Nick Thorogood gave an informative and expert presentation on how saw the Battleground that is Daytime TV as he saw it.

Daytime is now so hot that talent poaching is going on, daytime is the new peak time. New shows are coming along that were commissioned by Nick during his time at ITV in particular; he does believe that daytime is valuable and worthwhile.

Once upon a time it was the home of schools, children and the test card. Very soon over 80 American programmes and chat shows changed all that. In those earlier days the broadcasters believed that both daytime audiences and viewing figures did not matter.

Once the nineties came along daytime began to hot up. The industry did not take daytime seriously, now it’s changed and seen as a training ground as people graduate to bigger and more expensive things.

Audiences in daytime can be fickle and perhaps lazy, they want to relax and need entertaining. Watching TV at 9a.m. is different, it needs application; viewers might think they are ‘dirty’ and shouldn’t be watching at that time. Programme makers have to work twice as hard to address these viewers.
"This morning" is the longest and most successful daytime show at this time, its viewers want something different all the time.

Information is sought at lunchtime – sandwiches and current affairs. There is a drift from information to more entertainment genres. This is of course a terrestrial line-up but what of multi-channel.
Multi-channel are looking at the young and professionals. People are now on line watching TV, shopping and gambling.

The increase in high-tech ensures that this usage will grow, viewers are now used to interacting with their TV.

Traditional programming can still compete, there were significant audiences for shows like the "Paul O’Grady show."

Too many shows are not good enough and wallow in the daytime schedules.

Daytime deserves respect and fresh ideas, ambition has increased and runs are longer, the broadcasters are now giving these shows their attention and respect.

There are now big guns in Daytime TV but broadcasters need to work harder, twice as hard. Nick’s highlights and points to look for –

Paul O’Grady’s move to Channel - Will this bring a different upmarket audience?
Take off Children’s Programming - Viewer figures plummet when they are on, they cannot remain on the main channels.
Ideas of community; ITV has good live programming; there is nothing on the BBC. An opportunity here for the BBC?