SU:NK (RI:SE)

Member Name: chrispitts

Product:	RI:SE
Date:	26/07/02 (500 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: No.

Disadvantages: No niche market defined, Terrible for current affairs, Just terrible generally

Ever since RI:SE replaced The Big Breakfast as the Channel 4 Early Morning show, I have been tempted to write an op. So this week, I sat down, determined to watch an entire show.

And I admit it, I only lasted 20 minutes. However, in my brief glimpses into this dire broadcasting travesty, I feel able to draw a few conclusions...

RI:SE seems to be unaware of either it's target audience or the general feel of the show. I'm guessing it, like Big Breakfast, is aimed at the "Young Adult" sector - which suggests that, like Big Breakfast, it should be bright, colourful, improvised, occasionally humorous, and easy to digest.

Not a bit of it. The presenters (all of whom have less character than almost any other TV presenter I have ever seen), sit behind a huge curved desk, instantly giving the programme a "formal" feel - even GMTV uses sofas, for God's sake!

The content is similarly abysmal. One nice touch is the scrolling headlines bar at the bottom of the screen - but I feel this might be more valuable if the headlines were of important news stories. But then, of course, we might think that's boring.

The regular "News" items in RI:SE comprise of 30 second bursts of sensationalist, News of The World-style tabloid trash. You thought Big Breakfast dealt with news quickly - at least they talked about real issues, even if they didn't do so in depth.

And as to the "features". Obviously at the moment, Big Brother is a Big Issue, but I'm not entirely convinced that a "Topical Early Morning Entertainment Show" such as RI:SE should spend the entire morning discussing BB. (Big Brother's Big Brother, so to speak). I can only assume that Channel 4 are so desperate to enhance the viewing figures of this appalling show, that they erroneously assume by featuring one of their most popular shows, they'll get more viewers.

Another of my big probl
ems with the show, and the one that ultimately "forced" me to switch over, was the unthinking nastiness of the presenters. Big Breakfast (at it's prime, anyway), did it well. Yes, they insulted some guests, but they did it (generally) in an amusing way, and, most of the time, it made reasonable viewing. But RI:SE is no more than bullying and sheer cruelty. An example from this morning came from an interview with Tim from Big Brother (albeit a worthy target...)

"Tell Tim his hair's Mingin'" shouted one of the studio presenters to the outside broadcast team. "It's always been crap, but now it's even worse."

She could have been talking about Channel 4's Breakfast Show...

As I said, everyone has their favourite morning shows. (Some poor souls don't even switch their TVs on in the morning!!!)
BBC1 caters for sensible news types, GMTV on ITV caters for the "Daily Mail" - celebrity mixed with serious issue types, and I can only assume Channel 4, as I stated earlier, targets the Ibiza, getting drunk, Sun/Mirror/News of the World type. But, in all honesty, I don't think it even does that very well.

So, steps to improve RI:SE before it's too late.

1. Get some decent presenters. Preferably well-known ones. Yes, you got it right with Chris Evans years ago, but you're way off the mark here.

2. Add some variety. Sure, Big Brother's great, but lets have something else to watch, please.

3. News is important. Even to young adults. Particularly if it's presented in an easy to view way. Let us know what's really going on in the world.

4. Get rid of that desk, and get some comfy chairs in.

5. ...... oh, to hell with it - just take it off the air.

And what do I watch in the morning?

Children's programmes with my 15 month old daughter. Much better!

Summary: