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The Ratings Thread (Part 68)


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Old 12-11-2016, 21:44
James J
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Look again, James - Emmerdale's got the 8.30pm between Tuesday and Thursday so they won't need to find anything for that slot.

The 7pm slot, with The One Show and EastEnders in opposition, offers enough of an opportunity for ITV to build shows leading into the soaps - bringing back gameshows would be a good start, some mentioned earlier such as Family Fortunes, Price is Right, Family Fortunes... then some established factual like For the Love of Dogs and Tonight... comedies like Birds of a Feather and (hopefully if they agree to it) Goodnight Sweetheart. The 7pm offers more room in terms of experimentation without harming the evening, as the soaps are there to pick up an audience.

I do understand what the argument is with the different start times but I would say there's a mirror pattern to them which would help; Monday and Friday are similar whilst Tuesday to Thursday copy each other.
Ah yes - true.

No, I can see your point about the 7pm hour being a potential breeding ground for shows like Family Fortunes and stuff and it being less of a risk with the soaps picking things up later.

If that were the idea I'd be inclined to strip ED/CS from 8-9pm on Sunday to Friday, and open up 7pm hour all week long, leaving The Chase/News from 5-7pm as now. At least that way the slots are perfectly consistent all week.

Either way something needs to happen.
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Old 12-11-2016, 21:47
James J
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Do you not think Emmerdale and Corrie both starting in the middle of the hour, with a strong BBC schedule (when EE is not on), both would struggle to get a foot hold
Possibly, but unlikely. I think the BBC would inevitably retool around this, and it would be to the benefit of both channels and viewers in general. While the soaps aren't the force they once were, they still are a force and pre-9pm they're the biggest force on the box (GBBO excluded).
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Old 12-11-2016, 21:48
H of De Vil
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I'm glad to see this thread has moved away from TXF v SCD...because its boring, and something so much more constructive. I say well done James. Y
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Old 12-11-2016, 21:53
James J
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I have never seen a positive, thoughtful, interesting or fact-based contribution on this thread appear under your name.


James- I agree with your ideas for ITV. I think their schedule is in dire need of a shakeup. But I think The Chase has found it's groove in the 5pm slot and I don't know if it would work as well at 6pm. One of the main reasons it does so well is because it's a teatime quiz, which it would sort of stop being if it went to 6pm.
Thanks very much.

I see your point regarding The Chase. It's perfect pre-dinner fodder for audiences, so perhaps it wouldn't do better at 6pm? However I'm still inclined to think it would, but it would be up to ITV to ensure decent new gameshows were premiered at 6pm when it was off-air.

I'm glad to see this thread has moved away from TXF v SCD...because its boring, and something so much more constructive. I say well done James. Y
Cheers! It's fun to bounce ideas around, I enjoy hearing everyone's ideas. I know it's easy to focus on what 'is' or 'has been', but what 'could be' is also a fun way to chat on the thread.

I firmly believe the schedules are due an upgrade due to various changes in the past 5-10 years and one of the channels needs to lead the way. Since its schedule is messiest (and updating with an extra CS and potentially new nightly 10pm chat show) I suggested what ITV could do.

Fudd's ideas are also very interesting (like 7pm hour as a safe breeding ground) and I think between all of us we could come up with more good ideas taking lots of different perspectives into account.
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Old 12-11-2016, 21:54
Dan R
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I'm glad to see this thread has moved away from TXF v SCD...because its boring, and something so much more constructive. I say well done James. Y
No, it's not "boring" as you put it, it holds the same weight as any other topic on here & is in my opinion way more constructive than much of the dirge that gets left on this thread..
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Old 12-11-2016, 22:06
James J
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The new Jonathan Ross format has breathed a whole new life into the programme.

Currently a member of Little Mix is showing a very uncomfortable looking Jeremy Clarkson how to twerk. Clarkson is actually going along with it and trying to do it!

Ratings are up quite substantially since they switched to the 'all guests on sofa at once' format aren't they? If so, not surprised as it's infinitely more watchable than one at a time.
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Old 12-11-2016, 22:06
Fudd
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Ah yes - true.

No, I can see your point about the 7pm hour being a potential breeding ground for shows like Family Fortunes and stuff and it being less of a risk with the soaps picking things up later.

