ITV or BBC? which do you prefer?
zak_g
Posts: 427 Forum Member
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Digital spy members- basically this thread is to discuss what it says on the title, do you think the beeb is better in how it runs its channels, programming and news or do you prefer the very different ITV. I would love to hear your opinions.
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1 - Is this some Uni work or study ?
2 - Why not start with your opinion ? Isn't that what discussion forums are for ?
The reason it says I have only 2 posts is because I had issues with my ds account and have been unable to post on forums
The thing that puts me off ITV (and any other commercial channel for that matter) is the adverts. You get so used to having your showing uninterrupted on the likes of Netflix that it feels even more of an annoyance to have those breaks then it used to do.
When they works properly (and they appear to still have massive issues with then), the shorter advert breaks on the catch services, such as 4od, are much better. I'm more likely to stop paying attention to adverts during the really long breaks on broadcast TV than I am if I know there are only going to be 1 or 2 ads. Far too many other distractions nowadays that you can pick up for the time the ads are on for those longer breaks.
Although it is incredibly rare that I watch anything on ITV, they mainly put out populist cheap tat programming that appeals to simple people, something that I am not at all interested in.
Am wondering if ITV need to close down some channels as they have not much to show anymore?
There was a thread about closing down digital channels on here. ?
I can assure you I have no connections to itv or the bbc, how long do you give it until the next itv breakfast rebrand?
Quite. It's not the amount of content they have, it's the demand for advertising and keeping market share. So when one broadcaster adds a channel, the others have to do it just to preserve their proportion of the channels for advertising.
Then the BBC "has" to do it - because ... because they have to keep up. too.
I used to be a big ITV fan until around 2000. Then as the two soap operas and an endless stream of 'celebrity' and 'reality' dross took over, I watched it less and less to the point I hardly watch it at all. It's dire. It's too 'Manchester'. Every programme revolves around Coronation Street, Ant & Dec, Schofield etc. Their schedule is the same old knackered stuff week after week. ITV screams tabloid, tacky & trashy.
At least the BBC do decent news, local news & current affairs, documentaries and human interest shows
I hate ITV's over reliance on soaps, reality, Simon Cowell and Celebrity xxx programmes. I know no tv channel can cater for all it's audience and ITV do seem to have some very good quality drama (excellent even) though not something I would seek out. But to me it's just wall to wall cheap tat for the masses. Where as yes, the BBC are equally as guilty of banging out some truly awful programming they also seem to have an edge over ITV.
Family shows such as Doctor Who would be shunted off to 11pm on ITV2 after 3 episodes. The documentaries are also world class, and I know some are co productions with other international broadcasters. But the UK made programming is both entertaining and educational.
It's also good that the BBC's channels are all available for 'free' in HD on satellite and some Freeview areas.
EDIT -
The BBC also have the advantage that as they have no sponsors to offend (only the Daily Mail and The Sun) they can get away with programming like Have I got News for You, Mock the Week and News Night. Ripping politicians, products and people to pieces and commenting on things commercial tv may want to steer clear of.
Well which of those sets of channels shows the most program's you like then?
Itv has The Agenda with Tom Bradby
What do you mean by laid back approach ?
I agree with this.
ITV also seems hesitant to quit while they're ahead with Cowell & Celebrity etc. They allow programmes to grow beyond stale before ever axing them
I watch Pointless OR The Chase and the odd football match and that's really about it.
I find far more interesting programmes on Channel 4, E4, Film 4, 5, 5 USA etc.
ITV is living in the past in my opinion and the BBC (at least on 1) are old sticks in the mud with very traditional PC and boring programming on the whole, the exception being Mrs. Brown's Boys which goes too far the other way.
Personally, I'd rather watch Southland, Sons of Anarchy, The Walking Dead, NCIS (original), The 100, The Big Bang Theory, True Blood, (when it was FTA), Flashpoint, Homeland etc etc..
Some of these shows the main channels should have picked up in any event. eg Southland is simply the best cop show I've ever seen by a long long way and I've pretty much watched every cop show going. Non of the European PC cop shows, this is gritty, done in a fly on the wall documentary style and simply sublime. It pulls no punches and shows with amazing reality the real job of the police on the street. It's also in most episodes action packed. No dirty old raincoats with boring old men making door to door enquires in quaint little villages. It's full on fly on the wall documentary of an entire shift with one main story and several minor stories per episode. It's now discontinued and it's finished on Channel 4. So it's the short of show the BBC should be picking up the rights for as there's not been a decent action packed cop show on the BBC or ITV since the days of Miami Vice in the 80's in my opinion and Southland is as realistic as they come. Think "Cops" (documentary series) with scripted story.
Here are a few clips although they don't really give the documentary feel as both are clips of action not the ongoing fly on the wall following of the patrol:
Near riot scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AZU9Cr0Usk
Traffic Shoot out with Trainee Officer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLqYJ_26v7Y
(Warning Southland doesn't pull punches! Unfortunately the picture quality is very poor on the Youtube clips which spoils the realism).
Sons of Anarchy is very different to the usual BBC offerings and is also finished on FTA.
Homeland, how did the main channels miss one of the best US thrillers for years when it had stars such as Claire Danes and Damien Lewis in it?
Both BBC and ITV are guilty of allowing programmes to run well beyond their natural shelf life. Here's how I see it:
BBC: News coverage has a soft left bias. Entertainment offerings are safe, bland, politically correct, middle class and boring. Sports coverage is obsessed with filling the presenting team and commentary box with retired ex-sportspeople rather than those from a journalistic background. However, it occasionally makes a good documentary programme or series.
ITV: Its News at Ten programme is stronger than the BBC rival. In Wales, its regional news is of higher quality than the BBC. Entertainment offerings aren't as downmarket or celebrity-obsessed as they were a decade ago, but certain offerings have run their course. The soaps have lost their way somewhat, and are obsessed with sensationalism at the expense of strong characters. The sports programming across ITV's channels is usually of a very high standard. With sports like darts, snooker and motorsport, the quality of its coverage is significantly ahead of the BBC's.
IMO, they produce the better programming, and don't aim their programmes at the lowest common denominator - a trait that ITV seems to thrive on.
Although, years ago, it was probably 50-50. I used to love a LOT of their programming. The decline of ITV over the years is breath taking. All IMHO of course!
There are literally one or two programmes I watch on ITV. I watch the BBC the most, followed by various other channels.
And don't get me started on the constant advertising breaks, I record a lot of commercial TV for this reason!