Reality TV overdose?

BuilderPlumber

Admittedly I have never been a fan of so-called reality TV. I have no problem with it if it is on a small bit but why in the name of sanity is it on so much? Ever since Big Brother took off in 1999, this type of stuff is all TV seem to be able to focus on. Shows like Survivor or I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here only furthered the cause of this airhead TV.

Shows like The X Factor, You're a Star, Popstars, Pop Idols, The Voice of Ireland, Britain's Got Talent, Glor Tire and so on have destroyed music and it is no wonder why we have so much poor music being pushed by our media today. And if all that talent contest drivel was not enough, RTE had the neck to show 2 series of Stetsons and Stilettos showing airheads dancing to blondie ex boyband singers in cowboy hats singing drivel.

Then you have those two monstrosities called Operation Transformation and Dragon's Den. The former has overweight people paraded semi-naked on weighing scales while the loud and annoying Kathryn Thomas commentates. Dragon's Den is worse and glorifies in having know it all businesspeople put down small entrepreneurs. Then there's things like Room to Improve which is great for architect Diarmuid Bannon but boring for the rest of us. And how many chefs are they on TV? Masterchef is more competition drivel that exploits and upsets people. This Dancing With The Stars is more of same.

A lot of these reality TV shows revel in making a laugh of some poor unfortunate who decides to become a guinea pig for the show. The way people are treated by Dragon's Den, Masterchef and those talent shows is atrocious.

Is it any wonder why people are switching off from mainstream TV in their droves. But the problem is more than just switching off and not looking at these woeful shows. There's the problem of being taxed to own a TV set. We are paying this tax to fund this absolute drivel and at no time has RTE asked me or anyone else what they'd like to see on TV.

Those in charge of TV clearly have nothing but contempt for the people and are insulting our intelligence by forcing all this drivel through. It is time for all this stuff to stop and for TV to give us something else. TV is in terminal decline but it has itself to blame if it has lost its audiences.

brian_t

BuilderPlumber wrote: »

at no time has RTE asked me or anyone else what they'd like to see on TV.

Could it not be argued that the ratings give RTE a rough idea of what viewers want to see on TV.

eamonnq

The upcoming Brendan Courtney one must surely be scraping the bottom of the barrel ??

BuilderPlumber

brian_t wrote: »

Could it not be argued that the ratings give RTE a rough idea of what viewers want to see on TV.

The problems with the ratings by numbers is that the TV is turned on and something is on that no one is actually interested in but is either before or after a programme people are interested in. For example, late last year I turned on the TV and went to RTE 1 to set it up to watch Fair City. On the screen were boyband idiots with fake cowboy hats singing drivel and Hector commentating. It was Stetsons and Stilettos and I most certainly had no interest in watching this. It is the same now with this Dancing With The Stars. On before Fair City. Because I tuned into these 2 awful reality shows, one dealing with ex boybands and the other dealing with amateur dancing and presented by ... another ex boyband singer, it goes down as a propaganda statistic. How many more are doing the same?

brian_t

BuilderPlumber wrote: »

The problems with the ratings by numbers is that the TV is turned on and something is on that no one is actually interested in but is either before or after a programme people are interested in.

No apparently not.

Programme audiences are calculated by averaging the audience of all minutes covered by the programme transmission, from the start-time of the programme until the end-time of the programme

http://www.tamireland.ie/about/faq

eamonnq

eamonnq wrote: »

The upcoming Brendan Courtney one must surely be scraping the bottom of the barrel ??

Hardly reality TV more in the factual category I would have said and very much an issue many families across the country have to face.

eamonnq

Deleted User wrote: »

Hardly reality TV more in the factual category I would have said and very much an issue many families across the country have to face.

Maybe you are right but I won't be watching to find out. If it was a 'normal family' rather than a 'celebrity' doing it I might be inclined to agree.

Agent Coulson

Reality TV overdosed about 10 years ago.

BuilderPlumber

eamonnq wrote: »

Maybe you are right but I won't be watching to find out. If it was a 'normal family' rather than a 'celebrity' doing it I might be inclined to agree.

Am not aware of this Brendan Courtney series whatever it is. Will do a quick search online now. Found out it is about his father having a stroke. This would be upsetting viewing but would not fit under the airhead reality TV. This programme would have a purpose and if it highlights an issue and helps to improve things for people in this kind of situation, that can only be good.

