The introduction of OZTAM ratings which replaced the viewing diaries exposed the fallacy of the old ratings and showed that viewers have deserted the networks.
Is it any wonder?
WHERE'S MY SHOW GONE?
People are creatures of habit. They like stability and predictability in their lives.
When reading a book, you turn page 15 and fully expect to see page 16 next.
Not with TV programs. Timeslots chop and change from week to week, shows come and go unannounced.
REPEAT AFTER ME....
Repeats used to be screened after several months. Now, they happen hours later. And after months of endlessly repeating in a loop shows such as Modern family, Big Bang Theory, stations announce with fanfare BRAND NEW EPISODES next week.
But hang on...the program guide says 7.30 Modern Family, 8 pm Modern family.
Both new? One a repeat, the other new? But which one?
After a couple of weeks, the two or three new episodes end, without fanfare, and its back to the endless repeats.
ENCORE, ENCORE.
But what am I saying. A repeat is no longer a repeat. Now it's an "encore". Or, having been shown last night, "by popular demand" it'll be repeated--sorry---encore---tonight.
ON YOUR MARKS, GET SET, GO. ON TIME.
Shows used to start on time to the second. Now it's all over the place, one station trying to get the advantage over the other by keeping viewers watching over the hour or half-hour mark at switchover time.
Well, dear programmers, all you are doing is destroying even more goodwill among viewers.
PROMOS.
"In the sleepy country town...MURDER will happen" says the promo. Shock horror, not...m...m..murder!
P-lease, Bonanza had a murder a week. So did Columbo. Midsomer murders have several each episode. Trying to sell a show on the basis of a murder being committed is like selling an X-rated pornographic film on the basis of the actress stripping to her underwear.
PS, that guy doing promos on the 7 Network with that breathless voice...you really are most annoying.
NOW HERE IS THE NEWS
TV news is in a time warp, stuck in the 1980s when the slick 1 minute 30 seconds story was honed to the slick package it became. In newsrooms, the stories are called packages. Nicely boxed, and presented with a ribbon.
But inside the attractive package you find trinkets. Overnight house fires. Car crashes. Shootings. Every parent's worst nightmare-type beat ups.
Going LIVE to a reporter on the empty scene at 6 pm when the drama has been over for hours, is still presented as some miracle of communication, like broadcasting from the moon.
Special investigations exclusive to a station...they are not news, but more like a shallow feature which, not being news, can be promoted on the weekend ahead of its screening next week.
I really think people do want a window out to beyond their backyard and into the vast world beyond.
On most stations the news appears to be presented by girls and boys barely out of their teens. They never age...they just quietly disappear to be replaced by the next batch of baby-faced kids.
EPILOGUE
In summary, Mr TV Networks, we may be silly to keep watching, especially after spending lots of cash on the new 60 inch screen...but we are not entirely stupid. So stop treating us like idiots...idiots watching the idiot box.
Is it any wonder?
WHERE'S MY SHOW GONE?
People are creatures of habit. They like stability and predictability in their lives.
When reading a book, you turn page 15 and fully expect to see page 16 next.
Not with TV programs. Timeslots chop and change from week to week, shows come and go unannounced.
REPEAT AFTER ME....
Repeats used to be screened after several months. Now, they happen hours later. And after months of endlessly repeating in a loop shows such as Modern family, Big Bang Theory, stations announce with fanfare BRAND NEW EPISODES next week.
But hang on...the program guide says 7.30 Modern Family, 8 pm Modern family.
Both new? One a repeat, the other new? But which one?
After a couple of weeks, the two or three new episodes end, without fanfare, and its back to the endless repeats.
ENCORE, ENCORE.
But what am I saying. A repeat is no longer a repeat. Now it's an "encore". Or, having been shown last night, "by popular demand" it'll be repeated--sorry---encore---tonight.
ON YOUR MARKS, GET SET, GO. ON TIME.
Shows used to start on time to the second. Now it's all over the place, one station trying to get the advantage over the other by keeping viewers watching over the hour or half-hour mark at switchover time.
Well, dear programmers, all you are doing is destroying even more goodwill among viewers.
PROMOS.
"In the sleepy country town...MURDER will happen" says the promo. Shock horror, not...m...m..murder!
P-lease, Bonanza had a murder a week. So did Columbo. Midsomer murders have several each episode. Trying to sell a show on the basis of a murder being committed is like selling an X-rated pornographic film on the basis of the actress stripping to her underwear.
PS, that guy doing promos on the 7 Network with that breathless voice...you really are most annoying.
NOW HERE IS THE NEWS
TV news is in a time warp, stuck in the 1980s when the slick 1 minute 30 seconds story was honed to the slick package it became. In newsrooms, the stories are called packages. Nicely boxed, and presented with a ribbon.
But inside the attractive package you find trinkets. Overnight house fires. Car crashes. Shootings. Every parent's worst nightmare-type beat ups.
Going LIVE to a reporter on the empty scene at 6 pm when the drama has been over for hours, is still presented as some miracle of communication, like broadcasting from the moon.
Special investigations exclusive to a station...they are not news, but more like a shallow feature which, not being news, can be promoted on the weekend ahead of its screening next week.
I really think people do want a window out to beyond their backyard and into the vast world beyond.
On most stations the news appears to be presented by girls and boys barely out of their teens. They never age...they just quietly disappear to be replaced by the next batch of baby-faced kids.
EPILOGUE
In summary, Mr TV Networks, we may be silly to keep watching, especially after spending lots of cash on the new 60 inch screen...but we are not entirely stupid. So stop treating us like idiots...idiots watching the idiot box.


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