Email sent to Channel 7 Perth

[jargan83]

its the best we can get so i think we should be happy, see what's on telly same night as the next game and work from there

No it's not.

I remember when channel 7 would televise the game at 6:30 then go to a dodgy movie repeat. Sure C7 moving the game to a marginally better timeslot of 9:55 is a win, but a marginal one at that. It is still almost 4 hours after the game kicks off, and in this day and age of mobile internet, sports scores on mobile etc etc i still think it is a cop out by 7 in my opinion. Does nothing for young kids that want to see their team play in the biggest game of the year but don't have access to foxtell.
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[Moses]

Just got this

Thanks for your email.

Unfortunately as the broadcast legislation currently stands, by law we are not permitted to show the Rugby tests, AFL or any other sport that is on the anti-siphoning list on the HD channel, prior to it being telecast on the main channel. If we were allowed to multi-channel for such events, then we would.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to contact us.

Regards

Program Department
Channel Seven Perth

They try and make it sound like they don't support that law, which is just not true. All the comercial channels have been lobbying hard, running propaganda adverts and websites to support it.

[NeoGirl]

And just sent this

Thank you for replying, but I still think that doing as I suggested in my last e-mail e.g. why not show the Princess Diaries 2 on all HD channels, and show the rugby live on normal channel 7, thereby giving people the option to watch the Princess Diaries 2 and to watch the game at the same time without breaking the law, is a better option.

Thank you for reading,
Neogirl

[Moses]

Does nothing for young kids that want to see their team play in the biggest game of the year but don't have access to foxtell.
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Yeah, think of the kiddies who'll be up to midnight

[force addict]

just told my friend that thanks to Pistol, Neogirl etc the game is at 9:55pm and she says thanks

[BLR]

its the best we can get so i think we should be happy, see what's on telly same night as the next game and work from there

The best would be live.

[gustafsl]

Hi again Peter

Can't do as you have suggested as we have a strong existing audience for Great Outdoors and also the AFL telecast will be on Ten at that time (WCE v St Kilda) so Rugby wouldn't stand a chance against it. Also, starting Princess Diaries at 9.30 or later would not appeal at all to the target audience.

Regards

Ray Wardrop

Make note of this email from Ray. For the past few weeks they have been running with the fact that Rugby would not rate as well as stuff on other channels. If and when Princess Diaries 2 gets beaten in the ratings by the AFL we should bombared them with emails asking if they will alter their program lineup in the future as they are still getting beaten by the other channels.

[jargan83]

The best would be live.

it sure would

Those "Better Homes And Gardens" and "The Great Outdoors" viewers must be absolutly vicious for C7 not to show the game live or on half hour delay

[gustafsl]

And just sent this

Thank you for replying, but I still think that doing as I suggested in my last e-mail e.g. why not show the Princess Diaries 2 on all HD channels, and show the rugby live on normal channel 7, thereby giving people the option to watch the Princess Diaries 2 and to watch the game at the same time without breaking the law, is a better option.

Thank you for reading,
Neogirl

This is just further evidence of how ridiculous this stupid law is. The idea of the law is that more people get a chance to see the games because they aren't shown exclusively on the HD channel which not everyone can access. The idea is that it will force the FTA channels to show it on their regular channel. Clearly that isn't working.

Also I find it funny that this law, and specifically this clause, is still in there. Considering they are getting rid of the analog signal in a couple years. And anyone who doesn't have digital will have to make the switch, thereby giving them the HD channels. So they are willing to force people to pay for a new TV or set top box in a couple years time. But aren't willing to change the anti-siphoning law now because they don't want to force people to have to buy digital to see the sport....doesn't make sense.

[PerthGirl]

As I said previously I would urge everyone to send a note of thanks to Ray for his effort while pointing out that he will not get an accurate gauge of Rugby's popularity showing it with a 4 hour delay and also KQ's point about many rugby fan's will not realise the time of the broadcast has changed.

[GIGS20]

As I said previously I would urge everyone to send a note of thanks to Ray for his effort while pointing out that he will not get an accurate gauge of Rugby's popularity showing it with a 4 hour delay and also KQ's point about many rugby fan's will not realise the time of the broadcast has changed.

I just got this email in response to my Sunrise Query, hold onto it, it's a bit wordy, It contains a reply from Ray Wardrop to some Sunrise staffer I don't reckon they'll be doing any more, but you can read my opinions in my reply.

Thanks for your efforts Penny, this answer is nothing much more than what we've received previously and doesn't really change my feelings. I (and many others) feel that we are the victim of a self-fulfilling prophecy where Channel 7 Perth telecast some games and base their programming on the results of those games. Ray doesn't seem to be interested in listening to the argument that the landscape has changed significantly with the inclusion of a Super 14 team in the city.

