is that it is now rubbish and not worth watching, and its very hard to get out of that. Eastenders is still struggling with it, despite people who watch it agreeing that the quality of the show has improved. Ratings are still dropping.
I'd say it's further than that point now. Look at the ratings - it's only matching EE's figures from this time last year. ITV really need to pull their finger out and do something before it's too late - EE didn't, and now it's been stuck in this ratings lull for 1 year since the new EP arrived, despite a drastic improvement in quality. EE's reputation was tarnished too much for a quick turn around, and it looks like the same will now happen to Corrie due to ITV's lack of action.
In EE can someone explain the Alfie and Kat story line - they have young children and the council has a legal responsibility to re-house them so what's the problem ? Are the laws different in soap world ?
These are the reason I stopped watching EE years back. Sick to death of them two, especially Alfie. That was the downfall for me. Long gone are the days I used to like EE.
Even for low-profile programming, it's the week before Christmas for pity's sake, that those ratings were the highest in the slot is absolutely pathetic!
BBC1 and ITV can't blame anybody but themselves for the craps 9pm ratings last night. Put dull filler on and you'll get low ratings. BBC1 keep inflicting us with these Richard Hammond documentaries. Unless he's in a car people don't watch them.
BBC1 and ITV can't blame anybody but themselves for the craps 9pm ratings last night. Put dull filler on and you'll get low ratings. BBC1 keep inflicting us with these Richard Hammond documentaries. Unless he's in a car people don't watch them.
Some of Hammonds docs have been ok but they seem to me to be BBC2 shows and thats where they should stay - like the James May docs. Frankly this one was pretty dull.
Incredible rating when you consider how simple this programme was and C4's inability to get anywhere near that kind of figure in that slot ordinarily this year, including in worthy genres like homegrown drama and comedy.
Could Gogglebox essentially take over C4 now ? I can see a number of spinoffs launching in 2015.
There is a considerable audience there at 10pm that BBC2 and Channel 4 should do better at getting. Apart from Steph & Dom and The Apprentice: You're Fired the ratings in those slots are terrible. Unappealing comedies and dramas in these slots are to blame. They need to try harder.
Some of Hammonds docs have been ok but they seem to me to be BBC2 shows and thats where they should stay - like the James May docs. Frankly this one was pretty dull.
But rather are always tiny. Why BBC1 persist with them is beyond me, they're better suited to The CBBC Channel.
These are the reason I stopped watching EE years back. Sick to death of them two, especially Alfie. That was the downfall for me. Long gone are the days I used to like EE.
The story line is unrealistic and totally inaccurate, what next, Martians landing in Albert Square ? I thought EE prided itself on tackling gritty contemporary issues ? At least get it right.
Actually BBC Wales showed a documentary about Katherine Jenkins which I would suspect boosted his rating as it's for the slot not the programme, it will be adjusted later.
Are you kidding, only BBC Wales think she's a national treasure, the rest of us think she's an over exposed prima donna.
Something MAYBE being done, just because we don't know about it doesn't mean everything is chugging along. SB is probably under immense pressure from ITV at the moment.
And while they dilly dally about with Blackburn still in charge he's destroys more of next years storylines. Better to get him out now and get in someone who can be trusted with the Corrie brand. While they wait, more viewers are lost.
And while they dilly dally about with Blackburn still in charge he's destroys more of next years storylines. Better to get him out now and get in someone who can be trusted with the Corrie brand. While they wait, more viewers are lost.
Who would you like to take over H ? Would it be possible to go back to a prior producer who has experience with the show, a little like the BBC did with EE ?
Some of Hammonds docs have been ok but they seem to me to be BBC2 shows and thats where they should stay - like the James May docs. Frankly this one was pretty dull.
Perhaps they think that if they keep shoving him in all these docu-light programmes, the viewing public will just give in and watch in higher numbers.
