Originally Posted by
Bandspread199:
“And you base this on what figure? Think of what's on the BBC when STV put out these programmes that so many think are crass! They're NEVER going to compete with River City - strange but true -so 8pm on a Tuesday is going to be bad for STV. I reckon what posters refer to as second rate or crass programming from STV can be translated as "I'm not interested in that! I would rather watch a middle class period drama, or Midsomer with thatched cottages and constant sunshine and village fetes!"
We have to accept that the financial situation has changed for STV, as it has for ALL channels! Look at other threads and see how many are about BBC dropping expensive dramas etc. One of the most expensive shows produced by STV was Taggart in it's day. At the same time they bought "Prisoner Cell Block 4" for £250 an episode. It had a huge audience! Made in Oz I believe!
Any ITV programme can be seen on ITV Player so what's the problem? And remember other tv channels are available....
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Hi Bandspread. Yes of course ITV Player is the solution to all our woes and when I bought my 26" TV I was thinking how much nicer 90 minute dramas would be on my 17" lap top monitor.....
'The Hour' was relaunched, with much publicity, by the STV bosses and, with no sense of dread, they put it up against a Scottish rival on the BBC - 'River City'.

I feel sorry for Michelle being ousted from the tea time broadcast to a fresh, once a week format which died a predictable death weeks later.
One good thing about the cheap shows STV makes is that, if you miss them first time round, they are shown time and time again to fill space in the yawning depths of the afternoon schedule. The 'Scotlands Greatest' series might attract viewers but the fact remains that it is cheap to make and in no way compensates for the loss of a drama, particulary one which used to be shown. When 'Lewis' and 'Doc Martin' first 'went missing' I emailed STV to ask when we would be seeing them? After all, we did not always see shows at the same time as ITV viewers, but they usually followed in 6 weeks or so. That was when I got the "not relevant to Scotland" reply - a statement that is hilarious when you consider that such apparently irrelevant shows are still used to pad out the STV line up on a regular basis.
I think if STV had been honest from day one - "we feel ITV are charging us too much and we want to try and find fresh programme from other countries which our viewers will enjoy" pehaps adding " hopefully we will be in a position to show the missing dramas some time in the future" there would have been understanding even if there was limited support. But is a little old biddy settling down for 'Midsomer' or 'Poirot' really going to enjoy 'Under Belly?' Were there no costume or historic dramas that STV could buy from New Zealand, Canada or Australia? BBC4 does very well with its Scandanavian shows and although I expect there would be an outcry about subtitled drama going out in prime time, I think the buyers for STV could have tried a little harder.
Meanwhile, how about re running 'Cracker'? What about 'Doctor Findlay', revamped in the 90's? I expect there are lots of drama series made in the UK which STV could purchase and rescreen.
I would watch 'Scotlands Greatest Childrens Shows' - they have not done that one yet - as 'Glen Michael's Cavalcade' could be shown!!!! In short, I do not think STV should lose their license, but I do think they should try and appreciate the frustration of the would be drama audience, in particular.
Just think, if the present lot had been in power, we would not have seen 'Morse', 'Poirot', 'Brideshead Revisited', 'Upstairs Downstairs', 'Frost' etc as they have no "relevance" to Scottish audiences.
(Must go - friend leant me the Neil Dudgeon Midsomer Murder dvds and I have to view them before the STV Tartan Detector Van drives past......


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