If that were the idea I'd be inclined to strip ED/CS from 8-9pm on Sunday to Friday, and open up 7pm hour all week long, leaving The Chase/News from 5-7pm as now. At least that way the slots are perfectly consistent all week.

Either way something needs to happen.
I'd agree to you with having it across 8pm across the board from say Sunday to Friday except EastEnders' 8pm episodes on Monday and Friday potentially block that and I don't think BBC One would be that willing to move it. I suppose ITV could try and force their hand but I'm sure the BBC would fight back - such as starting the likes of Planet Earth and the new baking show at 7.30pm on a Wednesday to run over Coronation Street's slot.
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Old 12-11-2016, 22:09
cylon6
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The new Jonathan Ross format has breathed a whole new life into the programme.

Currently a member of Little Mix is showing a very uncomfortable looking Jeremy Clarkson how to twerk. Clarkson is actually going along with it and trying to do it!

Ratings are up quite substantially since they switched to the 'all guests on sofa at once' format aren't they? If so, not surprised as it's infinitely more watchable than one at a time.
Much better. If it's good enough for Graham Norton then it's good enough for Jonathan Ross.
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Old 12-11-2016, 22:10
James J
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I'd agree to you with having it across 8pm across the board from say Sunday to Friday except EastEnders' 8pm episodes on Monday and Friday potentially block that and I don't think BBC One would be that willing to move it.
True, but I think it'd be ITV's win if they didn't move it. Emmerdale is strong right now and it would be foolish for the BBC to not comply in this scenario and move their Monday and Friday episodes to 7.30pm.

It's time the soap start times were consistent. Times have changed. I don't care which order, but one 30 minute episode in an evening at the same time is the right way to do it - the different start times for EE were born of a time when there were 2-3 soap episodes a week. We're in a different world now.
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Old 12-11-2016, 22:12
cylon6
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I thnk the way ITV schedule the soaps at present is fine. If you move the soaps too early or too late, BBC1 will clean up.

No other channel can pull in large audiences for bland/basic factual - The One Show, Eat Well For Less? than the BBC. The only thing that supports ITV's schedule is the soaps. Remove them and ITV will struggle. When the soaps are strong, ITV schedule can look so much more healthy as the ratings increase, and so does the programming around it. Remember when factual series Caroline Quentin's Corwall could pull in 4.6m in between eps of Corrie. When the soaps are poor, they stink up the schedule, and the opposition can clean up. This is basically what happened with TXF.

Viewers will mostly aways turn to the BBC if there is little on TV because they are ad free, and the best of a bad bunch.
I agree with you H.

As much as I hate too many soap episodes how they're scheduled now doesn't madden me as there are spaces for other programmes. The other programmes just need to be better. I think they can be and will be.
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Old 12-11-2016, 22:14
James J
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I agree with you H.

As much as I hate too many soap episodes how they're scheduled now doesn't madden me as there are spaces for other programmes. The other programmes just need to be better. I think they can be and will be.
But cylonnnnn, it's sooo messsssyyyyyyy! Why have 2 different start times for the three shows instead of one?

Ditch the doubles and have all the soaps have a fixed time slot - either 7, 7.30, 8 or 8.30! *waves banner*
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Old 12-11-2016, 22:16
kwynne42
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It was fantastic, well deserved, thoise who missed PE2 last week, and went on catch up, may watch live this week.
Wonder how many additional people will watch tomorrow afternoons repeat
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Old 12-11-2016, 22:18
pdwill
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I thnk the way ITV schedule the soaps at present is fine. If you move the soaps too early or too late, BBC1 will clean up.

No other channel can pull in large audiences for bland/basic factual - The One Show, Eat Well For Less? than the BBC. The only thing that supports ITV's schedule is the soaps. Remove them and ITV will struggle. When the soaps are strong, ITV schedule can look so much more healthy as the ratings increase, and so does the programming around it. Remember when factual series Caroline Quentin's Corwall could pull in 4.6m in between eps of Corrie. When the soaps are poor, they stink up the schedule, and the opposition can clean up. This is basically what happened with TXF.

