Am I alone in thinking that as time goes by the Channel 4 retrospective on More4 is being more and more downgraded to the point it's being regarded as almost an embarrassment by the channel?

Consider this: on 1 October slap in the middle of primetime we were treated to the truly historic highlights of Channel 4's opening night. Since then the programmes have been on later and later and last night we had Brass Eye at 11.40pm, The Secret Cabaret at 12.10am and Kabaddi screened at 12.40am (also why was this part of the celebrations - yes, it was interesting to watch, is an ancient sport no less, but as the announcer informed us was originally transmitted in 1997 at something like 4 in the morning)! Now, I can understand - and indeed I have put forward - why there is no place for this nostalgia on Channel 4 proper but I fail to see why the season is not being given more of a push in primetime instead of what is rapidly turning into the graveyard shift!

[mossy2103]

Originally Posted by 4444

and last night we had Brass Eye at 11.40pm, The Secret Cabaret at 12.10am

Both programmes were hardly suitable for mid-evening viewing though.

Originally Posted by mossy2103

Both programmes were hardly suitable for mid-evening viewing though.

No, but the watershed begins at 9pm not 11.30pm?

[loopyloo33]

I agree. Think of The Word- got 3 million viewers a week at 1130pm and we got one lousy repeat at 12:45am next Saturday morning.

Originally Posted by 4444

No, but the watershed begins at 9pm not 11.30pm?

Also Porterhouse Blue was getting later and later, the last one on at something like 11.40pm.

[mossy2103]

Originally Posted by 4444

No, but the watershed begins at 9pm not 11.30pm?

Was the paedophile edition of Brass Eye suitable for anything other than a really late slot? I really don't think so. And The Secret Cabaret is hardly suitable for an earlier post-9pm slot either.

[Mikay]

Plus, the documentary was 2 hours long.. Sure it could have started at 9.. but giving it started at 9:30, then Anniversary programmes had no choice to start afterwares, and it was unlikely they'd put that episode of Brass Eye on at 8:30pm

[Inkblot]

Originally Posted by mossy2103

Was the paedophile edition of Brass Eye suitable for anything other than a really late slot? I really don't think so.

Why? Are people more likely to understand satire at that time of day?

Originally Posted by Inkblot

Why? Are people more likely to understand satire at that time of day?

If I remember correctly both Brass Eye and The Secret Cabaret were both originally shown at 10pm. Also, what of Kabaddi - what about that is likely to cause such offence that it cannot be transmitted before 12.40am?

[yBSy]

I think in recent years C4 has attracted viewers that should not be watching. They are more likely to be offended.

[DomesticGoddess]

Wait, I think the Brass Eye Special was shown at 9.30pm, scheduled between 2 Big Brother live eviction shows. The original Brass Eye series in 1997 was shown at 9.30pm too, which was the time when ER was shown in the 10pm slot.

[snossis]

BES came after Big Brother but it wasn't a Friday (could've been Thurs). BB was on at 10 so the now 'classic' paedophile special was 10.30 - as I recall!

I also recall the outraged complaints from parents who had left the tape running after record BB2 for their little ones - the main strand in BB at the time being would Paul shag Helen!

[DomesticGoddess]

Originally Posted by snossis

BES came after Big Brother but it wasn't a Friday (could've been Thurs). BB was on at 10 so the now 'classic' paedophile special was 10.30 - as I recall!

I also recall the outraged complaints from parents who had left the tape running after record BB2 for their little ones - the main strand in BB at the time being would Paul shag Helen!

Yeah, it was on a Thursday (Elizabeth's surprise eviction), before the live final. I think I was the only person in the house who was laughing when watching it, though my family did laugh as a result of me.

[mossy2103]

Originally Posted by Inkblot

Why? Are people more likely to understand satire at that time of day?

Have you watched that particular edition of Brass Eye at all? Do you remember the outcry after it was shown before? Is the subject matter (even as satire) something that could be broadcast earlier in this day and age (a bit different from when it was first shown) without causing complaints?

[JCR]

Ofcom and it's predecessors have told C4 some programmes are best not screened before 10.30pm- they were talking about queer as folk, but I'd assume it applies to brass eye too.

Edit: it is really clear some programmes shouldn't be shown at 9 even though that is when the watershed starts. Anyone who disagrees should get the deadwood dvd sets and see if they agree after watching them.

