Rated/Slated – June 09

Michael Jackson: A Life in Pop, was the most appreciated programme broadcast on Channel 4 last month – aside from Big Brother which generated more positive and more negative viewer comments then any other programme*. Meanwhile, an episode of Wife Swap, broadcast on 21 June, was the most complained about one-off programme.

Channel 4’s viewer enquiries team handled a total of 14,848 contacts (phone calls and emails) from viewers in June. Each query was logged and the appropriate people at Channel 4 notified. Of these contacts, 2,796 criticised the channel and its shows, while 235 complimented the programmes broadcast.

*Big Brother generated 1,837 complaints and 48 appreciative comments in June.

Top 10 programmes most appreciated by people who contacted Viewer Enquiries in June 2009 (quote is an example of viewer comment):

1. Michael Jackson: A Life in Pop (12 contacts)
   Thank you so much for an absolutely fab tribute to Michael Jackson! All his great music and none of the negative stuff that the media are still broadcasting even after his tragic death! As a lifetime fan, this is a sad time and what we want is to see and hear his great music, thank you!
2. Undercover Boss (9)
   Brilliant. Hard to believe a marketing director on a six figure salary has no experience of the product he’s selling. Great to see Andrew eat his words that low paid staff receiving extra money wouldn’t lead to improved productivity and happier employees. To his credit he rewarded his staff which was great viewing. Can’t wait for the next episode.
3. Dispatches: Orphan’s of Burma’s Cyclone (8)
   The coverage on the Burmese orphans was remarkable and heart breaking. I know there are many organizations in Burma providing food and aid but is there anyway to help those orphans featured in the programme?
4. Dispatches: Rape in the City (6)
   I know nothing of inner city life or gangs but I found the programme hard hitting and extremely well made, dealing with a difficult subject in a sensitive and intelligent manner. I found Sorious Samura extremely good and his style and method excellent. I do so hope we see more of him.
   
5. The World’s Greatest Music Prodigies (5)
   ‘Amazing television! Whoever commissioned this should get a raise. It was wonderful to see such an uplifting documentary that celebrated the gifted children, amazing families and incredible mentors this world has. I hope there will be similar programs to come.
6. The Operation: Surgery Live (5)
   I’d like to congratulate C4 for this excellent series. It was that rarest of things in modern TV: a serious documentary that treated its audience as intelligent but uninformed. There was no attempt to “dumb-down” what we were seeing. I’d like to thank all of the surgeons, medical teams, and patients that permitted us to glimpse their procedures. I would very much hope that a second season could be commissioned. Are there any plans to do so?
7. Bremner, Bird and Fortune: Who Broke Britain? (4)
   Congratulations on having the balls to show the Dinner Party sketch. We need more honesty like this in our comedy programs. Let’s not allows the minority to dictate what the majority wants to see and hear. More please!
8. Alan Carr: Chatty Man (4)
   I love Alan Carr and this show has me in stitches – he’s so cheeky!!
9. Inside Nature’s Giants (3)
   I just wanted to congratulate you on an incredibly interesting, informative and well-thought out documentary handled without excessive sentamentalisation (sic) but thought-provoking nonetheless. It answers questions as they occur to the viewer and is a really wonderful example of documentary, showing people something that they would otherwise have been very unlikely to see. Thank you and more of this type of programme please!
10. I’m Running Sainsbury’s (3)
    I am writing to say how much I love the “I’m running Sainsbury’s” series on Tuesday evenings Channel 4. The programmes are very well produced and are very entertaining. With the music and production it reminds me very much of “The Hotel Inspector”, and is just as addictive. It also illustrates how shop floor staff has great ideas basically because they are fully in touch with what makes the shopper tick. The other interesting thing that the programme illustrates is just how superior some managers feel about themselves which translates into a patronising attitude when talking to their “front line” staff. Thank you for a great piece of TV entertainment.

Top 10 programmes most criticised by people who contacted Viewer Enquiries in June 2009 (quote is an example of viewer comment):

1. Wife Swap (161)
   After watching the first few minutes of Wife Swap last night (June 21) I was disgusted and horrified that you would even air an episode like this.
2. Channel 4 News (68)
   I was just watching the 3-way interview with the newly elected BNP MEP as one of the participants. I was disgusted at the fact he wasn’t able to give over his points without being constantly shouted down and interrupted; with no one seeming to bother about it. It was totally one sided. Disgusting.
3. My Monkey Baby (39)
   I would just like to say how appalled I was to see these monkeys treated to badly and Channel 4 for condoning this action by going to film this. These people need some kind of psychological help that does not involve taking a monkey away from its natural habitat for their own selfish needs. I will be writing to the American government to get this wicked cruelty overturned.
4. The TNT Show (22)
   I was shocked at the discriminatory segment of the show named ‘Gilbert’s special report’ which I feel was unashamedly discriminatory toward persons with disabilities. I found this transmission most inappropriate and extremely awkward to watch. I hope that Channel 4 will never show such stereotypical views again on their prime time TV shows!
5. Bremner, Bird and Fortune: Who Broke Britain? (17)
   I was most shocked and disappointed to find that the content of last night’s show included bad language which did nothing to enhance the enjoyment of the show.
6. Michael Jackson: A Life in Pop (17)
   It’s sad that Michael Jackson died but the world didn’t come to an end. There was no need to change your programming for this. He was a pop star, not God, not Royalty, he didn’t discover a cure for cancer, didn’t solve the Middle East problem! Yet another example of celebrity culture taking over!
7. 8 out of 10 Cats (17)
   Too much ridicule of Susan Boyle. A plain middle-aged woman with learning difficulties isn’t a valid target; it’s too much like bullying. I’m especially sorry to hear it from my comedy hero, Sean Lock. Try to think a bit more News Quiz, a bit less Russell Brand.
8. Dispatches: Rape in the City (16)
   I do not have a complaint with this programme, rather the scheduling which places gang rape at 8.30, before the watershed and a programme about child prodigies at 9pm after the watershed. As the parent of a 9 year old, I know which of the above my child is likely to find inspirational and which terrifying. I would be interested to learn how the timing of Dispatches is justified.
9. Inside Nature’s Giants (11)
   I was horrified when I watched the programme Nature’s Giants: Elephant it was making me sick, not the fact of the dead animal it was because of how little respect they had for the elephant. As an animal lover I will be protesting about the show it was horrific no way should an animal be dissected like that they just dragged the internal organs out and started prodding them.
10. Madonna and Mercy: What Really Happened? (10)
    The programme was full of rhetoric and vivid analogy, but lacked substance. The reporter made a number of claims; many were highly dubious and poorly supported. For example: – Madonna’s actions were repeatedly compared to those of “19th century colonialists”. At one point she was even compared to slave master! These comparisons are tendentious at best and do nothing to advance the main argument of the program.

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