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Cheers and Grumbles
Which show was the viewers' top dog and dog's dinner in February?
The tireless folks at Channel 4's Viewer Enquiries team dealt with 10,346 contacts – phone calls, emails and letters – from viewers last month. Each query was logged and the appropriate people at Channel 4 notified.
Of these, 1,548 criticised Channel 4 shows, while 394 complimented programmes.
The vast majority of contacts were general queries, most commonly about scheduling, i.e. when a show / series is due to air.
These were the most appreciated and criticised programmes this month. We've included the odd viewer quote to give a flavour of the comments.
Which shows cheer and grumble last month? Tell us below.
For now it's just a trial, so let us know what you think.
Top 10 programmes most appreciated by people who contacted Viewer Enquiries in February 2008 (the quote is an example of viewer comment):
- City of Vice (37 contacts)
"Fantastic - totally relevant to our times." - Cutting Edge: My Street (27)
"Brilliant insight into the lives of an 'average street' in the UK." - Dispatches: Heat or Eat: The Pensioners' Dilemma (21)
"Hard hitting, compassionate, sad, made me so angry for the plight of older people." - Big Brother Celebrity Hijack (14)
"Congratulations Big Brother on the best show yet." - A Place in Greece (12)
"I cannot rate this programme highly enough. Wonderful characters!" - Richard and Judy (11)
"Please, please keep this wonderful programme." - Unreported World: Egypt’s Rubbish People (11)
"Thanks for a brilliant programme, made under great difficulty in Egypt." - Countdown (10)
"I love Countdown, it is a fantastic programme." - Cutting Edge: A Boy Called Alex (8)
"It was an inspirational programme. Sensitive, but never mawkish." - Channel 4 News: Prince Harry Revealed In Afghanistan (7)
"I want to congratulate Jon Snow on his scepticism toward the news blackout for Harry. Why for him?"
Top 10 programmes most criticised by people who contacted Viewer Enquiries in February 2008 (the quote is an example of viewer comment):
- Channel 4 News: Prince Harry Revealed In Afghanistan (253)
"The interview wasn't news, or informative, it was pure witch hunting and trying to cause controversy." - Richard and Judy (123 – various issues)
"I can not believe that Channel 4 finds it acceptable for the Richard & Judy show to air a video of a poor chimpanzee being made to do karate." - Supersize vs Superskinny (47)
"I feel it is giving women completely the wrong idea about their personal body image." - Deal or No Deal (46)
"Noel Edmonds is patronising towards the contestants on this show." - Wife Swap (40)
"The family of Freegans should either...a) move to a 3rd world country… or b) both get a job and send £2 a week to help those in a different country." - Countdown (39)
"When Carol started going down the road of sexualising herself, as have many female celebs, I started going off the show." - Alan Carr's Celebrity Ding Dong (34)
"This is a really sorry excuse for entertainment." - Big Brother Celebrity Hijack (34 – various issues)
"John made disgusting insinuations about Victor and Emilia's relationship, implying they were incestuous!" - Dispatches: Why Kids Kill (32)
"I was very surprised to find that subtitles were used for the Glaswegian kids but not for the Lambeth and London area kids" - Hollyoaks (31)
"Young people will watch this and think that going to parties and taking drugs is acceptable."
Couldn’t disagree more? Glad to be proved right?
Which programme was your pin-up this month?
…And which did you pin to the dartboard?
Before adding your comment below, please note the terms and conditions upon which all submissions are made to Channel 4.
- Forum Buzz: the shows causing a stir online.
- Cheers and Grumbles: Top 10 for January.
- Cheers and Grumbles: Top 10 for 2007.
- Back to The TV Show Home
CarterPC4
Channel 4 Viewers' Editor replies to David 911
Channel 4 Viewers' Editor replies to David 911
wrote on 31-03-08 11:09
I have spoken to the production company who made 'Sex Change Soldier', who think that David 911 makes a fair point about Jan's decoration. As a man, he served in Iraq, Bosnia and Afghanistan, and received his awards for being in these conflicts. He was a full time soldier, but the early ending of his army career means he will not receive the number of awards David 911 points out might be expected after longer period of service.
David911
Sex Change Soldier?
Sex Change Soldier?
wrote on 20-03-08 23:44
The documentary Sex Change Soldier was somewhat disingenuous when describing Jan Hamilton's past. I would firstly disagree with the opening comments in that Captain Hamilton is one of the British Army's most decorated officers. Really? It appeared from your film that he had 5 medals, the average is 7 for most officers who have served 20 years and it's a far cry from the 14 belonging to one of our recently retired generals. Moreover I do not believe he was awarded any gallantry medals and was merely given his awards for being in a particular theatre of operations. Captain Hamilton might have more medals if he had've been a regular officer as opposed to a Terrritorial Army officer. My second point is that his twenty 'army' career was mostly made up of weekends. Whilst I don't dispute that he served on attachment with the regular army on a number of tours he was employed for the most part as a media officer and not a combat soldier as the film would have one believe.
Macnamarasband
Channel 4 Racing
Channel 4 Racing
wrote on 18-03-08 14:17
An excellent programme that will be 50% better in the light of the decision to limit John McCririck's appearances. It will improve another 50% when you take him off totally. He lets down a team of otherwise knowledgeable and thoughtful people who appear to understand that their role is to talk about racing not feed their own egos