BuilderPlumber

Agent Coulson wrote: »

Reality TV overdosed about 10 years ago.

What you say is very true. How a lot of these woeful programmes remain on our screens beats me. That Dragon's Den, Big Brother, all them talent shows (their names may change but that's it) and so on are the worst ever.

I think this culture of minor 'celebrities' and 'stars' (indeed the overuse of such terms to describe people such as ex boyband members, and RTE/Irish Independent employees) has fueled all these woeful shows. Such people depend on them to keep going. For example, what could Louis Walsh do if there was no talent shows and the like?!!

Zaph

You admit to watching Fair City and yet you're complaining about the drivel on TV? Nobody in RTE asked me if I wanted to watch that rubbish and yet they churn it out several times a week. And that's the thing, they don't ask people what they want to watch, they'll put what they think will be popular on and if it gets the audience they'll keep putting it on. Which means we're subjected to the crap that is Fair City and all the reality shows because seemingly that's what people want to watch.

BuilderPlumber

Zaph wrote: »

You admit to watching Fair City and yet you're complaining about the drivel on TV? Nobody in RTE asked me if I wanted to watch that rubbish and yet they churn it out several times a week. And that's the thing, they don't ask people what they want to watch, they'll put what they think will be popular on and if it gets the audience they'll keep putting it on. Which means we're subjected to the crap that is Fair City and all the reality shows because seemingly that's what people want to watch.

Fair City is grand as far as I'm concerned. It is not exactly Charles Dickens or Shakespeare but it is way better than most things if not all the rest on RTE. I think it can have good stories and I'll admit there are a lot of poor stories and characters in it as well.

There is an audience for everything I believe. I recognise there is an audience for these reality TV shows but there are other audiences too. Fair City is only 2 hours per week. Reality stuff is probably on for 24+ hours per week. Of course, TV should let the people have a say. There is demand out there for a Love/Hate type drama for starters. Another thing RTE cannot do is a proper music programme at present. There's no history or travel shows on at all for most of the time. The UK channels do have their share of reality junk but they also cater for other audiences and there are some very interesting programmes on them regularly. While BBC had Henry VIII documentaries and a Roy Orbison concert on, RTE had Room To Improve and Stetsons and Stilettos. Ironically, the title of that Diarmuid Bannon show is a motto for current Irish TV!

pilly

BuilderPlumber wrote:

The problems with the ratings by numbers is that the TV is turned on and something is on that no one is actually interested in but is either before or after a programme people are interested in. For example, late last year I turned on the TV and went to RTE 1 to set it up to watch Fair City. On the screen were boyband idiots with fake cowboy hats singing drivel and Hector commentating. It was Stetsons and Stilettos and I most certainly had no interest in watching this. It is the same now with this Dancing With The Stars. On before Fair City. Because I tuned into these 2 awful reality shows, one dealing with ex boybands and the other dealing with amateur dancing and presented by ... another ex boyband singer, it goes down as a propaganda statistic. How many more are doing the same?

Ah now you were going to watch Fairly ****ty? That's worse than any reality show.

Ally Dick

I love the trashiness and bitchiness of the latest Big Brother. I think they've done a great job

Sam Kade

The thing is that it is not reality tv, it's scripted nonsense.

brian_t

BuilderPlumber wrote: »

Fair City Soap Opera stuff is only 2 hours per week probably on for 24+ hours per week. Reality stuff is probably on for 24+ hours per week.

Fixed your post from the point of view of someone who doesn't watch Soaps.

BuilderPlumber

brian_t wrote: »

Fixed your post from the point of view of someone who doesn't watch Soaps.

I think that watching all these soaps is a waste of time. Watch one and you will see them all! I only watch Fair City these days and I prefer it to say Coronation St and Emmerdale. These 2 soaps were better years back but Coronation Street is in the past 13 or so years full of horrible low life characters who are in no way interesting. Emmerdale has tried to reinvent itself a number of times and not successfully either. I can't stand the horrible accents of some of the Coronation Street characters. I have friends from the part of England this is meant to be set in and they do not talk like this. Coronation Street = an embarrassment to Manchester.