I think you could have Hacker as the host of one of these type of shows and he would pull in more of the casual audience and even some of the younger ones too. I personally love Hacker - although I shouldn't be watching CBBC at my age
Emma Willis has rather boldly claimed that January 2015 will have " a stellar cast - there's nobody that you won't know" and also claiming it's going to be "one of the best series that the show has ever had."
I know this sort of hype is part and parcel of publicity for a reality show but this does seem rather beyond the usual PR stuff - perhaps Viacom are giving the booking team more money to throw around this year?
Perhaps they think that if they keep shoving him in all these docu-light programmes, the viewing public will just give in and watch in higher numbers.
I think you could have Hacker as the host of one of these type of shows and he would pull in more of the casual audience and even some of the younger ones too. I personally love Hacker - although I shouldn't be watching CBBC at my age
These documentaries would be brilliant with Hacker.
Not seen the other articles to compare coverage on the Coronation Street ratings 'crisis' but the Sun yesterday was headed 'Corrie Wobbles' sub headed 'Soap's lowest ever audience...are fans missing Michelle?'
It said that the ratings collapse was being blamed on the departure of popular characters like Tina McIntyre but that ITV labelled the Sunday figures a 'one off'.
Then explained why it had been moved to Sunday.
It then gave some of the big ratings it used to get 30 + years ago (by that comparison every long running show would be in crisis but we know there are many other reasons why direct comparisons across entirely different TV and cultural landscapes are not credible).
However, the Sun seems to imply these things have only effected soaps (at least they do not suggest anything else has fallen similarly as I am sure they have). I mean Open All Hours will be a big hit at 8 million but would have got far more many years ago and Downton or Call the Midwife would be getting similar 23 million figures to Corrie if on 30 odd years ago and not now.
So this is all relative to some degree, particularly as if you compare a mundane modern audience for a soap with a massively rated big episode decades ago it will over emphasise the drop.
There has been a drop, of course, and the mediocre nature of Corrie is real and needs addressing. It needs a shake up.
But soaps do fluctuate as and when stuff happens - just like you pay more attention to others in your real neighbourhood street when an ambulance arrives or there is a ding dong on the doorstep but the rest of the time you might just say hello if you happen to bump into them but otherwise they are just there.
The Sun piece seems to single out Stuart Blackburn (they include a photo of him) and by citing how audiences are down by a third since Phil Collinson left. They claim he was pulling in 9.5 million viewers and Blackburn's averages are now averaging around 6.7 million.
Do these figures match up properly? Someone on here will know.
Corrie are said to be 'happy with his performance' ref Blackburn (though that was not in quotes in the piece).
But 'insiders' said his position was 'under scrutiny' after his decisions were proving unpopular. A source is quoted as saying that killing off Tina was a 'massive mistake' and that six other popular cast members have left.
The source added 'With ratings for all three soaps falling' - (Hollyoaks seem to have been forgotten here and are bucking the trend a bit) - so 'you can't afford to make decisions that are unpopular with viewers' .
But an ITV spokeswoman insisted that under Blackburn 'Coronation Street is still the most watched soap in the country by some margin'.
That is certainly very arguable looking at last night's figures.
Some absolutely brilliant posts on here regarding the decline and future of tv soaps.Please feel free to post on my thread on the decline of soaps.
In terms of iplayer etc being included-I think basically year by year people need to compare the fall in ratings for the broadcast show to the changes if any in the fivures for iplayer viewing.If theres little change in the latter that suggests that those whove stopped watching the broadcast edition have stopped totally and not switched to viewing on iplayer etc
I think some people flag up iplayer as the explanation for the drop without looking at this basic detail.
Some absolutely brilliant posts on here regarding the decline and future of tv soaps.Please feel free to post on my thread on the decline of soaps.
In terms of iplayer etc being included-I think basically year by year people need to compare the fall in ratings for the broadcast show to the changes if any in the fivures for iplayer viewing.If theres little change in the latter that suggests that those whove stopped watching the broadcast edition have stopped totally and not switched to viewing on iplayer etc
I think some people flag up iplayer as the explanation for the drop without looking at this basic detail.
Moreover what really counts is the relative figures for live viewing vs other big programmes on the channel.