Viewers will mostly aways turn to the BBC if there is little on TV because they are ad free, and the best of a bad bunch.
Haven't you hit the nail on the head. There is a significant potential audience available to ITV but they aren't interested in chasing it because the current business model works perfectly for them and they don't need to take risks.

They are in a unique position in terms of dominating in the delivery to advertisers of mass audiences on commercial television - I believe their 2015 annual reports says that over 98% of commercial programmes achieving a 5 million + audience were on ITV.

Whilst they have this dominance of the market they have no need to improve their overall schedule as they have no real competition.

Given Channel 4's current PSB remit and the budget limitations at Channel 5, this situation isn't likely to change any time soon.
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Old 12-11-2016, 22:19
Rob1985
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ITV scheduling wise in spoilers so people can scan past:

Spoiler
Brilliant idea!
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Old 12-11-2016, 22:19
cylon6
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True, but I think it'd be ITV's win if they didn't move it. Emmerdale is strong right now and it would be foolish for the BBC to not comply in this scenario and move their Monday and Friday episodes to 7.30pm.

It's time the soap start times were consistent. Times have changed. I don't care which order, but one 30 minute episode in an evening at the same time is the right way to do it - the different start times for EE were born of a time when there were 2-3 soap episodes a week. We're in a different world now.
I don't think BBC1 would move the soaps. They'd just work around it. They haven't moved it before. I think they should sometimes and put EastEnders against Coronation Street and come up with some waffle about no other slots being available.
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Old 12-11-2016, 22:20
James J
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Oh, so is scheduling discussion permitted now? What are your 3 favourite aspects of Fudd's idea, and why?
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Old 12-11-2016, 22:21
cylon6
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But cylonnnnn, it's sooo messsssyyyyyyy! Why have 2 different start times for the three shows instead of one?

Ditch the doubles and have all the soaps have a fixed time slot - either 7, 7.30, 8 or 8.30! *waves banner*
Don't make me wag my finger at you!!!!
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Old 12-11-2016, 22:22
Rob1985
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Oh, so is scheduling discussion permitted now? What are your 3 favourite aspects of Fudd's idea, and why?
Calm your tits. I thought the idea of putting scheduling discussions in a ratings thread, in spoiler tags, was a brilliant idea.
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Old 12-11-2016, 22:24
James J
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I don't think BBC1 would move the soaps. They'd just work around it. They haven't moved it before. I think they should sometimes and put EastEnders against Coronation Street and come up with some waffle about no other slots being available.
Controversial.

I don't think that's true. To be honest I would be happy with 19:00 Emmerdale, 19:30 Coronation Street, 20:00 EastEnders all week long.

This would at least open up the battleground for other non-soap shows from 20:30 all week. But the BBC would be reticent due to ITV potentially airing hour-long formats at 8 that could dent EE.

Which is why I think my idea is best in balance, of forcing the networks to play fair and air "fluffy"/complementary 30 minute stuff - ITV at 8pm against EE and the BBC at 8.30pm against Corrie - before the 9pm battleground opens up.

I know people are so resistant to change but the schedules are just stuck in an outmoded format from a long-gone era. New things have been tacked on top but it's time for a re-think and I don't think the re-think needs to unduly favour or benefit one channel over another, but it would be best for linear viewers in general.
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Old 12-11-2016, 22:25
James J
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Calm your tits. I thought the idea of putting scheduling discussions in a ratings thread, in spoiler tags, was a brilliant idea.
Still trying to police the thread I see. Bless.

"You are permitted to talk about something I'm not interested in if you put it in spoiler tags" haha
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Old 12-11-2016, 22:25
sunbeam007
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That's a rather defeatist way of looking at it.

Off the top of my head, why couldn't ITV do this:

8.00 - 9.00 on a Monday - factual against EastEnders

8.30 on a Tuesday - game shows on rotation
Family Fortunes, Strike it Lucky, Wheel of Fortune, Play Your Cards Right etc would all be capable of c4million + which would be a more than respectable rating.

8.00 - 9.00 on a Wednesday - light entertainment / 2 hour dramas
An updated version of the Des O'Connor Tonight type format, Palladium, This Time Next Year, etc...

8.30 on a Thursday - sit-coms / comedy sketch shows / panel shows on rotation
Birds of a Feather (Which does already rate well in a pre-watershed slot), Goodnight Sweetheart (which is available), new commissions, etc...

