I.T.V. at the southampton boat show.

[paulcooper]

On Saturday I looked forward to seeing the boat show on tv.
What a waste of time. Colin Mc Crae may be exciting driving a rally car but sitting in a power boat in Majorca was like er--watching anti-foul dry. Then power boats in Plymouth hoe, where was the southampton bits?

There is so much to show on a programme for those interested in boating and I for one am sick of celebrities. What about the boats!

Cruisers,ribs, sailboards, classics, cats, inflateables, engines, all manner of gear was on show and we saw none of it. We dont all want power boats but we would like to see what is at the show!
The commentators may be nice to look at sitting in a gin palace but I would prefer someone you could show me some boat bits, Perhaps next year????

Does anyone from I.T.V. read these or are there no boating types to give the programme makers some help!

What do you Forum readers thinK?

Paul Cooper. (Yes I own a boat).

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[Talbot]

I think that they are totally unable to make decent programme about boats because they only "see" the stereotype yachty wearing a blue blazer and an inane grin whilst directing someone professional in the conduct of his gin palace. The fact that most of us hardly have two pennies to rub together after crown estates, the marinas and swindleries have had their share seems to be well beyond the media's attention span.

Mind you it is a bit difficult to get a great sound bite from a description of a grobbly valve /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

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[wooslehunter]

My thoughts exactly & there's another similar post on the Scuttlebut forum.

I mailed the TV company before either of these posts went up: toys for the super-rich, where's the normal stuff, with a theme of racing/speed where's the dinghy/windsurf stuff etc etc.

I've got a reply back from the duty office saying it'll be passed on and I've also pointed the production team at the posts here.

It'll be interesting if I get anything back & will post it if I do.

Dave

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[DanTribe]

I predict

When it comes to LIBS show time, that the TV coverage will consist of a nearly identical preview. Possible with Paul Heiney on the most expensive motorboat, telling us how expensive it is. " Cor guvnor aint these posh yachties got loads'a dosh"

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[LORDNELSON]

Forget expecting anything sensible from TV about boat shows or ordinary sailing folk. The TV producers/presenters have no appreciation of what messing about in boats is like and to be fair,since they are totally ignorant about boats and probably have about half a day to "do" the boat show, cannot be expected to produce anything worthwhile

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[maxi]

I agree, total waste of air time.

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[sloshed]

Re: I predict

Another unfortunate by-product being that the public at large will believe anybody owning a boat must be loaded and can therefore afford the tax hike on Marine Diesel.....

<hr width=100% size=1>Champagne aspirations - Beer money.

 

[ashley]

Satellite options

I've noticed, with my occasional UK satellite access, late night shows for caravan enthusiasts and canal boats.
Is there anything similar for the rest of the boating world

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[samwise]

Quite agree. ITV generally seems unable to look beyond reinforcing the stereotype and delivering the programme in a series or soundbites aimed at reaching the lowest common denominator in the viewing public. To the telly producer, powerboats are sexy, creaming wakes, throbbing engines and a bit of hot totty stretched out on the foredeck in a minimal bikini.
Yachts, unless we are in the Swan / Oyster class and above, don't have the same aspirational appeal.

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[JohnL]

I blame the licence regulator,who could get a boat owner sent to prison for putting aload of rubbish on air. Sorry Mike.

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[JohnL]

I blame the licence regulator,who could send a vhf user to prison for transmiting a load of rubbish. Sorry Mike.

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[jhr]

Stereotypes

To be fair, the image of throbbing engines, hot totty etc. is assiduously cultivated by manufacturers as well. "Buy one of our boats, you sad, middle aged git, and you'll pull lush women half your age" is still an excellent incentive to buy (well, it fooled me, anyway /forums/images/icons/smile.gif). Not quite the same with sailing boat ads, which seem to be more aimed at the solid family man, entertaining his friends to a civilised dinner. Rather like the difference between ads for a family saloon and a sports car.

Neither type of ad. seems to dwell overly long on the realities of sailing - read TK's excellent article in YM for more on this - but we can't really blame the TV companies for picking up on the image portrayed by the marketeers.

Sad, because it's such a missed opportunity. There must be a market for a well-researched, intelligent magazine programme about yachting, presented by knowledgeable enthusiasts. There was such a programme in my extreme youth (Southern TV's "Afloat") but that was an awfully long time ago, now /forums/images/icons/crazy.gif.

<hr width=100% size=1>Je suis Marxiste - tendance Groucho