Autumnwatch on at a new time

[jacqui]

Ah well. I guess you can't please all the people all the time. Whatever time the BBC had picked to air the show, someone would complain.

I'm sure they are used to it.

It's such a shame that this world is becoming so "Me, Myelf and I" focused.

Friday evening isn't all that convenient for me either, but that's the time it's on so I shall record it, watch it at a more convenient time and then chat to my friends about it later. My friends are very nice people so I'm sure they will understand if I am lagging behind a little.

Life really is too short to spend it complaining isn't it?

Happy watching, whenever you see it.

Jacqui

[vole-woman]

Jacqi, if it was any other programme, I'd just record and lump it. But the point here is what A/W S/W did, which was to bring families to nature - a new generation to replace the current one - who weren't especially interested. THAT'S why it's so important.

Any old nature show can preach to the converted - adults who already love nature would manage to see the programme if it were aired at 2am.

But that group who A/W S/W used to reach, the families who caught the programme because it was the time they sat down together, and then got drawn in to helping out with environmental stuff, have been cut out of the loop.

I see that as a major problem. God knows, it's hard enough getting some groups into ecology, but we need to do it. In my water vole group, I at 44 am the youngest by a mile; most members are retired. Respect to those in their 60s and 70s, but we also need to be bringing in new blood or what's going to happen to the planet?

The last thing I'm doing here is whingeing for whingeing's sake.

[vole-woman]

Originally Posted by jacqui

It's such a shame that this world is becoming so "Me, Myelf and I" focused.
Jacqui

You've got me completely wrong there.

[And]

Isn't that cowing typical? Enjoying wildlife and SCD are not mutually exclusive pastimes, SCD is another family show that is on later than many would like. I can practically count on one hand the TV shows that are "must -sees" for me and SCD and Springwatch/Autumnwatch are two of them. I just don't really have the time to record stuff and watch it. Somewhere I've got a video of horse racing from the late 1980s that I never got around to watching!

[vole-woman]

I almost wonder if this is deliberate self-sabotage by the BBC. Slash the viewing figures, then say the show's got to be cancelled because it's not as popular.

[jaykay]

perhaps if they didn't have Chris Packham presenting they wouldn't need to show it later! Some of Springwatch's content was a bit too gruesome for my youngster to understand and watch!!!

I'm one of those parents that think 9pm - 10pm is far too late for my 8 year old to be watching tv, so like Vole-Woman it won't be seen by my daughter for the first time in years!

[solus]

Originally Posted by jaykay

I'm one of those parents that think 9pm - 10pm is far too late for my 8 year old to be watching tv, so like Vole-Woman it won't be seen by my daughter for the first time in years!

Couldn't you gather round the PC at some mutually convenient time like after Sunday lunch and watch it on BBCiPlayer?

[vole-woman]

As I've said, I could record it. But it's not the same, there won't be the same buzz among the younger viewers.

Plus - and this is the absolutely key point for me - people who aren't that bothered about nature won't make this effort. So we'll lose possibly hundreds of thousands of viewers who might only be mildly interested in wildlife, but who the programme normally draws in and manages to enthuse.

The breadth of the programme's appeal will be lost, especially amongst the next generation of potential ecologists.

[ChrisJB]

You know, the more I think about the more annoyed about this I get. The existing format worked just fine, right presenters, right mix of features, right with the daily showings, plenty of snorting, rutting stags and at the right time. Perfect family viewing in other words. What are the BBC thinking? I wonder if the new team have whinged about the existing format for some reason, or like someone has already said, it's an insidious plot to lower the viewing figures and then bin it.
Gadzooks, if this is progress, you can keep it.

Regards, Chris

[pressld2]

Originally Posted by ChrisJB

The existing format worked just fine, right presenters, right mix of features, right with the daily showings, plenty of snorting, rutting stags and at the right time. Perfect family viewing in other words.

All rather a matter of opinion Chris. And while I agree with much of what you say I would take issue with the "right presenters". I know a lot of people like Bill Oddie but I also know that I'm far from alone in finding him totally cringe-worthy and completely unwatchable. Any presenter that makes half the audience run screaming from the room is hardly the "right presenter" in my book!

This year was the first time I've watched Springwatch for many years and I am very grateful that I will now have the opportunity to watch Autumnwatch too, whatever the format and transmission time.

Dave P.