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Ted is becoming a bit of a grouchy character these days.
Graham Cunningham also seems to be losing a bit of patience with some of the less knowledgable characters in the cast. During a debate on Sat’s Morning Line (can’t remember the details) he challenged Alice Plunkett to ‘name one’ in a spiky riposte which challenged one of the all-too-familiar uncorroborated-by-evidence statements often presented as fact by certain members of the team. (She couldn’t btw!)
I mentioned in a post the other week that he seemed to be struggling not to straighten Fitz on a few points of the niceties of form and it’ll be interesting to see if he can curb that natural edge he has.
It is a tough act – trying to appeal to everyone, and we should be very grateful that the sport gets the level of media coverage it does (many sports would kill for the media hours racing enjoys) and I suspect any of the team looking in on this ongoing discussion will be scratching their heads thinking ‘there’s no pleasing these bu**ers’. However, if no one points out to them what is and isn’t working how will they ever know?
I don’t think the route they are taking – more technical analysis and less front-of-fireside warmth – is striking the right balance with viewers. As I mentioned earlier, my pals who have less of an all-consuming interest in racing but enjoy a flutter and follow the big meetings are finding it a tougher watch.
I suspect any of the team looking in on this ongoing discussion will be scratching their heads thinking ‘there’s no pleasing these bu**ers’.
If they’re not already utterly bemused! Because let’s be honest, if you add up all these posts it seems that every presenter is simultaneously adored and reviled in equal measure!
Probably was always like that.
Probably always will be.
Mike
Indeed Mike – I suppose the powers-that-be will judge matters on one thing and one thing only, viewing figures.
Graham Cunningham also seems to be losing a bit of patience with some of the less knowledgable characters in the cast. During a debate on Sat’s Morning Line (can’t remember the details) he challenged Alice Plunkett to ‘name one’ in a spiky riposte which challenged one of the all-too-familiar uncorroborated-by-evidence statements often presented as fact by certain members of the team. (She couldn’t btw!)
…. and about time too. One of the reasons I welcomed GC’s appointment was he wouldn’t be chummy and agreeable with everyone.
Heaven knows I’ve had plenty of "discussions" with him in the past but I have always respected him for taking a strong stance and fighting his corner (even when he is completely wrong – which isn’t that often).
Hopefully we will see him let fully off the leash in due course.
Hopefully we will see him let fully off the leash in due course.
Sorry to break it to you but one of the main reasons the show now lacks ‘warmth’ is the inclusion of your chum. They would be better off confining him to his kennel.
Hopefully we will see him let fully off the leash in due course.
Sorry to break it to you but one of the main reasons the show now lacks ‘warmth’ is the inclusion of your chum. They would be better off confining him to his kennel.
It’s a racing program not The Waltons – it doesn’t need "warmth"
Hopefully we will see him let fully off the leash in due course.
Sorry to break it to you but one of the main reasons the show now lacks ‘warmth’ is the inclusion of your chum. They would be better off confining him to his kennel.
It’s a racing program not The Waltons – it doesn’t need "warmth"
If it was a specialist racing channel I might agree with you. But Channel 4 is a mainstream TV broadcaster that needs audience numbers to keep the advertisers happy and the money rolling in. There are not enough purist racing fans to provide their required level of income. Racing needs new fans, and if GC wants to put his points across he should not discourage them by being a grumpy, dismissive old man before his time, but draw them in by using some humourous banter instead. It’s a mainstream real-life television programme; it needs warmth.
Indeed Mike – I suppose the powers-that-be will judge matters on one thing and one thing only, viewing figures.
Well I hope the production company have been paying attention, otherwise if they discover lower viewing figures they will not have a clue why. I suspect that they have not been idle, but I am surprised that they seemed not to have done much research on the current audience and their potential new audience before they took over the contract.
Even though Channel 4 have to provide a programme that suits both the informed and the uninformed viewer, horse racing is primarily about the races, the horses, and having a good time.
