Launch TalkTV

[London Lite]

They have the dump button on TalkTV's tv stream, the caller clearly said something offensive about Daisy McAndrew which was edited as the picture blurred and then returned to normal.

Petrie Hosken is also playing video clips.

[scottishtv]

Switched over after midnight, and it was all a bit Partridge-esque:

https://up.metropol247.co.uk/scottishtv/...orfolk.mp4

Anyway, after censoring the caller for having "his little say" about the station, straight back to asking for uncensored opinions (seemingly without a hint of irony):

[London Lite]

TalkTV appears to be geoblocked in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United States, presumably due to the rights issues surrounding Piers Morgan's show.

[Ash101]

Thanks for sharing that video! Very interesting to see how the “dumping” works in a video respect. Not quite as seemless as it would sound on the radio.

Bit ironic that they solicited for calls for such a long time (they didn’t take any between 10 and 11) and the first one turns out like that!

[London Lite]

I wonder if the former TalkRadio TV gallery is handling the 7-10pm output as well as the radio simulcasts, although I'd assume that Morgan has it's own gallery in Ealing which is then fed back to News UK HQ.

[Mouseboy33]

In typical Murdoch fashion, its very slick. I have to say. Everyone commented on the graphics being very American. Thats because they likely are. The graphics to me, especially the lower third, llive bug, live sweeps....they all look like they were actually created at Fox News Creative Services in NYC. It cant be sheer coincidence. They are strikingly similar to FNC,WEATHER, BUSINESS. Why not use Fox News Creative Services. Its a cheaper alternative than outsourcing another company to do it. They already have the employees and they completely relaunched FNC/Business graphics a few years ago and they just completed the look for FoxWeather. All of their programmes have different graphic looks and they switch them up frequently, so coming up with a look for a channel thats going to use the same look across the network, probably wasnt a huge deal or a great workload. Makes sense to use Fox News Creative services to do Talktv. But remember JUMP did their branding and likely had something to do with the full motion graphic opens and idents. But to me the on-screen furniture all look FNC Graphics from FN Creative Services.

Also the SWOOSH noise that you hear, thats the same noise is on pretty much all FNC programming. But I LOVE LOVE LOVE the themes. Piers's opening graphics, made me roll my eyes. 

As many have said Piers set looks great. Sadly its under used. Purely speculation on my part....I wonder if FNC paid for it or contributed or something? These networks have strange and weird rights issues.  Maybe for Piers' show to play out on FoxNation, they put in place certain higher production value requirements and maybe they only wanted a real set. Was Piers told we will start your show on FoxNation, build your audience and if its successful we will move up to the mothership on FNC. Maybe thats why no one else can use it, its only for FNC productions. I dont know. I know its stupid. its just an odd arrangement for it not to be used for other Talktv programming. I know its all Rupes money...but its odd that its only used for Piers show. But also keep in mind there is an greater expense with operating a big flashy studio. Electrics, heating/cooling, floor personnel, camera operators, etc. So could FNC be picking up the tab for that, and Talktv is paying for the other clearly cheaper CSO virtual productions? Alll speculation likely wrong. But the studio use does create some questions.

The News Desk is really nice. Love the open. That sweep shot of the News Building to the LIVE wipe and jib shot to the news desk. I think it zooms in a bit too close. But its a punchy open. But I  Hate hate hate fake sets. These dont look too bad. But not a fan in general. ITs really tabloid-esque and bouncy. But its MURDOCH he own tabloids and the friggin SUN newspaper. Why wouldnt it be flashier. I wouldnt expect anything less. I kinda surprised it wasnt a bit wilder. LOL.  I wont be a regular watcher, because I dont think news should have an agenda. But thats another discussion.

But in general, its a very good launch, especially when compared with the GBN launch and its continued bad production values.

[London Lite]

Weather bulletin presentation.

https://youtu.be/Li-Xvm9DGT4

[telebox2001]

When the Piers Morgan opening titles contain:

Woke Insanity
Cancel Culture
Snowflake Society
Identity Politics
Censorship
Defend Democracy
Save Free Speech
Wake Up!

He's clearly nailed his colours to this crusade.  So I presume we are not going to get anything remotely newsworthy that doesn't fit this agenda in his show.  The audience will tire of that quickly.  

His show had no relevance to anything topical happening today. I noted it didn't indicate it was live, it could have been recorded anytime.

If Piers' definition of fun is all of the above then it's not going to fun at all. 

I read Piers' last book (don't judge me) and while I think it made some good points, there were moments where I rolled my eyes many times. It's probably why I preferred his documentaries and Life Stories, it's a format where he cannot deviate and when he's reined in a bit, he's watchable.

