Meet the controller Ben frow
 

Ben frow interview here he controls wats on c5 talks about Viacom and a little bit about big brother https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XTKOmhc3YN8

Meet the controller - i'd rather eat worms

Thanks for sharing the video!

For those who don't want to watch the full thing, here's a summary of what he mentioned regarding Big Brother:
- Doesn't want C5 to become reliant on Big Brother.
- Thinks BB15 has done "remarkably well" against the world cup
- The ratings do not worry him, he has seen BB has been 4th in its slot on some nights, that's where he wants BB to be.
- He''s "not sure" the casting was right this year (I think the majority of us will agree with him on that)
- Big Brother is a "very important" piece for Channel 5
- He says he will renew the show at the end of this year
- Expects Big Brother to one day "fall" but it performs well at the moment

Get that renewal

http://i.minus.com/iYuln7yavO7Rh.gif

I do like Ben frow - I think he has quite a realistic approach to the channel. Having said that I don't know whether to be relived or concerned by what he says about Big Brother:

1) The casting wasn't quite right this year.

I think the only real issue people had with casting was the order in which housemates went in over the two launch nights. I think if they had swapped a few of the night one and night two housemates over, the cast wouldn't have come under such scrutiny at the start. Plus if he thinks the housemates were the problem this year, what does he make of the real reasons people were moaning about this years series, I.E: the constant producer manipulation.

2) He's pleased with how BB15 performed against all the sport this year, albeit accepting that it was "a slightly weaker series than last year." He also says "I don't want Big Brother to be at the top of the ratings."

Double edged sword with this one I think. I think the series did hold up fairly well throughout the massive competition it had this year, but to say that he doesn't think Big Brother needs to be at the top. Is Big Brother not C5's most expensive show?

3) "Are you recommisining Big Brother?"
"Absolutely."

Above all, that's what we wanted and needed to hear. He doesn't really talk about what Viacom's influence on the show will be, but he said in broad terms that as a channel, Viacom are happy with what they're getting. It sounds like we might get some more diverse housemates next year, and I think it will be interesting to see what happens with it.
He sounds like despite everything he is fairly happy with the show still, he says similar to what he said last year about "one day Big Brother will fall" and he points out he means further than it did this year, and it can't be argued that the celeb series still do brilliantly.
I can't help but feel from what he's saying throughout though that if the right show comes along that is bigger and better than BB then we need to worry.

Thanks for summary of the interview, so pleased here that BB is very much focus of C5 & it will continue to get renewed.

Is he Louie Spence's dad?
His job would make a great computer game.

Problems with Channel 5 are advertising the next program during the previous program. During a film for example, a message will pop up, and ruin the end of the film.

I think his job is easy, and I think I could do it better.

No

Is he the fat controller? I suppose I would find out if I clicked the link.

Utopia maybe

No need to be rude I like him talks more sense than Jeff ford