Originally Posted by Glenn (Post 4352681)

Have Channel 5 themselves confirmed this or has it just been taken from the article. There isn't any confirmation other than the article. DS is only reporting this because of the article. There's no solid ground to the story.

Originally Posted by keithafc (Post 4352698)

Good news. LF = OVERRATED.

Originally Posted by Stu (Post 4352426)

The live feed is not a mere gimmick but in fact the big marketable touchstone the show was originally designed around. Without it Big Brother is just another television show. With it it's something that sets the format apart from the cesspit of other reality shows clamouring for press and public attention.

From a business standpoint it is incredibly easy to maintain a live stream and I seriously doubt it is that expensive. It's certainly far less costly than the irreparable damage it's omission could cause to the show. The fans want live feed and by not giving it to them Channel 5 are like it or not - regardless of whatever pissant compromises they conjure up - kind of sticking up the middle finger at the most important people to the show.

You simply don't piss off your hardcore fanbase. You don't do it with TV shows, video games, film or any other form of modern entertainment. It's a dangerous thing to wade into and usually spells disaster.

I don't see the show as being entirely worthless without the feed - 2009 was my favourite series of it ever - but the simple fact is railing against it or dismissing it isin't cool or smart. It would be a major loss to the show and would set a very bad precedent for what's to come.

As if fans had not already been highly paranoid of what Channel 5 would do with the format this lame ass decision just vindicates those endless 'Channel 5 will fuck it up' arguments.

Originally Posted by Stu (Post 4352700)

Regardless of your own personal opinion how on this or any other planet is it good news?

Originally Posted by keithafc (Post 4352711)

They can create story lines easier without people perhaps knowing the full story. Throw in some quality housemates, people who love an argument and it could be good. I don't want to know what they are eating or what time they go to take a piss.

Originally Posted by keithafc (Post 4352707)

That is the problem. The hardcore fan base are the only people really interested in Big Brother now. It has had its day and should be left out for 5+ years to let it rest and if enough people want it back, it should come back.


The real funeral of Big Brother will be from Channel 5 and not Channel 4. You don't need LF to create a great programme. Matter if you like it or not stu, Big Brother is just another TV show.

Im a Celebrity get me out of here has no LF for 2 and a half weeks and its ratings are at the top of the game.

Originally Posted by keithafc (Post 4352711)

They can create story lines easier without people perhaps knowing the full story. Throw in some quality housemates, people who love an argument and it could be good. I don't want to know what they are eating or what time they go to take a piss.

Originally Posted by Stu (Post 4352725)

Be they all hardcore fans or not roughly three and a half million people were watching Big Brother every night of the week at the end of it's run. That's not to be scoffed at. Especially given the demographic it attracts.

Advertisers and TV executives would give their right arm for that kind of audience in this day and age and that's what Richard Desmond has done. He has paid top dollar for an audience that has the potential to be that big for his own struggling network.

Live feed is of huge importance to the brand and you're simply fooling yourself if you think it isin't.


They had no problem creating storylines with the live feed for ten years. And what's wrong with people knowing the full story and giving greater colour and opinion to the highlights show spin?

Arguing about the specific content of the live feed is meaningless. You are more than welcome to find it the most boring thing since the dawn of time but it's not a 'good thing' that the option is no longer available for fuck sake.

Originally Posted by keithafc (Post 4352770)

You talking about the last series? Well that is obvious. Everyone was told it was the end, more people tuned in. Give it a run of 2-3 years straight and the ratings will drop again. The LF doesn't make a great deal of difference to the quality of the TV show.

Originally Posted by Stu (Post 4352788)

Without live feed it won't get a run of two to three years.

I'm well aware that it doesn't change the content or quality of the highlight shows but you are blatantly ignoring the multiple positive effects it has on the format. It's like you've just started mouthing off without reading a single post.

I feel for you if you think last years only rated well because people were told it was the last one. I seriously doubt all those extra people tuned in just because of that. And even if we go back a year 2.5 million is still an absurdly fantastic audience to a pit like Channel 5.

They could have a great run with it. But taking out a core show component and pissing off your loyal fanbase isin't the best way to start. It's a big loss for the product, will harm it's press coverage potential and it's being done for seemingly no good reason. Live feed is easy to put out. And best of all? If you think it's a bit shit you don't have to watch it.

Originally Posted by keithafc (Post 4352806)

Ok, you are probably a bigger fan than me of the show in general and probably do know more about BBs history in general. But why downgrade the standards of the show of what it used to have and just accept ratings like that? If it isn't at a high level, why bother? It is like just being happy to have it, than not having it at all.

Originally Posted by Stu (Post 4352821)

Who is downgrading the standards of the show? If the feed has no impact on highlight shows then the ratings have even less of an impact. 2008 and 2009 were two of the best summers ever in my opinion and the ratings were on a serious downward curve.

I don't understand terms like 'why accept ratings like that' and 'why bother'. It's not getting the supershow ratings it once garnered oh say half a decade ago but like I've explained they are still fantastic ratings network execs would sell their mothers down the river for.

By your logic it would have been pointless accepting the show after it's final creative and commercial peak in 2006 and yet here I am glad I stuck around. I want it to rate well but at the end of the day I just want to watch the damn thing.

Originally Posted by keithafc (Post 4352711)

They can create story lines easier without people perhaps knowing the full story. Throw in some quality housemates, people who love an argument and it could be good. I don't want to know what they are eating or what time they go to take a piss.

Originally Posted by daniel-lewis-1985 (Post 4352928)

The concept of Big Brother is that they are being watched by us 24/7 which obviously now we are unable to therefor killing the whole uniqueness of the show.

Pretty much every other country have the live feed.

And we dont want to watch the producers "creating" a story its supposed to be REALITY tv so we want to know the full story. Perhaps you are happy with being spoon fed innacurate events and stories in the house but us hardcore fans want to judge the housemates for ourselves.

Originally Posted by keithafc (Post 4353089)

Its not reality tv is it though. Its characters thrown into a house and living with stangers for 24/7.