Top Gear Australia to Channel 9

[Incognitiously]

An Open Letter to Andy Wilman

"Dear Mr. Wilman,

I've just heard that TopGear Australia is going to Nine. I'm gravely concerned about who's paying for lunch.

Regards, Icedvovo"

I'm pretty certain that good Mr. Wilman had absolutely no say in the matter. And even if I can't be completely sure, I'm quite happy to give him the benefit of the doubt.

 

[brydie76]

^ yeah, i get the feeling that the same people who decide to put snooker on instead of Top gear and the in-house accountants and execs had nearly all the say in this.

We have to give them all the benefit of the doubt- how can they know that channel nine destroys everything it goes near?

 

[ashspet]

On top of all the horror that is Ch 9 and that if it end up on GO! I can't watch it, and the probable demise of TGAU, please, take a moment to thank SBS <comments at sbs dot com dot au> for bringing us TG in the first place.

 

[Icedvovo]

you could have a very fun drinking game with the new TGA - every time there is blatant product placement, have a swig.

Hahaha. I think we've just renamed The Swig.

Sponsored by Old Number 7

 

[Dr_Grip]

From my european perspective, this thread makes almost no sense at all. The whole criticism on the move to Nine is based on the perception of the channel as a "sellout" ultra-commercial outlet.
While some problems will occur from that, the most grave being the brand dilution/conflict of interest situation Icedvovo put down masterfully, it does not mean that the show has to fail.

I'm still upset how Fox treated Firefly (...and the biggest ever letter-writing campaign did not save it), amongst many other mistakes permanentely moving it's timeslot like Nine seems to be doing with the Sopranos, but still, boycotting anyting the station produces on grounds of principle does not make sense. Why should i abstain from The Simpsons or House just because FOX fucked over another show i hold dearly? Makes no sense. Why should i proclaim that "i'll never watch Dollhouse because Fox will fuck it up anyways"? Makes no sense, too.

A commercial broadcaster, is, first of all,a commercial broadcaster. That's why Fox puts up with the liberal agenda of The Simpsons eventhough they (especially their news channel) are proud conservatives. The viewers want to see it, and just because of that they can sell ad time. That's what might save Top Gear: The viewers want a no-holds-barred, honest-to-god Top Gear. They will not turn in for a product placement ridden, overly nice Top Gear. Without viewers, you can't sell ad space. So in the long run, it makes more sense commercially to upset a car vendor now and then and have a huge audience than do a show that upsets no one but no one wants to watch.

On top of that, i doubt the licensing contract with the BBC will allow for things like "The Castrol Cool Wall" or any kind of creative/editorial control handed to advertisers directely or indirectely - we all shoud give Five the benefit of doubt here and see how well (or bad) it plays out.

 

[Dsemaj]

Well i thought there's only the BBC Worldwide edition - the one we get (and presumably the rest of the world)

There's the hour length version with segments cut and also the BBC World version which only runs for half an hour and has no studio segments. Not sure if the BBC world is done anymore though.

@Dr_Grip very good point, but I don't think it quite holds true for a show like Top Gear due to the style of show. Perhaps for a scripted, acted show that merely points fun at things like The Simpsons it's true but a show like Top Gear just makes me think they won't be able to help themselves. What if Kia won't want to advertise on Nine because TGA said the Rio is a load of crap, or Holden outright pulls everything because the Ford Falcon happened to fare better in a comparison to the Commodore?

To a commercial network like Nine and the lack of shame they have with sponsors, a whiff of controversy or critical reviews will cause Nine to lose money - and that's a very, very bad thing.

 

[Dr_Grip]

To a commercial network like Nine and the lack of shame they have with sponsors, a whiff of controversy or critical reviews will cause Nine to lose money - and that's a very, very bad thing.

There's more money to be made from selling ad spaces on a top-rated show to the other companies than there's to be lost even if half of the carmakers pull their adverts (they'd only pull them from TG, of course, no carmaker can afford it to have no adverts at all on one of the big channels). We'll see how this plays out.

 

[stiggie]

Hahaha. I think we've just renamed The Swig.

Sponsored by Old Number 7

It is so funny that you said that, considering who was racing in one of the Jack Daniels Commodores at Bathurst this year.:lol:

 

[Kiskaloo]

There is the original version on BBC2, the "international" version for sale to overseas markets and there was a half-hour BBC America version, though I'm not sure if they still make that one.

I haven't seen a half-hour episode, and I've been watching the show on BBC America for years, so I am going to guess that is a "no".

Since the US iTunes Store versions of Top Gear are "content complete" and with changed music, is that what they send to BBC America who then make the edits (usually losing The News and some segment inserts) on their own decision?

 

[Icedvovo]

The whole criticism on the move to Nine is based on the perception of the channel as a "sellout" ultra-commercial outlet.

I think the concern over the specific commercial station runs a bit deeper than the initial sellout factor. There's so many levels to this thing.

I reckon the fact that Shane Warne was, and is, Nine's first pick as a presenter sits at the heart of that concern. It shows a total lack of understanding for the brand and the audience.

The foundation of this misconception is that they (Nine) believe that car fans are by default also sports fans. So a sports star who likes cars ticks all the boxes. I think they're wrong.