I agree there are way too many soaps on. I'm surprised there isn't another Irish soap being made or that there is no Northern Ireland soap (as far as I know anyway). All that said and done: I'd rather watch any soap than any of these reality shows.

learn_more

Shows like The X Factor, You're a Star, Popstars, Pop Idols, The Voice of Ireland, Britain's Got Talent, Glor Tire and so on have destroyed music and it is no wonder why we have so much poor music being pushed by our media today

I don't see how these shows 'prevent' ppl from making better music. If there were better music out there then I'm sure the radio DJ's would play it.

Mainstream 'pop' music doesn't come from xfactor or other such shows, they rather mimic what is popular right now.

Then you have those two monstrosities called Operation Transformation and Dragon's Den. The former has overweight people paraded semi-naked on weighing scales while the loud and annoying Kathryn Thomas commentates. Dragon's Den is worse and glorifies in having know it all businesspeople put down small entrepreneurs. T

I loved the UK version of Dragons Den although I've brunt out on it of late. When I watch the Irish version they really don't seem to have as much money to invest as the British dragons, thus they are less likely to take a risk. There have been some great success stories from UK dragons den. I think the UK dragons are much more 'likeable' than the Irish ones. Duncan was great, but he's gone now.

The one type of show I really object to is cookery programmes. Whether they be foreign, exotic, home grown, competition, master competition, baking, baking competition, mystery chef, chat show segment. The variations on this themes is endless.

The attraction to cookery programmes is obvious. It's the cheapest television you could ever think off and no wonder there is so may variations on that theme. I particularly despise master-chef.

Dirty Dingus McGee

learn_more wrote: »

I don't see how these shows 'prevent' ppl from making better music. If there were better music out there then I'm sure the radio DJ's would play it.

Mainstream 'pop' music doesn't come from xfactor or other such shows, they rather mimic what is popular right now.



I loved the UK version of Dragons Den although I've brunt out on it of late. When I watch the Irish version they really don't seem to have as much money to invest as the British dragons, thus they are less likely to take a risk. There have been some great success stories from UK dragons den. I think the UK dragons are much more 'likeable' than the Irish ones. Duncan was great, but he's gone now.

The one type of show I really object to is cookery programmes. Whether they be foreign, exotic, home grown, competition, master competition, baking, baking competition, mystery chef, chat show segment. The variations on this themes is endless.

The attraction to cookery programmes is obvious. It's the cheapest television you could ever think off and no wonder there is so may variations on that theme. I particularly despise master-chef.

I haven't watched it in years but I always thought he was a complete prick.

iseegirls

Regarding the soaps, they are really over used by the channels these days.
They should return to the number of episodes per week like back in the 90's. Coronation Street - 3 eps - Mon, Wed, Fri.
Emmerdale - 3 - Tue, Wed, Thu
Eastenders - 3 Monday, Tue and Thu

When there were less soaps, there was more of a choice on the TV channels. Play Your Cards Right, Strike it Lucky, Take Your Pick, The Krypton Factor were all great shows, and I feel the expansion of the soaps across the schedule stopped other quiz shows like this from being created.

BuilderPlumber

learn_more wrote: »

I don't see how these shows 'prevent' ppl from making better music. If there were better music out there then I'm sure the radio DJ's would play it.

Mainstream 'pop' music doesn't come from xfactor or other such shows, they rather mimic what is popular right now.

These shows do not prevent people from making better music. They do prevent better music from being promoted more and better music programmes from being on TV. DJs and the TV programmes are only interested in a certain sound and they then market it to gullible audiences. As per usual, the 5% are catered for and the 95% who would like something else are not.

I loved the UK version of Dragons Den although I've brunt out on it of late. When I watch the Irish version they really don't seem to have as much money to invest as the British dragons, thus they are less likely to take a risk. There have been some great success stories from UK dragons den. I think the UK dragons are much more 'likeable' than the Irish ones. Duncan was great, but he's gone now.

I agree the Irish Dragon's Den is a poor imitation of the UK version. This is hardly a surprise. While I am not a fan of Dragon's Den, the UK version is certainly better as is the case with most of these type of shows.

The one type of show I really object to is cookery programmes. Whether they be foreign, exotic, home grown, competition, master competition, baking, baking competition, mystery chef, chat show segment. The variations on this themes is endless.

