Cracker by Damian Christie

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Cracker: Of Racks and Ratings

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  • andin,

    Why not be completely brave, transform Nightline into must-see late night telly rather than a showcase for young hotties?

    How well does John do scathing sarcasm, and using facts to point out blatant hypocrisy? Or pointing a gentle finger in the direction of human fallibility?
    Is he any good at voice impersonations?
    Can the reporters do Faux news stories, oh thats right they already do.
    Bastardo's took my Daily Show away.

    And no I din't comment on the tits.

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report Reply

  • philipmatthews,

    Of norks and news hours ...

    There already appears to be a lot more fight in the show this year than last, when it seemed to run one soft human interest story lifted from a provincial paper after another and too many bromance appearances from Rove. Nothing like the threat of the axe to sharpen one's thoughts, obviously. Interesting to see they sent Campbell himself up to the dog people in Warkworth yesterday and I imagine we'll see a lot more of him as a reporter this year. Which is a good thing. I also want to see more of his ferocious interviews but I suspect there's a balance -- some viewers apparently find that kind of aggression a turn-off.

    In any event, it's a lot better than another fumbling Sainsbury interview and those dreadful, gushing Dominic Bowden celebrity pieces on Close Up.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2007 • 656 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    I haven't been following the numbers; perhaps someone who has can clarify.

    I'm wondering how 3news' ratings are going. They were at an all-time peak about the time Ironbridge bought, but the quality has definitely deteriorated since then -- orders from on high to even further dumb it down, is what I've been told. My guess would be that ratings have somewhat rolled off since then.

    That's got to be tough on Campbell Live. In terms of numbers watching, the run-on viewership from the news is probably, in general, more important than even the content of the 7pm shows.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • Marcus Turner,

    Sorry if someone's already posted this. I think this is perhaps how news should be presented:

    Since Nov 2006 • 212 posts Report Reply

  • Stephen Judd,

    Heh, nice one. But in seriousness, the formulaic nature of tv news is a big contributor to my loss of interest in it. The problem isn't the visual language per se -- we need that so we can understand what we're seeing -- but the stereotyped narrative that all stories get forced into, and the wider sterotyped script, the same for every bulletin, that they get forced into.

    - breathless teaser about obviously trumped-up crap
    - the footage from some US feed completely irrelevant to any NZ citizen which incidentally displaces a local, more important story where there were no reporters
    - another teaser for the forthcoming crap in case you missed the first one
    - a political story which doesn't actually explain anything about what the issues are and quotes politicians without fact checking
    - a teaser for that story where by now we've let slip the only thing that might be remotely interesting about it, christ i don't know why we're even going to run that segment now
    ...
    ...
    ...
    - at last the bit that the teaser was actually for, jeeebus help us what a let down, and finally
    - the story about the cute kid or animal or other heartwarming irrelevance of the day
    - closing stupid forced banter, spanning the range from the twee to the arch
    - fade as the presenters mug their insincere smiles in silhouette.

    I watch the tv news every xmas hols at my Dad's or the in-laws and get regularly reconfirmed in my decision to completely ignore it as the only information really conveyed is that the producers think we are very stupid.

    Of course, they could be right.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report Reply

  • Stephen Judd,

    PS: I would love to see an episode or two of avant-garde news. Paging Mr Lealand...

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report Reply

  • Damian Christie,

    Ha, I think PAS has its own version of Godwin's law where any discussion about television or the media ends up devolving into a discussion about how shit the 6pm news is these days :)

    Re Ratings, I'm not sure generally speaking, but last night, in TV3's demographic of 18-49 (TV One uses 25-54) the ratings were as such:

    One News 5.1 (22.1% share)
    3 News 5.3 (23.1% share)

    Close Up 4.2
    Campbell Live 4.8

    I'd have to say that I don't think anyone will be getting shouted morning tea by the boss on those figures, but it is summer, and no-one is watching TV at 6 or 7pm...

    Ratings are the perfect examples of the "lies, damn lies and statistics" quote though.

    TV3 would probably point to the 18-49 Auckland market, where 3 News got a 7.1 (34%) to One News' 2.1 (9.9%).

