The Virgin Media Television thread

iseegirls · 23-06-2014 5:30pm

Onthe3rdDay wrote: »

You'd be correct about people waiting for it to finish. It's one of those programmes certain people turn on because they don't want to watch the news. Those not in the know would underestimate how many people leave the TV on just for the sake of it. Advertisers have known about this for decades. The Test card on RTE 2 before the days of Aertel used to get 30,000 viewers (and more) if music was played along with it.

The test card was back in the days when you could count the channels on one hand which were available to most Irish TV viewers. Comparing it to now is completely different when there are hundreds of options.

Onthe3rdDay · 23-06-2014 5:38pm

iseegirls wrote: »

The test card was back in the days when you could count the channels on one hand which were available to most Irish TV viewers. Comparing it to now is completely different when there are hundreds of options.

You're missing the point. It really doesn't matter what the content is. As long as the viewer doesn't find it offensive they'll leave it on. The testcard was an example of something with little or no content but still it was a good holding piece until the next programme for a certain section of the population.

It's the same with Xpose. Many do find Six-One boring, offensive or scary. They turn on something else until Home and Away or indeed just to leave the set on in the corner. The Simpsons on RTE2 would be much in the same category.

I'd also think that most people that have Xpose on are in 6 and a half channel land of Saorview.

Elmo · 23-06-2014 5:48pm

The only real reason for Xpose and other TV3 shows is to build up their required number of hours. TV3 want to be able to say they have 50% of their programmes coming from Ireland, but they also want to be able to sell ads.

CanWest's view was stack them high, sell them cheap.

CanWest kept TV3 at their requirement when their requirement increase or when they wanted to increase the number of hours on the air they added an extra hour on to Ireland AM.

Now TV3 are in a similar situation but they for some reason want to be able to say they have 50% of their programming coming from Ireland, their requirement is just 30% this gives TV3 some amount of respectablity to the news papers and media. It also means they can sell advertising for 24hours a Day. TV3 will use this to state

1. Look at how good we are we have 50% programming
2. And it is very difficult to do this when UTV are robbing "our" shows.

Xposé is a filler with a certain demographic, but unfortunately so are many shows on Irish TV.

If TV3 expect to move that show from its current slot of 6 to 7 and even to extend its hours it won't leave their audience satisfied.

flutered · 23-06-2014 5:52pm

any chance that the fat phat bunny would give them a portion of the €160 per shoebox that has been imposed on us to keep rte in luxury,

Elmo · 23-06-2014 6:25pm

flutered wrote: »

any chance that the fat phat bunny would give them a portion of the €160 per shoebox that has been imposed on us to keep rte in luxury,

They provide them with some of the licence fee through the Sound and Vision Fund, which is administered by the BAI.

While the government kept them out of NAMA, and restructure their loan book. At the taxpayers expense.

TV3 have a very well funded backer. If they make the right choice they could compete.

More Music · 24-06-2014 12:46am

flutered wrote: »

any chance that the fat phat bunny would give them a portion of the €160 per shoebox that has been imposed on us to keep rte in luxury,

The taxpayer has been forced to bailout TV3 via Anglo (IBRC) to keep the owners of TV3 in luxury.

The owners of TV3 could well have afforded to do it themselves. We were never asked if we wanted to support a private commercial company.

iseegirls · 24-06-2014 5:14pm

Elmo wrote: »

The only real reason for Xpose and other TV3 shows is to build up their required number of hours. TV3 want to be able to say they have 50% of their programmes coming from Ireland, but they also want to be able to sell ads.

CanWest's view was stack them high, sell them cheap.

Xposé is a filler with a certain demographic, but unfortunately so are many shows on Irish TV.

If TV3 expect to move that show from its current slot of 6 to 7 and even to extend its hours it won't leave their audience satisfied.

Xpose came along at a time when TV3 had 2 news bulletins at 5:30 and 6:30 - with both having very similar content. They dropped the 6:30 news in favour of Xpose. I don't see this as a cheap move - it would have been a lot easier for them to continue 'repeating' the news instead if they wanted to continue down that line.

