Originally Posted by p_c_u_k:
“Fair points Mr Sirs. The only thing I can say - without coming up with the same arguments - is that I see many people from across the UK on here complaining that the ITV network is all the same these days, there's nothing regional, etc etc, and then people from up here complaining that the ITV network is regional and they're opting out of too many programmes. Decades ago ITV stations would not take huge programmes at random, and yet this is heralded by many as the golden era. If we're going to have STV it has to have the option of choosing what it shows on its own station, even if we disagree with many of its choices. Otherwise, it may as well be ITV1 Scotland.
Now Kezo ... am I right in saying you're suggesting the opt-outs for the north should be scrapped? If so I would tend to agree. It does seem to be causing more trouble than its worth and the area is too geographically large to split in two and have relevant local news for both sections. I remember being in Aberdeen and getting news from Shetland instead of Dundee, which was far closer to home. At the same time population wise it's not justifiable to have three areas. Back to one I reckon.
You make a point about local radio stations - they ain't local after 7pm at night (10pm for MFR). If you're listening to Tay, Northsound, MFR etc then they're coming from Clydebank, near Glasgow. It's no more local than the Nightshift. They're just more clever at hiding at. As for other stations, everyone keeps quoting Channel 4 here but ITV1 has gambling and shopping, the BBC hands to a rolling news channel which would be on air anyway and Channel 5 goes to Casino programming.
I would imagine anyway that this whole discussion will become increasingly irrelevant soon. STV now has a deal in which it pays a fixed fee for all network programming. Therefore there is no incentive - aside from maintaining a high enough proportion of Scottish programming to differentiate itself from ITV1 ahead of the future of the network being considered by OFCOM/independence - to drop popular programmes. I would imagine it's just trying to find the slots to now crowbar them all in.”
“Fair points Mr Sirs. The only thing I can say - without coming up with the same arguments - is that I see many people from across the UK on here complaining that the ITV network is all the same these days, there's nothing regional, etc etc, and then people from up here complaining that the ITV network is regional and they're opting out of too many programmes. Decades ago ITV stations would not take huge programmes at random, and yet this is heralded by many as the golden era. If we're going to have STV it has to have the option of choosing what it shows on its own station, even if we disagree with many of its choices. Otherwise, it may as well be ITV1 Scotland.
Now Kezo ... am I right in saying you're suggesting the opt-outs for the north should be scrapped? If so I would tend to agree. It does seem to be causing more trouble than its worth and the area is too geographically large to split in two and have relevant local news for both sections. I remember being in Aberdeen and getting news from Shetland instead of Dundee, which was far closer to home. At the same time population wise it's not justifiable to have three areas. Back to one I reckon.
You make a point about local radio stations - they ain't local after 7pm at night (10pm for MFR). If you're listening to Tay, Northsound, MFR etc then they're coming from Clydebank, near Glasgow. It's no more local than the Nightshift. They're just more clever at hiding at. As for other stations, everyone keeps quoting Channel 4 here but ITV1 has gambling and shopping, the BBC hands to a rolling news channel which would be on air anyway and Channel 5 goes to Casino programming.
I would imagine anyway that this whole discussion will become increasingly irrelevant soon. STV now has a deal in which it pays a fixed fee for all network programming. Therefore there is no incentive - aside from maintaining a high enough proportion of Scottish programming to differentiate itself from ITV1 ahead of the future of the network being considered by OFCOM/independence - to drop popular programmes. I would imagine it's just trying to find the slots to now crowbar them all in.”
Good point about the ITV networks decades ago - pick up a copy of the TV Times from then and as you rightly say the regions were def. regional - no mass screening of ITV programmes! Contrary to what you may think, I have no problem with there being an STV and choosing what it shows on its own station - but the issue now is that decades ago I think the OPT OUTs and programming offered by STV were better quality, more variety and def. looked as if effort had been put into them. Now (as we've agreed) the problem is the quality of the OPT OUTs and all the other nonsense you, kezo & I have discussed.
Back to during the night - IMO if ITV can run programmes till 2/3 or even 4am on ITV2, ITV3 & ITV4, then I can't see why they can't do something (and STV OPTS IN to it) for their main channel - it's ridiculous. You mention Ch.4 - I've mentioned plenty of other channels (in an earlier post) who offer progs. either 24 hrs or at least till 2/3am. You mention the BBC - rolling news doesn't come on until 2/3am most nights (and BBC3 & BBC4 go right through till 5am).
Your point about trying to find slots for progs.prior to this new deal starting sounds about right - it's just a shame we now have a backlog of progs. we don't know if we will ever see on STV - with no info. from STV as to why, where or when they will be screened again!
)
.... possibly the STV strangler was out 
.... regarding the rest sounds like possibly what the STV staff do on a Friday/Saturday night boozing it up 
... or just before the election on independence :yawn:
.... but the problem is STV dont know how to reschedule or even schedule anything! .... take "the chase" as an example STV could run as it is at 5pm but then one week put it to 2pm and then following week back to normal time (5pm) .... STV is just shambolic with its own scheduling being honest .... look at the way "cornwall" is being treated a "fortnightly" programme so far ... since when did a TV station actually broadcast a programme in this day/age "fortnightly" ... most programmes are daily or weekly but this is taking the biscuit! I understand your view totally but I now can't trust STV being honest in the way of its programming ... heads need to be rolled at STV HQ thats one thing....
.... STV must say in the ad for "cornwall" ... "in this fornightly programme Caroline Quentin checks out Cornwall" .... (I wish ....STV own advertising for programmes like this is amateurish without a doubt....shame)