Originally Posted by JCR

Ofcom and it's predecessors have told C4 some programmes are best not screened before 10.30pm- they were talking about queer as folk, but I'd assume it applies to brass eye too.

Edit: it is really clear some programmes shouldn't be shown at 9 even though that is when the watershed starts. Anyone who disagrees should get the deadwood dvd sets and see if they agree after watching them.

I can understand it when it comes to Queer As Folk as there is simulated gay sex and simulated drug taking but having seen the Brass Eye programme I really don't remember any underage sex - simulated or otherwise - being on there so what is the point? And are we now suddenly in a much more moralistic age than a few years ago? Why? Surely such things as the Brass Eye programme have a lessened shock factor when the content is all known about and it is no longer new.

Furthermore the thread is being diverted in the interests of convenience by highlighting Brass Eye, in particular. What excuse for the likes of Kabaddi and Porterhouse Blue? Even Friends was broadcast in quite a late slot. If Channel 4 through More4 wish to celebrate their history then they should do so in a much more showy fashion than by relegating the vast bulk of the retrospective to late night slots.

[mossy2103]

Originally Posted by 4444

Furthermore the thread is being diverted in the interests of convenience by highlighting Brass Eye, in particular.

Come on, it's hardly being diverted for convenience (there are some interesting points being discussed), and after all, it was your post which specifically mentioned Brass Eye, thereby opening up the discussion to encompass that programme.

Originally Posted by mossy2103

Come on, it's hardly being diverted for convenience (there are some interesting points being discussed), and after all, it was your post which specifically mentioned Brass Eye, thereby opening up the discussion to encompass that programme.

It's just everyone's jumping on the Brass Eye bandwagon as if by using this it's an explanation for everything when it isn't. Another example is Vic Reeves Big Night Out - on the other night at a quite ridiculous time. And what about Walter - that was shown at 10pm and contained much more shocking content than Brass Eye, but that was the first night hoo-ha, everything since... embarrassment, it appears.

[mossy2103]

Originally Posted by 4444

It's just everyone's jumping on the Brass Eye bandwagon

No, not bandwagon-jumping, it's how a discussion evolves, how a discussion can remain interesting.

Ironically, you mentioning this "issue" is itself diverting the discussion

[elfcurry]

Originally Posted by 4444

Also Porterhouse Blue was getting later and later, the last one on at something like 11.40pm.

They cocked it up. The announcer talked over the last few lines of dialogue: "Del Boy's" dying words.

[Channel Hopper]

Looking back at past Channel 4 output would embarrass anyone involved in the present line up

Endemol, Big Brother and Russell Brand should put the fear of god into any media studies wannabee that believes this amount of crap can be sustained.
It would be called ITV2 if a channel wasn't already carrying the logo.

[DomesticGoddess]

In some ways, Channel 4 should have the right to be embarrassed by its history. For the past 20 years, they have had to do cause huge amounts of controversy just to get noticed (sex, pornography, The Word, Brookside), as well as relying a whole load of other unusual shows with weird formats just to seek attention (Big Breakfast, TFI Friday). Let alone the amounts of US shows being scattered across its schedule (Cheers, Roseanne, Friends, Frasier, ER).

Nowadays, Channel 4 is far more commercial and mainstream because there is hardly anymore issues or territories that must be tackled, since we are in a more tolerant society compared to the 80s and 90s. So having Big Brother is not such a bad idea. I have never understand why people accuse Channel 4 of not being original with this show, and accusing of being banal, yet this is the one show that has spawned reality shows (being the first) and isn't as explicit, complicated or too desperate (as well as sensationalist) compared to its previous programming. You may accuse Location, Location, Location and Property Ladder too, as well as Supernanny and Wife Swap, but they are just new methods of previous formats, therefore success.

[Micro$oft]

Originally Posted by DomesticGoddess

... yet this is the one show that has spawned reality shows (being the first)...

It was not the first, Castaway on BBC appeared a year before.

[Inkblot]

Originally Posted by mossy2103

Have you watched that particular edition of Brass Eye at all? Do you remember the outcry after it was shown before? Is the subject matter (even as satire) something that could be broadcast earlier in this day and age (a bit different from when it was first shown) without causing complaints?

I really don't understand. It was a satire on the panic surrounding paedophilia. Why should it be shown at a later time now than it was originally?

And the real moral of the story is that Channel 4 isn't producing programmes like that any more. It isn't the challenging, innovative broadcaster that it used to be.