I think that the editing and feature requirements of producing a mere 30 minutes to show once a week is likely a problem. If you took each presenter that ever was and could allow them enough time in their area of expertise to really cover each subject or task to the level they personally felt did it in-depth justice - you would probably have the type of programme with content which would satisfy everyone. I think sometimes it must be impossible for the presenters to give what they want when everything will have to be edited down to cram as much into 30 minutes as is possible. I'll bet a lot of really good stuff which all viewers would love ends up 'on the cutting room floor' purely due to the time/editing constraints. It may be that the subject matter is whittled down in the editing choice and much of what we would love to see just doesn't get to the screen. It was maybe there at time of filming but gets chopped out to fit the number of subjects which 'have' to be covered in the programme.
It can't be much fun for the entire GW team to be restricted to a 30-minute slot. It's probably the main reason why when the presenters are given longer slots on other programmes, that we find the content more pleasing - because there's more time alloted for the presenters to really spend time on the plants and detailed gardening procedures they love to get stuck into. I suspect they are all well aware of the limitations and are likely frustrated as much as viewers that they can't just give what we all would like to see. I'm sure they would if they had the chance.
The only thing about the programme which frustrates me is when a presenter is introducing a plant and talking about it's habits, how to care for etc - but the camera quickly pans away as they are talking - and the full name of the plant is only only the screen for a few seconds. Maybe it's just me being slow - but if I'm taken with a plant a presenter is talking about - I really struggle to write down the name before it's gone from the screen. I don't have a recorder to tape the programme and I know the programme can be seen on the website for a while. But I don't always manage to do that. It's a bit like watching Chelsea on the tv - the camera pans round or focusses on one aspect of a garden and more time on the presenters talking so that you don't get a good look at the plants.
Sigh - time is money in the media and marketing and sponsorship world.
I like all of the presenters when they are given a decent amount of time to cover a subject. Sadly 30 minutes often cuts both presenters and guest garden/gardeners off just when you are really beginning to appreciate and become interested in the plants or topics they are giving you a taste of. I'm sure they'd prefer to be in a position to give more of what everyone would love to see.
Am I the only one to be infuriated by the words 'still to come...'? Not just on GW, even news bulletins on both tv and radio do it. When there's a mere 30-minute slot and lots of editting to do, why do the producers think we need a summary and preview at the beginning of the show and a reminder half way through of what we haven't seen yet? Do they really think our attention span is so short that they can't keep us watching with real gardening stuff? So much programme time is wasted on previews and silly cammera tricks. I've been watching some Geoff Hamilton dvds; there was so much more substance in the programmes. It doesn't matter who the presenters are if the producers (or whoever) don't let them get on with it.
Then you are not going to like the AT programme next week-there will be plenty of "in tonight's programme","coming up later""still to come" and a definite"after the break" accompanied by after the break a summary of what you saw before the break in case you can't remember what happened in the previous 15 minutes
Presenters can make or break a programme. I stopped watching GW when TB and AF were doing it. They were SOOO...patronising. CK and RdT has the same effect, over the top enthusaism and rdt is good eye candy I suppose, being an ex model!! i can relate to MD as he is so down to earth and self effasing, none of this "look at me, here I am as potrayed by Chris Peckham(boy, he has spoilt my enjoyment of Springwatch) Expert is fine, but they are not GOD!
I like the "still to come" as I like to be reminded what is coming up. It's not that we can't remember, it's just nice to have a reminder, especially if you have to do things during the programme and you can time what are the important things to watch, or whether it is worth going on iplayer to watch it.
I detest the Still to Come in all TV programmes. I am not stupid, I do not have the attention span of a two year old and I like the all too short 30 minutes of GW to be full of gardening, not such inane time wasting.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
The "still to come" take about 30 seconds, usually. I'm not stupid either and my attention span isn't that small. They must put it there for a reason, they wouldn't put it there because they think everyone is stupid. It's no big deal, is it?
Yes they do. There is a constant and persistent dumbing down of TV content across all channels and it comes largely from the fact that the producers are increasingly young and have come through "media studies". They think reality TV and sound bites are all we can manage these days. There is very little intellectual rigiour in programming content. Even science on the Beeb is being dumbed down with programmes like Bang goes the theory.
It's boring, repetititive and unimaginative and an insult to their audiences.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
HEAR, HEAR!!!!! Totally agree with you. They should just get on with it. Gardening programming is not the same as other 'entertainment' programming. It's about imparting information in a film type context. It isn't about great cinematography - the plants speak for themselves. That is the glory of gardening but like everything it's all about the careers of the staff involved. It all forms part of their portfolios hence the fancy camera work, scripting and editing. Today Gardeners' World, tomorrow The Nine O'Clock News.