The Channel 4 production company must exert more influence over whoever provides their race coverage. There is no excuse for inept race coverage. Why is there no split screen, race order, pace information, graphical presentation? Race video coverage in the UK has not improved in decades. The racing industry needs TV; TV should use their clout to help the industry move into a more technologically advanced presentation of itself.
There must be more coverage of the horses and their background. Now that Channel 4 presenters talk about only some of the runners in each race, they have lost an opportunity to engage casual viewers with stories about the basic product and the people around it. I know we need information relevant to punters, but also everybody loves a story. Even though I have been following racing for decades and know where to get all the data I want about the horses, I am still happy to listen to something new. Even the knowledgeable people on this forum are human. Well, most of them.
If you want to have a good time, then look for a group of people who are already having a good time. Regardless of which presenters are used (they all have strengths and weaknesses) they need to be seen to be having a good time; and I don’t mean some false laugh-laugh joke-joke stupidity, but genuine relaxed enjoyment. Otherwise, how is Channel 4 to play its part in encouraging people to come racing. This is the biggest difficulty of all. Nobody can force a person to have a good time, but the new production company have to find a way to allow the presenters to be relaxed and happy. What a turn-off to the casual viewer to see so much angst and trepidation.
I regularly stay with a family in the UK who watch The Morning Line because the husband is a knowledgeable racing fan. His wife would always watch too, but knew very little about racing, and she often said about the old TML: “They all look and sound as if they are having a really good time.” Channel 4 and the racing industry need an audience bigger than just the knowledgeable.
I think you’re absolutely right. I thought Claire Balding would be perfect for this, but her forced overexcitement grates after a while. Genuine warmth and excitement is woefully missing. I used to love Alistair Down presenting Cheltenham week because you could really sense his pleasure and mouthwatering anticipation of what was to come…like a kidat Christmas. I knew he felt the same as me and I warmed to that.
None of the current team give me that same impression.Marginal Value, the standard of presenting isn’t going to impact the numbers who like and follow horse racing (Different to Channel 4 viewing figures, which of course it does impact). I presume i am one of the younger posters on this forum, and can say that the people who present the shows have absolutely no impact on whether people will follow horse racing or not. You either like or you don’t.
The "atmopshere" of the morning line isn’t going to make new people watch it. No one who isn’t engaged by horse racing will take interest in the sport based on that show.
Wow its going to be exciting with Southwell on C4 afternoon. At least when they had Alastair Down and John Francome it made watching the all weather enjoyable, but with the current humourless bunch its going to be so boring especially with flat-lover Nick Luck in charge. Think I’ll find an old film to watch instead.
" And there’s been money for ####### from 5-2 to 2-1 "
Are they serious with this stuff ?!
Hopefully no news of Lesley Graham and the occaisional betting chap Tom means that quite rightly they have both been dropped.
Lesley Graham is now the new Chief Executive of Racing Welfare and will only be on C4 if being interviwed in that capacity but Tom Lee will deputise for Tanya Stevenson as necessary.
C4: 2,000gns post-race coverage
Did anything finish second or third? What were their names and starting prices? Now I may have missed them being given – could have nodded off – but can’t recall them being given. I did hear some thunderous, dramatic music in the background and may have woken up thinking I was at the opera.
"Superstar" – how soon that word rushes from our pundits lips nowadays. Now the winner may well turn out to be a superstar, but ecky thump, he’s not proved himself one yet. If he should win the Derby ( not the "Epsom Derby" as no such race exists), what terms will C4 find then as clearly "superstar" won’t be adequate?
Maybe Ms Balding needs Willie Carson back alongside to help her keep the hyperbole down. The C4 racing production team need to remember that this is a sport not a drama show.Indeed, C4 barely mentioned the placed horses at all. I was under the impression that Toronado had finished second for about an hour afterwards!
An interview with the connections of 150-1 shock second Glory Awaits would have been nice.
I’ve saw very little of channel 4 racing recently, but as soon as i tuned in i noticed the William Hill bookie rep holding a sole microphone in an almost presenter role.
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