Launch TalkTV

[Scrotnig]

I thought the The Talk worked better without Jeremy Kyle I think he comes across as a bit too intense and not that knowledgable on most things. However I do think he’s good on his own show from the bits I’ve seen.

The trouble with the News Desk is, although the production values and presentation are very good it’s not really offering anything distinctive. So it’ll struggle in that regard.

There's no doubt Kyle is a highly skilled broadcaster, but his brand is "toxic" now. I'm not sure who he's going to appeal to.
Possibly fans of his old ITV show, but I can't see many of them being interested in The Talk.

[Jon]

Presentation wise I think for the types of programmes they're both doing GB News is better.  Wootton's show suits a laid back, not brightly lit, lounge style setting, compared to the overlit, behind a desk style of The Talk on TalkTV.    

I don’t agree. If you were comparing it Free Speech Nation that usually does look quite good I’d agree. But the majority of the presentation on GBN looks grotty, half finished or awkward. Content wise I think Headliners is the best programme on both channels. The Tonight programmes on GBN should concentrate more on meaningful discussion on things rather than trying to cram a load of arbitrary features in.

[XIII]

If you didn't believe the conservative opinion market was saturated already, these figures show that there are only so many people who share that type of opinion to go around two channels.

I think the only radio station which could make this work is Global's LBC which has a broader range of opinionated presenters, but do it in a way that isn't full on extreme speech content, but still generates decent click bait clips for social media.

Presentation wise, it's still streets ahead of GB News, but the fact they've decided to simulcast a radio station that is still underperforming compared to LBC and then attempted to bring over Fox News formats that haven't transferred well to a UK audience.

I think News UK will plough on with the channel for now, but they need to decide if they'll revamp the 7-10 output or tweak the radio simulcasts.

I agree that LBC works because it's balanced. You may like or dislike Nick Ferrari or James O'Brien but the fact their shows has been running for almost two decades is testament to how their shows work. Piers doing a Breakfast or Drivetime show on LBC or Talk  would have been a better career move. He could still be opinionated but he would have callers who could challenge him or agree with him.  

LBC TV would be tricky and would suffer the same issue as GB News and Talk TV in that people like listening to opinions on the radio but not on TV.

[London Lite]

Looking only at the YouTube stats for both channels, both have around 600 each watching their live streams while Sky News has 9.7k. It's a huge mountain to climb.

[all new Phil]

The trouble with the News Desk is, although the production values and presentation are very good it’s not really offering anything distinctive. So it’ll struggle in that regard.

Really? I think it’s very distinctive. It’s very tabloid in its tone and it’s selection of stories, something we don’t really see elsewhere. I think they’ll maybe bump up the sports talk but otherwise I reckon they’ll stick with it as it is. 

Someone suggested that it would be a good format for 5 News in its current hour-long slot. I’d agree and even go as far as suggesting that maybe this is a pitch for them to produce shows like that as an alternative to ITN.

[Ash101]

The Sun is reporting that Sharon Osbourne is returning to the US after Ozzy has caught Covid, meaning she’ll miss The Talk for the next week or so.

[Inspector Sands]

LBC TV would be tricky and would suffer the same issue as GB News and Talk TV in that people like listening to opinions on the radio but not on TV.

And there's a limited number of people who want to just listen to opinions anyway, the ratings for talk radio (the genre) have never been that high, only LBC has managed to make a success out of it and that was after 40 years of trying. 

Radio phone ins don't work on TV. Hearing someone on a telephone talk while all we see is a presenter in the studio listening is just not good telly. This is specially with seasoned radio presenters who've spent years not having to worry about the visual... and radio presenters aren't employed for their looks! 

Phone ins when done well work on radio. People spouting their opinions works in print

[gottago]

Who thought Sharon Osborne and Jeremy Kyle would be something anyone would want to watch however is beyond me.

This has been the most perplexing part of this channel for me. I don't think the British public care about Sharon Osbourne at all, no one was bothered when she came back to The X Factor for example. If anything she was part of the decline of the show's ratings. Otherwise I feel she's been so off the radar in the UK there just isn't any interest in her as a personality any more.

And then Jeremy Kyle I think is actively hated by the audience they're trying to aim this channel at. His brand is completely in the toilet after the suicide but it was toxic enough even before that. And I can't imagine any remaining fans of his from the show are particularly interested in the news anyway. Maybe they've hired him thinking the anti-cancel culture audience will sympathise but I think he's probably a character even that audience think deserves to be cancelled.

[Jon]

Really? I think it’s very distinctive. It’s very tabloid in its tone and it’s selection of stories, something we don’t really see elsewhere. I think they’ll maybe bump up the sports talk but otherwise I reckon they’ll stick with it as it is. 

I get what you mean and take your point. Distinctive was probably the wrong word. But I don’t think enough of it’s market is going to find it on that channel and in that time slot. 

I think it’s a really good point about the possibility of the producing similar shows for other broadcasters. It makes you wonder if Channel 4 gave their News contract to News UK, if the government would think twice about privatisation. Obviously the programme would have to be more like The Times than the Sun.

[XIII]

I'm not sure if News UK could realistically compete with Sky News and ITN in terms of providing a service for the broadcasters. It's a much bigger operation than a radio station and more so than Talk TV.

[derek500j]

LBC TV would be tricky and would suffer the same issue as GB News and Talk TV in that people like listening to opinions on the radio but not on TV.

And there's a limited number of people who want to just listen to opinions anyway, the ratings for talk radio (the genre) have never been that high, only LBC has managed to make a success out of it and that was after 40 years of trying. 

Radio phone ins don't work on TV. Hearing someone on a telephone talk while all we see is a presenter in the studio listening is just not good telly. This is specially with seasoned radio presenters who've spent years not having to worry about the visual... and radio presenters aren't employed for their looks! 

Phone ins when done well work on radio. People spouting their opinions works in print

I used to watch 5Live's Nolan on the webcam feed (gone now).  Sometimes he would put his feet on the desk and once I saw him, hand inside his shirt scratching his armpit and then sniffing his fingers!

[XIII]

LBC TV would be tricky and would suffer the same issue as GB News and Talk TV in that people like listening to opinions on the radio but not on TV.

And there's a limited number of people who want to just listen to opinions anyway, the ratings for talk radio (the genre) have never been that high, only LBC has managed to make a success out of it and that was after 40 years of trying. 

Radio phone ins don't work on TV. Hearing someone on a telephone talk while all we see is a presenter in the studio listening is just not good telly. This is specially with seasoned radio presenters who've spent years not having to worry about the visual... and radio presenters aren't employed for their looks! 

Phone ins when done well work on radio. People spouting their opinions works in print

It makes sense to have clips of discussions on YouTube or the radio website and occasionally a clip of Nick Ferrari or James O'Brien can do quite well but that's rare.

[London Lite]

Sharon Osbourne has had to pull out of The Talk tonight and fly to the US as her husband is unwell.

[derek500j]

Sharon Osbourne has had to pull out of The Talk tonight and fly to the US as her husband is unwell.

Is she doing an Andrew Neil?  Will she back?

[thomalex]

Sharon Osbourne has had to pull out of The Talk tonight and fly to the US as her husband is unwell.

Is she doing an Andrew Neil?  Will she back?

While I don’t doubt it’s a genuine reason I would be surprised to see her return.