Top Gear Australia to Channel 9

[bolly]

Originally Posted by Dr_Grip

Dear flydiscovery, fbc and not-so-dear bolly, i wonder where you got this magic telescope you use for looking both into the contracts between the BBC and Nine and into TGA's future.

I think the BBC, especially because they are a giant money-making machine, knows the merits of chosing long-term brand value over a quick profit.

I agree with what you say Dr. Grip, but Top Gear isn't likely to run another ten years – in the same form, at the very least. All I'm saying is that I think BBC Worldwide would be very happy to make the most of it while the kettle is still boiling.

I'm also a bit bemused by all this talk of what they would demand in their contracts. Not sure why that makes me "not-so-dear"?

[fbc]

Originally Posted by Dr_Grip

Dear flydiscovery, fbc and not-so-dear bolly, i wonder where you got this magic telescope you use for looking both into the contracts between the BBC and Nine and into TGA's future.

My skepticism is purely down to Nine's (and Oz commercial TV in general) utter crapness when it comes to airing decent content and giving it the right treatment. Maybe Nine will prove me wrong, but I highly doubt it.

[bolly]

This article on Top Gear/SBS/Top Gear Australia/Channel Nine has just appeared on the web. Interesting read that only adds to the intrigue and speculation.

Top Gear loss “not the be-all and end-all”

By David Knox on November 4, 2009

TV Tonight continues its interviews with key executives in television. Following on from last week’s interviews with Seven, ABC, TEN and Nine, today the spotlight turns to SBS Programmer Matt Campbell.

The last two weeks have not been without their challenges for Campbell, who learned the fate of Top Gear, a programme he had taken a punt on many years ago when no other network would touch it.

Having spent a lot of time trying to convince the BBC it should be staying at its natural home, he admits the loss of the brand is disappointing. SBS was outbid by an aggressive Nine Network.

“For me the wisest move the BBC could have made was to leave the Top Gear brand where it was. Only the future will tell whether they went the right way, really,” he says.

“We’d built up the brand and if you listen to the BBC we hadn’t done anything wrong. So it does come down to financials. It is very disappointing to build up a brand like that and suddenly see it go away. Sometimes that’s unfortunately the business…

“The thing that everybody, including my team, has to remember is it’s an hour in our schedule. It’s not the be-all and end-all. Obviously your number one programme is your number one programme and it’s very important. But we’ve got a whole lot more to concentrate on. Probably my biggest concern now is where Nine are going to put it. And we probably won’t know that until about 3 hours before they put it there. They probably won’t want anybody to know where they’re going to put it.”

He admits to being curious to see what Channel Nine will do with the somewhat controversial Top Gear Australia.

“I read (Nine Programmer) Michael Healy’s comments about Top Gear and he did say he appreciated all that SBS had done, which was nice for what it’s worth. It will be very interesting seeing what they do with it because it’s a bloody tough call. I know having done the two of them.”

SBS will telecast Top Gear until January 18th, soon on both Monday and Friday nights, to wind up its remaining episodes."

“We’ve got four Top Gear specials on Monday nights beginning with the Winter Olympics special, which hasn’t been seen in Australia. Then we do the USA, the Polar Special and the Vietnam Special which has been seen before. And then we go back to Series 4 through to January 18th which is first run.”

[rowd22]

Originally Posted by bolly

SBS will telecast Top Gear until January 18th, soon on both Monday and Friday nights, to wind up its remaining episodes."

“We’ve got four Top Gear specials on Monday nights beginning with the Winter Olympics special, which hasn’t been seen in Australia. Then we do the USA, the Polar Special and the Vietnam Special which has been seen before. And then we go back to Series 4 through to January 18th which is first run.”

This is good - Heaps of Top gear crammed into several weeks!

Might even re-watch series 4....

[stiggie]

The friday night episodes begin next week at 8:35pm.

[Icedvovo]

Originally Posted by bolly

This article on Top Gear/SBS/Top Gear Australia/Channel Nine has just appeared on the web. Interesting read that only adds to the intrigue and speculation.

Top Gear loss “not the be-all and end-all”

(Some things Matt Campbell from SBS said)

SNIP

Having literally just watched the Duel DVD I inexplicably read the entire Matt Campbell interview in my head using Jeremy Clarkson's voice!

Quite astonishing!

And now I'm doing it again!

*shakes head*

I think the single core truth here today came from Stiggie. TopGear Australia's most natural home is on Australia's own ABC network.

Maybe when Nine have milked the guts out of it the ABC can pull it out of the skip and give it the home it deserves.

;D

[stiggie]

Nine CEO David Gyngell during an interview about the networks prospects for 2010-

“Top Gear will be the best show on any commercial network next year, no one will argue with that.”

[bolly]

Originally Posted by stiggie

Nine CEO Kim Gyngell during an interview about the networks prospects for 2010-

“Top Gear will be the best show on any commercial network next year, no one will argue with that.”

Stiggie, I think that should read 'David Gyngell', unless of course Channel Nine is admitting to being a joke.

[stiggie]

Oops. Not sure why I did that.

You'd think that if I was going to get the name wrong, I'd confuse him with Bruce Gyngell.

Anyway, I think the quote shows that they have the very highest of hopes for the show. Lets see if that means that they will be treating it with respect.

[TopGear1Stig]

This is crap! I hate TGA anyway and now i even hate it moar! THIS IS BULLSHIT!!

[Wildy]

Originally Posted by TopGear1Stig

This is crap! I hate TGA anyway and now i even hate it moar! THIS IS BULLSHIT!!

So in other words you actually care even less about TGA?

[underscore]

Hopefully Clarkson reviews the shows (I'm assuming he did when on SBS to give them pointers and so on). I'm sure if he catches wind of Channel 9 killing his business, he will sort it out.

I can't understand why they want to have Warne involved with it somehow, he is a loser; sure he could play cricket, but is useless otherwise.

[richo]

I do expect Nine to butcher TGA (FWIW I'm not a huuge fan)... it's a hell of a gamble to let those monkeys into the cutting room, but who knows what will happen.

[Sarnya]

Just a heads up for people.

TG is going to be on ACA tomorrow night (Monday). It looks to be an interview with Clarkson at TG Live UK (???), but could be a re-hash of the 60 Minutes story that was done at the start of the year.