local content update

The Age reported yesterday that Channel 9 has “backed down” from using Outrageous Fortune as local content. It’s an interesting choice in rhetoric about 9 given they have always claimed they never needed Outrageous Fortune to reach their quota of local content.

(According to the artical the decision to show Outrageous Fortune as local content “angered Australian actors”. Well I guess that fits, actors are the most important people in the industry, if not the world)

Mind you The Age is also reporting that CBS is shooting a pilot based on David Lynch’s ‘Wild At Heart’. As fun and as short lived as that would be, the series is actually based on the twee British family drama of the same name about a vet who drags his family off to Africa which screened here on 10 recently. One of a very large number of British remakes on the cards, including Blackpool and Footballers Wives.

Boxcutters Episode 72

You asked for a longer show and you got a longer show. 62ish semi-solid minutes of non-stop Boxcutters. We talk about the Superbowl ads (which you can find here), Ross doesn’t buy Pensioners Insurance, Brett finally reviews So noTORIous, and there’s a look back at the Summer of Sport.

Of course there’s Pork and the News as well.

Amuse yourselves:

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New Bat Time

Looks like we’ll be recording Monday nights (at least for the next little while) so episodes should be available Monday night, Tuesday morning for your listening pleasure.

But what will the length be? Back to the traditional podcast length? Longer than the radio shows? Or a whole new length just to keep you on your toes?

Guess you’ll have to wait and see………

7 canes them

Channel 7 had a crushing victory last night, led by Heroes with a little over 2 mil nationally.

Very impressive figures. It will be very interesting to see how it goes once the immensely popular House returns on 10.

Boxcutters Episode 71

Look out! Bring in the fans! Because things get a little heated in the studio this week.

We continue our ongoing local content debate with special guest and prominent local writer Marieke Hardy weighing in.

Luckily we couldn’t get rid of her, so Marieke sticks around for a discussion on 24 and the usual helping of pork.

Add in some News and you have the big show.

Enjoy:

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Challenge Update

New Merv/All Bran ad

The guy is working on a path in the backyard. Turns to Merv and says: “Can you pass a brick?”

GENIUS. Absolute comedic gold. I came up with heaps of possible examples for I Don’t Buy It a few weeks back, but I wasn’t clever enough to think of that one. Whoever is writing these ads, your talent is being wasted. Move in to professional comedy writing and make your fortune.

Any guesses what the next All Bran poo pun will be?

Foxtel has secured the rights to screen The Young and The Restless, taking it away from Channel 9 after 30 years. There are bound to be some very upset Nannas around the place. To my mind it is like comparing different types of manure, but I have it on good authority that YATR is much better than “Days” at the moment.

Foxtel claims it’s IQ and time shift technologies will open the show up to an entirely new market (yeah, good luck with that – I am not convinced it’s all that different from people being able to tape it when it’s been on 9 during the day).

Nine appear to be strongly considering showing the test pattern for three or four hours mid afternoon to fill in all the gaps from their quickly disappearing daytime line up.

Boxcutters Episode 70

James Talia joins us on the phone from London to discuss the Big Brother controversy over there. We talk about 1 vs 100 and The Rich List, both starting on air next Monday. There’s an I Don’t Buy It about Australia Day and a whole bunch of news.

The sound:

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I do buy it: Ritual

Occationally you get a commercial that isn’t just crap but actually represents a lot of thought and effort. The end result is something which manages to engage the audience, capture their interest, stay in their heads and most importantly promotes a product (which is retained by the audience). Even more rare are those commercials which do all of the above and represent well thought out composition and visual dynamics. Ritual is one of those.

NBC Pickups

NBC has ordered full seasons of Heroes, The Office and My Name Is Earl for next (American television)year, so ’70/’08.

Good news. All great shows. Fantastic for Heroes now to really be able to develop its storylines knowing it has this year plus another 22/24 eps to work with.