News series of TV show . .

[ChrisG46]

We're now working on a new 2011 series of UK Boating Inland Waterways, which will start showing in May on Information TV, Sky channel 166. They're still showing some of last year's programmes on this channel if you don't know the show.

 

We're always looking for newsy and interesting items to feature, so if you have any events for May, June and July, or if you have any interesting waterways news, we'd like to hear from you. Boat builders, hirers and other waterway related businesses are also welcome to get in touch.

 

To contact us, just drop us a line at production@seriousleisure.co.uk, with UK Boating in the subject line, and if you comment here we'll check the forum regularly.

 

Thanks!

Edited March 29, 2011 by ChrisG46

[OldGoldy]

We're now working on a new 2011 series of UK Boating Inland Waterways, which will start showing in May on Information TV, Sky channel 166.

 

snip

 

The only problem with TV shows that publicise the presence of boats on Britains Waterways is that it also shows the bandits that there are many unattended 'business' opportunities for them. Not all boats are Gin Palaces, as is often portrayed, and then the pickings are not 'rich', but their mentality is that any boat is a target and they will do all manner of damage to further their habits/line their pockets.

 

 

 

 

.

Edited March 29, 2011 by dave69700

[RLWP]

Absolutely, like Top Gear does for cars, and all those makeover/relocation shows do for houses

 

Ermm

 

Richard

[ChrisG46]

Does that mean I shouldn't be allowed to walk the towpaths, in case I notice some boats along the bank?

[RLWP]

Does that mean I shouldn't be allowed to walk the towpaths, in case I notice some boats along the bank?

 

Just keep you eyes closed.

 

Richard

[Nine of Hearts]

Absolutely, like Top Gear does for cars, and all those makeover/relocation shows do for houses

 

Ermm

 

Richard

 

Not really a fair comparison that, Richard. Top Gear is on a mainstream channel (and repeated on many others). This proposed show isn't, so I'd probably get as many viewers camcording my own antics and watching it later with both my friends. I doubt they would nick my boat.

[carlt]

The only problem with TV shows that publicise the presence of boats on Britains Waterways is that it also shows the bandits....

Is this not taking paranoia to a whole new, previously unexplored, level?

[jim and pat dalton]

Thanks for heads up Chris, look forward to watching it

 

 

Jim and Pat

[ChrisG46]

Not really a fair comparison that, Richard. Top Gear is on a mainstream channel (and repeated on many others). This proposed show isn't, so I'd probably get as many viewers camcording my own antics and watching it later with both my friends. I doubt they would nick my boat.

 

Probably not - our last series (now being reshown) recorded around 100,000 viewers per programme on it's first showings, and is stilling scoring around 25,000 according to the feedback on its present repeat runs. The first run viewing figures were MUCH better than many shows on the Sky EPG minority channels - Discovery, etc., get on their less popular programmes - you only have to look at BARB to see what I mean.

[RLWP]

Have you got an opening for a Stig?

 

Richard

[casper ghost]

I don't have Sky tv

Gary

[ChrisG46]

Have you got an opening for a Stig?

 

Richard

 

Yup - how fast is your boat, and do you own your own white leathers?

 

I don't have Sky tv

Gary

 

With appropriate broadband, you can watch at the normal transmission times (here's the schedule - repeats are shown several times a week schedule at about 8pm) online here: http://www.information.tv/WatchLive/FlashPlayer/?id=1

[Water Rat.]

Probably not - our last series (now being reshown) recorded around 100,000 viewers per programme on it's first showings, and is stilling scoring around 25,000 according to the feedback on its present repeat runs. The first run viewing figures were MUCH better than many shows on the Sky EPG minority channels - Discovery, etc., get on their less popular programmes - you only have to look at BARB to see what I mean.

 

 

That will be my Mum and her friends watching me get my altonator changed at Beale Park last summer!! :lol:

 

I like your programs, some are a bit slow but I can see what you are trying to do. I think it would be good for boaters to get involved. We are often bemoaning the fact that there are too few boating programs on TV so here is a chance to get more boats on TV. There are a lot of festivals, community projects and interesting boat folk around plus it is a great chance to draw attention to alternative life styles and businesses on the cut, not to mention the hard working volunteer groups who need all the help they can get.

