Message Boards

Gormenghast.......despite its shortcomings.

Dilly (July 7th) that Clayhanger done by ITV in 1877, was that in colour?

Oh yes, Barchester Chronicles.........Donald Pleasance and Alan Rickman were superb........and oh how I fancied Janet Maw!!!

Yes, I agree (though I am hardly likely to watch if programmes are ruined by surplus permanent screen graphics in the usual UKTV manner). The content of one or two other UKTV channels is somewhat weak and repetitive, so ditch them, and I think a channel dedicated to Geography (including all Earth Sciences) or maybe better a SCIENCE channel, to include all geography, the universe and "everything"! Human/economic/social geography might remain on the Documentary Channel.

Whatever our reasoning (yes; OURS....people who have to pay for the channels, but increasingly are no longer prepared to do so) UKTV (and other channels) reject it.

Have any UKTV watchers recently noticed that the likes of BBC3, BBC4, ITV2, ITV3, ITV4, E4, More4, FILM4 etc. are doing most of what UKTV tries to do FOR NOTHING, ON FREEVIEW, and although they are not completely free of graphic annoyance, those channels are doing the job BETTER THAN UKTV by a considerable margin.

ON SOME OCCASIONS EVEN THE STATIC CHANNEL GRAPHIC IS SWITCHED OFF SO THAT VIEWER ENJOYMENT IS UNFETTERED.

I hope advertisers watch these forums, and, as a result withdraw their sponsorship due to falling audience numbers.

Readers........please refer to similar threads on Planet UKTV, and UK Documentary message board........AND KEEP TELLING UKTV and others what is needed to win back viewers.

Kathbite62......there are similar threads on the UK Documentary Board, and a major thread on the UK Gold board in which DavidUKTV makes unconvincing and seemingly helpless replies to the many complaints about unnecessary permanent disfiguring graphics RUINING the material being transmitted.

Tonight, YET AGAIN, despite my complaint about the crass stupidity of it, on UK Drama throughout the crime drama which started at 9pm, UKTV STILL THINK IT IS CLEVER AND COOL AND HELPFUL AND ACCEPTABLE to add the words in capital letters "CRIME AT NINE" to the existing logo FOR THE WHOLE DURATION OF THE DRAMA.

DAVID YOU HAVE NEVER ANSWERED MY EARLIER DIRECT QUESTION; HOW DOES THAT MAKE THE TRANSMISSION BETTER AND MORE ENJOYABLE TO PAYING VIEWERS THAN IF IT WERE NOT THERE?

My subscription to most UKTV channels will cease shortly as I will rely on the basic slim package from Telewest, and Freeview. That will give me enough to watch and I will pay less, so will rely on future postings here to find out if any improvement is made. I shall drop a copy of this posting on the UKGOLD "Clutter" thread.

Hallo DVD-F !! I've been getting those too! It's all to do with getting extra graphics on our email system 'cos that will MAKE us watch more UKTV.....thought you'd know that. Any way we've got the thread back to the top of the pile again. Has UKTV taken ANY notice yet; (I haven't been watching it).

Actually, unfortunately, ALL TV broadcasters who are paid through advertisements CANNOT EFFECTIVELY transmit a drama superbly and expertly made, with sustained atmosphere and tension, or extended uninterrupted high quality acting. Whatever the directors/actors/film editors do to make a 60 or 90 (or 120) minute drama wonderful is ALWAYS ruined by the 4 minute break for adverts 3 or 4 times an hour.

UKTV JUST HAPPEN TO MAKE IT WORSE IN BETWEEN BY THEIR PERMANENT DISFIGUREMENT OF WHAT THE HIGHLY SKILLED MAKERS HAVE PRODUCED. IT'S NO USE RICHARD OR ANY OTHER UKTV REPRESENTATIVE ASSURING US THAT OUR VIEWS WILL BE PRESENTED TO APPROPRIATE PEOPLE AT APPROPRIATE TIMES.
WE HAVE TO PAY FOR HIS CHANNELS AND I DON'T THINK WE'LL BE DOING IT MUCH MORE.

UKTV IS JUST NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

It reminds me of several years ago when Classic FM had just started; apart from some crass blunders by a certain smug presenter who then laughed it off (having ruined some music), a particlarly fine performance of Bruckner's 7th Symphony was being broadcast, and after three of the four movements SUPERBLY performed an hour had gone by, so the announcer paused the recording, interrupted everything and announced that we were listening to....surprise surprise....BRUCKNER'S 7TH SYMPHONY!!!! The whole dramatic spell woven by Mr Dohnanyi who was conducting the orchestra was DESTROYED!!! Then the music carried on.

