Saturday 24 July 2010

Richard Desmond and Channel Five

We believe it to be a grave error of judgement to allow Richard Desmond, the purveyor of "adult entertainment", to purchase Channel Five.

Admittedly, Channel Five lost 41M Euros last year and has only a 4% share of TV viewing figures. But should media regulators such as Ofcom and the Competition Commission honestly - and we mean honestly - be swayed by Mr. Desmond's bid of £100M? (Yes.) And if so, do they really have the future of broadcasting within this great nation of ours as their primary concern? (Probably not).

We fear that if - as now seems likely - this deal goes through, we will see much more of the following on our screens:-

- Snog, Marry, Avoid?
- Hotter Than My Daughter
- Underage and Pregnant
- 101 Ways To Leave a Gameshow
- Danielle Lineker - My New Stepfamily
- Don't Tell the Bride
- Baby Beauty Queens
- Celebrity Masterchef
- Alice and Her Six Dads
- Lee Nelson's Well Good Show
- (Repeats of) Eastenders
- Escape to the Country
- Homes Under The Hammer
- Cash In The Attic
- Bargain Hunt
- Weakest Link
- Young, Dumb And Living off Mum
- Bizarre ER - The boy who cut off his head by falling on a flower pot
- DIY SOS
- Flog It
- (More) Celebrity Masterchef
- (More repeats of) Eastenders
- (At least three hours a day of) Golf, Snooker, Darts etc etc...

We say no! Do not let Five go the way of the BBC! Fight this dreadful ogre people refer to as "Public Service Broadcasting". For, look at what it has done to the quality of our television in recent years. Join us in our campaign and insist, as we insist: Channel Five must NOT become another BBC1, 2 or, indeed, 3!