On Mon, 26 May 2008 15:18:05 +0200, Martin wrote:

On Mon, 26 May 2008 14:09:02 +0100, stuart noble
wrote:

Fuschia wrote:
On Mon, 26 May 2008 11:56:03 +0100, Alan
wrote:

In message , Ed
wrote
What is. or, should be, the point of the BBC Gardener's World programme?

It doesn't matter what it focuses on because if it doesn't get a regular
viewing audience of a couple of million it will be cut from the
schedules.

That's right. I used to work in television (but not on gardening
programmes). Every programme has one aim and one aim only - to attract
and keep the maximum number of viewers. If it does that it will be
kept running even if it is utter rubbish (we can all think of
examples). If it doesn't do that it will be axed, even in the middle
of a series.

So it's indistinguishable from a commercial channel and should be funded
in the same way.

If it was true. The BBC transmits plenty of programmes that are not aimed at
maximising the audience.

It IS true Martin, except in a few cases where there is a statutory or
other commitment to provide a certain type of programme. Gardening
programmes are just another form of 'entertainment' and stand or fall
by their viewing figures.