The show has been around for nearly 9 years, when people thought it wouldn't last a month. So a lot of credit has to go to the team that puts it together - and it's a mile better than the content they used to show at that time before - Vets In Practice, Family Affairs and The Lion Man.

If they were to replace the show, then I don't know what would go in its place - that would achieve the decent ratings that it gets up against the other channels.

Elmo · 24-06-2014 5:41pm

iseegirls wrote: »

Xpose came along at a time when TV3 had 2 news bulletins at 5:30 and 6:30 - with both having very similar content. They dropped the 6:30 news in favour of Xpose. I don't see this as a cheap move - it would have been a lot easier for them to continue 'repeating' the news instead if they wanted to continue down that line.

The show has been around for nearly 9 years, when people thought it wouldn't last a month. So a lot of credit has to go to the team that puts it together - and it's a mile better than the content they used to show at that time before - Vets In Practice, Family Affairs and The Lion Man.

If they were to replace the show, then I don't know what would go in its place - that would achieve the decent ratings that it gets up against the other channels.

TV3 took the decision to Simulcast Emmerdale in 2001, up to that point RTÉ had pretty much used Emmerdale as a Daytime Soap. TV3 could have continued doing this at 6:30 or at 6 along with Family Affairs followed by TV3 News @7. Of course an intelligent move would be to provide an alternative news at 7.

In the 13 years since that decision TV3 have grown Emmerdale, only to have it bought by UTV.

As for Xpose to being on for 7 years, that isn't surprising, but to extending it out to an hour? It's audience is nothing like Emmerdale's.

Remember Xpose took over from 6:30 news and all the shows you point to all aired at 6:30 rather than 6pm and Xpose is just an extended TV3's Entertainment News. Vets In PracticeFriends(r), Family Affairs The Royal and The Lion ManHollyoaks. And now CDWM.

This week with a full week of wall to wall soccer on RTÉ TWO 15+ viewers

RTÉ ONE's top twenty ranges from 323 down to 186
RTÉ TWO's top twenty is almost exclusively FIFA WC goes from 491 down to 159 (The Sunday Game)
While TV3's top twenty show what happens with out their 20% of programmes going from 262 (for coro st) down to 75 for VB.

Also the good weather is a factor, but no sign of DIY SOS which replaced Emmerdale during most of the week.

iseegirls · 24-06-2014 8:42pm

Elmo wrote: »

TV3 took the decision to Simulcast Emmerdale in 2001, up to that point RTÉ had pretty much used Emmerdale as a Daytime Soap. TV3 could have continued doing this at 6:30 or at 6 along with Family Affairs followed by TV3 News @7. Of course an intelligent move would be to provide an alternative news at 7.

In the 13 years since that decision TV3 have grown Emmerdale, only to have it bought by UTV.

It wouldn't have made sense for TV3 to place Emmerdale as a daytime soap or place it on at 6 or 6:30, especially once they paid for the rights. Placing Emmerdale at 7 gave them their best ratings in that time slot and bet shows like Nationwide which do get decent ratings on RTE1.

The big test is what they replace the show with.

Elmo wrote: »

As for Xpose to being on for 7 years, that isn't surprising, but to extending it out to an hour? It's audience is nothing like Emmerdale's.

We're taking a quote from The Daily Mail as if its 100% that this is true. I'm sure TV3 are going through a list of ideas of what they can replace Emmerdale with - and one of their ideas may be this. Doesn't mean that it will definetly go ahead.

Elmo wrote: »

Remember Xpose took over from 6:30 news and all the shows you point to all aired at 6:30 rather than 6pm and Xpose is just an extended TV3's Entertainment News. Vets In PracticeFriends(r), Family Affairs The Royal and The Lion ManHollyoaks. And now CDWM.

Yep, as I said before that Xpose replaced a news bulletin which repeated most stories which were brought up on the 5:30 news.
Regarding the 6pm shows before Xpose, Vets In Practice aired in April & May of 2005 and Sep 2006 at 6pm, The Lion Man was shown Dec 05 and Jan 06, while Family Affairs aired from Apr 1999 - Jan 2005. Other shows like Will & Grace, So You Think You Can Drive? and The Price Is Right were shown at 6, before Xpose came along.