These better reflect the state of an individual programme.
Corrie to ITV remains as important as X Factor, Downton Abbey, Broadchurch, Britain's Got Talent and I'm A Celebrity in terms of ratings. They all get similar ball park figures. Many have fallen too without Stuart Blackburn to blame.
But crucially the latter are all transient shows in terms of longevity (a decade or two at the very best often quite a bit less) AND they are only on for at most a quarter of the year (again often less).
Corrie is eternal and an everpresent all year round.
So in terms of importance to ITV it is still their big show - all be it mitigated by the likelihood that its age dynamics make it less ad lucrative.
They should not be complacent and I guess things like drafting in Les Dennis and now Claire King are attempts to recreate new popular characters in the classic Corrie image. So you can see they are aware of the need to adapt and up their game.
But in general TV terms given the drop everywhere for live viewing I think it premature to write the death certificate for soaps.
Moreover what really counts is the relative figures for live viewing vs other big programmes on the channel.
These better reflect the state of an individual programme.
Corrie to ITV remains as important as X Factor, Downton Abbey, Broadchurch, Britain's Got Talent and I'm A Celebrity in terms of ratings. They all get similar ball park figures. Many have fallen too without Stuart Blackburn to blame.
But crucially the latter are all transient shows in terms of longevity (a decade or two at the very best often quite a bit less) AND they are only on for at most a quarter of the year (again often less).
Corrie is eternal and an everpresent all year round.
So in terms of importance to ITV it is still their big show - all be it mitigated by the likelihood that its age dynamics make it less ad lucrative.
They should not be complacent and I guess things like drafting in Les Dennis and now Claire King are attempts to recreate new popular characters in the classic Corrie image. So you can see they are aware of the need to adapt and up their game.
But in general TV terms given the drop everywhere for live viewing I think it premature to write the death certificate for soaps.
If theres such a thing as a decline certificate then I would say that soaps certainly do qualify for one of those!:DBut not an imminent death certificate your right.
To my mind the decline of soaps is up to a point natural BUT this decline is being accelerated quicker than neccesary because of poor decisions by networks and poor decisions around the execution of soaps,storyline decisions,rinse repeat stories,playing safe,getting complacent etc,
I would say the decline of soaps us one of the bigger sub issues within the bigger overarching issue of the decline of tv.
But rather are always tiny. Why BBC1 persist with them is beyond me, they're better suited to The CBBC Channel.
As someone said - he's cheap filler. It's vaguely PSB remit broadcasting and is not intended to get big numbers. Indeed you might say that if a random weather presenter was associated with the programme it wouldn't have got a slot winning 2.8m, so he's delivering to a new audience otherwise disinterested.
Sounds like some elements from the pilot of 'Stars In Their Eyes' will need ironing out from the SITE thread. I suppose the pilot is for this exact reason.
As someone said - he's cheap filler. It's vaguely PSB remit broadcasting and is not intended to get big numbers. Indeed you might say that if a random weather presenter was associated with the programme it wouldn't have got a slot winning 2.8m, so he's delivering to a new audience otherwise disinterested.
Almost. Richard Hammond got 2.76m and Better Midler 2.77m (2.92 inc+1), although its not significant as both are poor ratings.
Moreover what really counts is the relative figures for live viewing vs other big programmes on the channel.
These better reflect the state of an individual programme.
Corrie to ITV remains as important as X Factor, Downton Abbey, Broadchurch, Britain's Got Talent and I'm A Celebrity in terms of ratings. They all get similar ball park figures. Many have fallen too without Stuart Blackburn to blame.
But crucially the latter are all transient shows in terms of longevity (a decade or two at the very best often quite a bit less) AND they are only on for at most a quarter of the year (again often less).
Corrie is eternal and an everpresent all year round.
So in terms of importance to ITV it is still their big show - all be it mitigated by the likelihood that its age dynamics make it less ad lucrative.
