The BBC should merge channels and cut gardening says David Dimbleby

Isn't gardening one of the largest pastimes in this country? I would have thought they need to increase, not decrease programmes! I like Gardeners World type of programme, but hate the gimmicky 'Eeeek, we've only 3 days to complete!' sort of thing, which is against all mine and probably many other's instincts.

Too many of these programmes are an insult our intelligence.

There was a great Children in Need £1m big build the other night which included a fantastic garden area, but in my view it was spoiled by the ridiculous 11 day deadline and so much of the programme was wasted on silly expressions, inane chat and telling us that it can't be done etc etc, when all along we knew it would be.

We want more substance and less fluff, that's how I would put it.

The BBC has to change, it's a simple fact that we've moved on from the "Home Service" and the "Light Programme" being the only options, to the internet, with infinite options mostly available for nothing.

The license fee WILL be cut, perhaps even abolished. Public Service Broadcasting will have to get back to exactly that: programmes that inform and educate, that would not be made by the commercial stations.

I'd guess that Gardener's Question Time costs about £10K per edition to record, if that. The TV version would be ten times that or more, and is far less use as it's all about filling the screen, rather than communicating with the listener. Radio does add so much, making you use your own brain as well.

GQT is also available at a convenient time, 3pm on a Friday, and can be listened to at work. When I left school and got my first job in a garden centre, we were taken off work and sat down to listen to GQT every week: it was considered part of our training, and I still think it beats any TV alternative.

The BBC needs to do less, better. Ironically, it's what they can do best if they don't try to compete with the commercial stations.

I have to declare an interest here, though. I'm a paid-up member of Archer's Addicts. :-(

Replies

Colin Hunt November 20, 2013 at 12:26pm

Isn't gardening one of the largest pastimes in this country? I would have thought they need to increase, not decrease programmes! I like Gardeners World type of programme, but hate the gimmicky 'Eeeek, we've only 3 days to complete!' sort of thing, which is against all mine and probably many other's instincts.

Too many of these programmes are an insult our intelligence.

There was a great Children in Need £1m big build the other night which included a fantastic garden area, but in my view it was spoiled by the ridiculous 11 day deadline and so much of the programme was wasted on silly expressions, inane chat and telling us that it can't be done etc etc, when all along we knew it would be.

We want more substance and less fluff, that's how I would put it.
Judi Samuels Garden Design November 20, 2013 at 2:02pm

Well said Colin! I disagree strongly with David Dimbleby's comment about cutting gardening programmes. I am however, fed up of being overly patronised by tv personality gardeners who meter out the unobtainable to so many struggling to thrive on the basics of life. I would rather the 'how-to-garden' stance were more honestly taken. Leave behind the veneer of pretence and hundreds of thousands of pounds spent on immaculate snap-shot gardens.. Show us real people's lives, their passions, their horticultural struggles and successes.. sharing the joy of nature and all it offers..

Rant over!
:-)
PRO

Phil Voice November 20, 2013 at 2:28pm

Gardeners' World 2.4m viewers
Question Time 2.7m viewers
Bridget Zorn November 20, 2013 at 5:18pm

Agree with the above about the 'makeover' type style of programme. I do like the Beechgrove Garden and G World until Monty goes in his potting shed and shows off all his array of 20 pairs of secateurs etc. Am enjoying Master Chef at the mo', I'd rather get rid of stale formulaic dross like Holby City ...and 'talent' shows. Also in our household, we get sucked in to sitting there watching police action stuff and then wonder where the evening's gone...
To conclude my mini rant there's plenty of other rubbish on tv to cut first..!
Paul McNulty November 20, 2013 at 8:54pm

The BBC has to change, it's a simple fact that we've moved on from the "Home Service" and the "Light Programme" being the only options, to the internet, with infinite options mostly available for nothing.

The license fee WILL be cut, perhaps even abolished. Public Service Broadcasting will have to get back to exactly that: programmes that inform and educate, that would not be made by the commercial stations.

I'd guess that Gardener's Question Time costs about £10K per edition to record, if that. The TV version would be ten times that or more, and is far less use as it's all about filling the screen, rather than communicating with the listener. Radio does add so much, making you use your own brain as well.

GQT is also available at a convenient time, 3pm on a Friday, and can be listened to at work. When I left school and got my first job in a garden centre, we were taken off work and sat down to listen to GQT every week: it was considered part of our training, and I still think it beats any TV alternative.

The BBC needs to do less, better. Ironically, it's what they can do best if they don't try to compete with the commercial stations.

I have to declare an interest here, though. I'm a paid-up member of Archer's Addicts. :-(
Stuart Land-Scape.co.uk November 20, 2013 at 10:32pm

first the scorpion tattoo, now this? he's 75 years old..... maybe he's just losing the plot....

it's world service and radio 4 / 5 for me, although i admit to detesting the archers... sorry paul :)

used to listen to gqt most weeks, but a lot of what they come out with isn't all that good and the attempts at humour i find a bit flat, when clay jones presented it with his group of experts i reckon it was pretty good stuff, but then i was a lot younger.

now ground force and gardeners world with geoff hamilton - in their day i reckon they knock todays offerings for six