Originally Posted by Paace:
“The BBC execs have a lot to do with it too. They seem to think controversy is good for the show and we the audience like it. Judging by the Pros they kept and those they let go I don't think I'm wrong.
I think its very sad to see the BBC so obsessed with ratings over quality.”
It's also very stupid. Very stupid indeed.
There is a school of thought that the BBC shouldn't be competing with commercial broadcasters at all - that they should be downsized and their output restricted to pure 'public service' programming - i.e. arts, religious, childrens, high end documentaries ... in other words, the kind of programming commercial broadcasters don't and won't touch because it won't generate any income for them. The BBC would then give up the ground it holds in popular drama and entertainment and let commercial channels concentrate on those genres.
The people who back this idea - most notably Rupert and James Murdoch - are taken seriously by the Tories and their success in the last election (albeit as part of a coalition) will bolster their argument. Only the Olympics is likely to keep the DCMS' eyes away from the BBC - but that's not going to last forever ...
The BBC took a lot of flak last year for aggressively scheduling Strictly against TXF - and yet it would appear that senior management just won't learn from this and are now out to promote the show as much as possible by 'controversial' annoucements such as this one. Not only are they digging Strictly's grave - they're digging their own grave.
And yes, as I've said elsewhere also, the surviving pro's from last year have very obviously kept for comedy/drama purposes - far easier to fabricate 'story' out of than someone who's just 'nice'.
Even though the 'nice' pro's are arguably more popular. Go figure ...