🚀 go-pugleaf

G'day Ian,

>> And Funky Squad was simply a self-amusing exercise by the Frontline staff.
>
>True, but it still amused and entertained.

To be honest, I was disappointed with Funky Squad (although we're
certainly both entitled to our differing views).  The first show was
funny, because there were some excellent parodies of those crappy cop
shows.  However, if my aging memory is accurate, the subsequent
episodes basically repeated the same gags.

>>It's my understanding that GP will be cancelled at the end of this
>>year and Frontline will not appear until next year.
>
>Yes, but are they not being replaced by other shows ?

I'm not sure whether they'll be replaced by Australian productions or
imports.

>>>How many shows have been prduced by the other stations, that require acting ?
>
>>Just off the top of my head, I'll can think of Water Rats and Halifax
>>FP. 
>
>Two ! And what sort of funds did they have at their disposal ?

That wasn't the question you asked.  It's possible that the budgets
for the commercial stations are higher than the ABC, but that's not
really an excuse for producing bad programs.  After all, I'd imagine
that Frontline is a low-budget production, but it's better and funnier
than most of its counterparts.

Furthermore, if I were to examine the television guides closely, I
would think that the commercial stations create more than two
non-soapie shows.  If it's that important to this discussion, I'd be
glad to.

>>If we look at the high-profile ABC shows, they don't appear to have
>>performed well in recent years (e.g., Four Corners) and are simple
>>copies of American shows (e.g., Lateline copies Nightline).
>
>Four Corners has been a bit down, but I would not call it a copy of an 
>American show. Still there is still the odd brilliant one.

Yes, you're right, I should have used an "or", not an "and".  I had
not intended to state that all ABC shows were copies of American ones.

I will continue to support my statement, however, that Four Corners
has been performing at a low level.  Most of the locally-produced
episodes (and there have been quite a few imports) haven't really done
a lot.  I'm struggling to think of a really memorable one.

>>  I'm
>>struggling to think of news that the ABC has broken this year.
>
>Has this go anything to do with their time slot ? I think so. What is more 
>important is the type and style of coverage that they produce.

It is a -news- broadcast.  I would assume that you believe that news
programs should attempt to be involved in investigative journalism,
etc.  (If not, that may be the source of our disagreement on this
issue.)  Yet I can't think of many times when the ABC has led the
pack, instead of chasing news which was broken by other networks.

>Firstly, you forget the huge contribution the ABC makes to young children's 
>viewing, which is generally not commercially viable. (It is better to throw 
>something copraphilous at their parents), like "The Bold and the Beautiful".

Perhaps the ABC should concentrate on producing children's shows,
which is one of the strengths of its American counterpart.

>I feel I get my money's worth. Even if I didn't, I would still like Howard to 
>keep his dirty paws off.

Why?  The ABC is just another government department and presumably
should not be immune to the government's budget problems.  Do you
support a carte blanche policy for the ABC?

Doug

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It is certainly insensitive of you to call it a "dumb bear". It would 
have been much more enlightened to refer to it as a "vocally challenged 
Ursine-American". I'm surprised at you. -- Kelly Fitzpatrick

douglas.buckser@acslink.aone.net.au