Elmo wrote: »

This week with a full week of wall to wall soccer on RTÉ TWO 15+ viewers

RTÉ ONE's top twenty ranges from 323 down to 186
RTÉ TWO's top twenty is almost exclusively FIFA WC goes from 491 down to 159 (The Sunday Game)
While TV3's top twenty show what happens with out their 20% of programmes going from 262 (for coro st) down to 75 for VB.

Also the good weather is a factor, but no sign of DIY SOS which replaced Emmerdale during most of the week.

I felt it would have better if they did take a few more risks with the schedule this month, instead of replacing shows with repeats. They could have tested out a few 7pm films, where there was space. Even putting in some new episodes of American shows that they have yet to show like Modern Family and Mike & Molly may have given them more of an insight into what to do next year. The repeats of DIY SOS was up against Eastenders a few times, but it's definetely not the right direction that TV3 should be going.

Onthe3rdDay · 24-06-2014 9:51pm

iseegirls wrote: »

We're taking a quote from The Daily Mail as if its 100% that this is true. I'm sure TV3 are going through a list of ideas of what they can replace Emmerdale with - and one of their ideas may be this. Doesn't mean that it will definetly go ahead.

This appears to be common practice from TV3 (and indeed other companies, Political Parties etc) Ideas are thrown out into the public via non official sources and then they try to work out what public reaction will be. They've been doing this sort of thing over the last year to two years and does show the organsiation in a poor light. Poor leadership qualities and a lack of imagination. You can get away with that in certain industries but not TV, especially when you have competitors that have grabbed all your best staff and products.

icdg · 24-06-2014 11:01pm

Onthe3rdDay wrote: »

This appears to be common practice from TV3 (and indeed other companies, Political Parties etc) Ideas are thrown out into the public via non official sources and then they try to work out what public reaction will be. They've been doing this sort of thing over the last year to two years and does show the organsiation in a poor light. .

Flying a kites a very old practice, and in no way the monopoly of TV3.

Onthe3rdDay · 25-06-2014 12:12am

icdg wrote: »

Flying a kites a very old practice, and in no way the monopoly of TV3.

As I said it wasn't only TV3. However it's usually Stations/Parties/Companies in some trouble that fly so many kites so often. Confident opperations tend to keep cards close to their chest until they're ready to strike. Many on this board were able to predict what TV3 would do and not do because of their various leaks. On the other hand I don't think anyone (especially TV3) saw UTV coming.

Elmo · 26-06-2014 2:30pm

I know companies like to float ideas but do you really think that anyone outside this thread would even think to comment on such a report.

While they might float the idea, the audience will be oblivious to it until it happens, critics aren't going to take much notice and the small minority that might think it is not a good idea aren't vocal enough.

I'd say there is a possibility it will happen, though you'd be right to take it with a pinch of salt.

Onthe3rdDay · 26-06-2014 3:36pm

Elmo wrote: »

I know companies like to float ideas but do you really think that anyone outside this thread would even think to comment on such a report.

While they might float the idea, the audience will be oblivious to it until it happens, critics aren't going to take much notice and the small minority that might think it is not a good idea aren't vocal enough.

I'd say there is a possibility it will happen, though you'd be right to take it with a pinch of salt.

I agree with you... That's what makes floating ideas like this daft at times. But there are plenty of things that TV3 have done down through the years that make no commercial sense. It's a pity that they didn't put out to the public that they weren't going to renew the soaps. They would have been a loud reaction to that!

Sam Russell · 26-06-2014 6:10pm

Onthe3rdDay wrote: »

I agree with you... That's what makes floating ideas like this daft at times. But there are plenty of things that TV3 have done down through the years that make no commercial sense. It's a pity that they didn't put out to the public that they weren't going to renew the soaps. They would have been a loud reaction to that!

I do not think they intended to not renew the soaps - they just wanted a lower price. Unfortunately for them, UTV had their eye on the ball.

