Ruddeger
Active Member
Nine have done a good job in killing Top Gear
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/enterta...s-dismal-ratings/story-e6frf96f-1226026642117
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/enterta...s-dismal-ratings/story-e6frf96f-1226026642117
Nine to air full BBC2 episodes of TopGear
- Thread starter stiggie
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pAuLw85
Member
that article says what we all feared
give it back to sbs
give it back to sbs
GerFix
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Channel nine is rubbish, I'd agree with that, but I don't think that is why Top Gear is failing in the ratings.
Watching Top Gear on nine is not all fail. Yes, the ads are more intrusive than they were on SBS, but nine are at least showing full, un-cut episodes, which I don't think SBS did.
The problem(s) as I see it are:
1. Saturation and repeats. Since they stupidly spent so much on gaining the rights ($20 million), they obviously feel they need to use them (saturation) and unfortunately for nine, the powers-that-be at Top Gear HQ can't be bothered making more than a handful of episodes a year. Last year, there were only 8 new episodes (including the America 3 and Wise Men specials) .. that is barely 2 months of new programing a year. Repeats are inevitable if they are to get any return on their investment.
2. The show is dieing. Instead of being inventive and informative, it has become formulaic. You can be pretty sure when you tune in now (to a new episode) you will see one of them testing a car that 0.0001% of the population can afford on an airfield and judging it on how well it can be driven in a fashion that limits the lifespan of the tyres to a couple of miles; an interminably long interview with a guest where Clarkson strives to turn the discussion away from cars; some news; and an excessively expensive challenge where a lot of their budget (which could have been used to make more episodes) is blown on an attempt to emulate Frank Spencer in "Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em".
3. Top Gear Australia. This is even worse than current Top Gear and lurks like that annoying little brother, with a handful of your baby photos, ready to jump in and spoil your 14th birthday party. A lot of the decline in the ratings has occurred after the airing of (the reprievingly short) 3rd series. I wouldn't mind betting that some of this decline is the result of people not willing to risk tuning into Top Gear, only to find they have committed to watching Top Gear Australia instead.
Watching Top Gear on nine is not all fail. Yes, the ads are more intrusive than they were on SBS, but nine are at least showing full, un-cut episodes, which I don't think SBS did.
The problem(s) as I see it are:
1. Saturation and repeats. Since they stupidly spent so much on gaining the rights ($20 million), they obviously feel they need to use them (saturation) and unfortunately for nine, the powers-that-be at Top Gear HQ can't be bothered making more than a handful of episodes a year. Last year, there were only 8 new episodes (including the America 3 and Wise Men specials) .. that is barely 2 months of new programing a year. Repeats are inevitable if they are to get any return on their investment.
2. The show is dieing. Instead of being inventive and informative, it has become formulaic. You can be pretty sure when you tune in now (to a new episode) you will see one of them testing a car that 0.0001% of the population can afford on an airfield and judging it on how well it can be driven in a fashion that limits the lifespan of the tyres to a couple of miles; an interminably long interview with a guest where Clarkson strives to turn the discussion away from cars; some news; and an excessively expensive challenge where a lot of their budget (which could have been used to make more episodes) is blown on an attempt to emulate Frank Spencer in "Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em".
3. Top Gear Australia. This is even worse than current Top Gear and lurks like that annoying little brother, with a handful of your baby photos, ready to jump in and spoil your 14th birthday party. A lot of the decline in the ratings has occurred after the airing of (the reprievingly short) 3rd series. I wouldn't mind betting that some of this decline is the result of people not willing to risk tuning into Top Gear, only to find they have committed to watching Top Gear Australia instead.
rideclutch
Active Member
:lol: Unfortunately I do know this to be true for some people who tuned in to last series' TGAU, didn't see what the fuss was about and now associate anything called Top Gear to be related to the show they watched. Quite daft I know, but the way Channel Nein have been flogging the TopGear logo around I can't blame people for getting confused.
logifuse
Active Member
They've finally caught the Ch 9 moving schedule disease: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/enterta...r-dismal-ratings/story-e6frf9ho-1226039140633
For anyone outside of Australia, it's not a disease that a show recovers from... unless the show is bought by another channel.
For anyone outside of Australia, it's not a disease that a show recovers from... unless the show is bought by another channel.
Richmondgal
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That's karma for Channel 9 buying them off from SBS.
You can't mess around with a show that big and expect people to still watch it.
You can't mess around with a show that big and expect people to still watch it.
FruityLexia
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lolchannelnine
stiggie
pop
What a ridiculous article.
The weeks that the show has been moved out of prime time are the Easter non-ratings period.
The weeks that the show has been moved out of prime time are the Easter non-ratings period.
Ruddeger
Active Member
True,the advanced guides published on April 1st had a movie on next tuesday
http://www.tvcentral.com.au/2011/04/01/week-commencing-april-17th-2011/
Ruddeger
Active Member
Nine might have to bring back TG.Last nights movie rated 100,000 less than last weeks TG repeat.
stiggie
pop
Of course they're bringing back TopGear. It has only been moved for the Easter holidays non-ratings period.
GerFix
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^ By which calender did you make that assertion?
I didn't come on here to give you the late mail, but we all know Easter finished many weeks ago. Or did it? According to the Liturgical Calender, last Sunday was Pentecost (50th day after the resurrection), and it is Pentecost that officially marks the end of the Easter Season. So, assuming channel nine and top gear follow the Liturgical Year and assuming your assertion was correct, we should see top gear reappear on nine this week. But alas, no. It seems to have been relegated to Go! (a channel that gets lower ratings than SBS)
I didn't come on here to give you the late mail, but we all know Easter finished many weeks ago. Or did it? According to the Liturgical Calender, last Sunday was Pentecost (50th day after the resurrection), and it is Pentecost that officially marks the end of the Easter Season. So, assuming channel nine and top gear follow the Liturgical Year and assuming your assertion was correct, we should see top gear reappear on nine this week. But alas, no. It seems to have been relegated to Go! (a channel that gets lower ratings than SBS)
stiggie
pop
Has GO! shown any new episodes, or just repeats?
GerFix
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^ I don't know. I've never watched the channel. But the episode descriptions (on www.yourtv.com.au) for the upcoming week are recent episodes.
stiggie
pop
I'm pretty sure that all the brand new episodes are shown first on Nine and only repeats are aired on GO!
GerFix
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I'd be surprised too, if that wasn't the case ........ but we are talking about channel nine.
stiggie
pop
I think Ten's policy of not airing any shows on both Ten and Eleven is the better way to do things.
Ravenlord
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Nine didn't say Top Gear would be back immediately after Easter - rather:
So, Series 17 shown prime-time on Nine in the second-half of the year would meet that, even without any repeats on GO!
Ruddeger
Active Member
Series 17 starts on Nine on Tuesday July 19 at 8.30pm
http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2011/07/returning-top-gear-8.html
http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2011/07/returning-top-gear-8.html