Posts
I remember that wonderful series on plant discoveries by the late and adored Geoffrey Smith - OH knows that Mr Smith was his only rival
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I think that the editing and feature requirements of producing a mere 30 minutes to show once a week is likely a problem. If you took each presenter that ever was and could allow them enough time in their area of expertise to really cover each subject or task to the level they personally felt did it in-depth justice - you would probably have the type of programme with content which would satisfy everyone. I think sometimes it must be impossible for the presenters to give what they want when everything will have to be edited down to cram as much into 30 minutes as is possible. I'll bet a lot of really good stuff which all viewers would love ends up 'on the cutting room floor' purely due to the time/editing constraints. It may be that the subject matter is whittled down in the editing choice and much of what we would love to see just doesn't get to the screen. It was maybe there at time of filming but gets chopped out to fit the number of subjects which 'have' to be covered in the programme.
It can't be much fun for the entire GW team to be restricted to a 30-minute slot. It's probably the main reason why when the presenters are given longer slots on other programmes, that we find the content more pleasing - because there's more time alloted for the presenters to really spend time on the plants and detailed gardening procedures they love to get stuck into. I suspect they are all well aware of the limitations and are likely frustrated as much as viewers that they can't just give what we all would like to see. I'm sure they would if they had the chance.
The only thing about the programme which frustrates me is when a presenter is introducing a plant and talking about it's habits, how to care for etc - but the camera quickly pans away as they are talking - and the full name of the plant is only only the screen for a few seconds. Maybe it's just me being slow - but if I'm taken with a plant a presenter is talking about - I really struggle to write down the name before it's gone from the screen. I don't have a recorder to tape the programme and I know the programme can be seen on the website for a while. But I don't always manage to do that. It's a bit like watching Chelsea on the tv - the camera pans round or focusses on one aspect of a garden and more time on the presenters talking so that you don't get a good look at the plants.
Sigh - time is money in the media and marketing and sponsorship world.
I like all of the presenters when they are given a decent amount of time to cover a subject. Sadly 30 minutes often cuts both presenters and guest garden/gardeners off just when you are really beginning to appreciate and become interested in the plants or topics they are giving you a taste of. I'm sure they'd prefer to be in a position to give more of what everyone would love to see.
Am I the only one to be infuriated by the words 'still to come...'? Not just on GW, even news bulletins on both tv and radio do it. When there's a mere 30-minute slot and lots of editting to do, why do the producers think we need a summary and preview at the beginning of the show and a reminder half way through of what we haven't seen yet? Do they really think our attention span is so short that they can't keep us watching with real gardening stuff? So much programme time is wasted on previews and silly cammera tricks. I've been watching some Geoff Hamilton dvds; there was so much more substance in the programmes. It doesn't matter who the presenters are if the producers (or whoever) don't let them get on with it.
Then you are not going to like the AT programme next week-there will be plenty of "in tonight's programme","coming up later""still to come" and a definite"after the break" accompanied by after the break a summary of what you saw before the break in case you can't remember what happened in the previous 15 minutes
Also some very annoying music.
You have been warned
I like the "still to come" as I like to be reminded what is coming up. It's not that we can't remember, it's just nice to have a reminder, especially if you have to do things during the programme and you can time what are the important things to watch, or whether it is worth going on iplayer to watch it.
I detest the Still to Come in all TV programmes. I am not stupid, I do not have the attention span of a two year old and I like the all too short 30 minutes of GW to be full of gardening, not such inane time wasting.
The "still to come" take about 30 seconds, usually. I'm not stupid either and my attention span isn't that small. They must put it there for a reason, they wouldn't put it there because they think everyone is stupid. It's no big deal, is it?
Yes they do. There is a constant and persistent dumbing down of TV content across all channels and it comes largely from the fact that the producers are increasingly young and have come through "media studies". They think reality TV and sound bites are all we can manage these days. There is very little intellectual rigiour in programming content. Even science on the Beeb is being dumbed down with programmes like Bang goes the theory.
It's boring, repetititive and unimaginative and an insult to their audiences.
HEAR, HEAR!!!!! Totally agree with you. They should just get on with it. Gardening programming is not the same as other 'entertainment' programming. It's about imparting information in a film type context. It isn't about great cinematography - the plants speak for themselves. That is the glory of gardening but like everything it's all about the careers of the staff involved. It all forms part of their portfolios hence the fancy camera work, scripting and editing. Today Gardeners' World, tomorrow The Nine O'Clock News.