TalkTV - "from the TalkRadio studio"

Politics aside, TalkTV is incredibly slick with the polish you would expect of News Corp and a masterclass in launching a channel of this nature.

The sets and GFX are impressive (although the LIVE looks like a road sign, it might be a grower and the close-up zoom is too fast). A few viewers have complained of poor quality on Freeview as it’s in SD.

It’s a good step up from the visualisation of talkRADIO over the last couple of years whereby output was simulcast on YouTube and other platforms.

So far, only three hours Mon-Fri comes from bespoke TV studios (and a few weeknight repeats) with the radio output simulcast at all other times and billed as "TalkTV, from the TalkRadio studio".

I don’t understand the confused messaging when the visuals are branded TalkTV and the radio imaging is branded TalkRadio. Each could be seamless. When do you ever hear This Morning presenters declare "you’re watching ITV"?

Some idents say "TalkRadio and TalkTV", some just say "TalkRadio" and some just say "TalkTV". The strapline is "The Home of Common Sense" on radio but on TV it’s "Straight talking starts here". Presenters say "TalkTV" but visuals say "from the TalkRadio studio".

So that’s cleared up any confusion about branding...

It’s possible they’re planning to go with TalkTV on all platforms, given that’s their main focus, in which case I can understand retention of TalkRadio branding until the current RAJAR quarter concludes (for recall - it’s being surveyed as TR).

But why not just use splits? Presenters don’t need to namecheck - let idents do the talking!

Still, they’ve managed split ads (unlike another channel that operates similarly but just fills radio breaks with trails). YouTube doesn’t allow third party ads so online it’s just a promo reel.

Government presses ahead with Channel 4 privatisation

A leaked email to staff at Channel 4 says the government will shortly announce it has decided to proceed with the proposal to privatise the broadcaster.

It comes after Nadine Dorries, the DCMS Secretary implementing this policy that wasn’t in the Conservatives’ manifesto, inaccurately stated it receives taxpayers’ money.

Under the current profitable "win-win" model, its revenues go straight back into new independently produced programming. A new owner will need a viable business with a smaller budget and team as well as produce its own programmes.

Even looking from the government’s point of view: sure, fewer public service broadcasters means fewer challenges to politicians (although Channel 4 News has always been produced by ITN which also makes ITV News and 5 News) - but putting jobs and small businesses in jeopardy is not very "conservative"!

Out with the old, in with the News

Out with the old… pic.twitter.com/jSlYjLiIHt

— Harrison RB (@HarrisonRBRadio) March 28, 2022

The TalkTV logo is very similar to that of a certain Murdoch-owned news outlet from 30 years ago.

News UK has confirmed the new channel will simulcast with talkRADIO weekdays 6am-7pm and the radio station will broadcast TalkTV’s evening shows, including Piers Morgan.

Cohesive branding is important so the obvious solution would be to let the idents do the talking with TalkTV visuals and talkRADIO audio imaging.

When was the last time you heard a This Morning or Loose Women presenter declare "you’re watching ITV"? It’s not necessary.

I’m also intrigued by the commercials. GB News Radio, unlike its TV counterpart, has no spot advertising and breaks are filled with trails. Will TalkTV and talkRADIO manage split ads?

Tonight with Andrew Marr - a first look... and listen

Enjoyed the first Tonight with Andrew Marr on LBC - live from its Millbank studio.

On the whole, another masterclass in slick visualisation from the original pioneering commercial speech station.

I hope more shows are available to watch live in the near future given how the news talk format is evolving.

Not sure about the gaps inbetween the screens that are visible in both the wide shot and several close ups - and, with regards audio, it would benefit from improved mic quality.

The key thing is it’s radio with visual elements as opposed to just a TV audio feed. It works as well as a radio show as it does a TV show.

Audio first, visuals second - a mantra that telly should follow more often.

Shortwave for Ukraine

The BBC is adding new two shortwave frequencies for the people of Ukraine:

• 5875 kHz from 8-10pm UTC
• 15735 kHz from 2-4pm UTC

Woofferton - the UK’s last remaining shortwave transmitting station - first broadcast in 1943 to war-ridden Europe.

79 years later, it is once again providing an essential service in another humanitarian crisis on the continent.

Ads here, ads there, ads everywhere

UK commercial radio has a problem. Commercials. The major networks (Capital, Hits, GHR, Heart) go to ads at the same time. Poor experience for the listener. Surely a network would want to beat the rush and be the first back out of the break to capture stray audience?

— Matthew Hemmaty (@mhemmaty) February 3, 2022

The standard clock of three almost evenly spaced breaks, often including news on the hour, reduces the number of interruptions to music (important for the aforementioned brands) and achieves the rate of impacts bought by agencies on a cost-per-thousand basis.

While in an ideal world they wouldn’t exist, as consumers, we’re accustomed to ads and understand the necessity of them.

If they were such a turn-off, commercial radio’s reach would never have overtaken the BBC nor would it enjoy the 47% share it has today.

Not to mention that in 2005, GCap gambled halving ad minutage on 95.8 - it didn’t pay off, literally losing millions in revenue, and Capital’s audience continued to decline YoY. So it wasn’t that.

All that being said, we will reach a time where a heavy ad load - totalling a quarter of a commercial radio hour - is no longer sustainable and groups will need to diversify (e.g. Bauer testing subscription services and The Chris Evans Breakfast Show with Sky).

Ads on the BBC might be bad for viewers, but it'd be devastating for competitors

Our clueless DCMS Secretary, Nadine Dorries, announces the licence fee will be frozen for two years before looking to replace it with a new funding model when the current BBC Charter is up for renewal at the end of 2027... "if the Conservatives are still in power" - so no need to worry then?!

Firstly, let me reassure you this is a media blog and far better informed political commentaries on all manner of issues are available elsewhere - but, as I regularly do, I won’t shy away from sticking my ore into matters involving our industry.

An ally of Dorries, who looks set to decide the future of Channel 4 despite recently falsely claiming the broadcaster is "in reciept of public money", told the Mail on Sunday:

It is not yet clear whether the future will be share ownership or subscription, but there will be no more licence fee renewals as long as Boris is PM.

Again, no need to worry - "as long as Johnson is PM".

This has been debated for years of course, but today’s announcement comes amid the Partygate scandal which the BBC and every credible news outlet is reporting on with facts.

Is this just the final straw in the government’s vendetta against the corporation? (It was actually ITN and the Mirror that broke the stories).

The subscription model is always floated by critics - and while it could work for particular services, much of what the BBC does currently - notably traditional radio - couldn’t be sustained (see Phil Riley’s blog).

If the BBC were to enter the ad market, it would decimate the existing commercial sector. Overall broadcast spend wouldn’t just magically skyrocket. Budgets would be reallocated.

Plus, ITV’s total ad revenue is about £2bn less than license fee income so nowhere near enough to fund the most valuable BBC services.

All that remains is general taxation - even if it would raise questions about the BBC’s independence from government; although some (wrongly) believe it is partisan already.

You're never going to please everyone!