Really poor for X Factor's results, especially going into the final.

I dread to imagine how low the final will rate.

well my thunder has been stolen somewhat, so I'll just say.....

data for w/e 25th November 2012 is now available on BARB website

On the subject of The X Factor I think its always worth remembering that just a few years ago Strictly had a fairly dire series and looked to be on its way out. Then it was revamped and regained momentum the following year and is now performing fantastically. No doubt its tempting to call time on The X Factor looking at this years numbers but clearly the key issue going forward will be what, if any, changes ITV and SyCo make to the format. I'd also point out that with the US version of the show struggling to get any traction in its second season (despite spending millions on a high profile judge) that there's every reason for SyCo to really focus in on overhauling this format because any potential changes can apply not only to the UK version but the US one as well. Of course God knows what changes you can actually make to the format at this point...

This year however there does undoubtedly have to be recognition from ITV and SyCo that the series has gone horribly wrong and changes need to be made. They seemed to bury their head in the sand on this after some worrisome drops last year and they cannot afford to do that again.


The obvious danger of moving it away from this Sunday night slot is that viewers may not follow it. Channel 4's schedule isn't so robust at this point that they can afford to risk damaging one of the few successful (returning) shows, and in particular drama, they have. But of course the potential upside to moving it to a less competitive night is massive. Although I do wonder if they've maybe missed their moment on that. Season two seemed like it would be the best chance for it to really explode in popularity all things considered. Are people really likely to jump on board in season 3?

Sorry Mike! :P

as revenge I'm changing the entire look of the website

..... who knows when this will happen

How have they put all their faith in Simon Cowell? And what do you propose they should have done? Not commission more X Factor?


While I tend to think they have veered a bit too far towards all this credible authentic stuff, Maloney is still awful in every way imaginable. Even back to Pop Idol and Popstars, they've always focussed on acts that might have some potential beyond the show. That's not a new thing and Maloney would have been annihilated by Nigel Lythgoe, Pete Waterman and Sharon Osbourne back in the day. Of course on many occasions the public voted winners have tended to be poorly suited to a chart career and the runners up have gone on to do a lot better. But Maloney is really a new low - although that's the case overall too. The standard of act in the past few weeks has just been atrocious.

Britain's Got Talent did have a good panel this year. But they also managed to get a few auditions and a few acts that really captured the imagination and the finale was one of the best shows they've ever produced. Two years in a row X Factor seems to have failed on that count. Even among the novelty acts, I don't think they're picking them as well as they did in the past.

In some ways I think him winning could almost be good for any potential revamp. It'll be rough for him (one wonders if Sony will even pick up the phone when he calls) but I can see Cowell using him as a prop to show "this is how bad it got" and how he's going to come back and turn in all around and so on - a bit like they did to a lesser extent with Jai McDowall.

I think that's true, it's the same as the Champions League in that the FA Cup was one of the only opportunities for live football on terrestrial TV, even at the start of the century that was all you got. The first two rounds are never going to rate well, though, and I understand that argument that now it's on ITV it doesn't come a poor second to the Premier League, but it means it goes up against the Premier League instead and that's a fight that'll always end one way. You got less FA Cup action when it was part of MOTD, yes, but you also got the goals on the red button for several days and on Football Focus and Final Score, none of which you get now it's on ITV. Same with when it was on Sky, they could bang on about it on Soccer AM and Soccer Saturday and the like.

Not that I expect ITV to look to offload it though as without it and the England games they'd only have the European fare, which would be even less than they had just after they lost the Premier League highlights, because then they had League Cup and Football League highlights too, plus more Champions League games.


One of the reasons why giant-killing matches have been top priority in recent years in that in the past the facilities wouldn't have been good enough for live TV broadcast in any case - plus it used to be the only opportunity to show top flight teams, hence the regular selection of all-top flight ties in the eighties and nineties. I like having two on terrestrial TV because it allows both flavours of cup tie, a big match and a giant-killing game, but five live games a round is too much, not least because it means they get scheduled at increasingly inconvenient times.


"Good luck, you are GOING to need it!" I think the problem with that is that British audiences have never really bought into high concept entertainment, the big shows in the UK have always had simple formats. I never thought Survivor was very engaging, it was all po-faced and it never felt particularly essential as it was all safely pre-recorded and edited. The Apprentice is a simple format at heart, and it provides loads of opportunities for the participants to look stupid, whereas on Survivor there are too many contrivances.


