(no subject)

[hnpcc]

I know it's non-ratings season, but even so I'm coming to the opinion that the commercial networks are actually trying to get us to turn off and go out into the summer evening.

It's not just that there's not a whole lot of interest on, it's the more-random-than-usual reshuffling that's bugging the crap out of me.

My partner is currently pissed off because having waited all year for That 70s Show, they had it on for about two weeks and then pulled it in favour of Will and Grace. Not that I have much against W&G, but couldn't they play 2 eps of that, 2 eps of T7S and 1 of something else? Even a 3:2 ratio would be good.

Then last night, after a long rant during the day about commercial reshuffling of programs without notice, I tune into 5 Days until Midnight: and the bastards have moved it back an hour without warning and put on Air Crash in that time slot.

You've seriously got to start wondering what the hell is going on in the programming departments. Personally my current conspiracy theory is that all the programmers own shares in DVD producing companies and are trying to maximise returns. Actually, the whole theory is that the networks own the shares and have directed the programmers to maximise returns, but that may just be wishful thinking that the scheduling isn't currently being organised by means of a dartboard. ("OK, a two, a 10 and a 7 - that's Monday at 3am then.")

I semi-came to the theory after reading an article in last week's Green Guide (TV guide in The Age for non-Melbourne people) where the head of channel 9 said that the letters about the consistent non-scheduling of The West Wing were the result of a small, vocal minority. Obviously that's a group that Channel 9 isn't even interested in even attempting to cater for by - just as an example here - giving the bloody program a regular slot so that they can find it. So obviously it's a minority that are now boycotting channel 9. And equally obviously channel 9 aren't interested in the ratings that that group - no matter how small - would bring. Or the word of mouth that they would spread that might increase the size of the group. Or anything really.

Ditto The Apprentice. Hey guys? Want to mention that you're going to start showing the program at any point? Nah, didn't think so, just leave us to find out three weeks after the start that you might have randomly put it on somewhere. She'll be right. Footy, that's what brings in ratings... and good luck with that next year.

The same goes for so many other programs. Arrested Development is being mauled to death by random scheduling (two episodes together on a night which wasn't advertised and which changed at the last minute). Joan of Arcadia was there for three episodes then apparently vanished into the ether - or quite possibly to 3am Monday, who knows. Even local programs get dumped if they don't instantly attract an audience of millions. Guys, word of mouth? Time? Leave the fucking thing alone so I can find it again the following week?

Seriously, if Buffy were to start up now, we'd be 3 seasons behind the US, the day and time would have changed 6 times already, they'd randomly decide to play 2 episodes together or - as happened to Charmed last week - cut three episodes in a four episode story arc and attempt to sum it up with a "Previously.." 2 minute update and then wonder why it wasn't getting an audience but the DVD sales were booming.

Actually, what I really want to know is what the hell these people are smoking and where I can get some.

Comments

[hawkida.livejournal.com]

It seems like you share the direness of your scheduling with the US. In the UK they buy a show and then they show it. Start to finish. It's incredibly rare for it to switch times and things are never just dumped without finishing. The scheduling gets messed with a bit to work around sport from time to time, but overall if there are 26 episodes and it runs at 9pm on a Thursday then you can be pretty sure you'll be tuning in at 9pm for 26 or 28 weeks (allowing for cancellations due to massive disasters or big sports events). The schedules are nearly set in stone and they are published two weeks in advance in some places. Okay, so it might just be a random episode of The Simpsons or Malcolm in the Middle night after night on Sky One at 6pm, but at least the TV pages will tell you as much.

[hnpcc]

We actually found the scheduling in the US to be quite good. Once we knew what channel and time we could pretty much tune in and then it'd be there. Here.. not so much. It used to be the same as in the UK: buy something, put it on, maybe it'd get moved if it really tanked, but generally it'd just sit there. But now? Blink and it's gone without trace.

[dalmeny]

Our schedules are sufficiently random that even when a program is shown in a consistent timeslot, we won't usually get to see it regularly.

And so, the DVD box set becomes our norm.

[hnpcc]

Yeah, that is another problem. Generally we have maybe 2 programs a week that we're watching, which we then make the effort to watch/tape. Almost invariably they come under the heading of "cult: move randomly" and so we end up having to chase them around the schedule (the major exceptions being Survivor and the ABC stuff).

But even the ABC is letting me down at the moment: whoever thought it was a good idea to buy and then screen Growing Up Gotti should be shot.

[tra4ce.livejournal.com]

3 cheers for torrents.

[numbat.livejournal.com]

Working as I do five evenings a week I'm in the habit of checking ebroadcast.com.au most afternoons to see what I might like to record. This system has served me well, I don't think I've not known about anything of interest to me for months. That why I was able to enjoy gary the Rat despite it being on about 3am Sunday mornings. Ah, Kelsey Grammer makes an excelent giant rat lawyer you know.