They should not be complacent and I guess things like drafting in Les Dennis and now Claire King are attempts to recreate new popular characters in the classic Corrie image. So you can see they are aware of the need to adapt and up their game.
But in general TV terms given the drop everywhere for live viewing I think it premature to write the death certificate for soaps.
Didn't the BBC recently make a major commitment to EE by announcing they were going to enlarge the square and introduce a number of new streets, a project that will take three years to complete with a major rebuilding of the set.
Didn't the BBC recently make a major commitment to EE by announcing they were going to enlarge the square and introduce a number of new streets, a project that will take three years to complete with a major rebuilding of the set.
Certainly something along those lines anyway. The soaps are not going anywhere soon but they are declining at least at the moment and the same arguments as those used for the decline of some of the other shows applies ie they still are getting big ratings just lower than previously.
Comments
I'd say it's further than that point now. Look at the ratings - it's only matching EE's figures from this time last year. ITV really need to pull their finger out and do something before it's too late - EE didn't, and now it's been stuck in this ratings lull for 1 year since the new EP arrived, despite a drastic improvement in quality. EE's reputation was tarnished too much for a quick turn around, and it looks like the same will now happen to Corrie due to ITV's lack of action.
These are the reason I stopped watching EE years back. Sick to death of them two, especially Alfie. That was the downfall for me. Long gone are the days I used to like EE.
BBC1 and ITV can't blame anybody but themselves for the craps 9pm ratings last night. Put dull filler on and you'll get low ratings. BBC1 keep inflicting us with these Richard Hammond documentaries. Unless he's in a car people don't watch them.
Bette Midler - not as good as Olly Murs.
Some of Hammonds docs have been ok but they seem to me to be BBC2 shows and thats where they should stay - like the James May docs. Frankly this one was pretty dull.
There is a considerable audience there at 10pm that BBC2 and Channel 4 should do better at getting. Apart from Steph & Dom and The Apprentice: You're Fired the ratings in those slots are terrible. Unappealing comedies and dramas in these slots are to blame. They need to try harder.
But rather are always tiny. Why BBC1 persist with them is beyond me, they're better suited to The CBBC Channel.
The story line is unrealistic and totally inaccurate, what next, Martians landing in Albert Square ? I thought EE prided itself on tackling gritty contemporary issues ? At least get it right.
Are you kidding, only BBC Wales think she's a national treasure, the rest of us think she's an over exposed prima donna.
And while they dilly dally about with Blackburn still in charge he's destroys more of next years storylines. Better to get him out now and get in someone who can be trusted with the Corrie brand. While they wait, more viewers are lost.
Yes, the national treasure is actually Charlotte Church.
Who would you like to take over H ? Would it be possible to go back to a prior producer who has experience with the show, a little like the BBC did with EE ?
Perhaps they think that if they keep shoving him in all these docu-light programmes, the viewing public will just give in and watch in higher numbers.
I think you could have Hacker as the host of one of these type of shows and he would pull in more of the casual audience and even some of the younger ones too. I personally love Hacker - although I shouldn't be watching CBBC at my age
I know this sort of hype is part and parcel of publicity for a reality show but this does seem rather beyond the usual PR stuff - perhaps Viacom are giving the booking team more money to throw around this year?
These documentaries would be brilliant with Hacker.
It said that the ratings collapse was being blamed on the departure of popular characters like Tina McIntyre but that ITV labelled the Sunday figures a 'one off'.
Then explained why it had been moved to Sunday.
It then gave some of the big ratings it used to get 30 + years ago (by that comparison every long running show would be in crisis but we know there are many other reasons why direct comparisons across entirely different TV and cultural landscapes are not credible).
However, the Sun seems to imply these things have only effected soaps (at least they do not suggest anything else has fallen similarly as I am sure they have). I mean Open All Hours will be a big hit at 8 million but would have got far more many years ago and Downton or Call the Midwife would be getting similar 23 million figures to Corrie if on 30 odd years ago and not now.
So this is all relative to some degree, particularly as if you compare a mundane modern audience for a soap with a massively rated big episode decades ago it will over emphasise the drop.
