Yikes, seems Australian TV Presentation is almost non-existent from what I’m reading, striped bare compared to a few years ago.
If you add too many messages within the line up menus, then it becomes pointless and harder to take in. And from the examples I’ve seen over the years, that’s a problem. I like what Ten do by breaking them down to promote shows that’s relevant for that timeslot or close to.
IMO, a quick ident is far more important these days than a lineup (think the Netflix sting before their shows).
As streaming services take over, a channel’s brand/tone/values, etc is more and more important to set themselves apart.
Prime7 also do lineups in this region at least (Port Mac)
Indeed, hence why you see NBC start to do this again:
The Netflix ident/jingle is soo spoof-able, which is a good sign of a strong brand.
EDIT:
An article which backs up what I was saying
Yep, that’s all they need to do. Could easily be done with the still the one theme and a quick animation of the logo.
It should also play before every show on their streaming service.
I like how they do it in the US:
Local promo or two (mostly news teams or weather authority etc)
Network feed takes over with a network promo - such as “New Bull, tonight 10/9 central, only CBS”
Show.
Here they could easily insert local news promos, a network wide promo, a 3 second network sting into the program. You could easily do an affirmation like Tracy Grimshaw saying “Thanks for watching Channel Nine” - not only does it promote the network but the talent as well. Win-win.
That’s much the same as Australia - network promos for national shows with local ones for local news and localised promos for ACA. There isn’t much other local programming to promote anyway except for an occasional weekend program.
“Hi I’m Tracy Grimshaw and you’re watching Disney Channel…”
Oops, wrong network! 
I believe there was discussion a while ago that lineups stop the flow of programming and give people notice of a chance to change the channel.
Getting rid of lineups, as well as the full frame classification notices means one program can flow more naturally into the next, and people remain on your channel longer.
I actually prefer it this way. Station idents are fun, but are they necessary?
Yes. A channel’s brand attracts advertisers and audiences. People who want to be seen as ‘cooler’ will watch Ten, if Ten positions itself well, compared to the daggier Seven and Nine, for example.
Idents don’t need to turn people off, they should be engaging and relatively short (look at the new BBC Two idents). Also, as more and more people use streaming services, a short ident is really the only opportunity to remind people what they’re watching.
If you really want to watch the footy/tennis/Australia’s Next Greatest Chef Renovator/news you’re going to watch whatever channel it’s on, you’re not going to get put off by a 15 second ident or 30 second Up Next promo or the 17th SportsBet ad.
Conversely if you’ve just got the box on aimlessly and aren’t really interested in the current or upcoming show, a 0.00002 second interruption is going to be too much …
I think that would only apply if the line-ups were shown between programs. If they’re in the middle and in the form of “Next” and “Later”, there’s no signal to change channel; it’s more an incentive to stay on the channel.
We’re never going back to the days of lavish but rather self-serving 1, 2 and 3 Minute long Idents with music video production values. I understand and accept the various reasons why. But personally I think it’s sad that Australian TV is essentially, slowly de-branding themselves.
I’m not sure about everyone else on Media Spy, but I’d rather sit through a short Ident or Lineup over the extremely obnoxious In-Program Promotional “Watermarks” or the extended “Sneak Peek” Promos our commercial networks are obsessed with these days!
Surely we can at least have network personalities doing short 5-10 second spots at the start/end of ad breaks reminding us of what station we’re on. For example:
“Hello there, I’m Peter Overton from Sydney’s #1 news on Sydney’s #1 station - Channel Nine”
“Gday, it’s Scotty Cam from The Block here and you’re on Nine”
…you get the idea. Reasonably cheap to produce as well, I’d imagine.
I should clarify that Line-up graphics are different to a Next Promo. They’re run at different times.
Line-up graphics and station idents were typically run in between two programs, where as the “NEXT” & “LATER” graphics are typically run at the tail end of an ad break.
Nine still run “NEXT” promos in their ad breaks.
What I was referring to specifically is the junction point between programs. In the past these used to be on the hour or half hour. It was were people used to change the channel for different shows and you could set your watch to it on the ABC. These are where idents and line-up signposts used to run. In pre-digital and pre-watermark days, idents also confirmed which channel you’d tuned into.
These days junctions, however, aren’t as strict or obvious anymore and it’s done on purpose. If they’re noticeable it distracts people, makes them realise they have an opportunity to change channel and that they don’t actually have to watch anymore.
I personally like it a lot better when one program flows from one to the other, and it actually makes me watch shows I may not choose to watch otherwise.
A channel’s brand is shown in after-break animations, watermarks and station promos in ad breaks too, it’s not exclusive to an ident. Consistent ratings throughout the night and audiences attract advertisers more than an ident will.
Have you ever tried to organise a station’s pool of talent to turn up on a single day to shoot such an exercise? Add in planning, scripting, shooting, graphics, editing, post production audio, colour grading, approvals, etc etc.
It’s not a cheap exercise, especially when there’s actually no financial return to having them - the promos they produce now already advertise the shows these personalities are on and, where the block is concerned, have sponsors attached.
I don’t think a decent line up will work in flash frames like that. Plus they’re actually illegal, quite irritating and costly - just as ten about the Aria awards a few decades ago.
That was kinda my point. If networks programmed more things people wanted to watch then they wouldn’t have to resort to these type of tactics to lure us into watching things we’re not really interested in.
I wasn’t seriously suggesting it. I was being tongue in cheek.
You’re talking about ‘Accelerated Flow’. Started here on the commercial networks around the mid 2000s. I think Seven took the plunge first and reduced that gap between programs significantly.
Lineups didn’t really die as a result though. They stuck around for a while until once again Seven culled theirs first and now the rest are following. I understand the value of air time and these old school things will eventually die off. It’s just sad as us on-air graphics nuts can’t really enjoy the hobby as much any more.
PRGs/RPGs/program supers are another old school thing we will probably see less of as time goes on. I think eventually we’ll see them reduced to just the classification/subtitle logo after an ad break and that’s it. WIN’s already on the front foot with that one, but that’s probably just due to laziness.
Because punters love watermarks.
Idents don’t need to be slow or long. Watch the last three seconds of this, old nine ident, it’s all you need
I seem to remember Ten even having short ad-breaks between programmes for a while in their “Seriously Ten” era, and before that they ran a full length breaks before closing credits (so effectively at the end of a show). This at a time when Seven was experimenting with accelerated flow. Not sure what that was all about. (Not really on topic, just wondering).
I would say that’s purely due to laziness and lack of automation. I know most channels love their PRGs.
Yes… as was I.
Especially here for some reason. Not very common outside of Australia.
