Not surprisingly, Big Brother dominated viewer feedback last month with over 4,000 complaints and 212 appreciative comments making their way to Viewer Enquiries in June. Excluding BB, Inbetweeners was the most appreciated programme of the month, while the mid-season break in Desperate Housewives generated the most criticism for the second month running.
Channel 4’s Viewer Enquiries team handled a total of 26,778 contacts (phone calls and emails) from viewers last month. Each query was logged and the appropriate people at Channel 4 notified. Of these contacts, 6,132 criticised Channel 4 and its shows, while 385 complimented the programmes we had broadcast.
Top 10 programmes most appreciated by people who contacted Viewer Enquiries in June 2008, excluding Big Brother (quote is an example of viewer comment):
- Inbetweeners (11 contacts) “This series made my two daughters and my wife and I roar with laughter. The funniest TV we have all enjoyed for ages.”
- Tony Robinson’s Crime and Punishment (9) “I would like to compliment Channel 4 on an excellent, informative and well presented series of programmes.”
- How to Look Good Naked (5) “It’s the best, me and my sister love it and it gives us an excuse to have a girly night in just to watch it!”
- Dispatches: Warlords Next Door? (4) “Excellent journalistic work, Somali people thank the British journalists who did this investigation.”
- In the Shadow of the Moon (4) “This was such a beautiful, moving and enjoyable documentary. A little gem! Thank you.”
- Peep Show (4) “Comedy at its finest and most sadly realistic, well worth the wait.”
Derren Brown: Trick or Treat (4) “I’d just like to say how much I have enjoyed this series. Thank you for a real treat!!” - Disarming Britain trail (3) “Without exaggeration, I can safely say it is the greatest short film (calling it a trailer does it an injustice) I have ever seen.”
- The Shooting Party (3) “I have just watched Maddie’s Human Whisperer. WOW. It was an incredibly powerful piece of writing.”
- Dispatches: Gordon Brown: Where Did It All Go Wrong? (3) “You all make really good docs… The one on the PM that I just finished watching was excellent.”
Top 10 programmes most criticised by people who contacted Viewer Enquiries in June 2008, excluding Big Brother (quote is an example of viewer comment):
- Desperate Housewives (176) “Apparently the hiatus will last until autumn… I can only presume it’s sheer sadism on behalf of the controllers at Channel 4.”
- The Devil Wears Primark (157) “I am shocked that after such extensive advertising of the documentary that it was pulled.”
- The F Word (45) “I found the sight of GR catching and eating elvers abhorrent… Who the hell does he think he is?”
- Location, Location, Location (41) “I was totally disgusted that Channel 4 should allow Kirsty and Phil to blame stamp duty for all the current problems in the housing market.”
- Dispatches: The Truth About Food Prices (40) “The picture is out of sync with the sound.”
- 10 Years Younger (37) “Do the programme makers think that after 60 we should curl up in a corner or give up? I am 60 and take an interest in how I look, don’t write us off yet.”
- Derren Brown: Trick or Treat (34) “I love dark comedy but did not feel this was amusing or added anything to the show.”
- The West Wing (30) “Why have you moved it to the last hour on Saturday? It’s just too late…”
- 8 Out of 10 Cats (29) “I am seriously angered by the disgusting comments made by Jimmy Carr on 8 out of 10 cats about the people of Liverpool…”
- The Sunday Night Project (25) “I understand that there is a warning at the beginning of the show, but the use of the ‘C’ word is taking it a bit too far.”
How do you feel about this month’s Rated/Slated? Do you agree with the comments you’ve read?