And what a bizarre series this has been, five episodes and each one has been incredibly short, barely scraping 25 minutes. Either reams has been cut out (and according to the BBFC website, the BBC submitted two versions, the second all two minutes shorter) or there was some disaster behind the scenes and they pieced the series together from the fragments they managed to salvage.

But I like the way it fits in with the idea of the series as two miserable old gits just doing what they want and if it's too short that's tough.

Takk!

If you're still around, Mike, do you have anything for Saturdays overnights for "The Killing"?

K

735k and then 676k

tusen takk!

K

BBC One has commissioned an adaptation of J.K. Rowling's novel 'The Casual Vacancy' expected to air in 2014.

I had a feeling this would happen, it was going to be adapted sooner or later and it was more likely to be on TV than a film. I remember thinking when the plot was released that it seemed perfect for BBC. Hopefully it'll do well for them.

You can have too much consolidation of course.

The level playing field, like for like, figures are actually:

SCD 10.33m
TXF 9.57m
IAC 10.49m

That certainly puts SCD's early evening performance in context against IAC's flagship "slot of the week" result.

Still find it astonishing that TXF is in third after it so recently used to dominate Sundays like a colossus. This is something like 6m down on 3 years ago, staggering stuff.

(Not sure how DMN had TXF at 9.54m including the repeat, when it was 9,57m without the repeat?)

Additionally its not as if ITV have just shut down their entertainment department. They've tried a long list of new shows and formats over the years its just that none of them have worked or found an audience.

The BARB website has Strictly's results show at 10.45m, not 10.33m.

December on Channel 5

Telly to decorate your tree to... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKQ-IcRhhJk
You don't have to be crazy, but it helps... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ9GvSKU4gg
More than one good reason to watch... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJv_WEXToDc

How many viewers is Channel5's movie premiere of The Expendables expected to get? I think 2million would be possible but XFactor final is that day too which might dentit.

So which broadcaster is going to adjust their schedule first for a 'Royal Baby documentary'? I remember someone posting a while back (a year or so?) that ITV had a documentary in production, which presumably will displace something in the next few days.

didnt Channel 5 jump the gun about a month back?

I am sure The One Show will be having its script rewritten, to include lots of baby talk, as we speak.

Would imagine an uplift for the News and the news channels tonight.

Wonderful news for us all.

High 1's looks a fair bet. Might just clear 2m but it'll be tight. Viewers can always turn over after X Factor and I doubt Rod Stewart will appeal to the Expendables audience.

The junctions on BBC One and ITV1 are all over the place that evening, very disorganised and untidy, which could help if anything.

Less wonderful news for ITV re the Rugby World Cup - England are in a group of death with Australia and Wales.

For a tournament played right here, in ratings friendly slots.

Oh dear...

NBC's reality department have been busy the past few days. Firstly they have announced Nick Lachey as the host of the John De Mol created talent series, The Winner Is.


I understand De Mol produced this in The Netherlands first and it didn't really take off but NBC are obviously keen to cash in. Basically seems to be The Battle Rounds of The Voice mixed with Deal or No Deal.

And yes, there will be a celebrity panel of judges. One assumes Shakira and Usher will be closely monitored on The Voice to see if they could take up the role.

Additionally, NBC have confirmed that Howard Stern will return to America's Got Talent for a second season. Nick Cannon is already lined up as the host. Sharon is definitely gone so they need a female judge.

I'm guessing The Winner Is might be paired with the tail end of The Voice and the start of America's Got Talent. NBC certainly won't be short on talent shows in 2013.

why is that?

The last few years have seen some real ratings flops: Superstar, Let's Get Gold, Show Me The Funny, Born To Shine, and even shows that had a decent first run faded badly on their second outing like 71 Degrees North, Popstar to Operastar and The Biggest Loser, all of which have now gone. Sadly placing the capable TMO against SCD could have killed this show now.
However, salvation could come through a few shows that are doing quite well. The Chase has become a massive teatime hit and could do extremely well in peak time as the format is excellent. Also Mr and Mrs has had a decent run on Wednesdays with 4.5 million viewers and Surprise Suprise coped well against SCD and could do quite well when Brucie isn't around.