The attraction to cookery programmes is obvious. It's the cheapest television you could ever think off and no wonder there is so may variations on that theme. I particularly despise master-chef.

I agree. I am sick of turning on the TV each night to discover some chef on. You can be certain there is one on somewhere between 7 and 9 each evening. 1 or 2 a week would be fine but there is one on every night. The different guises you mention are among the variations. It is cheap TV and can be repeated over and over. Masterchef is a horrible show. Lords and Ladles was the funniest title ever for one!

learn_more

iseegirls wrote: »

Regarding the soaps, they are really over used by the channels these days.
They should return to the number of episodes per week like back in the 90's. Coronation Street - 3 eps - Mon, Wed, Fri.
Emmerdale - 3 - Tue, Wed, Thu
Eastenders - 3 Monday, Tue and Thu

When there were less soaps, there was more of a choice on the TV channels. Play Your Cards Right, Strike it Lucky, Take Your Pick, The Krypton Factor were all great shows, and I feel the expansion of the soaps across the schedule stopped other quiz shows like this from being created.

I stopped watching soaps in my early twenties as my social life took off around then : ) , but what drives me insane is when I visit my folks and my sis lives with them too, I can't get a word in edgeways for flicking from channel to channel one half-hour after the other. Soaps to me have become mindless garbage TV when watched in that fashion. Thankfully none of them particularly follow Eastenders which to my mind is a vile show in every respect and a total embarrassment to both the BBC, London, and the UK.

Agree that quiz shows used to be much better and there was more of them. Family Fortunes seems to have survived. That says it all.

bodhrandude

If you have Facebook Donal Dineen has the first new episode of No Disco online. https://www.facebook.com/thisaintnodisco/?fref=ts

BuilderPlumber

iseegirls wrote: »

Regarding the soaps, they are really over used by the channels these days.
They should return to the number of episodes per week like back in the 90's. Coronation Street - 3 eps - Mon, Wed, Fri.
Emmerdale - 3 - Tue, Wed, Thu
Eastenders - 3 Monday, Tue and Thu

When there were less soaps, there was more of a choice on the TV channels. Play Your Cards Right, Strike it Lucky, Take Your Pick, The Krypton Factor were all great shows, and I feel the expansion of the soaps across the schedule stopped other quiz shows like this from being created.

There are way too many episodes of these soaps on and it is obvious that the more episodes they have, the more poor filler inner stuff they have to write in them. Coronation Street has 2 episodes on some nights even!

learn_more wrote: »

I stopped watching soaps in my early twenties as my social life took off around then : ) , but what drives me insane is when I visit my folks and my sis lives with them too, I can't get a word in edgeways for flicking from channel to channel one half-hour after the other. Soaps to me have become mindless garbage TV when watched in that fashion. Thankfully none of them particularly follow Eastenders which to my mind is a vile show in every respect and a total embarrassment to both the BBC, London, and the UK.

Agree that quiz shows used to be much better and there was more of them. Family Fortunes seems to have survived. That says it all.

I could not see myself watching soaps like that. But yes I know many who do. Eastenders is a very depressing show while Coronation Street can be idiotic. Emmerdale tries to be both these. I gave up watching all 3 in around 2003. That Janice/Cilla/Les story and that Fred Elliot Square Dealers story was enough to end my viewing of Coronation Street! Mindless drivel and mostly unlikeable characters. The original Coronation Street Characters were better/more likeable.

Mr E

Rename thread to Soap overdose?

As for Reality TV, it's a very broad category and it's not all created equal. There is fly on the wall stuff (big brother), lifestyle (renovation shows), cookery shows, job-based (customs, police), competitive (Masterchef, Survivor, Top Chef), talent shows (X Factor, Dancing with the Stars) and probably a few other categories that I haven't thought of.

If we were back in the age of 2 channels, I'd understand your complaints. However in the age of 200+ channels, Netflix, streaming boxes, web players with catch-up TV, box sets, downloads etc., you have endless choices.

Moral of the story? If you don't like something, watch something else.

If you don't have access to all the options, get with the times.

learn_more

learn_more wrote: »

Agree that quiz shows used to be much better and there was more of them. Family Fortunes seems to have survived. That says it all.

