Originally Posted by
rzt:
“Seeing as people have done some fantasy ITV schedules, I thought I'd join in. This is what I think ITV should do from September 2009 when they have the rights to FA Cup, England and Wednesday Champions League Matches. It's not what I'd personally like to see, but I think this schedule could be strong for ITV and help close the gap or even over-take BBC1. I've got different schedules for different months of the year- I didn't do schedules for the summer months, as they are usually very affected due to Euro/World Cups.
September-December : http://img33.picoodle.com/img/img33/...cm_18bc0ff.jpg
* Firstly, the green coloured shows, are the core shows that will be shown every week of the year in that slot (bar special weeks such as BGT Finals, Euros/World Cups and I'm a Celeb).
* With football going to be shown on Wednesday, I think Corrie has to move. Also I don't think the 2nd Corrie ep has worked at all in terms of viewer response. So, I'd put those at 8.00 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This would give a good lead-in for the next shows. Also, I think Emmerdale should have 30 min episodes from Sun-Friday (have 1 hour specials on Wed). I think it's important that ITV have a soap on Sunday, because at the moment their Sunday schedule is not good- it only did well during DOI, but DOI is only on 10 weeks of the year.
* Sun Hill General will be shown on Tue & Thu at 8.30. It is something that ITV has considered before, and I think it could do well especially as it's got a Corrie lead-in.
* The Bill will have a new timeslot of 9.00 on Tue and Thu. I think it would do well at 9.00, certainly better than most of ITV's current output in that slot. It could be getting somewhere in the region of 5m-6m viewers, which is solid.
* ITV are apparently moving the XF results to Sundays, so I think they should be shown at 7.30-8.00 (after the SCD results finish). Then show a good 120 minute drama.
January-February: http://img33.picoodle.com/img/img33/...bm_6bf2446.jpg
* Firstly, although Dancing on Ice was a brilliant hit on Sundays for ITV1, I don't think both shows should return on Sundays. This is because in the short-term ITV1 might do great, they'll be moving Emmerdale around and that will have consequences. They need to give Emmerdale a static slot of 7.00 on Sundays; no moving around. So, I think DOI performances should be on Saturday and results like XF on Sundays. Then show the usual dramas after that.
* On Monday, I think comedies should be shown between 9-10. I don't know why ITV insist on having comedies on Fridays, when they could do much better on Mondays. Especially Benidorm. I can see it getting 6m-7m and performing very strongly. Also, Moving Wallpaper didn't set the world alight before, but with a good slot I think it could get 4m-5m; better than ITV1's current slot average.
* Also, show Taggart on Friday at 9.00. Should appeal to the ABC1s.
March-May: http://img33.picoodle.com/img/img33/...ym_180f9e0.jpg
* Heartbeat must be given a full run at a fixed time. Look at what's happening with its ratings right now due to the increasing time changes. So give it a fixed 7.30 slot. Then show movies or dramas after that.
* Give the Fixer another chance in the same Monday 9.00 slot.
* Also show comedies in the 9-10 hour on Fridays.”
Advantages of your schedule:-
- You have the right content, which is really important.
- You are keeping familiar ITV shows that have performed well in the past, e.g. Heartbeat, and not putting them to waste.
My opinion:-
Dancing on Ice should be a Sunday show, in my opinion. It did so well and it could be a long term for ITV. It's great event programming and helps start the year for ITV in my opinion, without complicating things by spreading things over two days, which I don't think is appropriate for reality shows.
However, soaps are better spread across the week as they shape the rest of the schedule, usually the spine. It needs to be, being in a regular slot will ensure sustainable viewing figures, and we have seen a drop in this for Emmerdale and long time drama Heartbeat.
I reaffirm the fact that Wednesday will not be interupted so it's fine. The Champions League don't come into place until 2009/10. So if you look at my schedule again, you will see that there are no fundamental problems like that.
Next year, I feel Britain's Got Talent should go for what it did this year: 6 Saturday auditions, then live shows. While Hell's Kitchen and I'm a Celebrity has to take around two weeks of the schedule.
Monday to Friday needs to be intelligent, full of factual programming and drama.
Amendments to my schedule should be done - especially Friday's, which I have filled with classic episodes, perhaps a nice little advert for ITV3. But is this sustainable? Well, new drama can only take up 3 times a week in my opinion, and it needs to be different types of drama. Wednesday nights need to be regular factual programming, or perhaps Tuesday nights so it can correspond with Champions League football.
I'd like to see Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday being a regular slot at 9pm for drama. Three of which will be new programming, and either the Friday or Sunday should either be a movie, a drama premiere or a classic drama. That should be sustainable for around a year. And then you've got Thursday's for drama, Saturday for entertainment.
Any other ideas?
