Go on then.

BBC
Robbieskyes123

ITV
GeorgeS
D.M.N.
Score

BBC
Robbieskyes123

ITV
GeorgeS
D.M.N.
Score
Fudd

Though I try to be unbiased.


I'd say ITV would prefer to keep Cowell on X Factor and bring another judge in on Britain's Got Talent. BGT have got Morgan as the pompous idiot and Ant and Dec to draw in a viewers, so I don't think it's as reliant on Cowell as The X Factor may be. I'm just trying to consider who they may bring in...someone with talent, hopefully!

As for last night...great performance by The X Factor, but Merlin did brilliantly to keep with it relatively speaking. Maybe next year they'll try it out away from The X Factor - though maybe it's success is purely based on it being up against reality TV? It attracts the drama lovers. If it's up against another drama on ITV1 it may not do as well.

The Strictly Come Dancing fiasco was entertaining enough, and certainly the overnights will be corrected by the officials, as the programme's ratings have 10 minutes of trailers to contend with. Outnumbered also took a knock as it didn't have the lead in it should've had.

I'm a BBC man all the way.

Oh, for heaven's sake....

I think its a fair point to make that while ITV has had some high ratings shows this year it is still a fair way behind BBC1's share of the audience, despite dropping kids TV in the afternoons, something which still drags down BBC1's share.

What do we think will be the highest rated programme of 2008 then?

Xmas EastEnders of X Factor?

I think its going to be close, but probably X Factor.

i really dont think EE will be as high as last year, i dont even know what the xmas storyline is!!!! i think it will be the most watched show of the day... but thats it :/

X Factor. EastEnders doesn't have the benefit of the climax of a long-running storyline this year. From the spoilers I've seen it doesn't look as half as exciting as last year's.

It does have the climax to a long running storyline the baby saga which started when Roxy slept with Jack so that was what April, May?

It won't beat X Factor ratings though I agree. Tougher competition this year with DOI. If it was up against say TV Burp again then I'd expect massive ratings like last year but DOI gets similar ratings. It's a bit like Strictly and Corrie, both got 8m last year and are about as popular as eachother. Same as EastEnders and DOI really.

BBC
Robbieskyes123
Smile371

ITV
GeorgeS
D.M.N.
Score
Fudd

Tis worth airing my view on these things! , Not that i disslike ITV at all! I love X Factor *cough*BritanniaHigh*cough* and will watch things regardless of the channel, but would rather chose BBC over ITV as overal, i feel, that the selection and quality of programming is better.

Well to continue the list:

BBC
Robbieskyes123
Smile371
Manxy 2007

ITV
GeorgeS
D.M.N.
Score
Fudd

Now if all the regular posters could do this we'd see whether the thread is actually bias.

Can I vote E4?

My current TV planner looks something like:
ITV - The X Factor
E4 - Desperate Housewives (first look), The Big Bang Theory
BBC3 - Heroes (first look)
BBC4 - Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe

Occasionally, I'd add HIGNFY, Harry Hill to the list and Top Gear, although I just tend to watch them if they are on and I'm in front of the TV. Champions League when Celtic are on (ITV/ Sky Sports 1) as well.

This whole thing is a bit silly. In effect, we all like the channels whose programming we particularly enjoy. I want to see programmes I like do well in the ratings, not least because it makes it more likely I'll be seeing more of them.

If that makes me biased to the BBC because I watch a lot more of their shows - then shoot me - I'm guilty as charged.

People's bias dosen't matter - its how you apply it. Its perfectly fine for anyone to express an opinion about their favourite shows / channels.

We all clearly enjoy following the ratings fortunes of the channels, and we've got a great little community full of some actually quite intellegent debate (and serious number-crunching!). What dosen't help (and what makes me frustrated in this thread sometimes) is when we get the OTT gloating, sarcasm, bitching and arguing.

Were all entitled to views and enjoy debating them thoroughly (hell, we're on a discussion forum, after all) and with a sense of humour - but lets keep it civil and not let it degenerate into partisan sniping.