Note this, UKTV....I have NEVER gone back to Classic FM; good old BBC Radio 3 for me. I will never come back to UKTV while any permanent graphic messages get in the way of the programmes. UKTV, LISTEN AND LEARN......everyone reading these comments please look at the extensive thread almost begging UKTV to listen and react positively on the UKTV Gold message board.

Thank you David; that's what we need. I still hope new people add their response to this issue to keep the sentiment alive. If UKTV respond to all or most of the suggestions its output will be all the better for it and become a thoroughly enjoyable set of channels. Never mind various criticism about content on different message boards; that is another matter, and UKTV do provide a wide range of material. What CAN be done is to maximise the "enjoyability" factor of each channel at all times; YES THERE WILL BE COMMERCIAL BREAKS EVERY 15 OR 20 MINUTES, but if that is all......people can feel satisfied.

David, I would like you to post on this thread the response of the committees to whom you present our opinions; whether it be "get lost" or "we will make some adjustments to our policy from (date)."

This red spot business....on my Telewest remote control, pressing the blue button zaps the red spot. On my Sony remote controlling freeview, pressing the green button does it. Not much help when we are recording a programme for viewing later.

I only briefly watch UKTV at present, to monitor what is going on and to help me comment on this message board. I was blessed the other evening with:

UKTV
DRAMA
CRIME AT NINE

Wow! Thank you DavidUKTV and Co. but I really did not really need a permanent message telling that it was past my bedtime, and that the drama was actually of the crime genre! (a) I can read a clock/my various equipment tells me the exact time constantly; (b) I realised within less than 60 seconds what kind of drama I was watching.

Sorry to lean towards the sarcastic, but can UKTV not see that all this kind of thing detracts from the superb efforts most actors/producers contribute to achieve high artistic standards, which UKTV clearly likes to plunder, then spoil.

Yes. other channels (including BBC/ITV etc) have issues to address which also detract from artist(e)s' work but NOT PERMANENTLY SPLATTERED ACROSS THE SCREEN while the programmes progress.

We wouldn't get far on "Just a Minute" (repetition,repetition etc!) but I am looking forward to the results (if only partiallly successful) of UKTV policy makers' response to DavidUKTV putting all our comments to them.

"I understand that for the some of the people involved in this thread, the hatred of ANY kind of messages along these lines means that they'll actively stop watching UKTV. Now obviously we don't want to lose viewers on any scale, but I can't foresee us abandoning these messages in the immediate future for the reasons mentioned above."

These were the words of DavidUKTV above (9 May)!!!!

This arrogance; dismissal, and disregard of what many viewers consider a serious shortcoming in UKTV policy;..........David, you tell me......how do the words "SUMMER NIGHTS OF COMEDY" onscreen for HOURS enhance your product? We "surfers" know pretty rapidly what the genre of each channel is; we have EPG and i buttons for info.......we've found what we want...UK Gold old comedy.....wonderful....AAAAAAAAAAHHH!!! it is ruined by permanent graffiti/detritus/graphics often covering the faces of players and spoiling programme makers' carefully composed pictures which often have some "aside" happening near the top left edges.

I apologize for repetition, but until action, and better considered response appears, that is what will happen.

DVDfever......I wondered what was happening. I got multiple "new post alerts" last night and nothing appeared the messageboard. That "close at 10pm" message I hadn't seen before yesterday, and it is not onscreen at this moment.

This post is a direct "lift" from my recent comment on the UK Documentary forum.

There is an extended dialogue "raging" on the UKGold forum on this subject, so please (everyone who likes their programmes UN-spoiled by graphic intrusion) keep this one boiling so that DavidUKTV can keep telling the powers-that-be who fix UKTV policy, that their output will be IMPROVED and MORE POPULAR by really outperforming other lesser channels simply by abandoning ALL programme defacing detritus.

Dismissing the opinions of the people who have the sense to communicate, and "pressing on" would seem very reminiscent of the actions of most politicians who dismiss anything that does not fit their dogma of the time.....until forced to back down when it becomes clear they will lose votes, or even office, by not doing so.........then it is often too late. UKTV, the process has begun.....

This post is a direct "lift" from my recent comment on the UK Documentary forum.

There is an extended dialogue "raging" on the UKGold forum on this subject, so please (everyone who likes their programmes UN-spoiled by graphic intrusion) keep this one boiling so that DavidUKTV can keep telling the powers-that-be who fix UKTV policy, that their output will be IMPROVED and MORE POPULAR by really outperforming other lesser channels simply by abandoning ALL programme defacing detritus.