I agree with this. He was at his best on GMB when he did the political interviews at the very core of the pandemic when he was making sensible points, not throwing around sensational stuff.

Similarly, Chris Evans was better on Radio 2 because he had some guidance and the show ran tighter than it did on Virgin. I wonder if Piers’ new show will suffer a similar fate.

I have to agree with this analogy.  On Virgin he's got carte blanche and that's allowed him to be too self-indulgent, whereas on Radio 2 he had to work inside of a particular framework.

Morgan on GMB was a loose cannon, but what you miss on a single-header is a Susanna type character who can call him out, which in turn makes him more angry and riled up.  I think people tune in to watch him getting worked up - and on his own there's nobody to push his buttons.

What worries me is he's going to make another mistake Evans made in the days of Radio 1 and Virgin first time round (ie. The present day Absolute) - he's going to basically surround himself with sycophants who think he's amazing and he's always right and everyone else is wrong and stupid.  That won't end well, it never does.

[Inspector Sands]

When the Piers Morgan opening titles contain:

Woke Insanity
Cancel Culture
Snowflake Society
Identity Politics
Censorship
Defend Democracy
Save Free Speech
Wake Up!

He's clearly nailed his colours to this crusade.  So I presume we are not going to get anything remotely newsworthy that doesn't fit this agenda in his show.  The audience will tire of that quickly.  

His show had no relevance to anything topical happening today. I noted it didn't indicate it was live, it could have been recorded anytime.

That's in a nutshell is exactly how the 'culture wars' work - right wing TV channels focus on those sort of topics to distract from the real issues and attempt to divide society. 

Why talk about the mess the governments in when you can whip up a fuss about something that really doesn't matter?

---

That's interesting to see how they handle the dump delay on the TV, it doesn't look great but it does the job.

This is something they fell foul of last year when the video stream of TalkSPORT went out without the dump delay of the radio station:
 https://talksport.com/football/921497/ta...niel-levy/
I think all of the Talk stations were taken off web stream for a while after that.

[johnnyboy]

That's in a nutshell is exactly how the 'culture wars' work - right wing TV channels focus on those sort of topics to distract from the real issues and attempt to divide society. 

Why talk about the mess the governments in when you can whip up a fuss about something that really doesn't matter?

Interesting contribution, Inspector, but I genuinely don't believe that's what GB News and Talk TV are trying to do. GB News regularly eviscerates the government and Piers Morgan has been outright contemptuous about the current shower we have in charge.

"Culture wars" and "woke" mean different things to different people. "Woke" to me means the shrill, censorious social justice activists who think that not supporting unisex toilets makes you transphobic, that men are inherently driven by animalistic impulses, that the American version of BLM's approach to police funding is sensible, and so on.

I am left of centre on social issues - always have been - and I want a society where there is genuine equality of opportunity. I believe people are inherently good at heart but make mistakes. I don't consider myself as "woke" however and I really dislike a lot of the positions of the "woke". 

I think that's the market GB News and Talk TV want to appeal to. To use a much-overused phrase, I believe this is the "silent majority".

IMO, GB News have failed to do that for a variety of reasons. Taking the knee was one area where they got it wrong. Anecdotal I know but I never knew of one person who disagreed with it. In fact, after the abuse following Euro 2020, the people I hang around with supported taking the knee more. I think GB News got it wrong here and failed to understand what its audience felt.

I suspect Talk TV will also struggle because if you keep on banging on about the same subject all the time (even if you support the core message), it becomes boring.

Pres-wise, Talk TV is way ahead of GB News. I flicked on GB News this morning for the breakfast show and it looks very cheap in comparison. I do think the graphics are too big o TalkTV and kudos to the person who mentioned their similarity to Fox Business - it was bugging me last night where I thought I had seen the graphics before.

[Meteor]

Interesting to look at the different channels this am. Talk TV; JHB staring straight into the camera while talking to DtL guests. A lot of what of she says is wrong or lying; interestingly a guest pushed back quite hard (a GP). Had a guest from a website I'm faintly aware of in the studio to talk to occasionally.

LBC; no live stream when I looked. Does it come and go?

GBNews; Kate Hoey and Kriss Akabusi?! But I do like the conversational style, a lot less looking down a camera barrel and more you're listening to a chat. At this time of day it does at least look like a TV channel, not like the awkward hybrid TTV is.

[Inspector Sands]

That's in a nutshell is exactly how the 'culture wars' work - right wing TV channels focus on those sort of topics to distract from the real issues and attempt to divide society. 

Why talk about the mess the governments in when you can whip up a fuss about something that really doesn't matter?

Interesting contribution, Inspector, but I genuinely don't believe that's what GB News and Talk TV are trying to do. GB News regularly eviscerates the government and Piers Morgan has been outright contemptuous about the current shower we have in charge.

