- 1."Please less screen junk. It's driving me away from SKY FAST!!!!"
- Colin
- 2. "Dear Ms Ramsden,
I understand that you are the controller of Sky One. I would therefore like
to complain about your channel's appalling treatment of its few decent
programmes, something that seems to get worse and worse on an almost daily
basis.
A few weeks ago, Sky One promoted its Michael Jackson documentary with a
permanent on-screen DOG over the preceeding weekend. Complaints were
brushed off with a "there was no other way we could have promoted it in such
a short space of time", presumably between acquisition and broadcast.
Now you've decided to promote something with what's presumably intended to
be an orange doughnut, counting down to Friday. What on earth is this
supposed to be telling me? Am I supposed to be telepathic and recognise
immediately what it's promoting.
Okay, so I assume that it's something to do with The Simpsons, but that's
not the issue here - your blighting my screen with a pointless DOG that
isn't even promoting something properly! What use is that - it's like an
advertiser not mentioning their product! I would also point out that I make
a practice of *not* watching anything promoted with any form of in-programme
DOG - a major event should be attractive enough without ruining the
enjoyment of other programmes (especially when those watching aren't
interested in the event being promoted).
As someone who is, in the words of her boss, "a highly accomplished and
creative television executive" I would have thought you could have come up
with some other promotional devices, even at a short notice - trailers and
special Sky One idents spring to my mind, and hey, I'm not a highly
accomplished and creative television executive, I'm just a viewer.
That's right - a "viewer". Note, I didn't use the word "customer" as you
regard me, but "viewer". I pay Sky to watch **programmes** (I'm sure you've
heard of those, they're what you show between the adverts and promos),
admittedly a pitifully small number compared to the hundreds of hours of
rubbish you and other broadcasters are intent on pumping out, but I would
like to be able to enjoy these programmes when I watch them.
But, do you know what? I can't - and your channel's couldn't give a toss
attitude towards its viewers and its programmes is the main reason I can't.
You advertise Sky One as the place to see US series first. Now, according
to Dawn Airey, you "know the Sky One market perfectly." Presumably
therefore, the Sky One market" (strangely telling how she didn't use the
word "viewer" isn't it?) is one that pays to see US programmes first, but
only if they're cut to ribbons, shown in 4:3, covered with DOGs and RED DOTS
and have their credits mangled so that Clare Sturgess can waffle all over
them. This doesn't say a lot for your target audience does it - I mean,
they're obviously so stupid you have to point out the bleeding obvious (i.e.
the channel name) to them 24/7 in the vain hope that some of this will lodge
in their brains. It's a wonder that advertisers are even vaguely interested
in such a thick audience who can't be trusted to remember, say, the
information on the search/scan box for the duration of the programme.
It occurs to me, and bear in mind that I'm only a viewer, not a highly
accomplished, creative and well-paid television exec that your audience
might not be as stupid as you think they are. Perhaps instead, you could
try aiming your channel at a viewer who prefers to see programmes uncut,
shown in their correct widescreen ratio, DOG-free, with an absence of RED
DOTs promoting your "interactive" service and with credits shown full-screen
and where any voice-overs are sensitively done - i.e. not full of childish
sarcasm and not popping up within a microscecond of the end of the programme
itself, especially when the preceeding programme has been designed to elicit
some emotional response from the viewer. I do not consider, say, a
character's death on Scrubs or the final episode of Roswell (to name but two
examples) as suitable places for her inane comments. Neither do I need to
be told at the end of Buffy, that Angel is coming next - it's been doing
that for FOUR seasons now, so we can be trusted to remember this.
I've CC'd this to other individuals who like me care about how the likes of
Sky are mistreating viewers and programmes. I've also CC'd it to other
individuals at Sky who presumably don't care about anything other than
racking up even more profits.
If I could unsubscribe to Sky One and still subscribe to other channels, I
would do so without hesitation."
- Carl
- 3. "I've finally had it with you people treating us like trash with all your
on-screen trash. The Simpsons doughnut is the last straw. Today I cancelled
my subscription. The occasional program that I wish to watch I shall
get my neighbour to record for me. He is always in debt to me for something
or other."
- MJ
- 4. "Hi!
I thought I was alone in being annoyed by the increasing amount of
onscreen logos but it appears I am not!
I am finding it very distracting to the extent of changing channels
to avoid the dreaded spinning doughnut.Add to this announcements
crashing in before the end of movies and you can see I`m not a happy
chappy!
I would be interested to know if there is any market research
regarding the above.
Clearly you want to make subscribers aware of upcoming events but
surely a less overt means could be used. At times there can now be three
different pieces of onscreen information for the duration of a
programme.
Why not make it possible to remove the logos (etc) by pressing "Back Up"?
Why not refrain from voice overs before the end of movies?
I look forward to your comments"
- Gordon
- 5. "Good Afternoon,
I am wondering why every single programme on Sky One and Sky Mix needs to
have a red dot in the upper right hand corner. This really spoils my
enjoyment of watching very good shows on Sky.
Recently I noticed that The Simpsons have a moving donut logo. I must say
that this is the most horrific contraption I ever saw. It is almost
impossible to follow The Simpsons as you are distracted every time the 'so
many days to go' rears its ugly head. Tha Simpsons is now a programme with 3
logos (Station Identification completing the trio).
Is it not possible to stop these intrusive distractions?"
- Sam
- 6. "As of the last few days I've noticed that Sky One has gained another onscreen
logo during all programming, this time a rotating gold doughnut in the bottom
right corner. We could really all do without this- I subscribe to Sky (Family
package, Sky+, Music Choice- a not insignificant subscription) in order to
watch the programmes, not to be bombarded with onscreen junk that is actually
now getting to the point where it is obscuring much of the picture.
An animated logo is the ultimate distraction, and an insult to the viewer. We
are all perfectly capable of digesting the contents of promos for events such
as this between programmes and in publications such as the Sky Customer
Magazine. We do not need reminding every minute during the programmes. My TV
screen is not advertising real estate.
The "All New" appearing under the Sky One logo for new programmes is
also insulting- I think I can remember which programmes I've seen before. If
the continuity announcer has said at the beginning of the programme that it's
new, I won't have forgotten 40 seconds later. On many occasions I've seen the
on screen graffiti actually obscure a vital part of the picture being
broadcast.
The Red Dot at the top right is a real annoyance- all it seems to be
is a continuous advert for the premium rate services offered within Sky
Active. If it must appear at all, why not for say 10 seconds during the
beginning and end credits? I know pressing backup does remove it, but after
an advertising break it always reappears. There really should be a function
within the SkyGuide allowing the viewer to choose not to have this intrusion
on screen, to simply disable all interacive flags, whilst not removing the
interactive functionality.
In conclusion, please remove all this graffiti from Sky One- it's spoiling
the programmes- the most that's acceptable is a small "watermark" style
channel ident that is hardly noticable (think CMT Europe before its
closedown) I'm beginning to wonder whether there's any point in continuing to
subscribe to Sky, as it's almost impossible to see the programmes!!"
- Adam
- 7. "Simpsons was unwatchable last week with this stupid logo in the corner.
Please remove, and desist from ruining broadcasts with unncessary screen flak.
Subscription £40 * 12 = £480 = lost revenue if you lose me as a customer.
Please take it as read:
- 1) Customers know what channel they are watching
- 2) Customers do not wish to be reminded of forthcoming events during programme time.
- 3) Customers do not wish to have the screen manipulated, or reduced, or
announcers speaking over the end credits.
- 4) Customers do not need to know the interactive button is red.
A happy customer is a continuing-to-subscribe customer."
- Geoff
- 8. "Dear sirs.
I wish it to be known, that I will be bocotting all my Sky One viewing
this coming Easter bank holiday weekend.
