Re- Christmas Day backlog/congestion.

Could one not move 'one' to the red button?

That piece could have been written by any of the ITVistas on here. The same old whinges, failing to address their own shortcomings, and worrying that BBC1+1 might level the playing field again in the ratings war after giving ITV an unfair advantage.

I do think BBC1+1 will not happen. The wet blankets at the Trust will be scared of upsetting ITV so will can it.

Don't have much to say on the ITV article except the BBC's daytime budget was trimmed so they moved some BBC2 shows to BBC1. And when ITV do more drama/documentaries in daytime like BBC1 they can talk about lack of distinctiveness.

If you make the shows people will come, look at Broadchurch and Downton Abbey.

This "attack" was inevitable really, and probably the reason it took the BBC so long to launch a +1 channel. The truth is though most viewers, the ones who don't come on forums or care about channel wars, have come to expect +1 channels and therefore felt that the BBC should have one too. They are giving viewers what they want, which surely is what the BBC should be doing. Add in that The Voice seems to be doing well again, opening up the wounds caused by them being passed over for it despite offering more money, and this rant is what you get. The knives are really out for the BBC today with the Daily Mail attacking Sherlock as well.

Back to ratings, great rating for Sherlock but a tad disappointed it didn't rise. Overnight average is still up 0.66m (8.93m vs 8.27m) and the official average will be up even more given how brilliantly it's timeshifting. Overall a good night for the BBC, no wonder people are so angry . The're being even more aggressive tonight with a Panorama special at 9pm, the bastards.

Mr Selfridge will help boost ITV next week, although I can't see it doing as well as last year unless The Musketeers really flops, which would be a shame given that it's drama you wouldn't get on the other main channels whereas Mr Selfridge has been done better (quite recently in fact.)

Panorama Specials have rated aggressively well on Mondays at 9pm. They did one 20 years ago that got 24m viewers....

Sherlock at 8.77 million (nearly 32% percentage share of audience).
Ratings of all three episodes hovering high 8s/into 9.
No significant drop off.

Basically Crozier is talking out of his arse and it wouldn't be the first time. Print what he said off and use it as toilet paper.

The BBC need to have popular programmes to stop grumbling about people paying a licence fee, ITV need to make better shows to get viewers. Extra soap episodes (from both channels admittedly), and just bringing back old quizzes and having celebrities as contestants is lazy.

Large swathes of ITV programming are simply a rip-off of original BBC shows, ITV have very little programming of their own and now we hear ITV are likely to buy Simon Cowell's re-worked Generation Game an old BBC favourite. Wasn't Birds of a Feather on the BBC ? Cowell's shows are ''inspired'' by ITV's old Opportunity Knocks which was itself ''inspired'' by a post-war American radio talent series.Sounds very much as if ITV are running scared.

ITV have started advertising next Monday's Corrie already (Hayley's death).

How often does Sky sports get almost 2m but it still got holed by the darts on BBC2.

Should have been on Boxing Day, re-run the Audience with Ken Dodd and the gag, 'missus it being a good day for putting your head round the door at the undertakers and asking for any empty boxes.'

Yes – but they didn't complain when the ratings dropped off and BGT beat it – that being my point.

I wonder what Simon Cowell makes of ITV buying the format for Rising Star? Was that his hilarious response at the weekend – make TXF phone votes free? LMAO …

The EE promo running last night only had clips from past programmes. Wouldn't it be a good idea to show a few clips from upcoming episodes, isn't that what trailers are for ?

Hilarious piece, if it didn't make me so cross.

It makes me cross because I sincerely believe ITV is capable of real excellence in all fields. But excellence on TV takes hard work, and it's about responding positively, and not cynically, to challenges. All organisations have good times and fallow times.

When ITV has success (and it does), does it put this down to the weakness of the opposition? No! Like any successful commercial organisation, it will cite its own skills and innovation as the reason why it is successful. But conversely, if its output turns out to be unsuccessful - or perhaps even poor, derivative or lazy - then it's a bit rich to started blaming the opposition for this. It can't have it both ways. Either the opposition is always responsible for its fortunes, or never is. The viewers can watch ITV if they want. The channel is always there on the TV set. If they choose not to, then it isn't an evil BBC plot.

