Radio Times Article in 'Comment' Posted Fri May 19 01:00:41 BST 2000 by Beccy

I thought this was quite interesting. Now, I realise this is extremely tragic, but when I was younger I did have a serious obsession with TV magazines. Each week I bought the RT, TV Times and What's on TV - it was just as the latter started.
I'm not quite sure what led to this exhibition of bad judgement, maybe I'd finished all my Enid Blyton books and was just desperate for something to read.
Anyhow, I totally agree that the RT has gone rapidly downhill (it is the only one I stuck with as it least it writes in proper sentances) - each time they have a re-vamp some key element that made it worth buying was scrapped - then, just as you say, the letters page would then be full of comments regarding the magazine itself - naturally with more in favour of the....improvements...?! I remember that debacle with the ages of the writers vividly - all so unnecessary. I had planned to write a letter recently regarding the loss of now not only the OSCARS, but also the film BAFTAs, to Sky - but then realised in time that it would have been worthless as almost everything has been lost to other channels now. Having said that, I do still put most of my faith with them over ITV.
I am continually frustrated with their Choice column inches - as you say - jumping on the band-wagon the most of the time - only to find it's already full of people who had faith in something from the start. But they also have the irritating habit of mauling a programme and deriding it yet have the gall to include under Critics Choice. Doesn't give one much faith in the critic. Or, therefore, the publication that condones such sloppy journalism. And Polly Toynbee needs a good slapping. And Sue Robinson. And I can't even begin to address Alison Graham.
The magazine becomes more and more sychophantic each time I buy it. Though I always do. It's still preferable to any other ones. Mainly becasue of the commitment to full credits in the listings, though I was disheartened to read somewhere - on this forum no doubt - that at RT they actually favour fading out writers and director credits or something. Damn the philistines!!!



Subject: Re: Radio Times Article in 'Comment' [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Anonymous on Fri May 19 06:53:41 BST 2000:

Beccy, did you ever 'do' "TV Quick"... that's the hardest one to give up...

Subject: Re: Radio Times Article in 'Comment' [ Previous Message ]
Posted By johnny banana on Fri May 19 09:12:05 BST 2000:

i don't understand why the radio times owned by the bbc sponsered something on itv are they both gonna gang up on sky or what or was it because money was mentioned to the bbc. Also what gets me is that the BBC make the tv licence go up every year but comedy programmes (except for they think its all over & have i got news for you which are getting old now) have gone down in quality that new on one friday coupling made me want to turn over to " Friday Night at the london paladium".

but i avoided temptation and turned oin to channel 7 on my tv and played my sega dreamcast- sorted

Subject: Re: Radio Times Article in 'Comment' [ Previous Message ]
Posted By RB on Fri May 19 10:48:24 BST 2000:

RT can spell "sentences", Beccy.
But I do agree. Heat is much better for a critical view of telly.

What I would like to see is the return of The Listener, but with TV listings. That was not possible when it was published. It was in the days pre-1991 when the BBC reserved theirs for RT and ITV/C4 for TVT.

The Listener had intelligent pieces (usually based around broadcasts) about a huge number of topics. Let's go upmarket.

Subject: Re: Radio Times Article in 'Comment' [ Previous Message ]
Posted By jason hazeley on Fri May 19 13:41:59 BST 2000:

one thing the lamentable (but i still buy it) radio times can stop doing is writing the 'choice' previews without having seen the fucking programmes. if i have to read 'preview tapes weren't available...' in a piece ostensibly about a given programme that the writer clearly hasn't seen (especially if they back up their non-starter writing with 'but, if recent episodes/the last series was anything to go by...') i might start behaving antisocially.

j xxx

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