Big Brother dominated viewer contacts last month, attracting over 4,000 complaints and 101 appreciative comments in August. Excluding BB, The Secret Millionaire proved to be last month’s most appreciated programme, while The Kevin Bishop Show generated the most complaints.
Channel 4’s viewer enquiries team handled a total of 26,095 contacts (phone calls and emails) from viewers in August. Each query was logged and the appropriate people at Channel 4 notified. Of these contacts, 5,474 criticised the channel and its shows, while 450 complimented the programmes broadcast.
Top 10 programmes most appreciated by people who contacted Viewer Enquiries in August 2008, excluding Big Brother (quote is an example of viewer comment):
- The Secret Millionaire (57)
“Congratulations on the superb series. Very moving and touching. Outstanding viewing, really enjoying the stories!” - Make Me a Christian (36)
“I really enjoyed this programme. It is so good to see the Christian faith portrayed in a positive light and I found the honesty and openness of those involved very moving and compelling viewing.” - The Genius of Charles Darwin (25)
“Thank you for a brilliant programme dedicated to the brilliance of Darwin, I thoroughly enjoyed it; and who better to present it than one of the worlds leading biologists (and atheists) Richard Dawkins.” - A1: The Road Musical (24)
“Caught A1: The Road Musical between programmes and was transfixed. I absolutely loved it. It made me laugh and cry and I thought it was clever and a really great show. Please pass on my heartfelt compliments to the guy who wrote it and all the people in it.” - Kill It, Skin It, Wear It (15)
“Thank you so much for such a gritty, not biased informative programme. It made me feel sick at times and threw up a lot of questions on my own views with regards to the fur trade.” - The Perfect Vagina (14)
“I wish I could have seen this programme years ago which would have saved me a lot of anguish. I now know that I am normal. Thank you.” - Dispatches: How The Banks Never Lose (8)
“Thank you for exposing the banking ‘fraud’. Brilliant. Bonuses should only be paid on profit.” - We Are Together (7)
“I just wanted to write and say thank you for showing this beautiful, informative, heart rending, yet life affirming film.” - Can’t Read, Can’t Write (7)
“Kudos to Channel 4 for ‘Can’t Read, Can’t Write’, an uplifting and fascinating insight into the world of adults who have never mastered basic reading and writing skills.” - Embarrassing Illnesses (6)
“I would like to thank you for saving my life. Back in April I watched your Embarrassing Illnesses programme about checking for breast cancer. I found a lump which subsequently turned out to be breast cancer. I cannot thank you enough, as if I had not watched your programme it would have gone undetected and who knows how far it would have spread.”
Top 10 programmes most criticised by people who contacted Viewer Enquiries in August 2008, excluding Big Brother (quote is an example of viewer comment):
- The Kevin Bishop Show (194)
“I watched The Kevin Bishop Show last night, and I found it to be absolutely disgusting. I cannot comment for everyone, but the material he is using was not only offensive but in very very poor taste. Please consider taking this programme off air as it has caused offence to so many people.” - The Genius of Charles Darwin (85)
“Darwin deserves a really good documentary. This wasn’t it! Richard Dawkins, who fails to see that he has a closed mind when it comes to religion, interviewing religious cranks who have a closed mind when it comes to science.” - The Charlotte Church Show (75)
“I can take and enjoy a joke, but the comment made about IVF being a waste of money was completely insensitive as it is clearly an issue she knows nothing about. Will not be watching again!” - Make Me a Christian (73)
“I have never seen such an irresponsibly-aired programme. Masquerading as Christians, 4 Reverends and Vicars proceeded to make Christianity into a joke, and went against Christian morals by being completely judgemental of all participants’ lives, verging on extremism with their ‘remedies’.” - Kill It, Skin It, Wear It (51)
“I can’t really understand why C4 would want to show a production like this. How can this be entertainment? By screening this type of programme you are almost making fur wearers arguments legitimately worthy of thought.” - The F Word (35)
“I was absolutely appalled at the use of a Puffin by Gordon Ramsay. Whilst I know full well that Mr Ramsay likes to include extreme examples of cuisine in his programmes I found this passed reasonably acceptable standards. To then eat the heart was doubly offensive.” - Red Bull Air Race (31)
Who are these clowns presenting the Red Bull Air Race? I am a big fan of this event and for me this juvenile coverage spoils it. You don’t get children’s TV presenters commenting on F1, so why employ such crass and unfunny individuals for this equally worthy sport?” - Don’t Blame the Builder (26)
“In last night’s episode, despite the programme being transmitted at 8pm, there was repeated use of three swear words – only the F word was bleeped out. I don’t feel it is appropriate that any programme before 9pm contains such words and am disappointed that Channel 4 broadcast the programme with these words included.” - 4Music Trailer (23)
“The lyrics to this song are offensive & inappropriate. “A kiss with a fist is better than none at all” implies that abuse in a relationship is better than no relationship.” - Can’t Read, Can’t Write (19)
“Shame that in a programme about adult literacy, the makers didn’t proof read their captions better. In British English, practise, when used as a verb is spelt with an ’s’ rather than a ‘c’”
How do you feel about this month’s Rated/Slated? Do you agree with the comments you’ve read?
