The different predictions for the Opening Ceremony are really interesting. I've seen them as low as 6-8m and as high as 30m.

Personally I think it will peak in the 20 millions, if not 30 millions.

If 20m peak watch an BGT/X Factor final, an England game, you can expect similar levels as a starting point - but the scope of this audience is much wider than those - this more than any other big event will attract audiences from 5 to 95 and will build steadily from 7pm onwards.

I actually think thats quite encouraging. Most people don't even find a new channel for a few weeks.

Its not crass at all. The BBC's aim for big sporting events is to "bring the nation together" and it does that a lot better on BBC1 than BBC2. How is having DIY SOS on the main channel putting on a better service than a quarter final of Winbledon involving a British player?

That's just BBC spin, "bring the nation together".

It's a blatant ratings grab.

And you are confusing two issues anyway. Even if BBC1 were to feature such Murray-centric programming, it is a different matter to move a programme at the very last moment.

It's desperate.

Is that timed to be close to the anniversary of the London riots (and therefore last Saturday's episodes needs rescheduling soon) or just a coincidence?


But it's not all about ratings with the news. Considering the news agenda yesterday, a perceived demotion to BBC2 would have attracted a lot of complaints. And if the tennis had gone on longer, the regional news may not have aired until 10.25pm

BBC confirming this afternoon that Match Of The Day 2 is moving to BBC One.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/lat...012/motd2.html

EastEnders was never going to do well last night , that BBC 3 repeat figure is damm near a mircale, considering that the internet basically acted like someone had shot its cat, in its reaction of the episode. Cant say im overly surprised "When im 65 wasnt a big hit" who wants to face there old age before they have to?

The One Show did better than expected on BBC Two, even if it was poorly named.

four7 is still new, people dont know what it is yet, but lets be honest its schedule is about as bland, as Lady Gaga is over the top.

I have long called for this. A sensible move.

Danny obviously reads this thread...

It sticks 2 fingers up at Chris Patten too, I imagine, which is a bonus.

No more bland than a typical C4 or More4 schedule.

To me it's a waste of bandwidth (even Film4+1 would have been a better use of the Freeview space) but those launch night numbers weren't bad at all.

Judging by recent reactions to EE. I reckon it will drop to the mid 4m next week.

It was only 5.4m last night due to the stupid slot. Tonight it will be well over 6m and possibly back over 7.

EDIT-The last few weeks alot of people praised EastEnders
it's only the last 2 episodes that has had 'some' people moaning.It's a soap and it's had people complaing before and it's done nothing to the viewing figures. Look at how many complained about the Baby swap and ratings actually went up

I agree its a waste of bandwidth, however I dont think its going to be broadcasting at a bit rate that would make movies worth watching on it.


oh boy, EE picked the wrong time for this abortion of a storyline, now is when it needs to be picking up viewers and carrying them over to BBC 2.

Oh? Is it a poor quality stream then?

I haven't even retuned for it yet.

Is giving viewers the last 20 mins of a match that goes on for hours really what they mean though? The extra viewers only watched because it was shoved in their face. A lot of things would get bigger audiences if they were scheduled like this.

It's a bit like if BBC2 had a football match and it went to penalities, that it should be moved to BBC1 for the penalities only?

its freeview, squeezing yet another new channel on, so im thinking yes.

Ive not retuned for it yet either.

Just commenting on reactions. I tuned in one episode of the week and was bored by it. They need a shake up, and quick! At this point of the year, they should really be getting in the high 7m and low 8m.

The shake up began several weeks ago, behind the scenes, but Kirkwood's episodes, characterised by their up and down quality from one episode to the next, are still on air at the moment. It'll take time for things to improve on screen.

never have I been so pleased to see Bryan Kirkwoods name on the end of an episode of EastEnders.

Of course its a ratings grab but why shouldn't big British sporting events be shown on the biggest channel to the biggest audience possible?

Im sure the match would have been moved earlier but there's many issues with moving/delaying the news and regional news, especially on a big news day too.

And again, I think its confusing how you criticise the BBC for a "blatant ratings grab" when you say terrestrial TV is dying whenever those channels get low ratings compared to multichannel viewing.


The BBC doesn't know how long these matches are going to be. Last night's match could easily have gone on for another hour They dont know when Murray's matches will finish or even start so they cant commit BBC1 schedules to Wimbledon as there could be no play at all to show. They have to make judgement calls on the spot and you are always going to get some calls that turn out to be great or seem poorly judged.

The football analogy isnt really comparable, the game's duration, start time and teams are all known in advance. And if the game was only deemed worthy of a BBC2 showing then they wouldnt be fussed on moving it to BBC1 anyway.

I expect a good peak for Big Brother eviction tomorrow given its quite an important eviction (if you follow the show).

Grauniad on MOTD2's move to BBC1
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012...the-day-2-bbc1

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/...ay-nights.html

The Eastenders storyline sounds like a right turn-off. Emmerdale did well against the tennis last night. Really looking forward to the opening ceremony of the Olympics.

they might have built it bet close to Walford, Kat will only try and have sex with the athletes.

I dunno, though, the bonus of it being on BBC2 was that a) it could be on at 10pm, rather than having to wait until nearer half past, and b) it gave BBC2 a really strong night and it had a logical lead-in from the likes of Top Gear, Brian Cox, Louis Theroux and so on, as opposed to a period drama and the news. Also, c) the name made sense.

I don't know why Chris Patten is such a bogeyman, I know he used to be a Tory MP and I'd probably rather have anyone but, but if he was desperate to screw over the BBC then he wouldn't have picked as DG someone who'd spent their entire career there and clearly loves it, he'd have got some outsider in. And Patten is saying the right things, obviously he's going to be more interested in the upmarket stuff because he's a middle-aged middle class white man and they're areas in which the BBC are expected to set the cultural agenda. He's from a similar background to the likes of Marmaduke Hussey and Christopher Bland, and more or less all the Chairmen apart from Michael Grade.

But when has Patten ever said the Beeb shouldn't be doing entertainment? All he's said is that entertainment and sport is less of a priority when hardly anyone else wants to do news, drama or kids' shows, but anyone could say that. I'd say that if I was Chairman because it's obvious. It doesn't mean wall-to-wall Shakespeare and Stockhausen.

I'v actually been impressed with what the last governor off Hong Kong has said. Never liked him but I do now. He seems to have a surprising deep love off the BBC.

Ken