The most annoying thing about the commercial stations is the way they talk over the top of the credits at the end of a programme. They aren't just a bit of junk after the end of a programme, they are a part of the programme. Often the credits are a time to reflect on the content of the programme, or perhaps a particularly thought provoking or emotional ending. Sometimes even listening to the theme music enhances the whole experience. But then just as you're about to do all that, CRASH!!! some idiot shatters the moment by going on about what's on next week. Well that used to be how I defined the difference between the commercial stations and the higher quality of the ABC, but ever since the ABC started doing it too I've lumped them in with the rest of the unprincipled rabble on TV. As well as the ABC management I also hold the announcers responsible for going along with it. "I was only following orders" isn't a valid excuse as far as I'm concerned. I'd like to know the opinion of the Friends of the ABC, and any announcers if any are members of this group. I also wonder if a rabble who go along with violating a programme by talking over the top of it are even worth our efforts to save them.

-- Anonymous, July 21, 2000

Answers

I don't think Friends of the ABC has an official position on this question, but I certainly don't like practice.

However just because ABC television has adopted this annoying practice does mean there are not other significant difference between the ABC and commercial broadcasting. In my view it's an offence, but not a hanging one.

-- Anonymous, July 21, 2000

I take your point Darce, and I agree with you. There are certainly bigger issues than that. First - For me it is a fairly big issue, not so much for the annoyance, but because it shows a change in attitude towards the viewer. It's a shift from respecting the viewer towards the 'commercial' attitude or the 'economical rationalism' that says that it 'saves money' to talk over the credits instead of allocating airtime to the 5 seconds it takes to tell what's on next week. For the ABC it seems to be totally crazy because (at the moment) there are no sponsors. For commercial stations it makes a little bit of sense because they are getting their message over for free by plonking it on top of a piece of programme that somebody else has paid for. Second - Because this forum is so new there isn't much discussion of issues on it. It tends to look like a questions and answers situation. ie Ask a question and an expert will answer it. I've 'stirred the pot' to get a bit of discussion happening. From my relatively small issue hopefully it will move towards the bigger issues.

-- Anonymous, July 22, 2000

I disagree with Darce (so what's new?) - talking over credits SHOULD be a hanging offence (well, perhaps not literally...), and I do agree with Ollie that end themes are a significant part of the programme and should be left alone. This is perhaps particularly true of movies, but I imagine producers of other programmes get just as annoyed when they see/hear their work vandalised by continuity announcements. Certainly as a viewer I find these announcements annoying in the extreme as they can totally destroy the mood and atmosphere of the programme. They are only slightly less annoying than alarm clocks.

FABC should take these matters seriously, as it's another of those steps along the path of inevitable commercialisation of the ABC.

Come the revolution, continuity announcers will be the first up against the wall!

Grrraham.

-- Anonymous, July 30, 2000

Good to hear from you Graham, and I see we disagree as usual. Thanks for your contribution, and please let others know about our site.

Darce

-- Anonymous, July 30, 2000