Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Loada cod's

From the Irish Independent homepage this morning:
"HERE'S something I didn't expect to say: TV3 has a winner on its hands -- a home-produced programme that actually delivers the goods."

They go on to say:
"Granted that the formula has been lifted lock, stock and barrel from the US and UK versions of 'The Apprentice', the fact remains that the show pulls viewers in from the outset and holds their interest throughout."

Is it just me or is anyone else fed up with the habitual imitation of British and US television? While TV3 were running with the Apprentice rip-off, RTE 1 were at the same time showing their latest homage to the BBC with "Who Do You Think You Are?" - this time they didn't even change the title, that's been lifted directly also. Yes the BBC receive a tonne more cash from license fees with their larger population but seriously, I know for a fact that we have a fair share of talented media producers who are bound to have at least one or two decent ideas up their sleeves. There's bound to be some money rolling in from the advertising and sponsorship deals, where's it going? I used to pay my telly license but now I'm seriously thinking of a boycott. I'd rather have RTE 1 and 2 pulled from my telly than pay for bad copies of shows I can watch on stations that don't have advertising to get up my nose.

3 comments:

flynnduism said...

Good call Steph! Tuned into TV3 last night and while the show was neither here nor there, it was such a painful imitaion that you can't even try to view it on its own terms

Remember that woman from a prodcution company who talked to us in DCU about RTÉ's director of programming? At the end of the day it's all about lazy, uninspired commissions from the Irish broadcasters, spending way to much time analysing demographics and what people are watching on other channels to even try to anything remotely interesting with their own.

People will make the arguement that it's because their budgets are smaller in comparison to other channels, but that just doesn't wash with me - I'm sure the likes of the Apprentice and Who Do You Think You Are? aren't exactly cheap to make anyways, but god the whoel thing is so boring...

flynnduism said...

My spelling is just awful today!

Steph said...

Damn right she was, head of programming/scheduling seems to have far too much power and watches way too much BBC (well at least it shows he/she has some taste in telly). I'd throw the telly out the window but it's handy for a) the Wii and b) I do like a tasty documentary/film/Euronews the odd time