    TVNZ's publicity on the other hand love using the "everyone 5+" demographic (because of all the oldies who are glued to TV One), where One News got a healthy 11.1 (38.8%) to 3 News' 5.3 (18.4).

    Ratings can also vary dramatically day by day, seemingly for no reason. Small sample size at the smaller demographics (there are 175 people sampled in the Auckland 18-49 demo) probably has a lot to do with it. Two people go to the beach that day, you drop from a 6.0 to a 5.0 (or whatever, you get the point...)

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1164 posts Report Reply

  • Damian Christie,

    And yeah, the Daily Show. Grrr. There is a facebook group, join it if you haven't.

    All TV3 seem to be saying about this (according to the facebook group) is that it's "not being picked up for 2010". It rated well (for a late night show on C4), god knows what it cost though...

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1164 posts Report Reply

  • Damian Christie,

    Ha, didn't see this until just now, but on Throng they've linked to a TV3 Press Release (not sure if it was before or after my blog) doing exactly what I've suggested - pitching the Auckland numbers to show a 'win'.

    http://www.throng.co.nz/campbell-live/auckland-and-metro-audiences-make-campbell-live-clear-ratings-winner

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1164 posts Report Reply

  • Cecelia,

    In any event, it's a lot better than another fumbling Sainsbury interview and those dreadful, gushing Dominic Bowden celebrity pieces on Close Up.

    I like this - Sainsbury is disappointing. I think Bowden's talents are being thoroughly misused. But whenever I switch over to Campbell Live I find a trivial story there. I guess I could plan my viewing and look at the website but old habits of just turning on the telly are hard to break.

    Hibiscus Coast • Since Apr 2008 • 559 posts Report Reply

  • andin,

    It rated well (for a late night show on C4), god knows what it cost though...

    Thought that's why they carpet bombed it with RadioLive ads.
    To pay for it. I mean.

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    Ha, I think PAS has its own version of Godwin's law where any discussion about television or the media ends up devolving into a discussion about how shit the 6pm news is these days :)

    Because the 6pm news is incredibly important. Where she goes, so goes the nation.

    But yeah, you're right.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    There already appears to be a lot more fight in the show this year than last, when it seemed to run one soft human interest story lifted from a provincial paper after another and too many bromance appearances from Rove. Nothing like the threat of the axe to sharpen one's thoughts, obviously.

    I'm not sure to what extent the axe was a real possibility -- although, like everyone else, I certainly heard the speculation late last year.

    What my anonymous source tells me is that the programme isn't under any kind of ultimatum and Audsley thinks he can make it a winner.

    I think it's beaten Close Up every night this week. So yes, rumours of Campbell Live's demise seem to be somewhat exaggerated.

    Anyway, Audsley promised last year that he'd come on the first or second Media7 programme of the new season, which starts next month. I'll ask him all the questions then.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    It rated well (for a late night show on C4), god knows what it cost though...

    I do wonder if they looked at moving it to TV3 after nightline/sports tonight.

    It would have a great flow-on from nightline, though it might show up their flagship late news show. Would have gotten a bigger audience there though.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • FletcherB,

    Thought that's why they carpet bombed it with RadioLive ads.
    To pay for it. I mean.

    Filling your slots with ads from another part of the same company doesn't seem like the best way to make revenue does it? Seems to me it's what you'd do if no-one was paying hard cash for your space.... you'd fill your un-sold space with ads to boost the ratings of the place where your ads are selling... or something?

    (just guessing... not an insider in any media/advertising business)

    West Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 893 posts Report Reply

  • andin,

    (just guessing... not an insider in any media/advertising business)

    Me neither, Same company eh. So it was all ledger entries no money was actually exchanged. See a blip in the ratings exploit it.
    As well as exploiting to the nth degree a tenuous connection that can be wrought from the word "controversial" .

    Must be part of the meh!media.

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report Reply

  • philipmatthews,

    I'm not sure to what extent the axe was a real possibility -- although, like everyone else, I certainly heard the speculation late last year.

    What my anonymous source tells me is that the programme isn't under any kind of ultimatum and Audsley thinks he can make it a winner.