Things have now gone TOO far. The channel branding logo is bad enough,
the red dot drives me batty, but Spinning Donuts in the 3rd corner of
the screen, you have gone too far this time.
Our family will be boycotting all Sky channels this coming weekend, and
will be reviewing the need for the Sky pacakge as a whole in future."
- Mark
- 9. "Dear Sirs/Madams,
Sky knows perfectly well that its viewers loathe screen graffiti. They have
been told often enough.
In the modern digital age Sky knows that there is absolutely no need for
on-screen identifiers, because the EPG and the Search and Scan banner make
it very clear which channel the customer is viewing. The days of requiring
an on screen branding died with the Analog service.
Sky also knows that its users loathe the red dot. Not only does it cause
damage to modern televisions, it is very intrusive. Like the channel
branding, it frequently appears over the top of character's faces
(particularly because Sky One is still dragging its feet with 16:9
broadcasts which means that characters faces are frequently at the edge of
the screen because of the huge cuts of the picture that Sky has to make to
fit the out-of-date 4:3 ratio). This is very distracting and gives the
impression of incompetance and amateur presentation.
It is clear that
customers hate this red dot (even those who, like myself, are well aware of
the interactive services and frequently use them), because they used to
press 'Back up' to get rid of it. Such wilful disobediance was obviously
unacceptable to Sky who further punished their customers by making it harder
to get rid of the red dot (by making them press 'Select' then 'back up' in
very quick succession) and worse, by bringing it back after every ad break!
Can I suggest that instead a small on-screen graphic is shown at the start
of the programme or on turning to the channel that says 'Interactive, press
red' but which switches off after 10 seconds? This of course should only be
used for programmes which are truly interactive, not merely where you wish
to push sales opportunities through Sky Active.
You know very well that
advertising is defined by the ITC only as 'items of publicity broadcast on
behalf of someone other than the licensee in breaks in or between
programmes' so you are not limited by the amount of advertising per day
through the red dot. However you are exploiting this loophole in a way that
is offensive to your subscribers. What is Sky's policy on advertising on top
of programmes? Would they sell advertising space in other corners of the
screen? How about in the middle?
So, we have established that Sky hates having customers and wants to drive
them away. And you took another big step in that direction with the
absolutely unacceptable marketing for The Simpsons that has been shown in
the week running up to Easter.
Your customers hate the "Sky | One" logo. But at least it is static and
transparent.
Your customers hate the Red Dot, but at least it can be turned off
(temporarily).
Your customers had no idea that you hated them so much to take up yet
another corner of the screen with a very large (1/7th screen height), bright
orange and yellow, ANIMATED logo that cannot be removed! That it is large
and hideous is bad enough, but the fact that it was animated every few
seconds in a way that was horribly distracting was an insane decision.
Why do you hate your subscribers? Do you not like taking our money? Do you
want to force us to cancel our subscriptions?
Please confirm by return that you will conduct open research into the use of
on-screen logos. This should include showing your customers images from
films and programmes where characters faces are covered by logos. The
questions should be simple:
- 1. "Given that the television channels are now clearly identified by the EPG
and the Search and Scan Banner, and at every advertising break, do you
require to be constantly reminded of the television channel you are
watching?"
- 2. "Is it acceptable for television companies to display advertising within the
picture of television programmes for goods and services that have no
relevance to that programme (commonly manifested by a 'red dot' in the
corner of the screen)?"
- 3. "Is it acceptable for television companies to advertise other programmes
appearing on their channel up to a week in the future with large, brightly
coloured, animated logos within the picture of other programmes?"
Based on the result of such research, will Sky reconsider the use of Screen
Graffiti?"
- Steve
DVDs reviewed by the editor are watched on a Panasonic TXW32R4 32" widescreen TV
connected to either a Creative Dxr2 DVD-ROM player or Microsoft Xbox and
played through a Sony STR-DB930 amplifier.