ITV is responsible for its own destiny. It doesn't need to run whingeing to the BBC Trust like a crying child when it doesn't get the success it wants. That is the logic of an organisation that blames others for its fortunes. ITV simply needs to remember its proud heritage, and make truly excellent programmes. Then success will follow.

Oh yes it's a completely level playing field between them - ITV are scared because the BBC is jam packed with the most creative minds in the world, hasn't got a huge guaranteed legally enforced licence fee, doesn't simply emulate The X Factor format by buying in The Voice...etc... If the BBC wasn't the BBC, it would be ITV but much worse. That people have the cheek to say oh ITV are running scared of the BBC harhar need to up their game harhar..ITV is not all crap, just as the BBC isn't all brilliant (though maybe it should be with that load of dosh!!). Also hilarious how the current bandwagon for this month is the BBC pulling in front, so the BBC can do any wrong ever, all hail the BBC etc. Reactionary bile in this thread these days. Goes round in circles all the time, and actually saying sod all. To be fair it reflects the general population quite well. All the best now..

as mentioned above this is primarily a ratings thread, maybe this discussion should be saved for the Broadcasting forum.

I don't think anyone's views are likely to be swayed here

Slightly disappointing, especially given that the ending featured the best twist I can think of in a TV drama since...well...Sherlock's last season finale. But still, the best ever retention between episodes one to three of a series of Sherlock, and a consolidated average of well over 10m which it looks certain to attain is a very tidy achievement.

Word of mouth spreading like wildfire, if it doesn't rise by at least 200-300k next Saturday I'll be stunned.

Can't see SCD going before BGT. SCD is due for a major change in the next few years when Bruce goes, that'll freshen it up big-time, but BGT has already used up all the tricks in the 'change things up' toy box - the only thing left they have never 'refreshed' is the presenting team, but if they changed that it'd kill the show!!

just got this email


is this what 5Later has been a place holder for?

The main point in the article was that the BBC 'aggressively' pursue ratings. It's the sort of subject that has been debated on the ratings thread for the past 7 years, I don't see why that should stop now .

ITV can make as much money as they want though. They're a business if they do well they make money, invest more money, make more money. The BBC is stuck with the same budget and at the mercy of someone else to decide what they can have.

BBC can be braver because they don't have to chase ratings but they also have to provide for everyone - which is a challenge. And it means they have to do rubbish like Citizen Kahn, and setting Waterloo Road in Scotland. There's are positives and negatives for both channels.

The problem at ITV towers is ideas, they're stuck on a soap, ant and dec, reality/talent show cycle that gets broken by the occasional quality drama. But there's little variety and VERY little innovation. Broadchurch was fantastic but it was hardly original. Not saying it needs to be of course but look at Sherlock ,of which i'm not really a fan, but i cannot deny how the look feel, the playfulness of it is original and fun - there truly is not a drama i can think of to compare to it.

And one more point ITV have a bit of a cheek call BBC aggressive ratings chasers... just look at the amount of time they schedule aggressively against a certain rival soap to see what hypocrites they are, especially when they already dominate the schedule.

I would think so Mike. It's go channel 55 on Freeview which is quite apt.

Sunday 5th January - consolidated ratings

1 - Sherlock: 11.38m
2 - Dancing on Ice: 7.48m (6.93m excl. +1)
3 - Dancing on Ice: the Skate Off: 6.46m (6.24m excl. +1)
4 - BBC News (22:00): 6.37m
5 - Antiques Roadshow: 6.08m

Great for Sherlock, it's a shame it didn't top 9m but it will probably consolidate to over 11m!

Fast Five got 1.98m incl +1, quite a fair bit down to what I expected but to be fair, it did finish quite late for a Sunday night.

DOI- I think I predicted almost exactly the ratings that it actually got. It's not exactly lighting the ratings on fire, is it?

2.31m inc +1 is great for CBB considering the competition of Sherlock and Fast Five. People seem to forget that these ratings are higher than most of BB10's over nights and half of BB11s (the final 2 series on Ch4), so it must be doing something right. Tonight I predict around 2.3m again because of Benefit Street and Bake Off, but Tuesday should be around 2.4m and Wednesdays around 2.5-2.6m I predict.

For tonight, I predict around 3.9m for BS.

What a super rating for Sherlock!



BBCs problem (like ITV) is that they just don't have the depth of programming any more. So shows like Sherlock stand out.

Thanks for these! A timeshift of 2.54m for Sherlock, amazing. Ouch for DOI!