We shall see what we shall see.



Edit: Remembering that this is not a smart network. When Dancing With The Stars was presented to them before any one else in the world, they laughed the guys out of the room.
Edit: According to Independent Weekly, SBS's corporate affairs manager Jane McMillan said the deal is "something that is still under negotiation".
http://www.independentweekly.com.au/content/lifestyle/1254786/

 

[stiggie]

Since the US iTunes Store versions of Top Gear are "content complete" and with changed music, is that what they send to BBC America who then make the edits (usually losing The News and some segment inserts) on their own decision?

I'm not sure who edits the BBC America version, but I suspect it would be BBC Worldwide, the BBC's commercial arm. It is the difference between the BBC's publicly funded and commercial arms and the laws that govern them that make everything so comlicated and keep those of us from outside the UK from seeing the full original version on TV.

I think the concern over the specific commercial station runs a bit deeper than the initial sellout factor.

My chief concern is whether the show will have any journalistic integrity. The UK TopGear is one of the only places in the world where you can still find it.

this is not a smart network. When Dancing With The Stars was presented to them before any one else in the world, they laughed the guys out of the room.

Thats not stupidity, its just good taste.

According to Independent Weekly, SBS's corporate affairs manager Jane McMillan said the deal is "something that is still under negotiation".
http://www.independentweekly.com.au/content/lifestyle/1254786/

That article is dated 21 October 2009, which was two days before SBS we're told that they we're losing the show.

 

[Icedvovo]

^ SNIPITY SNIP

YEP
YEP
OKAY

 

[tone76]

From my european perspective, this thread makes almost no sense at all.

In theory, you make some excellent points.

Bear in mind that in Australia, the TV industry is populated almost entirely by short term thinkers. This means that if there's a quick buck to be made, it will be made with little regard for the long term consequences.

If Nein put TGA in their stable of 'lifestyle' programs, then it will be basically a 40 minute hand job for the sponsors. Of course, when the viewers turn off - and they will - the program will be dumped into some ungodly timeslot on their secondary channel, called GO! That's the reality of Australian TV.

Going back to my first point about short term thinking, the only two networks that don't have the issue are the ABC and SBS ... both of which are publically funded. As such, the commercial pressures on SBS are considerably less than on a commercial station, but this also means they have less cash to play with for rights etc.

 

[Dr_Grip]

Ok, let me reformulate my first post: Has Nine a track record of fucking everything up? Most of the discussion here (including mandatory short-term thinking assumptions) i remember oh-so-well from whenever a beloved series is cancelled by a commercial outlet before it has the time to find it's audience. Only difference is we're having the discussion beforehand.
Prime example would be the already-mentioned Firefly, but many high-quality show coming out of HBO/Showtime in the last decade have been burned like this by german commercial outlets (and the public broadcasters don't have the balls for decent programming either - talk about a Sopranos season premiere at ten past midnight on a weekday).

Still, it does not mean they have to fuck everything up. Even the guy who famously turned down The Beatles made up by signing the Rolling Stones. The same outlet that failed to give the Sopranos a decent spot turned out one of the best crime dramas in the younger history of german TV. Not even Weadon fanboys understand why Fox renewed Dollhouse for a second season. CBS continued the moderately sucessful NCIS until it's fifth season when it suddenly became the number one show in it's timeslot.

So, again: Has Nine a spotless record of fucking everything it touches up?
Sometimes even commercial broadcasters surprise the audience: on 9/11 for example RTL, a broadcaster with no journalistic integrity whatsoever interrupted their regular programming, went into emergency newscasting mode and did a damn fine job doing so while the public broadcasters still held meetings on weather or not to interrupt the programming until the anchorman now famously left the meeting announcing "If you need me, i'm in make-up", thus getting coverage started hours after RTL.

EDIT: Sorry if i get so agitated about this, i want TGA not to fail badly....

 

[brydie76]

^ short story- yes.

Long story- the two main staples of Channel 9 are Two and a Half men (if it isn't on twice a day, there is something wrong) and stuff that Eddie McGuire (the owner of the channel and a tv presenter) stars in like "Millionaire Hotseat" (crappy rehash of "Who wants to be a Millionaire?"). A lot of the local programs they have done and their own original ideas don't last more than two/three weeks because a) they are hosted by the same people every time (read Jules lund, Shelley Craft, Scott Cam- all your typical fake, "ocker Aussie" sterotyped presenters) and they just wreck the original premises of the shows with advertising and making sure it semms "Aussie". I put aussie in inverted commas becasue they go too far- they give each other "ocker" nicknames, spend too much time giggling at each other's jokes and make sure the sponsors get their dollar's worth at the expense of actual content. They also like to copy other TV stations over here, with mixed results.

None of the other commercial stations ever here are any better, they all do the same thing. Just nobody does it to the same extent as Channel 9, they are infamous for their mid-season slashings of shows.
Read the wikipedia article (yes, i know) under "Nine: The Fightback". They are called out in there too for their "erratic and inconsitent scheduling and removal of programs" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_Network). Also tkae a look under programming at both their program list and the criticisms listed there. It doesn't paint a nice picture of them.

