The morning line – New format – reaction

[Maxilon 5]

I think Tanya has her merits but was very disappointed recently when her wish for racing in 2011 was to see regulations put in place that prevented gambles from taking place on unexposed horses.

Welcome aboard the Skylark, Mark TT. Had the Morning Line producers stuck a bearskin-topped microphone in my face as I sat on the new bleachers wearing my Dancing Brave silks and asked me the same question, I’d have probably agreed. The victory of Jack’s Revenge was by some way the most irritating event of last week. But that’s a subject for another thread.

Pete, I think horse racing can beat most of its problems, but it can’t survive the consequences of an ageing audience. We’ve somehow got to get the next generation enthused. I think we can all agree on that.

Every psychologist on the planet has found that like attracts like (well, duh!), and if we’re going to attract younger people, we need younger presenters and, by extension, a younger-looking show. I appreciate your point that this doesn’t have to be the ML though.

[joking1953]

Oh its the same old same old, why fix something if it ain’t broke? I watched the new all singing-dancing Morning Line 2 weeks ago and hoped that just maybe they would have dropped some of the froth by yesterday..fat chance! Why does an update always include fancy-pants graphics and irrelevant segways? OK – aim for a younger audience perhaps ( unlikely as they are probably all in bed after a good Friday night out…) but please give them a bit of credence to be able to concentrate on a programme that is comparatively no-frills and just informative. Where are the Charity Bets? Where’s Barry the Bismark? What’s the score with that b****y stupid quizz: Top Gear this ain’t! It just fills me with despair that this incredibly good team are lumbered with all this nonsense.

[Black Sam Bellamy]

Some opinions on this thread I can’t have. Soccer AM has been dead on its feet for years ! Same gags time after time.

Morning Line is OK for what it is. It’s watchable for the most part. At the end of the day its a program designed to preview the live racing on C4 later that day. New or old format, there’s only a limited number of ways you can do this.

[Oasisdreamer]

I’d dispute whether they need Matt Dawson but the feature on P Nicholls is very interesting, just a shame it’s so short, they could make a 2 hour programme on a yard like his that would interest me and many others – racing or non racing fans.

It would give a good insight into the work done in yards and how the horses don’t just magically apppear magically at the racecourse.

I still question why they need Tanya to read out the betting moves 3 times in 55 mins, and what is the point of the hack tip?

They should maintain a league table of the virtual betting banks and air it every week.

[anthonycutt]

I agree with Black Sam in Soccer AM, it’s not as good as it used to be.

And I was also wondering about the ‘virtual bank’ thing they’re doing. Are they all such rubbish tipsters that they daren’t show their scores?

[Anonymous]

You have to wonder if some of them are pally with people high up at Channel 4, very much like the Most Haunted fiasco with all the fans crying for them to change the personel but nothing ever happend and it latter perspired that the team were pretty much all relatives and done what they wanted.

What do you think their job descriptions and person specifications are people?

Let’s assume that their seats are all empty the studio lights are off and the heatings yet to come on, we know whose going to fill the seats but can you write their job description.

Seat 1

Channel 4 Racing are looking for an expieranced reader of Betfair odds, you’ll ideally be able to investigate the market, deliver vital market information to public every 20 minutes, check if the price is better than the bookies and occasionaly get a word in edgeways on course repeating your morning information.

Your job roles will include;

– Wait to be asked a question
– Look at markets
– Find a market positive
– Find a market negative

Salary £65,000 P/A

[Maxilon 5]

Viz

ain’t as good as it used to be, chaps. The jury is out on the seventh series of "Hustle". And whatever you do, don’t mention the disastrous fourth series of "The IT Crowd."

Nothing retains it’s lustre forever. It’s the

model

I’m interested in. The clips. The bleachers. The inclusion. The celebrity interviews. The speed. The bright colours. The spacious sofas. And Hells Bells.

[Oasisdreamer]

I had a chuckle yesterday when they went to the hack tip – Will Hayler i think it was. Tanya was so delighted that a "friend" was on the line and she was let off her leash to have a conversation with him. The rest of the programme she has to sit there and listen and read the market movers – it’s as if she knows it’s a crap job but oh well the money ain’t too shabby.

Tbh apart from some obvious issues I think the programme is ok.

[Anonymous]

Viz

ain’t as good as it used to be, chaps. The jury is out on the seventh series of "Hustle". And whatever you do, don’t mention the disastrous fourth series of "The IT Crowd."

Nothing retains it’s lustre forever. It’s the

model

I’m interested in. The clips. The bleachers. The inclusion. The celebrity interviews. The speed. The bright colours. The spacious sofas. And Hells Bells.

I’m quite enjoying the current series of Hustle, even if Friday’s episode was a little shy on the intensity front.

[Wallow]

I don’t like the changes which look and feel manufactured for the sake of it but I have to admit to never being a Morning Line fan.

It has always been and still is dominated by ego. If you are driven to be in front of a camera I guess you have a big ego, which unfortunately gets in the way of the horses and racing.

The only time I have ever seen racing features presented in a way where the subject matter has come first is the days of Julian Wilson on the BBC.

The BBC was so important in gaining a new audience for racing as viewers chanced upon the sport during their everyday viewing.

The Morning Line is preaching to the converted.

[Racing Daily]

I think Tanya has her merits but was very disappointed recently when her wish for racing in 2011 was to see regulations put in place that prevented gambles from taking place on unexposed horses. Seriously ?!!!! Is that your wish for the sport which needs major rejuvenation ?!!!

I completely disagree. I can’t think of one thing that would detract a noob from the game more than the thought that it is completely bent, with the full blessing of the BHA.
We see it as a ‘good, old fashioned coup’, people not as accustomed to the game’s nuances see it as plain, old fashioned cheating.
A row of duckeggs followed by three facile wins within a week, by some old duffer rated 54, gives the game a bad smell to those who see FOBTs as the future of gambling. FOBTs don’t play the BHA for mugs. You put a tenner in and get £6 out. Simples.

[anthonycutt]

I was just thinking, if they want to attract a younger audience, they should poach some of the presenters from At The Races.

Gina Bryce, Tony Ennis etc then I remembered that The Morning Line is made by Highflyer, the same as Racing UK & they’re a bit short in the spring chicken department by the looks of things.

By the by, when did ATR last update their ‘presenter profiles’?
If Matt Chapman is 34 then I must still be in my pram!

[Maxilon 5]

Do you know Anthony, I wrote a post about ATR last night which is uncannily like yours, but I erased it as off topic.

Now

there

is a format approaching it’s sell-by date. Booth. Ads. Morecambe and Wise/Bob Cooper at the course. Booth. E-mail. Ads. Booth. Review. Booth. Claustrophobia city or what.

The last time I looked, TVG, who inspired the cramped booth model, had moved to a Mock The Week style panel broadcast. Personally, I’d go for a spacious corner unit and laptop set up:

"Now, back to the King of Preparation himself, Sir Bob, at Chepstow. Only kidding, Robert!"

I suppose if you ever do get work as a pony pundit, you’ve got yourself a billet for life, as Mr Wilson points out. Some of these presenters have been going since the Racing Channel. The Morning Line and RUK (Highflyer?) ditto. It’s like Croydon Borough Council. You have to be carried out in a pine box.

[Author]

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