Remember that the BBC makes no money off the UK viewing figures. It could have 50 million people tune in and it'd be no more profitable than if only 5 tuned in. On the other hand, Doctor Who is now the BBC's most profitable worldwide property, having overtaken Top Gear last year - and with the Top Gear of old practically dead, its likely to remain there. And its those overseas and merchandising sales that do actually make the BBC money. So long as it holds out there, it will remain profitable.

Plus, it will NEVER move to Amazon or Netflix. The BBC owns the copyright and won't be handing that off to another company. Even if we get to the point that the BBC decides to rest the series, they will keep those rights to themselves, ready to use again when they feel the time is right. Remember that ultimately the BBC is not about making a profit, so they have no need to sell off program rights that they own. They will sit on Who long before they franchise it out.

Love people panicking or gloating over overnights when most watch it on Itunes or another source lol
(here come the onslaught of DW in ratings trouble articles)

Dont watch any of my fav shows live anymore

Doctor Who would still make the BBC money even if the viewing figures had dropped.

Whether it continues to provide value to the licence fee payer is the more important question BBC management will be asking.


Starting with the BBC themselves who say that, "viewers in their millions deserted Doctor Who as it returned to BBC One for a new series".

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Series like this always loose out to stuff like X Factor and Britain's Got Talent as it requires people to use their brain a bit. Look at Ripper Street last year. Canned because they put it up against the X Factor (or Britain's got talent) and it lost. So it can't have been very good. Sad state of affairs but thats always the case now. Cater for the lowest common denominator.

One poor performing series is not going to end the show. What it might do is make the BBC ask "what do we need to do to reinvigorate the show?" in which case a shake-up in the production is far more likely than an outright axing. If it continues to do badly beyond that, only then may an axing be on the cards.

But we're getting ahead of ourselves. The overnights were very low indeed, but we've yet to see the final time-shifted figure. It's entirely possible that it might even get more viewers time-shifting than watching live.
We've also only seen one episode. Things may pick up again back to their usual levels next week. It's far too early to jump to any sort of conclusions.

I imagine it's hard to decide what needs changing for people if they didn't watch the first episode in the first place. So yes, best to at least give it 24 hours and a look at the first timeshift figure.

The thing is, as can be seen from the early Charter Review positioning, the BBC needs to focus more on offering programming that is distinctive and of a high quality, and something that commercial broadcasters don't do.

All three boxes ticked as regards DW.


And they are planning to divert more cash into BBC one drama as well.

What I find curious is that there are certain sections of fandom that I've come across on tinternet who, usually because the current era isn't to their tastes, actively seem to revel in 'bad news' and actually seem pleased when Who gets underwhelming ratings. Not sure whether they want the show cancelled or whether they think suddenly we'll have new showrunner/producers/Companion/Doctor/whatever and this is going to immediately mean a better era that is more to their particular tastes.

Of course, that *could* happen, but it's hardly a guarantee!

Admit I'm saying that as someone who has never actively *disliked* any era of Who, both C20 or C21. I have my favourite eras, Doctors, series etc. but have never been in a position when I have actively wanted the show to fail, y'know? It's a curious thing, although hasten to add said section of fandom is probably a very small minority.

STILL, let's see how things stand in a few weeks, ratings-wise. Said on here earlier, not going into Private Frazer-mode!

That being said the overnights still had it at No. 1 On BBC last night.

The new show is ten years old, there are few shows that run that long with the same ratings they had in their heyday, especially ones that have random series breaks after as few as six episodes, random scheduling that varies week by week, and random two year hiatuses for no apparent reason.

No, I think that's the one thing that won't happen. For one thing, there's the entirely normal drop that most programmes experience for their second episode, and for another it's going to get thumped by live rugby on ITV - the England match at 20:00.

If we're in for a record time shift at any point this season, I suspect it'll be one of the next two episodes that are in prime position to get it - most likely next week's as the rugby will be an all-Britain affair.

If there's a single TV set in Wales switched to BBC One next Saturday evening, I suspect it'll be owned by Russell T Davies

"Most" don't though, do they? "Most" watch live, on the day with a smaller percentage catching up later. Despite catch-up services this remains true and will for some time to come.

Did you think that mis-representing the reality would in some way spin the poor rating last night?

(I'll be watching on catch up next Saturday. Who might not drive me behind the sofa these days, but Wales playing England at Twickenham might well do!)

..That IS the reality. People dont watch Live TV anymore LOL. which is why networks consider other sources in ratings now,
.

and yes the rating overnights were down. There were for all the other shows too. Most were watching Rugby.

it'd be even worse though if it didnt come in number 1

Good grief, we have a traitor in the ranks. Off to the (dark) tower with him!

I do and so do most people I know, we record the odd thing, but almost all of the programmes we watch are live.

Uh oh, I probably shouldn't mention I'll be missing 3, 4 & 5

Fair enough. I have zero interest in sport so I haven't a clue when these rugby matches air.

It's a fair cop, Guv.

(Still, if Wales get beaten, at least I'll have Who to make me feel better. The 'Next Time....' bit with Sixties Skaro corridors and the black and white bits made me grin from ear to ear.)

No, you are WRONG saying "most" watch later. Most watch live. A smaller number "catch-up" later.

Geddit? Gottit? Good.

This is probably the only episode of Who I will be watching live on TV. I don't have a TV at uni so it's off to the old iPlayer live watch for the rest of the series!

I almost never watch live TV and it's the same for virtually everyone I know. Doctor Who is the only thing I ever watch live, and even that will stop in two weeks time when I return to University.

Everyone I know either (be they my friends at uni, or my family) watches things in iPlayer or Netflix, or records things on Sky and watches them whenever it is convenient for them do to so. Failing that, they resort to piracy. I genuinely don't know anyone who watches TV live any more. Why would you when you can watch your favourite shows when it suits you?

I only watch Doctor Who live so I can come on here and discuss it as soon as it airs (though this is not possible at Uni)


Well if you consider the UK figures only, strictly speaking you're correct, but the time-shifted figures usually make up a good 20-30% of the final viewing figures. So yes, while they don't make up "most" of the views, they do make up a large proportion.

However, when you consider the Global Audience, I imagine quite a number of non-UK citizens watch it on iTunes, Netflix or simply pirate it. Perhaps, if you consider these viewers, the majority of viewers do time-shift it?

Well, from reading this thread it appears that the majority of posters here seem to watch Doctor Who on some sort of catch up, not live. So how about accepting this rather than being rude?