Like it or not our society is and will continue to be influenced by American culture. Our politicians will adopt policies which have worked or proved successful in the US, our judges will consider compelling arguments in US cases when making their rulings, and programme concepts which have worked in America will seep through into British television.

Even if you were so inclined I don't think you could prevent this by not showing American programmes, regardless of whether the viewing public sees US TV the programme makers over here will certainly watch it, and ideas which work will be copied. We could not have avoided Trisha by not showing Jerry Springer and Big Brother demonstrates that even if we don't import the programme we'll import the concept. If you've ever seen American versions of British TV series' I'm sure you'll agree that it's far better to have the original than make do with a pale imitation.

I'm not at all convinced you're right to be worried, we've been assimilating bits of American culture into our own for a long time now, and I don't think it's done us any harm. We have a strong cultural identity, and it isn't lessened by the fact that Star Wars, Casablanca, The A Team and Dawson's Creek are now embedded in our own pop culture.

Which do you think is the more positive influence on our society in general: The West Wing, or Footballer's Wives? I accept that this is a loaded and slightly unfair question, but my point is simply that we produce a respectable amount of junk ourselves, do you really feel that it's damaging to our society for us to import some of the good shows produced in America?

However, if you're still worried, take solace in this, you accept that the vast majority of programming on channels 1-5 is British. The percentage of Audience share in August for each channel was as follows:

BBC 1 (incl. Brkfast News) 21.4%
BBC 2 9.9%
ITV (incl. GMTV) 19.2%
CHANNEL 4/S4C 12.5%
five 6.4%
TOTAL 69.4%
Other Channels 30.6%

Source: BARB

We still spend 70% of our time watching the 5 main channels, and they show predominantely British programmes.

It'll still be an awfully long time before we can hear someone say "God bless America" without sniggering.

quote:

Originally posted by bayman:

I pay Sky £56 a month for their programming. I think I have an absolute right to complain or give input to the programmes I pay for!!!!!!!!!!

Of course you do, but they're more likely to listen if you and others like you stop paying for a service you're dissatisfied with.

Market forces are going to dictate what both Sky and Channel 4 show, so if you don't like what they're showing (and if other people agree) then don't watch and don't subscribe, they aren't going to fight for your business if they're already getting it.

I can't find a combination of Sky packages which costs £56 - if you get every package it still only comes to £42.50/month (Source:sky.com)

Since you don't like their entertainment channels you must subscribe for the Sports, and you can get those for £34 a month. If you can get by without those too then you'll save yourself £672 a year.

Incedentally, if you have Sky for the Movies then drop it right now and go to somewhere like lovefilm.com instead, that way you get to see the films you want instead of the films someone else chooses.

quote:

Originally posted by PhilJ:
Of course you do, but they're more likely to listen if you and others like you stop paying for a service you're dissatisfied with.

Life would be so simple if you always get to choose what you pay for with these companies. If I (and people like me, of course) could select which channels I receive and only pay for them then my subscription to Sky would be a lot less and a lot of the channels would go out of business! They know that and that's why there is the 'entrance fee'.

I am well aware that once Sky capture you they do not feel it necessary to do anything more to keep you - which in itself is crazy as it costs them more to recruit than to retain a customer. Sky's marketing policy has always been 'new customers only' but, hopefully the NTL takeover of Telewest will make a viable alternative and wake them up to the need for better customer service/value for money!

As you seem so interested in how I can spend £56 a month with Sky then I will break it down for you.

Firstly you made the mistake of thinking I watch in isolation.

I have the Sky+ package and, instead of just giving them £10 a month for their development fund, I take the Sky Sports package as well. = £36

+ 2 Sky multirooms for the other members of my family = £10 each

quote:

Originally posted by PhilJ:

We still spend 70% of our time watching the 5 main channels, and they show predominantely British programmes.

You state your case well but I feel you are still missing much of my intial point. I certainly would be all for the best of US TV appearing on British TV - but my complaint is that channels that could dust off the archives of British shows sitting in the vaults prefer, instead, to show US shows. If another ABC channel appeared I wouldn't expect anything more than US shows to be broadcast on it and, therefore, I would not be disappointed.

It would be so nice if one of the major independent channels launched a channel that celebrated their own riches - I lived in hope that ITV4 would be it but alas it's programming schedule is even more US biased than More4. ITV3 has come the closest but still heavily relies upon US Dramas during the weekday schedules.

As for BARB - do you seriously believe that the viewing habits of (circa) 2,000 people accurately reflects what our nation watches? 40% of them watch Coronation Street and so they announce a 12 million viewing figure? Extrapolation gone mad!

As for the 30% watching "other" channels - 15 years ago that figure was 0.

quote:

Originally posted by bayman:

As for BARB - do you seriously believe that the viewing habits of (circa) 2,000 people accurately reflects what our nation watches?

Well yes, yes I do. Taking the CIA's number of 60,441,457* people in the UK, and using a stratified sample as BARB does means that with a sample size of 2,000 we can be 90% certain that the margin of error is less than 2%, and we can be 99% certain that the margin of error is less than 3%.

When looking at the minor channels this means that their figures should be taken with a pinch of salt, but their figures for the 5 main channels should be pretty good.

quote:

Originally posted by bayman:

I certainly would be all for the best of US TV appearing on British TV - but my complaint is that channels that could dust off the archives of British shows sitting in the vaults prefer, instead, to show US shows.

