If the BBC had no competition due you think they would put so much money or effort into shows to make an impact? I think they would accept they're dominant and do the bear minimum required - it's human nature.


I said big.

In all seriousness, it's pathetic and childish when that happens. It'd make more sense to hold them back and air them as hour long episodes on Sunday or an hour long on Wednesday night followed by Coronation Street at 8pm.


Britain's Got Talent was always going to start early in 2012 because of the Jubilee week and the BBC knew that. If they wanted The Voice to avoid Britain's Got Talent they would have scheduled it for January from the off.


I think that's more to gain some respectability than crush BBC One. Economically it would make more sense for ITV to air Downton before Christmas but that would leave a huge gap in the schedule. People take a special interest in Christmas figures so it'd be an embarrassment for ITV if they're humiliated on that day - even if they are always beaten.


Can't argue with that but I think BBC One have been trying against Downton at least with highly promoted dramas. They did try to do something about Britain's Got Talent by scheduling The Voice against it. I'm A Celebrity is slightly more difficult as it's stripped but I see no harm in trying dramas and comedies against it as long as they're aware that it might backfire. I'm not sure like for like would necessarily work (eg. Last Tango v Downton); it'd just look petty. As petty as Emmerdale v EastEnders anyway.

No, he'll infiltrate ITV instead, cancel all their high ratings series so the BBC has no competition at certain times, and then watch them go bankrupt.

But they seem to have more hits to come as well - last year BBC One had a strong start and faded a bit. There doesn't seem to be that risk this time around.

Many thought the return of Stacey would give EastEnders a boost and that hasn't happened yet. They will have to trail Lucy Beale's death episode but it's an unremarkable character so I don't know if we will see a big increase.

It's difficult to say, I suppose it is human nature. But there is a fixed amount of money which the BBC are guaranteed, so they would have to spend that money on continuing to make programs. And the intention of tv channels generally is to make programs as good as possible [no one goes out to make a crap program intentionally]. I could be wrong, but I think the effort and ambition would still be there.


BGT did get moved one week earlier than originally intended. And Itv moved BGT from its 8pm slot to about 7pm to clash vs the Voice. Itv could've left BGT post 8pm.

ITV did come close to finishing off the BBC in the late fifties, when ITV was taking 75 per cent of the ratings in areas that had access to ITV. ITV was actually giving viewers what they wanted, and was actually very good, while the BBC seemed reluctant to move on from a very middle class schedule which even BBC Four wouldn't try now.

A good rating from "Jonathon Creek" last night. Not what I would have gone with in terms of scheduling it as I think three episodes following "The Voice" would have been a good combination.

"EastEnders" managed over 7 and a half million with the inclusion of the repeat from BBC three. Pretty consistant showings from it each week.

And itv had good news this week with one of it most profitable years in 2013. Graham Norton being one of programmes made in itv studios that helped them gain an almost 30% rise, while the show does well in the ratings on BBC one. Proof that both commercial and public funded channels can happily help each other in the competitive world of tv and would not be half as strong without one another.

Well, he cares about BBC One. Don't think he's too fond of the "niche" stuff they chuck on the minority channels.

What are you lot all doing on here anyway - I thought it was compulsory to watch The Voice and/or Takeaway!!

I have both recorded - the ads in Takeaway were a bit much last week. Not sure if I'll ever get round to catching up with The Voice though. Might just watch the live shows/final.

I think for all they show some complete rubbish, BBC One still tries hard and has some popular and good programmes. They've never gone down the route of showing tbnoxious shows like Jeremy Kyle or had stripped reality shows like the commercial sector.

There will come a time though. I agree though that there seems to be more about BBC schedule this year while ITV have suffered from some underperformers like DOI and Selfridge and some big flops. If they had not had BOAF/Benidorm it would have been close to meltdown for them. As usual they seem to be waiting to play the BGT card and it always performs for them.

Waiting for Stew Lee at 2200 on BBC2, a time slot where he doesn't have to compete with actual entertainment.

Enjoying TVUK tonight given we've entered the less impressive battle round phase but god, how long is the show going on for? Even die-hard fans must be looking at their watches

Predicting 'peak' figure will be the key metric tweeted tomorrow morn...

I'm not sure what the public have done to be inflicted with two hours and ten minutes of The Voice. Good grief.

Couldn't "The Voice" be split! Phew! Bit too much battling maybe?

Better to have punchy two halves I would say. Saturday and Sunday or something in between two seperate hours of the battle rounds maybe on the one night?.

Like Putin cares about Ukraine.

P.S. Can I propose the BBC show The Voice all day every day. It's in the interests of this thread.

Jonathan Ross Show isn't entertainment?

To be honest, if Lee's show was suitable for screening at 7.30pm I don't imagine there would be much audience overlap with The Voice and Takeaway.

It's a considerably better slot than series 2 which went out on a weeknight after Newsnight at 11.20pm. That didn't show a lot of faith in the product. There are new people at BBC2 now. Plus all the 11.20pm programmes now are repeats. Maybe they don't have any cash for new shows in that slot., not even one like Stewart Lee's show which much have a pretty low budget.

Let's wait and see the breakdown tomorrow. I bet the second hour rates better than the first, which will vindicate the BBC's decision to have a 2hr10min runtime.

[quote=SamuelW;71566757]It's difficult to say, I suppose it is human nature. But there is a fixed amount of money which the BBC are guaranteed, so they would have to spend that money on continuing to make programs. And the intention of tv channels generally is to make programs as good as possible [no one goes out to make a crap program intentionally]. I could be wrong, but I think the effort and ambition would still be there.

Samuel, the biggest problem with your grand plan for the collapse of ITV is the fact that we're living in 2014 and not 1974. If ITV were blown out of the market by the BBC do you not think that SKY or other broadcasters would benefit more from this and that the impact on the BBC's market share would be minimal? ITV's most popular shows would surely just transfer to other commercial broadcasters who would use these as a platform from which to fill the void left by ITV (I'm sure Channel 5 in a world without ITV would love to have Emmerdale or X Factor, SKY would happily take Corrie and Ant & Dec, etc, etc...). Arguably, if this were to ever happen it could ultimately weaken the BBC in the longer-term by resulting in the audience becoming more fragmented more quickly?

Enjoyed the Voice tonight some good battles and some not good ones but enjoyable none the less.

First time I've watched this season, apart for first episode, I loved the battle rounds, it was long but very entertaining IMO, will def watch again next week. I like the judges interaction a lot.

Glad you enjoyed it newkid shame you missed most the blinds as there the bits I love the most,

Careful don't praise TVUK too quickly, wait 10 minutes or so before praising it after its finished.

Only joking

That's what they did before I think-Saturday and Sunday. What was good about tonight was the fact that all four coaches were involved-last time there were two coaches per show with their acts.
It was long but just about watchable for all that time.