MUMBAI: During the 2002/2003 season there were 1 086 new programmes, almost as many as last year (1095). The broadcasters took more time to put in place their new season scheduling and they preferred to spread the launching of new programmes throughout the year.
These results are contained in a New On The Air (NOTA) survey International TV Trends - 2002-2003 Season Real TV Or Social Awareness TV? The report notes that the trend is to maximise the communication around the launching of the new shows all year long without radically changing the programme schedule that comes in later in the year. More and more channels have adopted this strategy.
Cautiousness and stability everywhere except in the US: Even though cautiousness and stability remain the key words for the new programme planning in most countries from the NOTA survey, the United States make an exception. 41.3 per cent of the new American programmes for this season have been presented to the viewers in September. Four countries from this survey recorded an increase in the launching of new programmes. The US reached a growth of 12 per cent bringing on a total revision of the network schedules.
France and Italy propose fewer novelties: The number of novelties on French and Italian TV decreased, even though it represents a large output per volume : interactive game shows such as Star Six or Tubissimo on M6, Essaye encore on Canal +, Operazione Trionfo on Italia 1 or even Destinazione San Remo on Rai 2. The broadcasters have chosen to enroll the introduction of their new programmes in a long term strategy.
Growing number of positive programmes: 9/11 generated an important production of positive programmes with multiple objectives : understanding our surroundings, supporting a good cause, being entertained in order to forget life pressure, improving ourselves and looking back remembering the good times.
Many special events have been built around stars supporting a good cause. Italy is a leader in this field with many shows on Rai 1. Un dono damore in prime time gathered stars in order to increase people awareness on organ donation. The players of a prestigious soccer club got together for the Juventus una squadra per amico in order to collect funds for the construction of a children hospitals extension.
In the same spirit, famous singers sang live in Con tutto il cuore to collect money for the inhabitants of Pristina, capital of Kosovo. Finally, Nel nome de cuore was a special show dedicated to the life of St Francis of Assisi and to fund collecting for a good cause.
Inspired by a heavy social and political environment, and also by the viewers need to be better informed, the channels studied by NOTA have thus chosen to air more accessible political and social awareness shows. At the initiative of channel Ned 1, the members of the new Dutch government were able to introduce themselves to their voters in Nieuwe Stuurlui. In the same style, campaigning candidates were confronted with an artist in Szenewechsel broadcast in Germany on ARD.
Entertainment shows are flowing: A rush of entertainment shows and in particular, the development of 'comedy shows' materialises the need of 'escaping'. In Germany, three shows based on astonishing concepts were broadcast.
Ohne Worte on RTL is built on silent sketches. Rent a Pocher on Pro 7 is centred around the host Oliver Pocher who can be hired by the public in order to fulfill various tasks. In Alt & Durchgeknallt on Sat 1, seniors which are both protagonist and target of comic attacks, see their everyday life and problems being staged.
The reality television scene: Reality shows are durably installed in the schedules. In the UK on Channel 4, Operatunity sees 100 junior opera singers participating. The winner will get a major role in the London opera house. And in the US, on Fox, Mr Personality hosted by Monica Lewinski stages a woman having to choose her prince charming among 20 masked men.
Reality TV renews itself and the new programmes follow three different directions : talent quests, dating shows and shows casting celebrities. Among the last seasons successes were Joe Millionnaire on Fox in the US and Hotel Glamour on Tele 5 in Spain.
The wave of nostalgia catches up also the celebrities. Reborn in the USA broadcast on ITV in the UK is a reality soap in 8 episodes. Here English singers from the 1960s, 70s and 80s try to boost up their career throughout a US tour. The American public chooses two of the worst singers and the English viewers save one of them. The winner will sign up a contract with a label.
Finally, the active participation of celebrities reflects the duality between television show materialised by Reality TV and Scocial Awareness. The former includes La Isla de los Famosos broadcast on Antena 3 in Spain. At the other side of the spectrum you have social awareness programmes often based on solidarity. exmaples of this are Celebrity Boot Camp on Fox in the US, Comic Relief does Fame Academy on BBC 1 in the UK, Im a celebrity get me out of here airs on ITV in the UK and ABC in the US. Here celebrities are the corner stones.
Created in 1997, NOTA combines the expertise of Eurodata TV, the international database for television logs and audiences worldwide and IMCA, the audiovisual consultancy firm. Every year NOTA, tracks and monitors new shows worldwide, analyses and decodes trends in programming, production strategies and format circulation . Eurodata Tv which makes part of Mdiamtrie follows the audience performances programme by programme in 72 countries.