[Nine of Hearts]

Probably not - our last series (now being reshown) recorded around 100,000 viewers per programme on it's first showings, and is stilling scoring around 25,000 according to the feedback on its present repeat runs. The first run viewing figures were MUCH better than many shows on the Sky EPG minority channels - Discovery, etc., get on their less popular programmes - you only have to look at BARB to see what I mean.

 

I apologise for the churlish nature of my post, and you can film for free on my boat. If you've got really, really, really slow time lapse you may even pick up on some build progress...

[cotswoldsman]

I am rather surprised at some of these posts hope that people were just joking!!

With the new status of BW as a charity we need as much publicity as possible to get people interested in the waterways.

Will the series also feature the benefits to local communities of the waterway system, and just as important its historical significance?

[ChrisG46]

Amazingly, there's now a question mark over the new series of UK Boating Inland waterways, thanks to a BW decision to hand over all filming rights on the UK's inland waterways to a commercial location management company, Itasca Locations.

 

When I spoke to someone from that company, she told me that photography and video on the network (obviously not personal photography, I hope) would be subject to permissions, fees and costs . . and that this might include photography and video carried out by the magazines, too!

 

We love the waterways, love working with them and with BW and the companies who making their livings from the UK's canals and rivers, but we won't be paying for the priviledge . . . !

Edited March 31, 2011 by ChrisG46

[ChrisG46]

That will be my Mum and her friends watching me get my altonator changed at Beale Park last summer!! :lol:

 

I like your programs, some are a bit slow but I can see what you are trying to do. I think it would be good for boaters to get involved. We are often bemoaning the fact that there are too few boating programs on TV so here is a chance to get more boats on TV. There are a lot of festivals, community projects and interesting boat folk around plus it is a great chance to draw attention to alternative life styles and businesses on the cut, not to mention the hard working volunteer groups who need all the help they can get.

 

I remember - its nice to see you here!

 

I agree that our programmes are a bit slow - but I'm really just a journo who finds making programmes an interesting way of making a small living while doing something I enjoy a lot . . I did a similar programme for around 4 years on caravans, and while a few people said that was slow, too, i think a massive number of people (said to be around 250,000 per programme) seemsed to enjoy it!

 

See above - it'll be nice if we can continue to make UK Boating . .

[mykaskin]

Amazingly, there's now a question mark over the new series of UK Boating Inland waterways, thanks to a BW decision to hand over all filming rights on the UK's inland waterways to a commercial location management company, Itasca Locations.

 

When I spoke to someone from that company, she told me that photography and video on the network (obviously not personal photography, I hope) would be subject to permissions, fees and costs . . and that this might include photography and video carried out by the magazines, too!

 

We love the waterways, love working with them and with BW and the companies who making their livings from the UK's canals and rivers, but we won't be paying for the priviledge . . . !

 

That is seriously a worry, for while most of my photography is personal, I have on occasion sold it. It will put magazines like Waterways World out of business also, as nobody will be able to sell their pictures to it.

 

Mike

[tony collins]

Hi Chris, As professional film maker, you must have come across this situation before (centre of Birmingham perhaps?). I am sure that you must have encountered location fees in the past. The only thing about this is how are they going to police it- retrospectively?

 

Your piece last year at the River Waveney Centre, you probably got that for nothing as they would get publicity out of it, perhaps they "paid" for it in taking advertising within the programme. I know that was not on BW waters but if you approach commercial marinas or boatyards, I am pretty sure that you would get a similar response.

 

I have done it myself, I needed a location for an establishing shot for a newspaper article, I had a word with a local boatyard owner, and I was photographed aboard one of his boats, the name of his company happening to be in shot. I got my photo, the paper got their article and he got his company name into the paper.

[ChrisG46]

In about 6 years in which I've made over 150 current affairs magazine half-hours, Tony, I've never paid a facilities fee - and never been paid to show anything in a programme, although I imagine some people might have been willing to do so. I certainly get paid via the advertising income that programmes have generated, but we don't allow strong links between advertising and editorial coverage.