But it has only survived in a celebrity version. Same with the likes of Mr and Mrs. They just don't make them the same way anymore.

Challenge used to be my go-to place for my quizshow fix but nowadays it's pretty much The Chase, Pointless, Millionaire, Bullseye and little else (although I still love the latter).

Go Harvey Go

BuilderPlumber wrote: »

Shows like The X Factor, You're a Star, Popstars, Pop Idols, The Voice of Ireland, Britain's Got Talent, Glor Tire and so on have destroyed music and it is no wonder why we have so much poor music being pushed by our media today.

Glór Tíre has destroyed music?!? :eek:

A lot of people would disagree, I think - not just the folks at TG4 and Gael Media, but regular viewers and country music fans too.

And in all fairness, putting it in the same category as Simon Cowell's shows is like trying to put apples and oranges in the same category of fruit...

Then you have those two monstrosities called Operation Transformation and Dragon's Den.

You know Dragons' Den is a Japanese format, right?

Masterchef is more competition drivel that exploits and upsets people.

That was never the case on Loyd Grossman's version...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0OgwReDo-E

BuilderPlumber

Go Harvey Go wrote: »

Glór Tíre has destroyed music?!? :eek:

A lot of people would disagree, I think - not just the folks at TG4 and Gael Media, but regular viewers and country music fans too.

No fans of proper country music would be watching this Glor Tire thing. It is just the X Factor in Irish. Guys like Lee Matthews and Jim Devine are not country music. They are ex boyband and ex talent show types who are trying to sing a new form of boyband pop with 'country instruments'.

And in all fairness, putting it in the same category as Simon Cowell's shows is like trying to put apples and oranges in the same category of fruit...

If apples and oranges are fruit, then X Factor, You're a Star, The Voice of Ireland, etc. and Glor Tire are reality TV competitions. They are all the same. The most annoying thing about Glor Tire is there can be proper country singers (the contestants not the mentors like Mike Denver and those 2 affore mentioned boyband and talent show veterans) on it but they lose out either to some boyband type or some cawbog with an accordion singing lyrics along the lines of 'my Cork cottage calls to me in my dreams as I lay here in Australia'.

You know Dragons' Den is a Japanese format, right?

That was never the case on Loyd Grossman's version...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0OgwReDo-E

Of course. The Irish get things like this from the UK and they get it from others. They are copies of copies.

Go Harvey Go

BuilderPlumber wrote: »

No fans of proper country music would be watching this Glor Tire thing. It is just the X Factor in Irish. Guys like Lee Matthews and Jim Devine are not country music. They are ex boyband and ex talent show types who are trying to sing a new form of boyband pop with 'country instruments'.

If apples and oranges are fruit, then X Factor, You're a Star, The Voice of Ireland, etc. and Glor Tire are reality TV competitions. They are all the same. The most annoying thing about Glor Tire is there can be proper country singers (the contestants not the mentors like Mike Denver and those 2 affore mentioned boyband and talent show veterans) on it but they loose out either to some boyband type or some cawbog with an accordion singing lyrics about 'my Cork cottage calls to me in my dreams as I lay here in Australia'.

Well, we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one...

(I'm not a fan of Mike Denver either, mind - but he obviously does the business that's required of him, as do all the other mentors.)

Thargor

BuilderPlumber wrote: »

Admittedly I have never been a fan of so-called reality TV. I have no problem with it if it is on a small bit but why in the name of sanity is it on so much? Ever since Big Brother took off in 1999, this type of stuff is all TV seem to be able to focus on. Shows like Survivor or I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here only furthered the cause of this airhead TV.

Shows like The X Factor, You're a Star, Popstars, Pop Idols, The Voice of Ireland, Britain's Got Talent, Glor Tire and so on have destroyed music and it is no wonder why we have so much poor music being pushed by our media today. And if all that talent contest drivel was not enough, RTE had the neck to show 2 series of Stetsons and Stilettos showing airheads dancing to blondie ex boyband singers in cowboy hats singing drivel.