8.00 - 9.00 on a Friday - factual against EastEnders
Paul O'Grady's Dogs, Martin Lewis, Travel shows, etc...

No reason why this wouldn't produce better results than the current output and for the country's biggest and most profitable commercial broadcaster (excluding SKY who have a very different business model) that type of commissioning shouldn't break the bank.

The real issue (IMO) is that ITV doesn't really have a major free-to-air commercial rival capable of regularly out-rating them in prime time and this is reflected in its programming strategy.
Yep, nice to know that others think similar to moi.

ITV is stagnant with far too much soap, things like,
This is your life.
Wish you were here.
Give us a clue.
Strike it lucky.

Got people watching ITV and were interesting.
Precisely. These shows didn't rate as well as Corrie (if not similar to Em and Crossroads) but they drew different eyeballs to the channel. You may only 3m viewers but if 2m are different then maybe you'll start to expand your universe which should help promote major new programmes.

FWIW, if the soaps must be on so often, I'd put Em and Corrie on between 7-8 Monday to Friday and 6:30-7:30 on Sundays. The BBC can respond any way it chooses.
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Old 12-11-2016, 22:26
James J
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FWIW, if the soaps must be on so often, I'd put Em and Corrie on between 7-8 Monday to Friday and 6:30-7:30 on Sundays. The BBC can respond any way it chooses.
I'm inclined to agree with you (though I'd keep 7-8 on Sunday too for consistency).

However Fudd's point is very strong about having 7-8pm open for new formats and 8-9pm for 'trusted' soap leading in to 9pm.

It could be riskier to open 8pm all through the week on ITV to flops.

However either option is better than the current mess.
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Old 12-11-2016, 22:29
dennisboy
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I have never seen a positive, thoughtful, interesting or fact-based contribution on this thread appear under your name.
I'm actually normally a very positive person on this thread, just certain members get on my wick (you are one of them). The only contribution I remember from you is you slating me for daring to criticise a member who called all Big Brother viewers chavs.

I actually don't mind your schedule ideas James, it'd be nice to have each soap in a fixed slot all week.
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Old 12-11-2016, 22:31
sunbeam007
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Here's some ratings news for you.

Given the word of mouth Planet Earth 2 has passed 11m after several days of catch up viewing. Where it will end up in the final consolidated ratings will be fun to see.
It was very good. I wonder how many iguanas were involved in *that* chase. I don't care if it's slightly fake, it was great tv.
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Old 12-11-2016, 22:34
cylon6
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That's a rather defeatist way of looking at it.

Off the top of my head, why couldn't ITV do this:

8.00 - 9.00 on a Monday - factual against EastEnders

8.30 on a Tuesday - game shows on rotation
Family Fortunes, Strike it Lucky, Wheel of Fortune, Play Your Cards Right etc would all be capable of c4million + which would be a more than respectable rating.

8.00 - 9.00 on a Wednesday - light entertainment / 2 hour dramas
An updated version of the Des O'Connor Tonight type format, Palladium, This Time Next Year, etc...

8.30 on a Thursday - sit-coms / comedy sketch shows / panel shows on rotation
Birds of a Feather (Which does already rate well in a pre-watershed slot), Goodnight Sweetheart (which is available), new commissions, etc...

8.00 - 9.00 on a Friday - factual against EastEnders
Paul O'Grady's Dogs, Martin Lewis, Travel shows, etc...

No reason why this wouldn't produce better results than the current output and for the country's biggest and most profitable commercial broadcaster (excluding SKY who have a very different business model) that type of commissioning shouldn't break the bank.

The real issue (IMO) is that ITV doesn't really have a major free-to-air commercial rival capable of regularly out-rating them in prime time and this is reflected in its programming strategy.
I like this schedule, far more welcoming to viewers than seeing soaps in primetime after 8pm.

ITV moving away from a varied schedule got them into trouble. Soaps get a solid rating and a spike when they blow something up, then ITV rely on a handful of other shows to bring in money. When ITV was flying it's because they had a variety of shows that were matching or exceeding soaps that sat alongside them. Thinking "well this is as good as it gets" means you won't grow your audience and you go after an ever dwindling set of viewers.
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