    I think it's beaten Close Up every night this week. So yes, rumours of Campbell Live's demise seem to be somewhat exaggerated.

    All good news. Glad it was just alleged axe ...

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2007 • 656 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Filling your slots with ads from another part of the same company doesn't seem like the best way to make revenue does it? Seems to me it's what you'd do if no-one was paying hard cash for your space.... you'd fill your un-sold space with ads to boost the ratings of the place where your ads are selling... or something?

    Yes, exactly. They're called "house ads" and TVNZ screened plenty of them last year too.

    Whenever you see a media company running ads for itself, it's almost always because that advertising inventory is unsold.

    We do it in within the Scoop Media sales network, with those banners for Pundit and Scoop. This month there's almost no paid advertising on PA, but we actually have to serve something into those spaces. Even the banner ad for the marijuana shop at the top of the page is a freebie.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Damian Christie,

    I think it's beaten Close Up every night this week. So yes, rumours of Campbell Live's demise seem to be somewhat exaggerated.

    Actually Russell, in TV3's stated demo of 18-49, it's 2-2 so far this week. Close Up has won every night but one in 18-54 and 25-54 (which is TV One's demo).

    As well as confirmation from a Campbell Live staffer that the meeting did in fact take place, I've had a bit more info this afternoon which fills in a few blanks, but doesn't change my story overly. I'll let the reporter who's done all the digging and interviewing share that story with you himself, when it runs this weekend.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1164 posts Report Reply

  • Phil Lyth,

    all those quotes about The News

    We may be a very odd household. We have a TV, we needed a replacement DVD player about August 2009, and we simply didn't bother to hook up the bits that bring broadcast TV in from the antenna.

    Life is much better now. About the first thing one of us is remotely missing is the new series of House.

    Wellington • Since Apr 2009 • 458 posts Report Reply

  • Lucy Stewart,

    Why not be completely brave, transform Nightline into must-see late night telly rather than a showcase for young hotties?

    At this point I'd be happy with "transform Nightline into half-an-hour of actual new content, instead of half-an-hour of highlights from clips you played at 6pm".

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report Reply

  • johnno,

    While I must confess some sort of interest in the whole ratings thing, I do find it a little bit annoying that people outside the 18-49 age group don't seem to matter much to programmers and advertisers. When I see a number attached to household shoppers with Sky and kids (5-12) who live in Auckland Metro, you really have to ask why they are more important than single folk in Greymouth or Greytown.

    wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 111 posts Report Reply

  • Stephen Judd,

    OK, I'm sorry I news-hateraded this thread. So let me add something relevant to it.

    Apropos the stats: is it really so that only 10% of 18-49 year olds are watching the two main tv news shows? What would a typical midwinter figure be? Do we know what other tv they're watching, or are they doing something else altogether?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report Reply

  • Damian Christie,

    Apropos the stats: is it really so that only 10% of 18-49 year olds are watching the two main tv news shows?

    Yeah, I think that's exactly what it means. It means that few are watching it at that time at least, because I don't think it allows for time shifting (MySky, TiVo etc) though I'm open to correction.

    About the same again, 6% or so are watching something on Sky ("All Sky channels"), 1.5% are watching Prime and 0.5% are watching C4.

    So yeah, about 1 in 5 of all the 18-49 year olds are watching TV at that time of night. Sounds healthy to me.

    In winter the numbers jump quite a bit, but given they've been falling overall for a while I wouldn't want to guess what you could expect mid-year. But as an idea, a couple of hours later, about 35%+ of people are inside watching the telly.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1164 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    I'll let the reporter who's done all the digging and interviewing share that story with you himself, when it runs this weekend.

    Which will be Matt Nippert in the HoS. It's the sort of story he'd greatly enjoy pursuing, and he seems to have got everyone's attention in doing so. Should be worth turning to.

    Anyway, I was trying not to get involved in this for the moment, although obviously conveying the view of a source at TV3 was a slightly odd way of doing it.

    I'm pretty sure we'll have Audsley to talk to on Media7 anyway. Which will be a relief: TV3 news got a bit shy of us last year.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

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