Then you have those two monstrosities called Operation Transformation and Dragon's Den. The former has overweight people paraded semi-naked on weighing scales while the loud and annoying Kathryn Thomas commentates. Dragon's Den is worse and glorifies in having know it all businesspeople put down small entrepreneurs. Then there's things like Room to Improve which is great for architect Diarmuid Bannon but boring for the rest of us. And how many chefs are they on TV? Masterchef is more competition drivel that exploits and upsets people. This Dancing With The Stars is more of same.

A lot of these reality TV shows revel in making a laugh of some poor unfortunate who decides to become a guinea pig for the show. The way people are treated by Dragon's Den, Masterchef and those talent shows is atrocious.

Is it any wonder why people are switching off from mainstream TV in their droves. But the problem is more than just switching off and not looking at these woeful shows. There's the problem of being taxed to own a TV set. We are paying this tax to fund this absolute drivel and at no time has RTE asked me or anyone else what they'd like to see on TV.

Those in charge of TV clearly have nothing but contempt for the people and are insulting our intelligence by forcing all this drivel through. It is time for all this stuff to stop and for TV to give us something else. TV is in terminal decline but it has itself to blame if it has lost its audiences.

Survivor isn't airhead TV like all the others you mentioned, its one of the deepest and most strategic things on television. Production values are some of the highest you get on TV aswell and best of all the twists and backstabbings are all real, no scripted bullsh1t like every other reality show. It's in its 34th season now and still one of the winners in the ratings every week, the 33rd season that just finished is regarded by a lot of fans as the best there ever was. You should give it a watch before you dismiss it, there's nothing else like it on TV really, I've been addicted to it for my whole adult life and I hate reality TV.

The type of show I hate the most are all these Alaska shows that popped up since Deadliest Catch was a success, there's millions of them now and they are all scripted to the hilt and full of fake drama and danger. I don't know how they stay going because they are seriously unwatchable, even if you take out the previews every 5 minutes telling you exactly whats about to happen.

BuilderPlumber

Go Harvey Go wrote: »

Well, we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one...

(I'm not a fan of Mike Denver either, mind - but he obviously does the business that's required of him, as do all the other mentors.)

I agree that all these do what is required of them in this show but this and all the other shows are destroying music for the simple reason that this is all the media will promote in their prime slots. I also object to the fact that Denver or that Devine clown get to sing most and the contestant only gets to do one song. It is a vehicle to promote these overrated existing singers.

There is so much more the media could do for music but while their mindset is focused on these narrow concepts of what country music and pop music is, all we will get is copies of Mike Denver and Nicky Byrne (and woeful combinations of both as Lee Matthews and Jim Devine prove) made a billion times worse over and over.

Go Harvey Go

BuilderPlumber wrote: »

I agree that all these do what is required of them in this show but this and all the other shows are destroying music for the simple reason that this is all the media will promote in their prime slots. I also object to the fact that Denver or that Devine clown get to sing most and the contestant only gets to do one song. It is a vehicle to promote these overrated existing singers.

There is so much more the media could do for music but while their mindset is focused on these narrow concepts of what country music and pop music is, all we will get is copies of Mike Denver and Nicky Byrne (and woeful combinations of both as Lee Matthews and Jim Devine prove) made a billion times worse over and over.

Well, that's Ireland for you.

Agricola

Thank God for the BBC is all I can say. Apart from them, the odd good Channel 4 documentary such as the profile on Trump last night, and of course the documentary channels themselves, I would never trouble the TV remote.

Other than good current affairs and sport, I find RTE unwatchable. It's wall to wall cookery, singing/dancing competitions, running/jumping competitions, or losing weight competitions. If not that, it's giving a platform to airheads like Vogue Williams to further her pointless career. Case in point, "Then comes marriage" shown the other night. Absolute bilge. Please fúck right off.

This is a state broadcaster which collects a licence fee. Have they no obligation to make something of some actual value, beyond a current affairs programme? I'm sure the BBC makes a massive amount of factual programmes which aren't ratings winners but they take they hit on them in the name of providing quality viewing. No such thing in Montrose it seems.

BuilderPlumber

Agricola wrote: »

Thank God for the BBC is all I can say. Apart from them, the odd good Channel 4 documentary such as the profile on Trump last night, and of course the documentary channels themselves, I would never trouble the TV remote.