I'm just hoping and praying that they realise that people will not like too much change to TGA and try and keep it the same. But I don't think they are that smart. i think a presenter list release will be out within the next month, and that will really give us an indication of how they are going to treat the Top Gear franchise.

 

[Dr_Grip]

Thanks for the wiki link - from there it looks like all was well in Nine-land until the mid-naughts, things got really bad in 2007 and became even worse last year. I'm still willing to give them the benefit of doubt...

...but on the other hand, i've never been force to sit through their programming and RTL just brought fart guy back from whereever he was locked up after his first TV appearance in the early nineties, planting him as a contestant on "Germany's Got Talent":
http://www.clipfish.de/special/supertalent/video/3163772/supertalent-kunstfurzer-mr-methan/
(skip to 1:34 if you dare. As it was broadcast pre-watershed i think it does not have to go into NSFW)

Basically, yep, fart guy's return to prime time television makes me lose all faith in commercial broadcasting.

DOOMED! WE ARE ALL DOOMED!

 

[bolly]

Long story- the two main staples of Channel 9 are Two and a Half men (if it isn't on twice a day, there is something wrong) and stuff that Eddie McGuire (the owner of the channel and a tv presenter) stars in like "Millionaire Hotseat" (crappy rehash of "Who wants to be a Millionaire?").

Eddie McGuire may be a tool, and a wealthy tool at that, but he is not and never has been the owner of Channel Nine. And thank God for that! Let's not elevate him beyond his true status as an awful media "personality" and failed former CEO of Channel Nine :?

 

[Paul_The_Aussie]

I was disappointed when I heard the move was happening.
After season 2 of TG AU I was looking forward to season 3. Now I don't think i'd bother, it'll be relegated to an advertisement show for any sponsor who is willing to put up some extra dosh. So in short expect a TV show dedicated to how "good" the Yaris, Corolla, Camry and Aurion are.

The move to commercial TV will be the death of TG AU. May it RIP.

 

[GerFix]

I'm probably a bit out on my own here .. but I really don't care about the move.

The only element of this discussion I care about is watching Top Gear, and the only version of this I truly enjoy is the version aired on BBC2 which I can currently obtain from ... sources. I don't watch Top Gear on SBS with any regularity .. the chopped-up version aired there seems hollow after seeing the original full episode. So Top Gear (with JC and the other 2) moving to channel 9 doesn't phase me from a viewers perspective. It only bothers me that BBC International are money grubbers and have shown no loyalty to SBS .. but this is no revelation.

As for Top Gear Australia ... I've grown tired waiting for it to blossom .. yes, "only 2 seasons", "give it time", "budgetary restrictions", "solar wind" etc. Perhaps moving it to Nine might be just what it needs. I see all the concerns about lowest-common-denominator programs and Eddie Maguire, and I'm sure that Nine has the potential to really mess it up, but as with Top Gear Australia on SBS, my hope is that Clarkson and Wilman will have some input as to how the brand/show is developed. I would be disappointed if they let it become "The Footy Show" with cars .. but if they did, I'd just turn off (I'd still have FinalGear).

I'd rather not see product placement on Top Gear, but I'm an adult, I can look through that sort of thing. From memory, some here criticised SBS for product placement in TGAu (Volkswagen Golf segment was one).

And finally, Shane Warne as a host. This may not be all that bad. Not only is he a car nut, but he also shares many features with the hosts of Top Gear ... he's fat, balding, has his hair whitened ....... and, he smokes. :lol:

 

[wikkedsnaab]

Ok, let me reformulate my first post: Has Nine a track record of fucking everything up?

Perhaps with the exception of Limited Overs cricket - yes.

If it had been announced that TGA was going over to Seven or Ten, I'm sure they'd still be plenty of people talking about selling out or things getting too commercial, but at least those two channels have a certain amount of credibility left. Indeed, you might even get people talking about how it is good news, as both stations have deeper pockets than SBS and would (hopefully) invest more into the show.

As a non-Australian you however probably don't realise that both Seven and Ten are the young(ish) upstarts that have stolen the old monolith's (Nine) thunder and ratings over the past decade. Despite being the biggest and most popular station for decades, Nine has slowly but surely slipped into irrelevance for many audience segments in recent years, including those that include the bulk of TGA's audience.

Nine has by far the worst TV 'personalities' of any station (the term personality is a misnomer; it's been proven by Swiss labs that most of their hosts actually contain no personality whatsoever... look up "Richard Wilkins" if you don't believe me) and any show, franchise or concept taken on by the station is invariably infected by them. It will be a miracle if Glenn Ridge DOES NOT end up on the show in some capacity.

Nine is a pretty shameless station in terms of their advertising, product placement, endorsements and in-show tie ins. They've never been in a more desperate position either, trying to claw back some status in the Australian TV market. That's why the idea of them having their grubby hands over TGA has us Aussies shitting bricks.

To be honest, Top Gear on any commercial station is a perilous concept at best... but TG on Nine is like sticking your hand in the open mouth of a lion. I will the thoroughly surprised if there is a series 4.

Thank heavens for free downloads