(And does anyone else think we ought to try and get Ratings Thread Hole in the Wall commissioned? We might make prime time! )

'Baby saga' is pushing it a little. You can hardly say it's been a major storyline in the vain of the Branning affair.


I have no agenda. I perhaps sympathise with ITV1 a lot more and I do think they get an incredibly hard time from people on this forum but that's about as far as it goes. Me being an X Factor viewer makes me a fan of that programme, not an ITV cheerleader.

There's no channel I watch significantly over the others. I think my viewing is spread fairly equally across the Beeb, ITV and Channel 4, although it will vary depending on what's on. I'll watch more C4 when Big Brother is on for example, and less ITV when The X Factor is off-air. (I'm giving a pretty bad picture of the type of television I enjoy watching )

That list doesn't apply to me, I'm a Channel 4 guy.

Big Brother
Celebrity Big Brother

The two shows I watch on C4. On BBC, I watch Dr Who and started watching Eastenders (love it so far, started December 8.) On ITV, we have TXF, and IAC. But I'm more attached to the BB franchise then all of those shows put together.

While it hasn't been as prominent as the Max/Stacey affair I would still say it's a big storyline that people will know about.

Storylines aside EastEnders on Christmas Day is a bit of a tradition and it nearly always enjoys a ratings spike. This year, however, will see a whole different picture I reckon with it being up against DOI. I hope I'm proved wrong because I think a pre-recorded DOI for 90 mins is desperate on ITV's part (at least you can say Strictly at xmas is following on from the series which has only just finished) and doesn't really deserve to do well but I fear I won't be.

Celebrity Big Brother... that's a thought!

From the incredible highs and elation of The X Factor ratings to... lows and a bleak outlook.

I think XF5 was the best series by quite some way. The problem with BB is that I just can't see CBB6 being the best ever. Perhaps they need to get Simon Cowell to produce it?!

I think David Hasselholf would be good replacement for Cowell as he's already on America's Got Talent so he would be a good foil for Piers Morgan and he's well known to UK audiences though I would understand if they wanted to bring in a British judge.

I think it's quite the opposite. Nice to see ITV making an effort this year. That combined with the unexpected christmas presentation and I can't help but think Fincham's influence is finally starting to be felt.

Imagine the intros? Last night, these housemates NOMINATED for the FIRST TIME... actually I wouldn't mind Peter Dickson taking over from Marcus as the narrator. He can make anything sound dramatic.

There would be sob stories instead of girls wanting to be on the cover of Nuts... actually, I'd probably prefer that!

This years XF top 12 would have probably made for a typical household. Rachel would be arguing with everyone, JLS and Bad Lashes would be the eye candy, Diana and Eoghan would be the love story, Diana would be the love/hate housemate, everyone would be arguing over whether or not Alex was fake...

OK, maybe I'm getting a wee bit carried away and OT here!

What is the point of it though? And 90 mins is stretching it a bit for a prerecorded show that is seperate from the main series. It doesn't strike me as being creative or making an effort. I'm not against ITV trying on xmas day for once but in that case why not do it with a plethora of great shows like the BBC instead of going for 90 mins of SCDOI which is creatively stifling the schedule to say the least imo. Variety usually wins out on xmas day. At least it's a bit different for them in their favour. The rest of the schedule is a bit like a normal night with TV Burp and 2 hours of soap.

I think they have got a good storyline.

It's classic EastEnders at xmas...



They just haven't promoted it like they did last year.

I think you are trying to wind me up lol.

You thought that was a good series of The X Factor?

Simon Cowell producing Big Brother?

Nope, not winding you up there. I made a thread on the XF forum of the "most memorable" moments and it was ridiculous how much (albeit largely contrived) drama there has been. Cheryl has been a big bonus (and getting rid of Sharon has been good for the show) and the whole thing from start to finish seemed to be an improvement on last year. The contestants were more talented and more divisive, the judges were better, the guest singers were immeasurably better... I could go on!


That bit was tongue in cheek!

Because there's no commercial benefit for ITV. That's why I think it's a good effort for a channel that will inevitably lose the day anyway.


Oh, well, whatever floats your boat. I find the whole thing utterly tedious.