Other than good current affairs and sport, I find RTE unwatchable. It's wall to wall cookery, singing/dancing competitions, running/jumping competitions, or losing weight competitions. If not that, it's giving a platform to airheads like Vogue Williams to further her pointless career. Case in point, "Then comes marriage" shown the other night. Absolute bilge. Please fúck right off.

This is a state broadcaster which collects a licence fee. Have they no obligation to make something of some actual value, beyond a current affairs programme? I'm sure the BBC makes a massive amount of factual programmes which aren't ratings winners but they take they hit on them in the name of providing quality viewing. No such thing in Montrose it seems.

That's exactly it. Too much cookery, the poorest music types always getting preference, all sorts of competitions and a total closed shop. Now, I wouldn't care less what they did if we hadn't to have to pay an obligatory tax to keep them afloat. Either the people should have a say in it (and if one has a talent, to be given a chance by it) or else drop the tax. TV tax is the most unfair tax of all the way thing stand. RTE is a total dictatorship that depends on the people but which has contempt for the people.

Go Harvey Go

One thing I do agree with is that a lot of reality and talent shows don't seem to want to die.

The UK version of Big Brother has been going since 2000, and shows no sign of going away any time soon - no matter how desperate it becomes. Plus, the viewing figures it's currently getting are huge in Channel 5 terms - before they picked it up in 2011, they were only really getting such figures for football.

Likewise, the UK version of The Apprentice has been going since 2005, and doesn't look like it'll be falling off the air for a while yet - no matter how incompetent and insufferable the candidates become. Indeed, it's possible that it could continue even if Lord Sugar retires or dies...

As for X Factor and BGT - on the air since 2004 and 2007 respectively - well, Simon's just going to milk every last drop out of them, isn't he? :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

BuilderPlumber

Go Harvey Go wrote: »

One thing I do agree with is that a lot of reality and talent shows don't seem to want to die.

The UK version of Big Brother has been going since 2000, and shows no sign of going away any time soon - no matter how desperate it becomes. Plus, the viewing figures it's currently getting are huge in Channel 5 terms - before they picked it up in 2011, they were only really getting such figures for football.

Likewise, the UK version of The Apprentice has been going since 2005, and doesn't look like it'll be falling off the air for a while yet - no matter how incompetent and insufferable the candidates become. Indeed, it's possible that it could continue even if Lord Sugar retires or dies...

As for X Factor and BGT - on the air since 2004 and 2007 respectively - well, Simon's just going to milk every last drop out of them, isn't he? :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Was watching that Big Brother junk for a couple of seconds last night before the Trump documentary and let me tell you it was desperate. How anyone can enjoy this I don't know. It would put one to sleep.

Go Harvey Go

BuilderPlumber wrote: »

Was watching that Big Brother junk for a couple of seconds last night before the Trump documentary and let me tell you it was desperate. How anyone can enjoy this I don't know. It would put one to sleep.

It certainly doesn't put Channel 5's target audience to sleep, anyway...

robbiezero

Agricola wrote: »

Thank God for the BBC is all I can say. Apart from them, the odd good Channel 4 documentary such as the profile on Trump last night, and of course the documentary channels themselves, I would never trouble the TV remote.

Other than good current affairs and sport, I find RTE unwatchable. It's wall to wall cookery, singing/dancing competitions, running/jumping competitions, or losing weight competitions. If not that, it's giving a platform to airheads like Vogue Williams to further her pointless career. Case in point, "Then comes marriage" shown the other night. Absolute bilge. Please fúck right off.

This is a state broadcaster which collects a licence fee. Have they no obligation to make something of some actual value, beyond a current affairs programme? I'm sure the BBC makes a massive amount of factual programmes which aren't ratings winners but they take they hit on them in the name of providing quality viewing. No such thing in Montrose it seems.

A very large percentage of the population are morons. So they are getting the required ratings for these shows and that's why they are on.

BuilderPlumber

Go Harvey Go wrote: »

It certainly doesn't put Channel 5's target audience to sleep, anyway...

As much as I dislike it, one thing Big Brother strangely enough is is popular. A lot of the Irish drivel is just fired on and if some gullible people watch it, they justify it despite the fact that most would hate it. BB is different in that there are many watching it and loving it in their droves. People who give out about Glor Tire, The Voice of Ireland, Dancing With The Stars and Room To Improve then turn around and start praising BB.

brian_t

BuilderPlumber wrote: »

A lot of the Irish drivel is just fired on and if some gullible people watch it, they justify it despite the fact that most would hate it.

