I don't see how this would benefit TXF. The results show was usually worse off for airing so late (only boosted when it was the final and of course when Britney Spears performed). At that time most of its target audience will be out.

Victoria Wood has confirmed she is doing an christmas special for BBC ONE with Julie Walters.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/t...interview.html

They have commissioned programming to run at about 10pm (Piers Morgan's Life Stories) which was well known. And the fact that they have moved the results show suggests that they weren't particularly pleased to be running it at that time, but had little choice. Plus, this is the biggest show on ITV. The idea that it would run until 11pm on a Saturday night and provide a lead-in to nothing at all seems unlikely. Plus there is the 16-34 issue and the fact that those late running XF results shows aired in slots that had a million fewer potential viewers than SCD in its apparently awful slot.


I don't think anyone is arguing that BBC1 are trying to increase their overall ratings. The odds are that the opposite will happen. But they may win against The X Factor on Saturday night (one might note that having the results in the same show aids that).

It's a clever move that will undoubtedly make Brucie very happy! But no need to pretend there is some sort of public service motive here.

With the Sunday night results show, there was the perfect opportunity for both shows to co-exist. Strictly would have been able to move later on a Saturday as well. Decisions taken by BBC1 have removed that possibility.

Perhaps so, but its an option. The point being that its not as if X Factor has nowhere to go. In fact, given its ratings so far this year it should be pretty confident of winning a head-to-head.

I'm just saying I don't think it would be healthy for ITV to simply declare the slot they want and expect Strictly to work round them simply because its the BBC. All we'd end up with then is ITV dictating where the BBC should play their shows. The BBC has got to be able to fight back scheduling wise or we wind up with the situation we've got on, for instance, Friday where the 8.30 Corrie has neutered what was once a great place for the BBC to try pre-watershed comedy.

But this is the whole point. It doesn't matter to ITV whether or not XF keeps winning against SCD. It probably will if they schedule it right. But the ratings (for both shows) will be negatively impacted just as they would be if Corrie and Eastenders were directly scheduled. The option of running until very late is not a particularly realistic one and would still cause considerable harm to ITV.

BBC1 can be proud of saying "look at us, we won against X Factor", but for ITV, that kind of victory is meaningless if they've lost viewers (and thus ad revenue).

It's likely to particularly annoy ITV as this year, it should have been easier than ever for both to get along.

I think scd may start an little earlier say 7.05 but i think it will probably run to nine most weeks.

I don't think there's ever been a situation where ITV was declaring the slot it wanted. If anything, ITV were scheduling TXF around Strictly last year which had traditionally occupied the earlier slot for years. It's not as though ITV had forced Strictly into that position.

Yes, I see your point but I don't think viewers are going to be benefiting from this move and both shows are only going to be worse off as a result. Strictly wasn't exactly suffering in the ratings last year, but maybe the fact The X Factor was averaging higher overall bothered more people at the BBC than just Bruce.

It'll be interesting to see how ITV would deal with that. If SCD isn't finishing until 9pm, ITV either need to decide on a half hour to an hour of overlap or else going head-to-head.

If ITV can go head-to-head a few times and win, there is always the chance that the BBC will switch Strictly and Merlin back to where they were last year.

Really? 5.5m against Holby City?

It doesn't always manage that against The One Show...


Could it not have a negative impact because it will give people more excuse to watch BBC1 say in a 9pm clash? (or even a prime-time Saturday evening clash...?) They might then forget to switch to ITV1+1 an hour later.


Boo-hoo to ITV, the softies.

Whingeing because they've dropped a bollock with their own scheduling!


How did the BBC/Camelot allow Channel 4 to basically simulcast a live show that they own the rights to?


Excellent news. That'll be the 9.30pm BBC1 Christmas Day slot sorted, and a good 10m viewers I should think.

If Itv are smart they should start the show after the strictly performances are over, as the BBC will have to air about 15/20 minutes of filler while the phonelines open and votes are counted

Merlin is, I think, the sticking point from the BBC's point of view - and is preventing the solution C14E suggests, with TXF results' move allowing last years schedule to shift later. A direct swap of SCD and Merlin, ie,

6.40 SCD
8.20 Merlin

would probably work nicely for both parties in terms of ratings, allowing XF to begin with just a half hour crossover.

Unfortunately, the BBC have clearly decided that Merlin is too late in that schedule (they'd clearly get complaints from parents of the very young), so has to be accommodated in front of SCD, inevitably pushing Strictly into the X Factor slot.