Onthe3rdDay · 26-06-2014 6:41pm

Sam Russell wrote: »

I do not think they intended to not renew the soaps - they just wanted a lower price. Unfortunately for them, UTV had their eye on the ball.

You're probably correct. They had no other competitors in the Market (so they thought.) It's possibly the same thing that happened with the GAA. It wouldn't surprise me if they believed the GAA wouldn't go to SKY so they offered little to retain what rights they had. All in the last few months haven't been great for the station.

Sam Russell · 26-06-2014 7:51pm

Onthe3rdDay wrote: »

You're probably correct. They had no other competitors in the Market (so they thought.) It's possibly the same thing that happened with the GAA. It wouldn't surprise me if they believed the GAA wouldn't go to SKY so they offered little to retain what rights they had. All in the last few months haven't been great for the station.

All in all, the last five years have not been great for TV3. The only good thing for them (and not necessarily for us) has been the promotion of 3E from internet/cable/satellite TV to PBS station and inclusion on Saorview - even though they do not qualify in any way and there is no legal basis for it.

Well, perhaps the bail-out they got from us, the tax-payer, where their debts were written off was a good thing for them - but not for us.

Perhaps next year may be better - if they close.

ftakeith · 16-07-2014 7:48pm

http://www.tv3.ie/pr_sub.php?type=1&view_pr=592

TV3 are sorted for 2015, not

I will look forward in avoiding more rubbish from tv

dublinman1990 · 16-07-2014 7:59pm

Does this mean that Tonight with Vincent Browne could be in for the chop come next January?

If it does get scrapped that is very bad form from TV3 IMO. The Tonight format even though not perfect is still very strong in terms of it's current affairs output.

channelsurfer2 · 16-07-2014 8:24pm

awful stuff really. start of the demise of anything news worthy on tv3. An "early evening" could mean 7pm to 7.30pm instead of emmerdale and up against nationwide? VB may be safe enough for a while. Edit just seen" cover people and items of interest all over ireland" - so even it will be like nationwide in all but name.

Onthe3rdDay · 16-07-2014 8:26pm

dublinman1990 wrote: »

Does this mean that Tonight with Vincent Browne could be in for the chop come next January?

If it does get scrapped that is very bad form from TV3 IMO. The Tonight format even though not perfect is still very strong in terms of it's current affairs output.

No, It looks like the FYI is the programme to be scrapped. They're actually taking the one show they do half decently off for this new show which I presume will be half a hour long and basically a One show of sorts.

They're also taking off Midweek. In fact overall it could be a reduction of Irish Output by an hour. It must be the only station on these islands that reduces output and announces it as a good thing.

Onthe3rdDay · 16-07-2014 8:30pm

FYI actually was one bulletin that no one else in Ireland was providing at this time (as far as I'm aware) It was obviously produced on a shoestring but the format wasn't a bad idea.

The Thread just appears to be a blog on 3e at the moment and the 60 second updates is the first stage of the rip and read news service we suspected that TV3 would introduce.

Sam Russell · 16-07-2014 9:38pm

Onthe3rdDay wrote: »

It must be the only station on these islands that reduces output and announces it as a good thing.

I would have thought that in TV3's case that might actually be true. Less of a bad thing is good, is it not?

Elmo · 16-07-2014 10:16pm

Somewhat interesting

I imagine that the new "Primetime evening show" will be similar to "The One Show", while Midweek will just be replaced by a News "EXCLUSIVE" type doc, remember when everything on TV3 News was EXCLUSIVE.

FYI basically replace by The Thread which will be similar to BBC Three's "60 Seconds", I wonder if it will be every hour on the hour.

So far prime time is looking

18:00 Xposé
18:30 Half Hour repeat
19:00 The One Show
19:30 US/UK programming
23:00 Tonight with VB

Unlikely that the new Primetime Show will replace Vincent.

Onthe3rdDay · 16-07-2014 10:35pm

Elmo wrote: »

Somewhat interesting

I imagine that the new "Primetime evening show" will be similar to "The One Show", while Midweek will just be replaced by a News "EXCLUSIVE" type doc, remember when everything on TV3 News was EXCLUSIVE.

FYI basically replace by The Thread which will be similar to BBC Three's "60 Seconds", I wonder if it will be every hour on the hour.

So far prime time is looking

18:00 Xposé
18:30 Half Hour repeat
19:00 The One Show
19:30 US/UK programming
23:00 Tonight with VB

Unlikely that the new Primetime Show will replace Vincent.

I would just assume that they'll package documentaries they make already as coming from Public Affairs Documentary Unit. So that means they'll be able to keep the BAI happy with no obvious cutback on Current Affairs.

Vincent is safe for another 9 or so months (unless he decides to leave before then which isn't unlikely) It will be about April next year (give or take a month) when audience figures and advertising has gone into freefall when they'll be able to make bigger cuts with the reluctant blessing of the BAI.

The press release says 60 second bullentins during the day. It wouldn't surpise me if they ran from 1pm to just before 7. That way everyone can go home as soon as The One Three show is finished.

iseegirls · 16-07-2014 11:02pm

Dissapointing that FYI is going, I hope that Caroline is able to move into another show in TV3. Paul seems to be cover for sports news on Ireland AM anyway, so he'll be ok.

Would they be better putting their The One Show style show at 7:30, therefore avoiding the similar Nationwide at 7 and BBC's One Show
6 Xpose
6.30 US Modern Family/The Middle/Mike&Molly
7 Crossfire/The Lie/Neville/Temple Street/Animal A&E
7.30 The One Show
8 British Shows: Cowboy Builders/Long Lost Family ...
9 TV3 Docs/24 Hours To Kill/ Bake Off ...
10 US Shows: SVU/Wentworth/Dallas ...

On 3e, with FYI going, they'll prob just replace it with a double bill of Malcolm, but hopefully they'll have some new programming to replace it with.

icdg · 16-07-2014 11:37pm

As far as I can see the only concrete things there is the axing of two shows, one of which is the only main evening news bulletin the TV3 family does and the other their only primetime news or current affairs show.

irishfeen · 16-07-2014 11:46pm

Starting to look like TV3 is slowly but surly coming to an end - if they survive this it will be an absolute miracle... at with that type of primetime schedule they will be fighting it out for 3rd spot in terms of viewership... IMO we can expect the quality of advertisers on the channel to reduce greatly unless they almost give airtime away.

Onthe3rdDay · 17-07-2014 12:16am

irishfeen wrote: »

Starting to look like TV3 is slowly but surly coming to an end - if they survive this it will be an absolute miracle... at with that type of primetime schedule they will be fighting it out for 3rd spot in terms of viewership... IMO we can expect the quality of advertisers on the channel to reduce greatly unless they almost give airtime away.

I'd agree with this. What I can't understand is that they don't even seem to be trying at this stage. They do have 2 stations up and running. They could relaunch both, give them different names, aim for an entirely different Market advertising wise but it's just more of the same, which won't work when the soaps go.

Every move is a small cutback in one form or another. Yes there's 127 hours of new Irish programming on TV3 but there's 127 hours less Irish programming on 3e!!! Plus the 40 or so hours a year of Midweek will just evaporate. I'm still have my doubts that they'll show the rugby in the autumn of 2015. If they're still around at that stage it's quite possible they'll sell the rights to other broadcasters.

iseegirls · 17-07-2014 12:25pm

irishfeen wrote: »

Starting to look like TV3 is slowly but surly coming to an end - if they survive this it will be an absolute miracle... at with that type of primetime schedule they will be fighting it out for 3rd spot in terms of viewership... IMO we can expect the quality of advertisers on the channel to reduce greatly unless they almost give airtime away.

Don't see how the production of a new evening programme on TV3 shows that they are coming to an end? It's a tough job to replace 2 big shows, but I'm glad they are trying out replacements with home produced content. Midweek has only been on for about 25 episodes this series - and is a show that can be easily replaced with. FYI, as has been said, was made on a shoestring budget, and probably received small ratings. Having two homemade shows of FYI v Xpose on at the same time always seemed odd to me anyway.

