Viewing Thread:
"Who wants to make a television programme?"

Lets face it, all games programmes on telly are trash. You know it, I know it, everybody knows it.

So...

I'm in the process of pitching an idea to the Beeb about a games programme with a difference. Where other programmes turn presenters into gamers, we'll be turning gamers into presenters, which is altogether a MUCH better idea. Anyway, I was just wondering who would seriously be interested in making something like this.

Keep in mind I haven't even contacted the BBC yet (although I should have by tonight) this is just to see if this idea is actually feasible.

Think hard and don't see this as an excuse just to get on telly.

(Oh, and this is a prime topic).

The only problem with this idea is that presenters from the public are usually inbreads that seem to know nothing about games! Like on Thumb Bandits when they had that STUPID kid do some presenting at that tournament at Playing Fields!

If this was gonna be done, you really would need true gamers. Like people doing courses on computer games at uni ;) !

The chances are though, that this program would fall flat on it's face! One of the main reasons being that you went to the BBC with it! BAD IDEA! They were going to make a computer game tournament program using something like Quake 3, but all guns which looked realistic etc had to be taken out! Generally what this shows is that, the BBC don't want to be associated with violent video games etc. Your best bet would be to pitch your idea to channel 4! Tell them that their computer games programs since Gamesmaster have been completely CR**! And that you've got a better idea for a computer game based TV show! Tell them to read this forum and ask what people would want in a computer games program.

:)

I'm just wondering wether I should follow this up or not.

At least you tried. You get nothing if you dont ask.

Keep trying though, it might happen

so they turned your "amazing" idea down?
*sniggers*
well try again later dude it was a REALLY COOL idea

in other words
no
no
no
no
no
no
NO!

OK, we have a reply from the BBC:

-----------------------------------

Dear Robin

Thanks very much for getting in touch with the BBC and for your interest.

I'm afraid in Entertainment Commissioning we cannot commission ideas from
members of the public, we can only commission programmes from production
companies or from the BBC's production departments.

If you wanted to send an idea to the Entertainment Production department
here your point of contact would be Katie Jeffs. However, you should have a
fully thought out TV show in mind to pitch to her, I'm afraid it's probably
not enough to say that you'd like to see a show which is presented by
members of the public.

I wish you all the very best with this initiative.

Regards,
Jo McIlvenna

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Robin Haswell [SMTP:xxx]
> Sent: Sunday, November 18, 2001 8:42 PM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: Games programme pitch
>
> Dear Ms McIlvenna
>
> I've got this address from the contacts database at the BBC websites, so
> I'm not too sure on whether this is going to the right person. I want to
> pitch an idea for a videogames programme.
>
> As you may or may not know, Channel 4 has recently dropped Bits and
> replaced it with Thumb Bandits. Bits used to be the best videogames
> programme on television, Thumb Bandits is now, yet they are both really
> quite poor. The problem with both of them is they take presenters and try
> to turn them into gamers. What we ("we" being me and a couple of friends)
> think is someone should try and take gamers and turn them into presenters,
> which should make for a much, much better programme. We believe this could
> easily produce an excellent videogames programme, basically because we
> actually have a clue about videogames, unlike everyone else. I also think
> you'd get pretty good ratings because virtually the whole videogames
> community (which is pretty large) is crying out for a decent programme. If
> this idea went ahead I think you could effectively conquer the videogames
> program market and open up a whole new audience.
>
> Anyway, I don't know much about how television programme pitching works
> and I am only 15 but please consider our idea. You can always contact me
> at this address ( xxx
> ) or on my mobile: xxx.
>
> Yours sincerely,
> Robin Haswell

JaCeeUK wrote:
> Turbonutter, could we chat about this on MSN. I think you block me all
> the time; I’m not to sure. But then we could discuss it out properly...
I have
> some ace ideas...


Absoutely not. I hate and loathe MSN and I always set it to "appear offline". You can, however, talk to me on IRC. Get mIRC from mirc.com, connect to server "atlanta.infinity-irc.org" and join channel #fog.

monkey_man wrote:
> Good idea, but when the BBC say "No way hose" don't be surprised to
> find the same programme appear in about six months. It'll probably be hosted by
> Carol Vordermann, prodding six year olds with sticks until they make the right
> noises.

LOL! Surely a better idea would be to put Carol Vorderman in the stocks, and lucky members of the public could pelt her with rotten fruit, and prod HER with sticks.
Now THAT's entertainment!

Totoro wrote:
Cybernet gives the facts, no annoying presenters etc, but
> they are not always up to date and have some naff multi-media stuff, but it's
> not a bad programme.


just an annoting voice
and who wants the facts when the presenter is about to blow up a PS2 with obscene amounts of explosives

It is a surprise though that one of the main channels hasn't had a decent attempt at a good video game show.
After all, the video game market is as big or bigger than the film and music industries.