 

Very obviously, most organisations are delighted that I've covered them, because the exposure and publicity has been very welcome. We always get permission to film, usually from whoever we've been working with, and have never once had any issue with this.

 

I've made some comments directly to BW - it'll be interesting to see what they say in reply (if they bother!) . .

Edited April 1, 2011 by ChrisG46

[cotswoldsman]

Amazingly, there's now a question mark over the new series of UK Boating Inland waterways, thanks to a BW decision to hand over all filming rights on the UK's inland waterways to a commercial location management company, Itasca Locations.

 

When I spoke to someone from that company, she told me that photography and video on the network (obviously not personal photography, I hope) would be subject to permissions, fees and costs . . and that this might include photography and video carried out by the magazines, too!

 

We love the waterways, love working with them and with BW and the companies who making their livings from the UK's canals and rivers, but we won't be paying for the priviledge . . . !

 

I am amazed but then maybe not. I know nothing about your industry but presumably as this is something new, it has something to do with BW no longer being a state owned entity. Sounds like something they have copied from The national Trust Model. Now I could understand the charging for things like Drama programmes but not for programmes like yours that at the end of the day might result in more people using the waterways. I would certainly be interested to know what BW say if they do reply to you.

One of my main worries about BW becoming a charity is that they will be unable to change there mind set from being a state owned entity. By this I mean to operate as a charity they have to understand that goodwill for example is a very important commodity in promoting a charity. As an example one of your programmes might feature the good work that can be and is being done by volunteers such as The Shropshire Union Canal Society this in turn might help recruit more volunteers.

[ChrisG46]

The latest from BW is that they say they only want to charge us an "administration fee" of £150, and it isn't clear what that's for!

 

We can do a whole day's single-handed shoot for less than that, so i think they're looking at us doubling our production budget in order to cover stories that THEY want to see covered - tres odd!

[cotswoldsman]

The latest from BW is that they say they only want to charge us an "administration fee" of £150, and it isn't clear what that's for!

 

We can do a whole day's single-handed shoot for less than that, so i think they're looking at us doubling our production budget in order to cover stories that THEY want to see covered - tres odd!

 

Is that £150 per day or just a one off.

[charles123]

In about 6 years in which I've made over 150 current affairs magazine half-hours, Tony, I've never paid a facilities fee - and never been paid to show anything in a programme, although I imagine some people might have been willing to do so. I certainly get paid via the advertising income that programmes have generated, but we don't allow strong links between advertising and editorial coverage.

 

Very obviously, most organisations are delighted that I've covered them, because the exposure and publicity has been very welcome. We always get permission to film, usually from whoever we've been working with, and have never once had any issue with this.

 

I've made some comments directly to BW - it'll be interesting to see what they say in reply (if they bother!) . .

 

I have flicked onto that channel a number of times and its a constant repeat of the same waterways and caravan shows, almost never anything new. I would be interested to know whats in in financially for the backers as there is very little revenue earning advertising as far as I can see and the program's are very low budget. I sometimes think you do with a whip round to buy yourselves a couple of better cameras/tripods and something to stop the wind noise you get sometimes when its outside and windy

 

Charles

[ChrisG46]

I have flicked onto that channel a number of times and its a constant repeat of the same waterways and caravan shows, almost never anything new. I would be interested to know whats in in financially for the backers as there is very little revenue earning advertising as far as I can see and the program's are very low budget. I sometimes think you do with a whip round to buy yourselves a couple of better cameras/tripods and something to stop the wind noise you get sometimes when its outside and windy

 

Charles

 

Haven't made anything new since Aug 2010!

 

The reality, Charles, is that small shows like our boating show are literally made for out of pocket expenses, because the big broadcaster don't think that there's an audience there . . We use normal broadcast equipment, but don't put money into post production, essentially 'cos there isn't any way to pay for it. Most of the shows are made 'cos we find them interesting to do . . The reality is that they "cost" around 1/5th of the BBC's lowest budget cost for daytime tv . .

 

Our caravanning show was the same when it started, but now (after 4+ years of plugging away) it gets large audiences and makes money . . you have to give things time at this minority end of the market.

Edited April 2, 2011 by ChrisG46