There has been a drop, of course, and the mediocre nature of Corrie is real and needs addressing. It needs a shake up.
But soaps do fluctuate as and when stuff happens - just like you pay more attention to others in your real neighbourhood street when an ambulance arrives or there is a ding dong on the doorstep but the rest of the time you might just say hello if you happen to bump into them but otherwise they are just there.
The Sun piece seems to single out Stuart Blackburn (they include a photo of him) and by citing how audiences are down by a third since Phil Collinson left. They claim he was pulling in 9.5 million viewers and Blackburn's averages are now averaging around 6.7 million.
Do these figures match up properly? Someone on here will know.
Corrie are said to be 'happy with his performance' ref Blackburn (though that was not in quotes in the piece).
But 'insiders' said his position was 'under scrutiny' after his decisions were proving unpopular. A source is quoted as saying that killing off Tina was a 'massive mistake' and that six other popular cast members have left.
The source added 'With ratings for all three soaps falling' - (Hollyoaks seem to have been forgotten here and are bucking the trend a bit) - so 'you can't afford to make decisions that are unpopular with viewers' .
But an ITV spokeswoman insisted that under Blackburn 'Coronation Street is still the most watched soap in the country by some margin'.
That is certainly very arguable looking at last night's figures.
Some absolutely brilliant posts on here regarding the decline and future of tv soaps.Please feel free to post on my thread on the decline of soaps.
In terms of iplayer etc being included-I think basically year by year people need to compare the fall in ratings for the broadcast show to the changes if any in the fivures for iplayer viewing.If theres little change in the latter that suggests that those whove stopped watching the broadcast edition have stopped totally and not switched to viewing on iplayer etc
I think some people flag up iplayer as the explanation for the drop without looking at this basic detail.
Moreover what really counts is the relative figures for live viewing vs other big programmes on the channel.
These better reflect the state of an individual programme.
Corrie to ITV remains as important as X Factor, Downton Abbey, Broadchurch, Britain's Got Talent and I'm A Celebrity in terms of ratings. They all get similar ball park figures. Many have fallen too without Stuart Blackburn to blame.
But crucially the latter are all transient shows in terms of longevity (a decade or two at the very best often quite a bit less) AND they are only on for at most a quarter of the year (again often less).
Corrie is eternal and an everpresent all year round.
So in terms of importance to ITV it is still their big show - all be it mitigated by the likelihood that its age dynamics make it less ad lucrative.
They should not be complacent and I guess things like drafting in Les Dennis and now Claire King are attempts to recreate new popular characters in the classic Corrie image. So you can see they are aware of the need to adapt and up their game.
But in general TV terms given the drop everywhere for live viewing I think it premature to write the death certificate for soaps.
If theres such a thing as a decline certificate then I would say that soaps certainly do qualify for one of those!:DBut not an imminent death certificate your right.
To my mind the decline of soaps is up to a point natural BUT this decline is being accelerated quicker than neccesary because of poor decisions by networks and poor decisions around the execution of soaps,storyline decisions,rinse repeat stories,playing safe,getting complacent etc,
I would say the decline of soaps us one of the bigger sub issues within the bigger overarching issue of the decline of tv.
As someone said - he's cheap filler. It's vaguely PSB remit broadcasting and is not intended to get big numbers. Indeed you might say that if a random weather presenter was associated with the programme it wouldn't have got a slot winning 2.8m, so he's delivering to a new audience otherwise disinterested.
Almost. Richard Hammond got 2.76m and Better Midler 2.77m (2.92 inc+1), although its not significant as both are poor ratings.
Didn't the BBC recently make a major commitment to EE by announcing they were going to enlarge the square and introduce a number of new streets, a project that will take three years to complete with a major rebuilding of the set.
Certainly something along those lines anyway. The soaps are not going anywhere soon but they are declining at least at the moment and the same arguments as those used for the decline of some of the other shows applies ie they still are getting big ratings just lower than previously.
Hacker should be fronting BBC LE shows - at least he has a personality !!