In any case, theres always plenty of scheduling jiggery-pokery at this time of year. I'm sure everyone will settle down to something they at least consider acceptable, if not ideal, by October time.

I'm not so sure that will work. If they've stuck with SCD for 70 minutes already, they're unlikely to drift away just before the result. Also, BGT was running through the voting in about 10 minutes this year. I expect SCD will do something similar. Even if viewers do leave SCD for 10 minutes, they're likely to go back for the dance-off and result as soon as ITV go to ads.

There's some rule where one channel is able to broadcast (presumably small amounts of) other channels so long as it's not shown full screen (ie just on a TV screen), hense this programme, Flipside TV, TV demonstrations on QVC, incidental TVs in the background on news reports etc.

Yeah your probably right.The bgt example is interesting but when they did lets dance for comic relief and EUROVISION your country needs you earlier this year, they left at least 15-20 minutes to vote between the shows.I remember to fill time Steve Jones had to go back and interview the celebs back stage to stretch the time out.With SCD it will be easier to fill out the time with the musical guests and professional dances.

ITV1+1 will come in very useful once the Saturday night clash starts. People'll probably watch The X Factor on +1 because most of the dances'll be out of the way by then.

When does it start broadcasting, BTW? Does anyone know?


I don't know why they didn't give The X Factor a lead on Strictly. The Cube'd have got The X Factor audience afterwards, which is bound to be more than it'll get in an earlier slot.

Saying that, I think the BBC are being aggressive with their scheduling this year. I just wish they'd admit it instead of spinning crap about how it's opening more opportunties for fans of both shows. How is forcing the shows to clash opening more opportunties???


BBC1 could air the testcard on Christmas Day and it'd still win the ratings war.

------------------------------------------------------------

Haven't posted in a few days about the ratings in general. It's good to see the soaps have bounced back after a poor Friday. Waking the Dead and Marple/Blue Murder had good battles, though Marple'll struggle against Casualty next week.

As for yesterday - Lost Land of the Volcano did respectably. The Fixer losing 300,000 on last week is not good, but I feel it may stabilise around 3.5m now. It'll be seriously worrying for ITV1 if it starts to lose any more viewers.

It might not even happen yet. Nothing has been confirmed. They're awaiting the results of the Competition Commission's review of the contract rights renewal (CRR) system - if the rules are relaxed then apparently it'll be ready to launch on October 1st.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009...up-channel-crr

Thanks for the link.

What a load of rubbish that is. CRR was needed when the merger occured between Carlton and Granada but it isn't need now. Channel 4 s permitted to have 4+1, so why shouldn't ITV1 have a +1 channel and benefit from it? Hopefully OFCOM's recommedations will be followed and it will be allowed.

I see the news that Strictly and X factor are going head to head has made the front page of the Daily Mail

Don't forget that there is the second Doctor Who special, which oddly is rumoured to be set on 19th December, the finale of SCD and no X Factor .... hmm coincidence?

Really? Can I make a guess that it's not exactly supporting the BBC in this move?

EDIT: Not too sensationalist I suppose...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ad-rivals.html

It's reasonably in-line with other media, for once:


From: The Daily Mail


From: The Sun


From: The Mirror

The Sun and The Mirror seem more extremist than The Mail with those introductions!

EDIT: Just to point out as well - the BBC have had weeks since Robin Hood finished where they could've aired Merlin if they were so worried about time constraints in the autum.

Also, Merlin was fine starting around 7.30pm last year with a Strictly lead in, and got good viewing figures against The X Factor. Why is it being used as the excuse by the BBC just so Strictly Come Dancing can be moved later?

The Sun is usually fairly pro X Factor. The Mirror slightly less so as they don't seem to get the exclusives and perhaps because of the Simon Cowell/ Piers Morgan connection. The Daily Mail, as it does with everything, happily spills the gossip to get readers but will also have an opinion piece explaining that it is a symptom of all that is wrong with the youth of today.


Because it's the best excuse they've got?!

In think the Mail's tactic is to blame the BBC for not providing enough public service broadcasting. I'm sure nothing'll change with this issue.


They should be honest. At least they wouldn't have anyone laughing at the charade they're acting out.

I imagine the comment sections will be filled with bile about how the BBC are going to ruin Saturdays and being too populist, no doubt they'll be a pop at the Government too.