The Newsroom

London Live

announce News presenters (December 2013)

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BR
Brekkie
Mouseboy33 posted:
Frankly I dont know what the big fuss is all. Classic tv is great. I dont have a problem with it. Who doesnt like nostalgia? The expectation that viewers have of local tv is completely off kilter. You cant do 100% local productions on commercial tv. Its unrealistic to think that is a profitable reality. Its not and never will be. People have been watching Friends reruns for years. Ehh. Get over 100% local productions. Its simply not profitable. The issue is the local productions should be centered on News and Information which LL is sorely lacking in that department. When these stations launched they should have tamped down the idea of 100% local productions. Syndicated and re-runs, classic movies are the only truly successful model for commercial local tv with some local shows thrown in the mix. Unless you plan on launching a bunch of public access channels, which aside from LL and STV, the other stations seem to be doing and have varying results. ITs not sustainable to do all local productions.

Agree they can't be 100% local but the issue is such "classic" TV is well catered for by a couple of hundred other channels which haven't been offered part of the licence fee to get going.

The times don't surprise me though - you find quite often that outside the minor channels the peaks are often off-peak. It's not too surprising when you think about it that people are more likely to channel hop out of primetime.
SD
SuperDave
If you look at the ratings over a period of time, the problem for London Live is they have no regular 'winners' - either programmes or timeslots. They're building no regular audience.

I'm certainly not saying that all local stations must have 100% local programming either. On the contrary. But I do believe that if a channel commits to say 8 hours of local programming per day, 3 of which will be in primetime, then they should deliver this. The local programming is their USP.

Incidentally, now London Live are into their second year, the 8 hour daily local commitment has increased to 9.
MO
Mouseboy33
The problem is most of these channels are simply incapable of delivering 8 hours of quality local programming. They have to pick their battles. And frankly no one is going to watch a local cookery or dry debate show in primetime(7-10pm). Its not going to happen. You simply will be burning off programming that gets little to no ratings therefore, no advertising. Hence no money. Thats the reality. Thats where counter-programming is your friend. Primetime is quite possible the worst time to schedule local productions. In an ideal world thats were you'd like to put it, but frankly no one is going to flip over to watch it.

In my market, a local independent channel feature an extremely popular locally produced 3 hour female focus morning show chat show (6-9am). Its very well produced. On another channel they feature a network-quality local talk show with a studio audience that airs 11am.

Counter programming is the key. Not trying to compete in Primetime.
SD
SuperDave
I agree, most may not be capable of producing that amount of quality local programming (although there clearly are some exceptions), but we're talking specifically London here.

When London Live won the licence, they committed to this amount of programming and have spent most of their first year on air trying to get out of it.
LL
London Lite Founding member
Just to update the weekend time for the lunchtime news bulletins.

Saturday: 1300
Sunday: 1200 (as now)
MO
Mouseboy33
SuperDave posted:
When London Live won the licence, they committed to this amount of programming and have spent most of their first year on air trying to get out of it.

Exactly, because it was never financially feasible. And it was less than smart to think it was sustainable. And unrealistically for anyone to expect that it would be. When they announced the cutbacks in original programming, it didnt surprise me in the least. I thought i would have come sooner frankly. They spent and lost of money producing too many local productions, rather than narrowing their focus on news. They tried to do too much out the gate. They over promised and failed. News, if done correctly and aggressively, can be a ratings cash cow. Poor LL. Now if they can find a syndie/rerun/movie mix that works in primetime, they can stablize the ratings and actually run the channel within their means. IMO OFCOM needs to loosen the adv strangle hold on these stations. Frankly they simply cant be held to the same adv constraints that the networks are. ( I realize that statement may ruffle some feathers) Plus there must be new accurate way of measuring audiences than BARB, its been stated that system isnt set up to measure local ratings..then get one.

Frankly I think these stations should collab and pool resources and wade into the MIPCOM waters and buy some first run programming to mix with their local stuff and stop trying to do 100% local.
BR
Brekkie
What are the ad rules for local TV - is it 7 mins an hour like the PSBs or 9 mins like the digital channels?
LL
London Lite Founding member
Brekkie posted:
What are the ad rules for local TV - is it 7 mins an hour like the PSBs or 9 mins like the digital channels?


From the DCMS document, a new framework for local tv in the UK.

Quote:
Advertising
1.29 If local TV is broadcast using localised GI spectrum, an additional advertising
opportunity is available for local TV. The EU Audiovisual Media Services
Directive (AVMS) directive10 contains a provision that allows member states to
dis-apply the advertising minutage rule that normally applies to most television
broadcast services.

1.30 If a service is not receivable outside of a member state‘s borders, then
advertising minutage restrictions (i.e. the number of minutes per hour during
which advertising can be shown) do not apply. Local TV services broadcasting
on DTT using GI spectrum multiplexes will be able to take advantage of this and
maximise the opportunities of increased advertising minutage. It will be a matter
for those providers to balance the minutage for advertising with sufficiently high
quality programming content to maximise revenues and equally appeal to
audiences.

1.31 If those local services choose to broadcast on a satellite platform which is
receivable outside of the UK, then the AVMS rules would apply. In this case, the
local service would need to simulcast a different version of their service with no
more than 12 minutes of advertising per hour to comply with European rules.

1.32 In order for the AVMS minutage rule to be dis-applied for local services, Ofcom
will need to consult on and then amend its guidance. This will be part of the
wider Ofcom process which will follow the making of the local TV orders.
BR
Brekkie
So basically up to 12 minutes an hour if they're on satellite, potentially more if not. I suspect many though probably struggle to sell the airtime as it is so that should keep the number of ads in check. I don't think anyone else has watched a local channel long enough to actually get to the ad break to see how long it is.
SD
SuperDave
I see LL are giving old Ealing b&w movies a try at the weekends. Certainly different, especially at 7pm. Haven't seen any promos for them yet though.
LL
London Lite Founding member
SuperDave posted:
I see LL are giving old Ealing b&w movies a try at the weekends. Certainly different, especially at 7pm. Haven't seen any promos for them yet though.


I hope they'll show Passport to Pimlico. My favourite Ealing film.
SD
SuperDave
Classic. The ones billed so far are melodramas including 1948's Film of Year!

On another point I see Made in Chelsea is taking a break the week after next to be replaced by another E4 show Dirty Sexy Things.

Finally, Saturday's news moves back to Midday from the 18th. Not sure of the reasons behind its move this weekend.

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