Fishing On TV

[Guest Elton]

I switched on the TV yesterday to find tennis on one channel, horse racing on two of the others and, wait for it....basketball on the other. Channel 5 had some naff 70's soap thing on, so we'll disregard them!

 

What gets me is that, surely, horse racing isn't something that people go to to watch magnificent animals, at the peak of their fitness, combining with man to go head to head to find the ultimate match. No, my own opinion is that the majority of people watch horse racing because they've got 5 quid on Betty's Bounty in the 3:30. Or am I missing the point?

 

It seems that the real beneficiaries are the the bookmakers. Strange that the BBC should condone such behaviour when recent reports have highlighted the alarming increase in gambling in the UK.

 

Anyway, the point of this - surely there's some way that we could let these TV companies know that interesting fishing programmes are appreciated. Time to find out how powerful the internet is, perhaps?

 

Any comments?

 

Tight Lines,

 

Elton

 

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Elton Murphy

Anglers' Net

http://www.anglersnet.co.uk

[Guest atomtubbie]

In my opinion the internet is replacing television as the mass medium carrier, I would welcome web based streaming video coverage of matches, competitions or pleasure fishing sessions etc. You could make some good educational stuff as well with all the advatages of freeze frame and hyper text links. Wow the internet is powerfull isn't it.

Geoff

[Guest lyn]

I totally agree with you, unless you have cable/sky there is nothing. I don't think we have had any thing much since 'Passion for Angling' which personnally I thought was very good. Although it didn't cover much on techniques it was most enjoyable viewing.

 

Perhaps someone like Matt Hayes would be able to explain why he went with sky, was it more money or were the other channels not interested?

[Guest Steve Randles]

Elton

Fishing is the biggest participant sport in th u.k. but tv chiefs seem to think that fishing is not an interesting sport to watch.

those of us who have sky tv will know of tight lines a great programme that starts up again this week is an excellent fishing prog that covers most ...if not all of the branches of the sport. isn't it time that someone slapped them round the face with a wet kipper and tell them to "WAKE UP WE WANT FISHING" Steve

[Guest Elton]

Originally posted by lyn:

Perhaps someone like Matt Hayes would be able to explain why he went with sky, was it more money or were the other channels not interested?

 

I have a feeling that it will be the latter.

 

One of the problems seems to be that the TV companies seem unaware how many anglers would tune in to a good programme - or perhaps they are right and there just isn't enough of us.

 

I'm in the really weird position of actually enjoying going round my in-laws...they have Sky and I always go straight to the remote control to see what's on offer!

 

Yibbida! Yibbida!

 

Elton

 

 

 

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Elton Murphy

Anglers' Net

http://www.anglersnet.co.uk

[Guest piscary]

Originally posted by lyn:

I totally agree with you, unless you have cable/sky there is nothing. I don't think we have had any thing much since 'Passion for Angling' which personnally I thought was very good. Although it didn't cover much on techniques it was most enjoyable viewing.

 

One of the reasons for the dearth of fishing progs. on terrestrial T.V. is because channel bosses consider angling to be a minority sport - how many avid basket-ball players/ice hockey enthusiasts do you know?

 

I was told, when the 'Screaming Reels' contract was not re-newed, that it just didn't get sufficiently high ratings to justify a further series. Maybe it's because you're all too busy fishing to watch television?

 

I reckon a few of us should get together and produce a format to offer to Channel 4. Most of the anglers I know are slightly 'off the wall' - some of 'em a bit more than slightly - Channel 4'd love it!

Any ideas?

 

Rosie

[Guest Gaffer]

Hi all,IMO it's more politicaly correct, fashionable,or popular to be an anti at the moment and thats the way the t.v. companies see it.

It's easier to palm off anglers than it is to face the anti's and the violence that comes with them.

My cousin works for a major t.v. company and he shares the same opinion as me.

If we as anglers shouted a little louder the t.v. companies might hear us.

To be honest, once the footie it out of the way, I'll be spending more time on the net anyway!

All the best,

Gaffer.

[Guest BUDGIE]

Yes we all now that angling is meant to be the largest participent sport.

Yes I have heard that more people go fishing on a Saturday than go to see a foot ball match.

BUT we have to face the facts,most people find TV angling boring! Even us die hard anglers constantly criticise fishing programmes.Look at the flack John Wilson got over his programmes.I personally used yo enjoy the Sky programmes. The fact that most of these were American made it more interesting for me as I had seen most of the UK stuff.After a while even these became jaded.

You can always tell a good fishing programme as the next day all your none fishing friends will be commenting on it!These are surely the type of fishing TV that the programmers them selves want i.e a broader audience(also this is possibly what angling needs)These are the sort of programmes that we should be lobbying for.As allready mentioned Passion for Angling fitted in to this catagory and I havn't heard much negative comment from any one on this,angler or not.Also a lot of TV angling is shown at times when anglers are out fishing.No wonder the ratings ain't that good!

[Guest Eddie]

Do you maybe not think the T.V.companies know that angling has no long term future? After Fox Hunting is outlawed Fishing for anything bar the table is next! Do not rely on the Game or Sea Anglers to back us up, they after all kill their catch and will probably be exempted. T.V companies are usually lothe to waste money on dead horses that cannot be repeated time and time again!

[Guest aero]

how can they think fishing on T.V is boreing have you ever watched "Fish'o'mania" it's like a one day soap opra