More4's doing both! Glancing through this week's schedule, they're showing Dispatches, Time Team**, Father Ted and Bremner, Bird & Fortune. I don't think there's any real doubt that they intend to repeat some of their past documentaries, and we'll doubtless get to see other things from 4's back-catalogue as time goes by.

But I think they have the balance right at the moment, I think that cherry-picking critically acclaimed shows from the US is a positive thing to do, and I feel that More4 is the first of the new digital channels that is genuinely able to compete with the big five for my attention.

*You have to wonder why they give such an exact number.
**May be a new series rather than repeats, I'm not sure.

quote:

Originally posted by PhilJ:
Well yes, yes I do. Taking the CIA's number of 60,441,457* people in the UK, and using a stratified sample as BARB does means that with a sample size of 2,000 we can be 90% certain that the margin of error is less than 2%, and we can be 99% certain that the margin of error is less than 3%.

Blimey, sounds like an episode of Reggie Perrin :-)

Enjoy More4 if it is to your liking but, as you said in a different post, we are at polar opposites on this.

In my opinion the vast majority of British progrmas are useless,I even though Extras was terrible. Most good shows come from the US (as well as A LOT of bad ones),but at the end of the day it is quality not quantity. You said the opposite. I would rather get good american shows than a lot of bad British shows. The West Wing on More4 is a new season. I have never seen the first 2 seasons of the sopranos so I will get to watch them as well. Curb Your Enthusiasim is an hilarious comedy,funnier than even the Office IMO. There are some good shows on this channel,even if they are mostly non-British. Like I said,Id prefer the good american ones to the bad British shows.

quote:

Originally posted by Eoin (Owen):
In my opinion the vast majority of British progrmas are useless.

Enjoy your progrmas (Welsh spelling?!)

quote:

Originally posted by bayman:

quote:

Originally posted by Eoin (Owen):
In my opinion the vast majority of British progrmas are useless.

Enjoy your progrmas (Welsh spelling?!)

The welsh for programme is 'Rhaglen'. Jus cos you two are not getting on dont drag the Welsh into it!!

quote:

Originally posted by bayman:

quote:

Originally posted by PhilJ:

We still spend 70% of our time watching the 5 main channels, and they show predominantely British programmes.

You state your case well but I feel you are still missing much of my intial point. I certainly would be all for the best of US TV appearing on British TV - but my complaint is that channels that could dust off the archives of British shows sitting in the vaults prefer, instead, to show US shows.

Such as?

I'll start the ball rolling by suggesting GBH. Made back when Ch4 gave a sh*t!

Paul

quote:

Originally posted by paulellis:
[
Such as?

I'll start the ball rolling by suggesting GBH. Made back when Ch4 gave a sh*t!

Paul

Thank you Paul, for making me feel I am not championing a lost cause.

GBH would be top of my list followed by A Very British Coup, Porterhouse Blue, Prospects, The Price, Chance in a Million and of, course, The Comic Strip Presents. I would even welcome a re-run of Desmonds and Relative Strangers!

As long as the programme is good, I don't care where it comes from... I would rather watch a good foreign produced show than medicre UK fare that is meeting a quota.

quote:

Originally posted by Winters:
As long as the programme is good, I don't care where it comes from... I would rather watch a good foreign produced show than medicre UK fare that is meeting a quota.

Nobody is suggesting More4 meet any quotas!

quote:

Originally posted by bayman:

quote:

Originally posted by Eoin (Owen):
In my opinion the vast majority of British progrmas are useless.

Enjoy your progrmas (Welsh spelling?!)

Ye,that's pretty much what I expected from you...oh no,I made a typing error,not a spelling mistake,how shall I ever live with myself.

quote:

Originally posted by Eoin (Owen):

Ye,that's pretty much what I expected from you...oh no,I made a typing error,not a spelling mistake,how shall I ever live with myself.

After you described the vast majority of British programmes as "useless" you lost all credibility and any further discussion of your points were worthless.

Picking you up on a typo was pretty crass so I will give you that.

everyone entitles to their opinion

quote:

Originally posted by bala:
everyone entitles to their opinion

Sure they are but it was too extreme for me to consider a response less fatuous!

quote:

Originally posted by bayman:

quote:

Originally posted by PhilJ:

It's really not - he's making the same point I am, it's quality that matters, not where the programme was made.

Aaargh - no he is not!!!!

The channels you mention are under a quota to ensure more British shows than anything else - THANK GOD!

My point is not the quality of the shows but the quantity!!

This IS the United Kingdom and, inevitably, the output of our television reflects and influences our society. I do not want to live in the USA neither do I want the values and attitudes of that country to inturde on my life as often as they do. Give me more choice as a Briton not an American, give me more choice as a subscriber to Sky or whatever .. OTHER THAN AMERICAN!!!!

i love Chinese food ..does that make me a communist?

quote:

Originally posted by bandOFbrothers:

i love Chinese food ..does that make me a communist?

Stick to the prawn balls!

quote:

Originally posted by PhilJ:
If we're having repeats I'd like to see Mark Thomas, Ultraviolet and Brass Eye repeated.

Incidentally, if you go to www.uknova.com you can download many of the shows you listed.

Thanks Phil I'll give them a try - assuming C4 don't close them down before I get there ;-)