RTE have ratings to prove that loads of people love to watch these programs.

What evidence do you have that most people hate them.

bodhrandude

I don't understand Builder Plumber I've referenced someone who gives a fcuk about the Irish music scene and how it should be presented for television. It might not be on TV yet but if enough people share it and go out of their way to promote it perhaps one of the channels will pick it up. I often wondered why TV3 have never tried a music show proper.

bodhrandude wrote: »

If you have Facebook Donal Dineen has the first new episode of No Disco online. https://www.facebook.com/thisaintnodisco/?fref=ts

BuilderPlumber

brian_t wrote: »

RTE have ratings to prove that loads of people love to watch these programs.

What evidence do you have that most people hate them.

Yes sure. But they are catering for the same 5-10% all the time and justifying it by their tuning in. Does not mean the whole country loves this stuff. I'm sure there is plenty evidence. Send out a survey and you will find most people will object to an awful lot of these shows. They are cheap to make and are not masterpieces and anyone with a brain can see this. I think this trashy TV has an audience but it is the only audience that a lot of channels cater for.

BuilderPlumber

bodhrandude wrote: »

I don't understand Builder Plumber I've referenced someone who gives a fcuk about the Irish music scene and how it should be presented for television. It might not be on TV yet but if enough people share it and go out of their way to promote it perhaps one of the channels will pick it up. I often wondered why TV3 have never tried a music show proper.

Louis Walsh and all them talent competitions is what killed music. These once more are done for the trashy audience who follow these reality things (and who have no interest proper in music). Thank god acts like Lee Matthews, Hometown, Jim Devine and Nicky Byrne solo did not take off. Hometown member solo is going for the Eurovision and you will see he will crash as well. Eoghan Quigg crashed. Six crashed. TV and radio need to realise there are other forms of music out there besides this stuff.

It would seem that all these boybands, talent show contestants and ex boyband members are owned by the media and the songwriters who write for them too. The fact that ALL the rights are owned by the same people means more than the quality of the song. Some of the 'gems' to be written in recent years include Do dat diddly ding dang, Leeanne wants to dance and The farmer wants a wife. This stuff is even an insult to Louis Walsh for god's sake. All these type of drivel pop songs are promoted by even worse reality shows that feature them. It is time for a change.

DoozerT6

Reality shows need a break of about 10-15 years, imo. That's enough time for people to get nostalgic about the genre and be interested in a reboot.

Lorelli!

That reminds me, remember MTV's, The Real World? Can't believe that was apparently still going in 2013!

I just remember one headwrecker on that show that called himself "Puck" :pac:

c68zapdsm5i1ru

Can I put out a special plea for no more television programmes about people's weddings? Planning them, choosing 'the dress', hiring a wedding planner, etc etc. Please! No more!

Go Harvey Go

Kian Salmon Recipe wrote: »

Can I put out a special plea for no more television programmes about people's weddings? Planning them, choosing 'the dress', hiring a wedding planner, etc etc. Please! No more!

With the greatest of respect, the brides and grooms that take part in these programmes must want their 15 minutes of fame pretty badly.

If I wanted my 15 minutes, I'd go on a game show.

BuilderPlumber

Kian Salmon Recipe wrote: »

Can I put out a special plea for no more television programmes about people's weddings? Planning them, choosing 'the dress', hiring a wedding planner, etc etc. Please! No more!

I agree. Why the hell are such programmes even being made?? If this is all that they can come up with, it sad.

Mr E

That's a bit short sighted. There is an audience for those kinds of shows. Maybe not you, but a lot of people like fly-on-the-wall stuff like that.

Lorelli!

Mr E wrote: »

That's a bit short sighted. There is an audience for those kinds of shows. Maybe not you, but a lot of people like fly-on-the-wall stuff like that.

Ye my mam only said to me the other day out of no where "Lorelli...I really love Say Yes to the Dress"! She just likes it but I do think there are just too many of those shows and it's overkill. It's practically the same thing in every episode so I couldn't watch them myself.

Mr E

Ah yeah, but some people can.