It's hard to argue against ratings numbers but I find it difficult to believe that 49000 people who will shell out 50 bucks or more to watch the game on Saturday night wouldn't watch it on the telly if it were broadcast at a convenient time.

Ray is 'giving it a go' at 9:55 this Saturday in an attempt to appease the growing swell of pressure to telecast this game at a reasonable hour, the fact is, his attempt to shut us up will achieve the lowest ratings ever, for the simple reason that any devoted rugby fan will go to a pub, watch it on the Foxtel connection they have been forced to purchase due to the disgusting coverage that Rugby receives in this town or (like many of my mates) turn up at the house of a friend who has bought Foxtel.

Ray will get the numbers he's been seeking to confirm his argument and Foxtel will sign even more subscribers so they can actually watch a sport which is gaining a groundswell of support in this state. Have a look at the thread I linked to in the original message, that thread contains the story of one punter who has subscribed to Foxtel specifically for the Tri-Nations series this year.....that's a huge financial commitment, and it's not an isolated account, no matter how the programming department manipulates the public, I think they're only hiding the fact that they don't want to broadcast rugby live.

Maybe I'll get more mileage for this story by writing to A Current Affair!

Regards
Rob

-----Original Message-----
From: Heath, Penny [mailtoHeath@seven.com.au]
Sent: Friday, 25 July 2008 8:22 AM
To: rob_hill@aapt.net.au
Subject: FW: roswall: Why does Channel 7 Perth broadcast the rugby at inconvenient times



Hi Rob,

Thanks for your email to the Sunrise soapbox. Here is a response from
the Perth programming department.

Hope it helps.




Dear Rob

Unfortunately in this business we can't please everyone all the time.
There will always be a segment of the viewing audience that doesn't like
what a TV station schedules (or doesn't schedule). Rugby telecasts are
a classic example of that.

As you know, ratings figures are the currency that we use to determine
if an audience likes or dislikes a program and with rugby, it has never
managed to get a big share of the viewing audience in Perth in prime
time, except for the World Cup final a few years back.

By way of example, on June 11 2006 we telecast the Australia vs England
rugby match live from 6pm to 8pm. This telecast came third in the
timeslot well behind Nine's News, Backyard Blitz and 60 Minutes and
Ten's The Simpson and Big Brother. In fact, Nine's programming had
double the audience share against the rugby.

Then on Saturday 29 July that year, the Australia v All Blacks telecast
at 7.30pm came fourth in its 7.30pm timeslot, with more viewers watching
Doctor Who and The Bill on Channel Two, the movies Spy Kids and Catch Me
If You Can on Channel Nine and the AFL match Brisbane vs Essendon on
Channel Ten.

We gave rugby a go live and early in the evening (like we also did a
couple of years before then) and it failed to attract an acceptable
audience so we had to move it to late night.

Having said that, we've decided to have another go at an earlier
timeslot by moving the game this Saturday night to a more palatble
9.55pm. Hopefully it will attract enough of an audience (taking into
consideration it's timeslot) to warrant us telecasting the games at a
similar time in the future.

Thanks again for contacting us.

Regards

Ray Wardrop

[jargan83]

has anyone sent an email to the ARU regarding this??

I notice that in the case of june 11 2006 he fails to mention whether the Rugby won the timeslot as all the other shows listed ARE NOT on a saturday night.
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[GIGS20]

Third behind Backyard Blitz, Big Brother, the Simpsons and 60 Minutes....Let's face it the numbers are going to count.

There is a whole lot more potential IMHO for an international sporting fixture to increase ratings over time than Princess Diaries 2 though! Why even buy the rights if you're not going to show the material....stay out of the bidding process and let somebody who wants to promote the sport pay for the rights. We argue about Princess Diaries being the cheap alternative, but you must realise that the Rugby has been paid for whether it's telecast or not, they actually pay MORE to show the Princess Diaries and the rugby!

I just think it sucks for people who don't have Foxtel is all!

[force addict]

Third behind Backyard Blitz, Big Brother, the Simpsons and 60 Minutes....Let's face it the numbers are going to count.

don't you mean 4th?

[blueandblack]

has anyone sent an email to the ARU regarding this??

I notice that in the case of june 11 2006 he fails to mention whether the Rugby won the timeslot as all the other shows listed ARE NOT on a saturday night.
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I think you'll find he said that "Rugby came in third". Also June 11, 2006 was a Sunday (checked via google and hinted at by the listing of "60 Minutes").

Still, with the crowd we got and the larger interest, maybe they can try again. Next weekend, the GAYFL locals play each other on Sunday whereas rugby is on Sat arvo at 3.30. On Aug 16,23 & 30, the 3 games are at 9pm Perth time on Sat night, whereas the gayfl locals are on fri night, sat arvo or sunday. Maybe this last selection is when 7 will run it live in Perth.

I really think we should write to the pollies as well to address the digital channel thing, as well as the ARU.