Oh dear. Five are upset with a media analysis that I wrote in last week's mag.
In a letter they have produced lots of figures that counter the argument and the data that we published. There are some good points (see next week's Marketing to see it in full) but boasting that Five has managed to out-rate Channel 4 more than 40 times in peak looks an impressive statistic but doesn't stand up to closer analysis. When you consider that because of its heavy public service obligations Channel 4 is forced to show worthy minority-interest programmes that by their very nature would not rate highly, it doesn't seem that significant.
Anyway I'm left with the impression that Barb audience data can be cut so many ways depending on audience, daypart and measurement that you can virtually prove anything. Perhaps to some extent I was guilty of this too.
I do however concede, though, that every channel relies on too few programme formats - ITV1 with Coronation Street, Channel 4 with Big Brother etc. Five's failure to innovate with new formats just shows and dependence on Five is just the more striking. I'm also embarrassed to admit I spelt Carl Ratcliff's name wrong. Apologies.
