JA
I didn't realise that, but then I didn't watch it anyway. Though neither did anyone else.
AN
Andrew
Founding member
Both Crossroads Remake MkII and Night and Day were probably in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Crossroads would probably have worked in the current ‘guilty pleasure’ ITV Be era, and also had it not been called Crossroads and had all the baggage from both the history of that show and the history from Remake MkI
Night and Day should probably have been a late night soap all along and again might have worked in that format.
Crossroads would probably have worked in the current ‘guilty pleasure’ ITV Be era, and also had it not been called Crossroads and had all the baggage from both the history of that show and the history from Remake MkI
Night and Day should probably have been a late night soap all along and again might have worked in that format.
JM
JamesM0984
Ironically if N&D went on air now, maybe on streaming service, it might have done quite well.
ITV viewers don't really expect alternate reality etc., they like their drama played straight.
ITV viewers don't really expect alternate reality etc., they like their drama played straight.
DE
We’re straying from the point here a bit, but I do think regional identity in soaps remains very important and subtly, if not totally, embraced by the viewing public. Corrie is definitely still firmly associated with the north west, it’s not just a northern soap, it’s totally Manchester (even if originally it was most definitely a Salford based drama). Likewise, I think most viewers associate Emmerdale with Yorkshire and see it in a different light to Corrie. It’s therefore sensible and appropriate to assume those soaps are made in those regions. Crossroads was, similarly, always a Midlands soap, long running characters having Midlands accents and referencing Midlands landmarks.
The whole point of ITV, and indeed it’s original USP, was that it made regional programmes, some of which might be shown in other regions or even networked. The BBC has never quite got that right, it’s regional drama offerings rarely seem to have taken off nationally, and so it’s understandable as to why it’s often seen as way too London centric. (The exceptions to this are Casualty - long made in Bristol and now Cardiff, and Doctors, which is the one remaining regular drama production to come from Birmingham).
Anyway, what’s my point here ... er ... I’m not entirely sure, but I don’t agree that it doesn’t matter where your soaps come from.
The whole point of ITV, and indeed it’s original USP, was that it made regional programmes, some of which might be shown in other regions or even networked. The BBC has never quite got that right, it’s regional drama offerings rarely seem to have taken off nationally, and so it’s understandable as to why it’s often seen as way too London centric. (The exceptions to this are Casualty - long made in Bristol and now Cardiff, and Doctors, which is the one remaining regular drama production to come from Birmingham).
Anyway, what’s my point here ... er ... I’m not entirely sure, but I don’t agree that it doesn’t matter where your soaps come from.
NT
Not sure if this has been posted here before: https://www.citymetric.com/business/british-television-once-sounded-britain-then-itv-mergers-happened-4286
KE
YTV studios in Leeds is much bigger than Lenton Lane and Emmerdale sustains the whole facility.
In terms of network production though, Emmerdale is all there is there now, and the studios have downsized so there's no room for anything else.
Emmerdale doesn't quite sustain the whole facility.
There's various other things there, including Calendar, production offices (including Countdown and Shiver), the Northern Transmission Centre, and the ITV archive (which holds the archive for a large number of regions, and occupies a whole building). I believe there's also some independent companies based there as well.
YTV studios in Leeds is much bigger than Lenton Lane and Emmerdale sustains the whole facility.
In terms of network production though, Emmerdale is all there is there now, and the studios have downsized so there's no room for anything else.
Emmerdale doesn't quite sustain the whole facility.
There's various other things there, including Calendar, production offices (including Countdown and Shiver), the Northern Transmission Centre, and the ITV archive (which holds the archive for a large number of regions, and occupies a whole building). I believe there's also some independent companies based there as well.
BL
It has been posted before. To quote:
“A new Broadcasting Act is needed. One that breaks up ITV plc and offers its constituent licences out to tender again; one that offers them only on the guarantee that certain conditions, to do with regional employment and production, regional commissioning and investment, are met.”
A completely unsustainable business model, a licence to lose money.
Not sure if this has been posted here before: https://www.citymetric.com/business/british-television-once-sounded-britain-then-itv-mergers-happened-4286
It has been posted before. To quote:
“A new Broadcasting Act is needed. One that breaks up ITV plc and offers its constituent licences out to tender again; one that offers them only on the guarantee that certain conditions, to do with regional employment and production, regional commissioning and investment, are met.”
A completely unsustainable business model, a licence to lose money.
CW
It has been posted before. To quote:
“A new Broadcasting Act is needed. One that breaks up ITV plc and offers its constituent licences out to tender again; one that offers them only on the guarantee that certain conditions, to do with regional employment and production, regional commissioning and investment, are met.”
A completely unsustainable business model, a licence to lose money.
Jeremy Hunt's pet project of local TV has shown that regional licences no longer work. There is an argument for axing (almost) all of ITV's existing regional and breakfast licences and replacing them with nation licences. Having separate licences for England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and possibly also the Channel Islands would be more beneficial. Such licences could stipulate proper regional requirements, which would/should be more feasible and commercially viable than with local TV.
Charlie Wells
Moderator
Not sure if this has been posted here before: https://www.citymetric.com/business/british-television-once-sounded-britain-then-itv-mergers-happened-4286
It has been posted before. To quote:
“A new Broadcasting Act is needed. One that breaks up ITV plc and offers its constituent licences out to tender again; one that offers them only on the guarantee that certain conditions, to do with regional employment and production, regional commissioning and investment, are met.”
A completely unsustainable business model, a licence to lose money.
Jeremy Hunt's pet project of local TV has shown that regional licences no longer work. There is an argument for axing (almost) all of ITV's existing regional and breakfast licences and replacing them with nation licences. Having separate licences for England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and possibly also the Channel Islands would be more beneficial. Such licences could stipulate proper regional requirements, which would/should be more feasible and commercially viable than with local TV.
PC
There's a logical reason why ITV should (mostly) be the one company these days and have a national focus: the original regions existed in an era when there was limited spectrum and stations correctly did more to benefit from it, and when competition wasn't as international as it is now. UK TV's biggest concern as things stand is having any impact whatsoever in the coming decades with big budget competition from the likes of Netflix, who have a global audience who are all paying for the service and can invest this money in programming.
Given where we are, what ITV is delivering in terms of local news, politics shows and general shows coming from outside London (Emmerdale for Leeds, Coronation Street and other shows from Salford) is actually overdelivering in my eyes.
The only thing I can see the government can do is apply political pressure on broadcasters to decentralise, or stipulate that a certain percentage of programming should come from outside London. It seems to have worked on Channel 4, who had to be dragged kicking and screaming out of moving things out of London. I wonder also if the ongoing issue with a lack of studios may benefit the likes of Salford.
I would also say that, while it's not sexy, local is a huge opportunity for the BBC right now, given the reduction in local programming on TV and radio.
Given where we are, what ITV is delivering in terms of local news, politics shows and general shows coming from outside London (Emmerdale for Leeds, Coronation Street and other shows from Salford) is actually overdelivering in my eyes.
The only thing I can see the government can do is apply political pressure on broadcasters to decentralise, or stipulate that a certain percentage of programming should come from outside London. It seems to have worked on Channel 4, who had to be dragged kicking and screaming out of moving things out of London. I wonder also if the ongoing issue with a lack of studios may benefit the likes of Salford.
I would also say that, while it's not sexy, local is a huge opportunity for the BBC right now, given the reduction in local programming on TV and radio.