Advertisers will still use events like The X Factor, Red Rock, Champions League, Rugby World Cup, Sitting on A Fortune, The Algorithm, The Lie, Bake Off amongst others.

channelsurfer2 · 17-07-2014 12:28pm

hard to see two channels surviving to be honest despite what tv3 say about rebranding 3E. It will all come down to advertising revenue as iseegirls says in the end and whether there is enough there to support 2 channels as well as UTV ireland.

Elmo · 17-07-2014 1:04pm

channelsurfer2 wrote: »

hard to see two channels surviving to be honest despite what tv3 say about rebranding 3E. It will all come down to advertising revenue as iseegirls says in the end and whether there is enough there to support 2 channels as well as UTV ireland.

It seems to me they are removing all Original Irish programming from 3e so its not unlikely that such a channel should not be able to make a profit.

The question is can TV3 attract an audience to TV3 programming without the soaps. Much of what they are planning should have been done while they had the soaps over the last 14, rarely did TV3 make any effort to use the ITV soaps to really strongly promote their own shows. The Lie and Crossfire are possibly two of the few exceptions to that rule.

TV3 should be wary of over relying on studio based programming. Really they should consider reducing their Daytime studio based lifestyle programming, repace it with News and Current Affairs and any savings push into Prime Time non-studio based programmes (with the exception of quiz and talent shows).

Otherwise TV3 begins to look more and more like a news and information channel.

Sam Russell · 17-07-2014 1:12pm

Whatever happened to the new soap they were going to make? Is it still there, and will it get BAI S&V finacial support?

If 3E leaves Saorview, they could save a few bob.

Elmo · 17-07-2014 2:18pm

Sam Russell wrote: »

Whatever happened to the new soap they were going to make? Is it still there, and will it get BAI S&V finacial support?

If 3E leaves Saorview, they could save a few bob.

The soap is still going ahead starts filming shortly. No s&v support afaik.

If 3e leaves Saorview it would see a drop in audience.

gordongekko · 17-07-2014 2:33pm

Sam Russell wrote: »

Whatever happened to the new soap they were going to make? Is it still there, and will it get BAI S&V finacial support?

If 3E leaves Saorview, they could save a few bob.

If it leaves saorview nobody would view it. If you notice both sky and upc appear to now issue subscription figures based on total services used. So if you get tv,broadband and telephone off them that seems to count as 3 subscribers. That would suggest that the market for paid tv is dropping.

Tv3 would be better off fighting fire with fire and launch tv3ni to compete with utv.

Sam Russell · 17-07-2014 2:59pm

gordongekko wrote: »

Tv3 would be better off fighting fire with fire and launch tv3ni to compete with utv.

Nooooo! You cannot inflict more pain on our northern bretheren.

Sam Russell · 17-07-2014 3:02pm

Elmo wrote: »

The soap is still going ahead starts filming shortly. No s&v support afaik.

If 3e leaves Saorview it would see a drop in audience.

Is the soap owned by TV3 or is it a joint venture or owned by a production company? If TV3 goes bust, is that the end of soap as we know it?

Elmo · 17-07-2014 3:46pm

Sam Russell wrote: »

Is the soap owned by TV3 or is it a joint venture or owned by a production company? If TV3 goes bust, is that the end of soap as we know it?

I would think that if tv3 goes the soap goes.

It will be funded in part by section 481, I assume tv3 then only own part of the programme.

Onthe3rdDay · 17-07-2014 3:47pm

Sam Russell wrote: »

Is the soap owned by TV3 or is it a joint venture or owned by a production company? If TV3 goes bust, is that the end of soap as we know it?

If the soap gets off the ground and TV3 were to fail it's quite possible that the soap would continue depending on how things are set up. However production is supposed to start this summer and there's very little information about the project anywhere. Now this is normal when it comes to TV, projects are regularly held up for months for small things. However I won't believe it's happening until I see an actual episode on TV3.

TV3 seem to be commissioning the Soap but it does appear it's one of those situations where they'll only be putting in a third of the money. So if other shareholders were willing to continue...

They're hoping to sell it to the UK market, it's unlikely they'd make it otherwise. Channel 5 would be one possible buyer.

JohnFalstaff · 17-07-2014 4:56pm

Elmo wrote: »

The soap is still going ahead starts filming shortly. No s&v support afaik.

If 3e leaves Saorview it would see a drop in audience.

TV3/Element Pictures will be looking for BAI support for Red Rock.

Elmo · 17-07-2014 6:01pm

JohnFalstaff wrote: »

TV3/Element Pictures will be looking for BAI support for Red Rock.

They will?

Mondo 088 · 17-07-2014 6:04pm

Any chance tv3 could poach Home & away ?

ComputerKing · 17-07-2014 6:38pm

Mondo 088 wrote:

Any chance tv3 could poach Home & away ?

Don't think it would help as far as I know its views are dropping as people are watching them as they are released in other countries online before they're aired in Ireland.

ftakeith · 21-07-2014 5:13pm

http://www.tv3.ie/pr_sub.php?type=1&view_pr=595

good news for tv3

Infoanon · 21-07-2014 5:53pm

ftakeith wrote: »

http://www.tv3.ie/pr_sub.php?type=1&view_pr=595

good news for tv3

Pity about the picture quality, it was atrocious compared to BT Sports.

Unfortunately for TV3 there are very few big events that it can afford to pull the big audience figures.

iseegirls · 21-07-2014 6:10pm

Was First Blood shown? I thought Cliffhanger was going to be show after it?

Great news - and hopefully it will give TV3/3e the courage to pick up some more free to air rights - if they are available.

Onthe3rdDay · 21-07-2014 7:01pm

Okay, They did something right, they managed to get an young audience watching on Saturday which the vast majority was male. So Next Saturday they're going to build on that with...

6.00 4 eps of Bondi Rescue (probably Repeats)
8.00 Two eps of The Big Bang Theory from the rarely shown season four!
9.00 Graham Norton Show (only shown 5 or 6 times already)
10.00 The Magaluf Weekender
11.00 A Girl's Guide to 21st Century Sex (Repeat)
11.45 Ireland's Vice Girls (repeat)

So you do one decent day which you market for weeks and weeks. Then any gained ground is thrown away the following Saturday. It's doubtful they broke even on the rights and the advertising. I don't blame their P.R. Department, they'll always mention the 2 or 3 good days 3e will have a year, they'll never mention the other 362.

iseegirls · 21-07-2014 7:35pm

Yep I was thinking the exact same. To say in the press release that it was strong schedule, so I guess this Saturdays schedule is weak then. The movies obviously did well - so they could introduce more of them to their evening schedule.

But they're in a habit of repeating the same movie 2 or 3 days later now on 3e. I don't understand such a move. Isn't it better to show a repeat of a movie at least 9 or so months after the original airing like other channels?

lertsnim · 21-07-2014 8:06pm

While watching the event some people commented that they never bother to watch 3e and had no idea that they showed programming like on Saturday so I agree 100% that TV3 gained new viewers but will lose them again with the future schedules.

Onthe3rdDay · 21-07-2014 9:00pm

lertsnim wrote: »

While watching the event some people commented that they never bother to watch 3e and had no idea that they showed programming like on Saturday so I agree 100% that TV3 gained new viewers but will lose them again with the future schedules.

As far as I can work out that was UFC fight night 46, fight night 47 will be on August 16 in Maine. Will 3e be showing this? I somehow doubt it. Other broadcasters may also have the rights to Ireland for this.

So they had a one off event with Irish interest (anything with Irish interest will tend to do well) but no way of keeping those viewers. Had TV3 spent the last 10 years building up it's own shows while it had the cushion of the soaps this wouldn't now be a problem. They're throwing money at events that give figures a boost but generally almost no one is watching.

2015 is going to be very interesting, it's unlikely outside of Britain's Got Talent that TV3 will have viewing figures over 100,000 most of the time but the odd one off event will show 300,000 and 400,000 watching. However, Advertisers aren't silly. They'll only spend when the viewers are actually watching. Remember TV3 hasn't ever made real profits when you take into account the amount that has been written off over the last 15 years. So how are they going to make them now with UTV about to pounce?

The Virgin Media Television thread

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