Axe BBC3, get rid of all those copycat shows and please, will someone come up with another comedy as good as Fawlty Towers? These are some of the responses to Newsnight editor and advisory chair of the Media Guardian Edinburgh International Television Festival Peter Barron after he asked viewers what he thought of TV today. What do you think?
A selection of the comments will be plastered over the walls of the festival conference centre when it begins in Edinburgh this Friday.
"Be as rude as you like, but no obscenities please or we won't be able to put your comment up," said Barron on his blog on the BBC website.
The quality of TV news, or rather the lack of it, is at the top of many people's agenda. Too many gimmicks, too many trivial stories, and such annoying theme music! I hesitate to use the phrase "dumbing down" but, oh... there, I've done it.
"When it comes to news and current affairs just tell us the facts in a plain straightforward way," writes Keith. He's not the only one to think that. Just ask ITV.
Reality TV is past its sell-by date, says Sam Clarke. "The consumer wants to be educated again (after years of mind-numbing 'celebrities' making fools of themselves). I personally want more informative and challenging programming."
There is a third way, however. Celebrity shows CAN be informative and challenging - I point you towards Stephen Fry's two-part documentary about manic depression, which by coincidence is being reshown on BBC4 tonight. If we all watch it, maybe we can conjure up a spike in tomorrow's overnights?
Anyway, back to Barron's blog. The explosion of digital TV has only helped to destroy quality programming," says James Dodds. "There appears to be more TV channels than quality programmes, any old rubbish is being produced to fill them.
Yes, James, but without ITV4, where would I watch Larry Sanders?
So what else are people saying? "TV is absolute rubbish in the main", says Ralph. Well, he's entitled to his opinion, but it doesn't strike me as entirely constructive.
"Let's face it, TV isn't actually going to change for the better," writes Kendrick Curtis. I said constructive, people!
"My biggest irritation is the dumming down of the English language..." says Stephen. I think he means "dumbing".
"I have the solution," concludes Ade Mason. "'The 'dong of death', a red button to press when you get rubbish telly."
I thought it already existed - it's called the 'off button'.