Dismissing the opinions of the people who have the sense to communicate, and "pressing on" would seem very reminiscent of the actions of most politicians who dismiss anything that does not fit their dogma of the time.....until forced to back down when it becomes clear they will lose votes, or even office, by not doing so.........then it is often too late. UKTV, the process has begun.....

Lucky you, Kathy!! Concise and factual.

There is an extended dialogue "raging" on the UKGold forum on this subject, so please (everyone who likes their programmes UN-spoiled by graphic intrusion) keep this one boiling so that DavidUKTV can keep telling the powers-that-be who fix UKTV policy, that their output will be IMPROVED and MORE POPULAR by really outperforming other lesser channels simply by abandoning ALL programme defacing detritus.

Dismissing the opinions of the people who have the sense to communicate, and "pressing on" would seem very reminiscent of the actions of most politicians who dismiss anything that does not fit their dogma of the time.....until forced to back down when it becomes clear they will lose votes, or even office, by not doing so.........then it is often too late. UKTV, the process has begun.....

BlairBabe.......click on "contact us" at the bottom of this page and tell 'em. (Please tell me you don't look like Cherie......like an ostrich!)

Hallo again David. How about Porterhouse Blue? (with David Jason and no added graphics clutter spoiling the drama!!)

OK, a small post I added has got lost, so just to say that as long as UKTV are considering what appears on this forum, the forum is succeeding in its purpose. UKTV should always view viewers views thoughtfully (!!). Keep at'em David!

Check out the reply by UKTV on the UK Gold forum concerning these and similar comments. DavidUKTV gives UKTV's view, but never really answers the suggestion that all this promotion CAN be achieved (as do standard terrestrial channels) WITHIN the four (or so) commercial breaks in each hour, or why UKTV needs to make their product actually INFERIOR to the terrestrial channels when they are trying to get us not to watch those channels. It is possible to match ITV and Channels 4 and 5 without the permanent surplus graphics. It will not do to say that cable/sat channels should not be compared to the "big" five. On viewing service that is EXACTLY what they are being compared with!

Mmmmm. There's a thing. I haven't seen this "Navigation Compass" yet......Why?.........I HAVEN'T BEEN WATCHING! during the evening. Don't advertisers pay the highest fees at primetime? - and UKTV are losing viewers?

DAVIDUKTV!!

Thank very much you for your response; was it to my posts here and on UK Documentary and Planet UK.....or to the emails I sent to "management" about a month ago? You just caught me before I was about to report another "travesty" which happens to have been on UK Style lastweek, but as the whole principle applies to all UK channels I'll bend a rule and do it here. Sorry "Gold" readers!

"More often than not people tend not to mind".......I've seen one posting by someone who doesn't notice, and one other who had a go at me but actually agrees basically with what I am saying. Where are the posts arguing with me and saying, "please keep all this extra clutter?" Several posts agree with me.

Really David, you don't need to put messages about the channel PERMANENTLY. There are 4 minute (or longer) programme breaks every 15 minutes for adverts and you can do all your promotion then. We accept these breaks (even if we don't like them!) on a commercial channel. Your logo (except for UK Documentary...too long and too big....why not grey it down slightly and call it UKDoc.....we would understand I promise).

Which brings me to these travesties last week:

UKTV
STYLE + 1
NEW! Extreme Makeover
Home Edition
3 Days to Go

David......FIVE LINES almost halfway across my screen and a third of the way down???? I cannot agree with you that that is discreet. It's almost like taking the Mickey.

UKTV
STYLE GARDENS
We love Alan Weekend

After 5 minutes we stop loving seeing that, never mind hour after hour after hour. That is not discreetly informing people. The viewer who loves Alan will already be watching. The viewer who doesn't can watch anyway and decide whether to continue.

Channel 5 started with a bright logo, dimmed it then ditched it.
BBC3 and BBC4 turn it off during films some dramas and concerts, as does ITV4 (and , I think More 4)
For a discreet logo with no ADDED clutter, look at Men and Motors Channel (if you can bear the content!).
Channels 1-4 don't do it (except, it seems to "humour children into thinking the kids' channels are "cool".)

These illustrate concern that the viewing experience should be unspoiled as far as possible.

Why not change all UK word logos into a genuine recognisable "icon" logos with minimal additions, in a pastel unobtrusive colour? (But don't make the same mistake as The Sci-Fi channel.....a super Saturn logo, now spoiled by the kind of things I have been going on about with UK TV.)


Once again, thanks for replying, David. Please put my suggestions to your broadcast controllers. For every one who takes the trouble to inform you, there may be dozens who just switch over, (and I am contemplating reducing my paid package, which will eliminate most UK TV channels).


p.s. Can you get "Sapphire and Steel" on to UK Gold for me?

