Originally Posted by p_c_u_k:
“I do. I very much appreciate that what I'm saying is opinion. I felt my last comment was quite measured, I'm sorry if you didn't feel the same.
Let me take your points from the top. I don't find The Nightshift "really entertaining", just a fairly amusing, mild diversion, slightly entertaining at times. Like I say, not to be watched for any great length of time. It's very dependent on who's on any given night, as some of the people who have been on in the past have a voice for silent movies, but I quite like the mix of old shows and chat. Then again, I am an anorak. I would again repeat though that it's almost certainly better than what ITV1 is showing that time of night, given it's mainly Jackpot 24/7, teleshopping or some variation of that. There is no incentive to produce great telly at that time of night as the daily advertising allocation is already used by then, so STV is doing way more than it has to.
I specifically did not refer to Scotland Tonight as being "local". I said it was Scottish. My point relating to the show was that you had the choice between a Scottish national show with an opt-out for the local news which has a bigger budget and in my opinion is a superior show, or in Borderland a local show which is a far more stripped down box-ticking politics by numbers affair which only exists because Border was told by Ofcom to up its game in the wake of STV's current affairs output.
I bring in the licence fee as a point because the BBC has a guaranteed income which should free it from commercial concerns. As a result, it doesn't need to worry about the lack of any income in the post-Christmas advertising market and can get on with producing Hogmanay specials. STV has to consider that, plus the fact that no matter what it does at that time of year it will still lose to the BBC. In the circumstances it did more than it had to - I would have been tempted to take the network feed.
Shareholders come before the viewer? Come on, we've had this debate before. Technically yes, shareholders do come before the viewer. They fund the channel. Beyond that, it's advertisers, as they pay for adverts that provide the station with its income. However, if STV is not showing programmes that attract an audience then people will not tune in, advertisers will pull out because no-one's watching their adverts and shareholders will get jittery. So all three matter. I'm sorry, but this is how business works. It's a free service after all. If would appear enough viewers are happy with STV programming as the company attracts audiences and makes money.
With regards to accessing ITV programming, it's hardly tricky. Bung an English postcode into the ITV Player and voila, or go to the pub and it'll show the football.
Your conclusion descends into a lot of shouting - I really wish you wouldn't do that. It's the equivalent of coming up to me in the street and bellowing in my face. Your end point however is that I think everything STV does is perfect. That's wrong. I'm not a fan of Moviejuice, though I accept it fulfils part of the regional quota at a low price while everyone else is watching EastEnders, which makes sense for a commercial broadcaster. The football not being on is slightly frustrating, though I can make alternative arrangements. Unless it's saving them a fortune though I feel it's counterproductive - more people are discovering ITV on cable and satellite as a result. Some of the recent decisions not to show ITV programming have been a bit more odd than usual. I can see problems. I prefer to offer a balance given that many on this thread go to the other extreme - unfairly, in my view.
Again, if you're offering me a slightly flaky STV which sometimes ditches the odd show I want to watch but provides excellent news and current affairs coverage (in my opinion) versus an ITV which shows everything but would not care a jot about Scottish news and would immediately merge all three Scottish stations into one and show one centralised programme while ditching Scotland Tonight, the website, the app, everything else, I'll stick with STV ta.”
I am not shouting I make a point when I am doing that and I am trying to prove a point in what I think is wrong with STV in regards to its own programming but your not taking that part on board - your basically ignoring what I see happening in my area in STVland. When has STV produced something of a programme close to my "accent" or better way in saying it when has STV put on a programme that uses different people on the shows other than "defaults" from Glasgow?? Let me think, hmmm can't think of any (can't count their STV Appeal show/award shows) really next to nothing comes out of STV North/Grampian to the whole of Scotland is there? So much for the station being "Scottish" then (yes you could argue that with BBC Scotland but I can stand them), its like really as if we don't exist and I have noticed this
twice and this has been on their own STV News at 6 half the time when we get the "split" its like we live on a different planet (STV Aberdeen to Dundee split) or its on the main bulletin - lets speak to reporter standing outside court - over to ..... yes ... then back to you in the studio (so are the reporters timed for exactly the same questions as John/Norman are live to the reporter as most of the time they don't "talk" as you see elsewhere on the likes of Sky/BBC)
Technically you have just answered my question and that is
exactly the way STV has went with its programming, so your happy with STV ditching shows midway through or disappear without a trace to make way for current affairs and news programming - so in other words if your following a programme in particular ie Benidorm (which was supposedly in farce less relevant to Scotland and is now back on)you have to go elsewhere to follow it or again ITV do the catch up for STV and we are left in Scotland with possibly some crap programming (ok then .... thats your opinion)
But how does Moviejuice qualify as a quota? its speaking about films and has little relevance for people of Scotland! Whoopee if you want to go and check a film go to your local Odeon/IMAX/Cineworld and check it out yourself.
So I presume you have access to Sky/Cable then? I have admitted myself on here I have a PS3 and have cable and do sometimes tune more into ITV than I do STV (STV is just for "local" news) as regarding accessing ITV on the internet .... well done as if most people never knew that but pretty sure OAP's are probably not much clued up on that part!
Regarding Hogmanay then please do highlight to me what STV/Grampian had put on at that time to compete with BBC? As it is pathetic and repeating the run of mill STV "stars"
regarding the shareholders - well its obvious but lets get real they all have access to cable and are more likely not give a damn of what a sorry state STV is in again yes money talks but viewers have possibly complained about programming anyway and are left or as you have said in a way put in an English postcode and voila -- your basically opening yourselves up of viewers deserting you.
Oh look what ad did I see STV advertise this time --- Rebus, not long ago it was Taggart and to see these episodes on STV Player - hmm strange as mentioned before where is STV's new dramas for the ITV network - there has been next to nothing so how are we as "Scotland" meant to be proud of our own "ITV" network its pathetic - and as I have mentioned before they have STV North but is that being used to full potential? Short answer is no
Regarding Scotland Tonight/Local News - bigger budget? seriously? when I get my local from Dundee its full of sound problems everyday again I doubt it has a budget and I presume STV is making savings with its cost cutting to us but again the money is plowed into apps and spin off websites? ... How many websites does STV need to make any income?
as for overnight programming I don't agree with all channels running gambling/teleshopping/nightscreen/nightshift you either broadcast 24 hours or basically close after 12am its lazy scheduling and its again in a way another source of income.