Category - Television

Could it be true?

Might we see a return of Hey Hey It’s Saturday on our screens?

For those outside Australia, Hey Hey It’s Saturday was a long running variety television programme. It ran for 27 years, debuting on the Nine Network in October 1971 and broadcasting its last episode in November 1999. Its host throughout its entire run was Daryl Somers, who is now the host of the Australian version of Dancing with the Stars on the Seven Network.

There is now talk of reviving Hey Hey It’s Saturday. This article from News.com.au tells us that the Seven Network is looking at bringing back some of the team that made the show a ratings success over so many years.

Apparently they’ve approved funding for a pilot for a new prime-time Saturday night show.

I met Daryl briefly back in May 1994. I had been the MC for around 24 hours of a 30 hour record breaking cycling attempt at Perth’s Superdrome. Ultra-Marathon cyclist, Rod Evans, had broken a couple of world records in the lead up to his 30 hour event and broke a few more over the 30 hour period.

Daryl Somers turned up to take over as MC for the final moments of the event. His presence ensured a good showing on television for Rod Evans and his accomplishments.

All the officials and TV people let Daryl know what was going on. Just before Daryl did his bit I approached him and asked if he was about to use the radio mike which I’d been using. He didn’t know who I was but he told me he would be using the mic. I let him know that it sometimes had the annoying habit of cutting out. “If it does”, I told him, “just thump it”. By the look on his face I could tell that he thought it was strange that some guy he didn’t know should want to give him advice about a microphone and especially that I should suggest thumping it.

In the excitement of the final minutes the microphone suddenly went silent.

Daryl stood there for a second or two then gave the microphone a good hard thump before carrying on. He looked over his shoulder and gave me a smile then called the final record breaking moments.

If Hey Hey is to make a return it’d need some major upgrading and updating but it could be a lot of fun.

Posted by Rodney Olsen

Technorati Tags: Hey Hey It’s Saturday – Daryl Somers – Television

Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading Hey Hey? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.

This is a television advertisement for 98.5 Sonshine FM (the radio staion where I work). It was produced some years ago but still works so well.

Posted by Rodney Olsen

Technorati Tags: Sonshine FM – Radio – Television

Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading Listen 'ere Sonshine? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.

Television programming is a curious thing. There are nights when there’s nothing worth watching and others where all the good stuff’s on at the same time.

We refuse to watch the best of a bad selection. We’d rather just turn the television off.

Of course that’s where video recording works its magic. (That’s right. Video. We haven’t moved into hard drive recording yet.) On the really good nights we can watch one show and record another. That gives us some good programming for the dud nights.

This raises problems of its own. Do you ever watch a programme you videoed some time back and want to talk about it the next day?

If we’ve taped a show and then finally get to see it weeks or even months later it’s hard to remember that not everyone watched it at the same time. We get so used to saying, “Did you see such and such last night?” that you almost forget that you were watching an old programme that everyone else saw three months ago. It’s almost like some kind of weird time travel.

It’s a problem that will only get bigger. More and more people are downloading programming to watch whenever they choose, or watching DVDs. Our viewing habits are changing forever.

Is talking about last night’s viewing over the office water cooler becoming a thing of the past? Are we on the verge of losing a shared experience? Does that mean we’ll have to start talking about things that really matter when we get to work in the morning?

Posted by Rodney Olsen

Technorati Tags: Television – Video – Shared Experiences

Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading Losing a shared experience? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.

I wanted to see Andrew Denton‘s documentary, God On My Side, when it hit the cinemas late last year back but never quite got there.

I wanted to get to bed really early on Monday night to get over the remnants of the flu but never quite got there.

Australia’s ABC Television screened God On My Side on Monday night and I made the mistake of watching the first couple of minutes. I was hooked. I sat there through to the end and I’ve got to say that I was very impressed with the way Denton handled the subject matter.

God On My Side is a film about Andrew Denton’s visit to the 63rd National Religious Broadcaster’s Convention in Dallas, Texas, in February 2006.

More than 6 000 Christian communicators gathered to discuss how best to spread the word of God and how to take advantage of opportunities presented by the explosion of new technologies and audiences.

Rather than being a comment on Christianity I saw the documentary as a comment on those who would try to sell Christianity as a product.

Some of the beliefs held by several of those Denton interviewed were rather disturbing. Some of the products being sold were tacky and disturbing. Fellow blogger, Phil Cooke, seemed to be the voice of reason among those giving their points of view.

A couple of thousand years ago Jesus spent a fair bit of time talking to crowds so I’m not against trying to take his message to large groups of people, after all I do work in Christian radio, but I do get concerned when the messages that people are sending out don’t match up with the messages that Jesus himself was spreading.

Blind allegiance to any political leader based only on their professed religious faith is of great concern. Even the great leaders of the Bible messed up. To hear some of the people interviewed pledge their approval for everything George W. Bush does, without checking whether his actions are just or right or Biblical scares me. Likewise, the belief of some of those interviewed that Israel should be protected no matter what the country does is frightening.

One of the things that also concerns me is the tendency to turn the Christian faith into a set of beliefs and prescribed behaviours. Yes, there needs to be belief and there needs to be evidence of our faith in our behaviour but reducing it down to a formula is totally ignoring what the faith is all about.

I suppose I could write all day about how I think others are getting it wrong but in the end I need to look at myself and judge myself against what the Bible calls me to be and do.

I don’t think I can go too far wrong if I continue to move towards the kind of faith described in the Old Testament book of Micah where it says, “… the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. “

Posted by Rodney Olsen

Technorati Tags: God On My Side – Andrew Denton – Faith

Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading God On My Side? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.

Eddie McGuire has announced his resignation as chief executive of the Nine Network in Australia.

This report from NEWS.com.au tells us that Eddie everywhere will move to an increased presence on air, which of course means that he’ll be all over our tellies once again. He’s committed to staying with Nine for at least another five years.

With less responsibility in the management of the network I assume that he’ll be back to push the Collingwood cause on The Footy Show. I wonder which members of The Footy Show team will be ‘boned’ to allow for his return.

No replacement has been named for the CEO position as yet. So, if you’re looking for a new job, you might like to get in touch with Channel 9 and put your hand up for Eddie’s position.

Posted by Rodney Olsen

Technorati Tags: Eddie McGuire – Nine Network – Television

Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading Who wants to be a CEO?? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.