Can you find us that rather touching rendition of Silas Marner from the late 80s with Ben Kingsley and the overlush but moving music by Carl Davis? Never saw it repeated.

TRAVELLING MAN.

OK, so let's make it quite clear to the people who decide on this issue, that the majority of viewers probably do accept a discreet logo as part of the territory, but it has to be brought to the attention of TV channel policy makers on these message boards and by direct mailing, that all the extra stuff we have been discussing does not enhance the broadcast material; it spoils, and viewers do not like it. ( I have seen no posts from people who actually favour it.)

I have contacted UKTV (and a few other broadcasters!) directly with my views, and the more people who do the same, here AND directly, the better, whether or not they agree with me.

There I rest my case......thanks for your responses.

Yes Mr. Cyphr..........we ALL tune in for the programme, NOT the logo, and if only the logo was there we would probably tolerate it, BUT ALL THE EXTRA RUBBISH disfigures the screen and the quality of the transmission. It is not necessary. The FOUR lines of Logo + extra words on UK Gold tonight is another example.

UK GOLD management: I have just switched off UK Gold Channel.

Why have you added the words COMEDY SUPERHEROES in capital letters a quarter of the way across the top of my screen, making your permanent disfigurement of the transmission now into FOUR LINES? Your channel is becoming unwatchable.

Advertisers please note!!

Repeat: Permanent disfigurement of the transmission. UNACCEPTABLE.

Oh dear! The first two messages on the thread leading to your topic "PATIENCE..." seem to have become erased so people can't see to what you are responding, (or to what I was referring!!!) You make your points.....I'll make mine (grammatically written and accurately spelt) but I will leave mine on display for consideration by those who agree, or disagree, without posts insulting people's literacy or criticising their decisions not to respond to your ideas.

I do not believe for one moment that it is necessary to have well made programmes ruined for the viewers by the size and intrusiveness of the logo.
The word "Documentary" is a long one, and in large white capitals stretches a quarter the way across a standard sized screen. Heaven help us if the ridiculous practice (Seen on other UK TV channels) of additionally plastering the complete website address permanently onto the programmes is introduced!

I turn the channel off.

UK TV, if you MUST have a logo, invent a SMALL discreet graphic which can be put discreetly in the corner of the screen in LOW contrast, so that viewers can enjoy the programmes without being perpetually irritated by unnecessary advertising. There is PLENTY of time between programmes for promoting your channel.

Let me know when you apply these principles to ALL your channels, and I'll start looking at them more often.

I've just found this thread, having started up a very similar one on UK Gold. I have also sent a complaint with suggestions direct to UK TV through the website. Come on folks; we need about 1000 people to bombard the broadcasters with opinions and asking for this practice to stop.

UK TV
STYLEGARDENS
uktvstylegardens.co.uk

plastered over my screen (nearly halfway across a 4:3 screen!)
is something which makes me turn to another broadcaster.

UKTV haven't answered on this topic. Let's hope they get the message soon. I have asked them to use discreet low contrast logos (if they MUST) and I also suggest ALL long words be abandoned. Our modern TV tuners tell us what channel we are on. UKTV. YOU ARE LOSING VIEWERS. Let's know what you are going to do about it, please.

Hallo Richard............do you have access to the series "Travelling Man" formerly shown on ITV, and "Sapphire and Steel"?...a great "escapist" tongue in cheek fantasy series. I really want to see them again.

Does anyone think we could persuade UK TV (and other broadcasters) to stop adding unnecessary words to their logos, which are left on throughout programmes and which are distracting and annoying, thoroughly spoiling our viewing.[link]
[Frown]

For instance, I am really fed up with seeing the words "BIG NIGHT IN" plastered over my screen on UK Gold on a Saturday night. This is not needed; UK Gold do plenty of trailing of their programmes; they don't need to tell us PERMANENTLY while we are actually responding to and watching their output![link]
[Angry]

Also, the UK Channels with long names, which intrude a third or more across the screen in large white capitals.....and then add a long website address ....ALL THE TIME!!.......surely they can be persuaded to adopt a DISCREET UK logo with a small motif appropriate to the channel content. THEY SHOULD DROP THE WEBSITE ADDRESS COMPLETELY and give it out between programmes and during trailers and other advertising. Heaven forbid that UK Gold should start doing it! [link]
[Roll Eyes]

This "Grumpy Old Man" likes much of the UK content, but he often swithces off when the ouput is thoroughly ruined by what he calls " copying lesser channels of the American variety".

Aaaaaaaaaaaah....that's better!