"Culture wars" and "woke" mean different things to different people. "Woke" to me means the shrill, censorious social justice activists who think that not supporting unisex toilets makes you transphobic, that men are inherently driven by animalistic impulses, that the American version of BLM's approach to police funding is sensible, and so on.

They are connected, the media outlets who are banging on about the 'woke' (which is just this decades 'PC') and 'woke issues' are all the ones who ideologically lean to the right. If the issues/demands of the odd shrill 'justice activist' or whatever wasn't being  amplified by those outlets creating and stirring the culture wars then they wouldn't be an issue. The term 'woke' wasn't originally a right wing invention, but it's now solely used by those of that political persuasion as a tool of their culture war

I can't say any of the above issues affect my life or even crosses my thoughts, the vast majority of people are the same. I know a few people who just suck in that sort of media and have a constant worry of what they can or can't say, how they're being oppressed or marginalised..... Stuff I just don't worry about because I've not been told to and don't need to

But while they're stressing about trans people and toilets or sexy M&Ms and the like because Dan Wootten or Tucker Carlson tells them they're important, they're missing the actual issues that really do affect them. People aren't oppressed by making others more equal, its being done by those who tell you that! 

The present government are using the same tactics of course, who cares about their law breaking or cost of living when the real enemy is Channel 4, or female MPs crossing their legs?

---

The pictures on Freeview  seem fairly soft (like old American pictures) and the newspaper previews look fairly illegible, compared to other channels.  Seems strange there were no phone calls taken to a show which encourages you to ring in?

TalkRadio's audience has never been that high, it's probably not uncommon for them to struggle for calls at various times. I imagine it's a lot easier to fill that time when you're not on TV as well.

[JK08]

I'm assuming they've gone with this TV/Radio style hybrid for the launch for outside of primetime so that they could focus their attention on those three hours, and are now (or will soon) be able to turn their attention to 'TV-ifying' the presentation and formats of the rest of the schedule, I would guess one-by-one.

The breakfast show would be the obvious place to start, which given the hour of day it goes out, could probably utilise the PMU studio? I'd bring in a co-host for JHB (not that she's who I'd have chosen in the first place but I guess their target demo likes her), and maybe turn it into a right-wing Morning Joe (MSNBC) kind of show? Following that, drivetime might be the next logical show? Although that's mainly for radio anyway so maybe not.

[Worzel]

I notice TalkTV haven't updated their Roku app so the live stream isn't on there yet, just a load of old Talk Radio content and a promo video saying that TalkTV is coming soon. It's also still Talk Radio branded.

[johnnyboy]

They are connected, the media outlets who are banging on about the 'woke' (which is just this decades 'PC') and 'woke issues' are all the ones who ideologically lean to the right. If the issues/demands of the odd shrill 'justice activist' or whatever wasn't being  amplified by those outlets creating and stirring the culture wars then they wouldn't be an issue. The term 'woke' wasn't originally a right wing invention, but it's now solely used by those of that political persuasion as a tool of their culture war

I can't say any of the above issues affect my life or even crosses my thoughts, the vast majority of people are the same. I know a few people who just suck in that sort of media and have a constant worry of what they can or can't say, how they're being oppressed or marginalised..... Stuff I just don't worry about because I've not been told to and don't need to

But while they're stressing about trans people and toilets or sexy M&Ms and the like because Dan Wootten or Tucker Carlson tells them they're important, they're missing the actual issues that really do affect them. People aren't oppressed by making others more equal, its being done by those who tell you that! 

The present government are using the same tactics of course, who cares about their law breaking or cost of living when the real enemy is Channel 4, or female MPs crossing their legs?

Oh, I agree that they're connected definitely but my point comes down to how you describe yourself, for example. I want many of the same things that "woke" people want but I quite often disagree with their theory and approach.

The right does get themselves into a tizzy about drag queens in children's shows (despite the fact that Britain has a history of drag going back centuries), Harry Styles wearing traditional female clothing (despite the fact that UK pop stars have done the whole androgyny thing going back before Bowie), LGBT M&Ms (corporations have supported various causes for a long time now), and so on. When they do, it lets their argument down and allows the woke quite rightly to claim they're obsessing over trivia.

Having lived through the "PC" and "woke" eras, I agree there are many similarities but, to my perception, the "woke" era demands much more "purity" than PC ever did. Even back in the day, I thought PC language was more about being polite and respectful and I generally supported it.

And while I do take your well-made point that governments get away with murder and why aren'[t the media obsessing about that, my reply would be a) that they do to a large extent (partygate was been a big headline for a number of months now) and b) they've got 24hrs' worth of broadcasting to fill.