Cards on the table time - I'm not a Nuts reader. Its formula of breasts, football, laddy interviews, the odd bit of gross-out news, and, erm, some more breasts is not for me.
So I doubt I shall be tuning into Nuts TV, the new Freeview service that was announced today and will be launching later in the year.
But it seems obvious that Nuts magazine has a market. Nearly 300,000 copies are sold every week, which means one in 200 people in Britain reads Nuts. Or to be put it more fairly in view of the target audience, one in 100 male Britons.
Will the Nuts formula translate to TV, though? According to the press release:
Nuts TV will take the magazine into the TV arena with exclusive original content within a live studio setting. The programming will be live, five nights a week, with hosted highlights for the remaining two. This live format is suited to the Nuts audience, who are familiar with the pace, variety and immediacy of the web. Whilst Nuts TV will have all the character and personality of the magazine, it will not replicate it, and will offer its own unique take on girls, sport, entertainment, gadgets, cars and news.
I'm told that acquisitions may bolster the programme line up in due course. But so far it sounds a bit thin - presumably just a few blokes sitting around talking about breasts and football. Not that that would necessarily be a problem. Many radio shows are built on mere banter and if there are talented people involved, it could work. But will people watch it between 9pm and 1am? Presumably the idea is to tap into the lad audience just as it hits the sofa with a lager.
So what are your thoughts? "Sounds like the bastard child of Men and Motors," was how someone put it to me today.
