Scheduling has been a problem since the start. Nothing stays in a slot long enough to build an audience (apart from Not the One Show, that hung around like a bad smell for 7 months before they put it out of its misery).
I remember them running a 9pm comedy slot at one stage, then Crime at 9 which now seems to have died, despite endless promos at every break.
I agree their primetime schedule is weak and distinctly lacking in real local output. They need something to make them stand out from the crowd.
Primetime is very weak really and I do think that unless these channels are showing local content from at 8-10pm consistently (the odd rerun in the mix is fine) there really isn't much point.
Totally agree. I think 30 minutes news updates at various points throughout the day would be fine and easier to manage/co-ordinate and then push the majority of the resource towards evenings. Getting rid of the entertainment stuff from there was a mistake in my opinion as they could have used that slot more effectively. I would be amazed if they keep the breakfast/morning show. It's neither here nor there in the schedules right now so why not ditch it, fill it with comedy/MIC/Best Bits and then just do 30 minute news pieces slotted in throughout the day (maybe 9.30, 11.30, 1.30, 3.30 and 5.30 then 6.30 or 7pm) or maybe 15 minutes and more of them if the audience engagement time is less than 30 mins which I expect it is. More chance of catching eyes, more chance of keep it fresh(er) but more chance to prep stuff properly.
I know there will be some who'll disagree, but I personally think ending Wake Up London was a mistake. This is a timeslot where LL have a USP - the only local news, weather and travel service every 15 minutes. It also fills 3 hours of their local programme mandate. 15 minute news wheels - modelled on the 'i' newspaper could be repeated, with just travel updated - a sort of grab and go service, heavily promoted in The Standard, online and during primetime.
The same crew could then go on to do a half-hour lunchtime news at noon, with Headline Interviews/Debates following.
The late crew would produce another hour at 6pm, then a refreshed London Go focussing on the local arts and entertainment scene could air at 7pm.
A one hour Primetime news at 9pm could be followed by a repeat of London Go at 10pm.
News in volume would probably work out cheaper than the old Channel 4 stuff they're airing and fulfil (properly) their local programme commitments which are now 63 hours a week.
On Monday LL covered the closure of a well known gay pub in Camden which I don't think the BBC or ITV News London covered? These are the types of stories they should be covering where they can fulfil their news niche and yet done in a straight style.
If only the previous management didn't pee the money up the wall, we may still have Wake Up London.
I think that's Yes and No. The people who hold ultimately hold the purse strings are still there and would have signed off the expenditures so they are at fault too. I did hear one explanation about why they scrapped that show and moved it later to save money and it's certainly interesting if it is true - I heard it from someone who was told the reason buy someone who did some work there.
News in volume would probably work out cheaper than the old Channel 4 stuff they're airing and fulfil (properly) their local programme commitments which are now 63 hours a week.
CHCH in Hamilton Canada does a full news block from 4am-7pm
Then movies and syndie stuff in primetime Then an evening news cast at 11pm. The station is owned by ChannelZero, one of the bidders for the London license that ES won. Oh well...what could have been?!
Almost certainly not a carbon copy of that. As has been repeatedly pointed out to you, there just isn't the demand for that kind of rolling news on a local level in the UK.
Almost certainly not a carbon copy of that. As has been repeatedly pointed out to you, there just isn't the demand for that kind of rolling news on a local level in the UK.
But can you know that for sure without trying it? Before Sky News launched, there were people who argued that there isn't the demand for any sort of rolling news in the UK, yet now many viewers appreciate both Sky News and the BBC News Channel.
One doesn't have to look overseas for inspiration. As far as I know, GrandLilleTV in Lille, France, is successful with its low-budget local rolling news format: