Kuttsywood's Couch's 4th annual guide to Daylight Saving FTA delays in QLD

The fourth annual edition of the DST guide is here. It has been a proud tradition here since 2008, to let the viewers know of the delays they will recieve, during the six months of DST each year, as it should be our duty, until things change, and DST is reintroduced, statewide. But this year we have a little "helper". While this place generally lists events that have fixed dates, and fixed times, there have been times where rapid information is needed. Kuttsywood's Couchcushion will fill the gap, with a weekly DST update beginning Sunday October 2 (e.g. to, offer more detailed information, along with the 5:30 ratings segment, being rebooted in January next year.) It's this page's commitment to keeping QLD informed of the various delays, over the last four years, that is a key reason, why Daylight Saving, is still after nearly 20 years (the 20th anniversary of the last referendum on daylight saving in QLD, occuring on Wednesday February 22 2012), Queensland's talking point.

Kuttsy's Pitch 3: a news revolution.

People thought, the cue was in the rack, after the second Kuttsy’s Pitch, in August last year. In, what’s become an annual tradition here, along with the DST guide, due in late September, Kuttsy’s Pitch, is an a long form experiment, where I delve into the problems of Seven, and their 5:30 pain in QLD, and try and “reinvent the wheel” by developing a wide ranging solution which could work in real life. 

Note: these ideas are only theoretical.

Ten in 2012: The Toasted question...

"Capture the minds of children, and you'll have the adults forever"


I don't know who said that, or who made it so well known. But it is a poignent statement right now. Ten announced, at their launch on Wednesday night, their plan to shake up the breakfast market with a return to the adult breakfast genre, that Ten abandoned in late 1992, when the original Good Morning Australia ended (and the GMA title was given to a mid-morning program originally entitled "The Morning Show" with Bert Newton, that started that year, and ended in 2005) and Ten's reliance on the younger audience began. But, let's go with a brief history of this move by Ten, which began in early 1993 before we talk about the future.

The state of childrens television in 2011.

Childrens television: a popular subject on this blog, especially as the most popular post in the history of this blog, was one on Brisbane's childrens TV history, and how it launched so many careers, published in September 2009. But I come here today, to explain what has gotten me to write this. Commercial childrens programming should be benefiting from the changes in technology, that have improved news, sport and drama: then why is it, that only one commercial network these days is investing in kids TV, that is educational, entertaining, and is not a gameshow?

The debut of the new image...

I don't know how to say this: but I am using April Fools Day, to spring a surprise.
And believe it or not, it's not a prank. The Kuttsywoods Couch "family" is going to grow bigger.


Let's just say, it's a dream I've had for more than twelve months, and am proud to announce it today.

The return of the poll...

With a new year, comes new questions: one being asked by people, working at Seven right now, is: why is Deal or No Deal struggling, with a hour-long national news lead-in in Brisbane, while Hot Seat is thriving?


The answer may be as clear as mud, or it could be simple. I'd say, it's eighteen months of decline, tied in with the first major change to Seven's news lead-in period since Wheel of Fortune was axed in 2006, resulting in Deal having a weaker lead-in than it did with MASH repeats, and coincidently dragging shares down for the 4:30-6pm time period. I'm about to show you the two alternative Yes options, but I will quickly explain what the No option entails: simply, advising Seven to do nothing about their lead-in, which is something that they have done well for the last year and a half, while ratings slid.

What Seven needs at 5:30 and beyond...

Seven Brisbane has lost every week in ratings in 2010 at 5:30, along with losing the year in primary and network shares. Although they continue to lead at 6, the 5:30 slot has gone from a cashcow to poison in the eighteen months, since the Extra axing, with bucketloads of Brisbanites, treating Seven poorly, sending the once joint leader, down to third in the 5:30 slot, and repeating Local Edition's feat, of placing third out of the commercial networks in the 5-6 hour during the latter half of 2010. But there is one solution, that Seven are too silly to try, yet it is the easy way out. I can think of other things Seven can spend money on (and making advertisers shudder after recent runs of poor ratings, as well as losing 5:30 to Nine), other than propping up a national gameshow, that has been given up on by Brisbane viewers, and is being haunted by the bad memories of past local efforts.
I'm just about to show you a few of them.

Kuttsywood's Couch's 3rd annual guide to Daylight Saving FTA delays in QLD.

Well, it's back. Daylight Saving is here again to wrack pain on viewers throughout Queensland: and everyone's favorite guide is back for a third year. This year however, we continue to add new channel choices, and some old favorites from last year take a bow again, while some new ones crop up, to try and trend on Twitter... Masterchef style (especially among those people who want real change in QLD government DST policy). We have also introduced a colour system, to give individual channels easier space.

Kuttsy's Pitch: Reviving 5:30 localism for 7.

Hard to believe, that Kuttsy's Pitch, has come back for a second post. Well, after the first post in October 2009, written in the middle of a rough patch for Deal in Brisbane, (which was eclipsed, earlier this year with a 68 day losing streak to start 2010 for Deal or No Deal in Brisbane, as well as losing 2010, with Hot Seat/GC News conquering 5:30, without a week lost to Deal so far this year) got some eyes, why not do another? I also have considered revisiting Local Edition once again (this time placing it in a 2010 marketplace, and not making mistakes that led to the original program's demise). And suddenly, it fused. Why not pitch the idea of a weekday 5:30 program (a theoretical one for 7, might I add) and focus on one idea from start to end: The idea being simply, Brisbane Afternoons.

The ten moments that shaped a station: TVQ 0-10 45th.

Memories, that define a station's legacy... Ten in Brisbane has had many moments, in the last 45 years, but culling them to a fine list of 10 was hard. Included in this, are some happy, some sad moments, and some moments that live in the psyche, for years to come: This is a record, of what Ten should be remembering on July 1 2010, to set a course, to be Brisbane's voice.

Save QLD TV... for the future.

What I am about to say may stun Brisbane viewers.


In the eyes of Sydney executives, Brisbane TV production is a commodity, that can be bought and sold at a whim. Cheap to produce, cheap to run, all while our industry is dying, not by the fist of viewers, but by bean counters, and those who favour centralisation of production back to Sydney/Melbourne.


What are we going to do, when there is no pathway, for which tomorrow's Kerri-Anne or Jackie McDonald to tread in our home town, let alone our great state but instead being repeatedly told by a guy at a desk, that the best way to get a foot in the door in TV, is to live in Sydney or even live in Melbourne and be where the action is. This also runs rings around our film industry, which has to compete with Sydney and Melbourne for shoots, and film and TV studio space, which Brisbane lacks, general studios for television production (i.e not controlled by 7, 9 or 10), but has a abundance for film production just sixty minutes down the highway.

Our new guide: Commenting Potential.

Another proud announcement from Kuttsywood's Couch, today, with the inauguration, of a guide, based completely, on the comments that Kuttsywood leaves everywhere, from blogs to newspaper websites, while teaching people to comment in the Kuttsywood style.


Read more? 

Digital Switchover: What should occur on the Gold Coast

As I am writing this, it is less than 18 months until digital switchover begins in Queensland, with regional areas from Maryborough to Cairns, switching off analogue in the 2nd half of 2011. But the main issue concerns the Brisbane switchoff, in three years time, with the need for the Gold Coast to gain local stations, as a trade-off for more space to be freed up on the UHF band (to allow future commercial operators) in and around Brisbane.


There are currently on the Gold Coast, three UHF frequencies given to each network, two analogue (one for each of the legacy transmitters at Mount Tamborine and Currumbin) and one digital (shared with all GC digital transmitters).

Local Edition: Why Seven should keep their word.

2010, for many people is a momentous occasion, end of the noughties etc.

For some, recent events have tried to rewrite history, but only have been really a revisiting of the past...

Let us take a flashback, that I believe Seven Brisbane is afraid to run on Sunday night's news, a... Local Edition flashback.

A new year, a new decade and a new attitude.

What a journey. Two years ago, I set this blog up, on New Years Day, with some "crazy" promises. Wait... I had no crazy promises. But this being our "official" second birthday, I'd thought I'd unveil the next phase, in the blog's evolution (and the "kw" branding's official introduction to this blog, after being "soft-introduced" through the Youtube page in July 2009) and make it "official" that we are Kuttsywood's Couch, with our new "blog image".

TVQ-0/10 45th... What should occur.

We are, less than a day away from 2010. Brisbane TV's fiftieth, was a glittering event, even though it was let down a little bit by the Extra axing, but it has invoked a new spirit in Brisbane viewers, to look for what's different, for it is this search, that has caused Deal Or No Deal to bottom out.

But there was another group of people, who were also watching these good events with interest. The R.A.T.S. (Radio and Television Survivors, a group of former Brisbane TV and radio personalities) were at some of the fiftieth events put on by 7 and 9, and recently, there was a reunion function for some TVQ-0/10 staff at a notable Brisbane hotel, which got me wondering...

Should Ten have a local 45th special, in July 2010?

Kuttsywood's Couch's 10 defining Queensland TV moments of the 00's

Those who cannot remember the past, are condemned to repeat it.

George Santayana from "The Life of Reason" published in 1905.

As we exit this decade, this blog aims to present the 10 defining moments of the last decade (a first of a series leading to the end of 09... and the beginning of the tenn's), in the Queensland industry, that one way or another is following that saying, possibly many southerners who have moved up here (and some locals too) are to learn from in order for the saying not to become a self-fullfiling prophecy for our industry. I must also inform you of my favorite paraphrase of this saying...

Those who fail to learn from the mistakes of their predecessors, are destined to repeat them.

50 years of Brisbane TV: Part 12-The future: Where will we be in fifteen years time...

As we march to the conclusion of the 50 Years of Brisbane TV series, I thought it would be timely, to end it with a look into the future. After all, the book that detailed the first twenty-five years of the Brisbane industry, On Air, 25 Years Of TV in Queensland, ended with a similar look entitled "The Sky is The Limit", by former Pick A Box champion and Labor politician, Barry Jones. In that look, it predicted things like interactive television, cable TV's emergence, early predictions of digital television, even DVD recorders. People back then, couldn't imagine what the next twenty-five years of technological advances would have turned out, from the early days of the internet, to Web 2.0's massive growth in the late 2000's, they would have still thought of a "Jetsons" future for the 2000's, with flying cars, tube elevators and robot maids back then. But now, as we close the book on Q150, we look forward, to another big celebration, which will bring the state together, fifteen years from now.

Note: This post is a theoretical prediction of the future, and may not represent a true picture of the future.

The highway to hell... 2009 Brisbane ratings.

The title says it all. In a year dominated by axings, sackings, a possible boning, opening of new Gold Coast facilities and the Deal decline, caused by a axing on a completely different channel, it has been literally the highway to hell for Brisbane's TV industry in 2009. From being proud of local content to shunning it in favor of networking the entire schedule from Sydney, from Brian Cahill's return to the newsdesk to Heather Foord's "forced" return to the newsdesk, all while a station abandoned Brisbane, while the traditional home of local content won't pick up the ball and make it theirs. Thus, the "Highway to Hell" reference is apt.

50 years of Brisbane TV: Part 11-Brisbane's Own: Fifty Years of Channel 7 Brisbane

Dedicated to Tony Gordon 1955-2001.

If one, is to realise the genesis of the Brisbane TV industry and it's "downfall" in recent years, you must take a look at both sides of the commercial coin. Nine may have done some things wrong, but Seven's turkeys are usually singled out. Why singled out? Simply, because of the legacy the station built, from day one as being the creative force in Brisbane's industry.

50 years of Brisbane TV: Part 10-The curtain rises: Brisbane TV Variety

Dedicated to the fallen stars of Brisbane TV variety, in particular: George Wallace Jr (1918-1968), Brian Tait (1927-2007) and Paul Sharratt (1933-2009).

Welcome to another great instalment of 50 Years of Brisbane TV. This month, we are focusing, on what was the lifeblood of our local content for nearly forty years, local variety television.

Kuttsy's Pitch: Fixing Seven Brisbane's 5:30 dilemma.

Sitting down at home, bored as a sack of potatoes, I thought back to an post I was supposed to feature on here, around a year ago, concerning Ten's 7pm post Big Brother. I never started it, but it got me thinking, with the recent lows Deal or No Deal has been getting in Brisbane, if say, Seven were to move Deal to 5pm, what would Seven put at 5:30...

Note: These suggestions are only theoretical.

Kuttsywood's Couch's 2nd annual guide to Daylight Saving FTA delays in QLD.

"It"'s back for 2009/10. Of course I am referring to Daylight Saving, which Queensland does not have.

This post was so popular last year, that the people at DS4SEQ (aka the Daylight Saving For South East Queensland political party, here in Queensland) used it as a effective source, and help spread the message of the "true" cost of having no Daylight Saving in Queensland in a networked TV world (losing ad share), being delays, by the bowlful.

This year there is a main difference, with the addition of schedules for commercial digital multichannels One HD, GO! and Seven's new SD "72" schedules due soon, as well as detailed analysis on cricket, SuperGP, tennis and Sydney's NYE telecast times and delays.

Local content & (Super) Saturday morning fun.

Seven... It's due.

I am personally fed up, with Seven and it's lack of action on local content.

Local content keeps Queenslanders in jobs, not pretaped advertorials, not 1/2hr long local events, not successful news, not successful programming.

50 years of Brisbane TV: Part 9-Kids TV and how it changed the Brisbane industry

Welcome to Part 9 of this blog series, This month, it's all about the kids.

Children's television, has literally been a part of the patchwork quilt of Brisbane telly, since day two of television. That's right day two, August 17, 1959 when "The Channel Niner's" debuted.

BTQ-7's role in the Brisbane area: Part 2-The stations 50th...

As most readers have known, with my recent post, asking Seven to stop turning it's collective back on Brisbane viewers and pour money into BTQ's future, this blog is often very critical of Seven, in a complete 360 of what the "old" media often portrays, which should be standing up for the common viewer, especially in light of recent events, eg. Extra axing.

50 years of Brisbane TV: Part 8-Still The One: 50 Years of Brisbane's Channel 9

The wait is over... A golden anniversary is being marked. Welcome to Part 8...

The genesis: TV is coming to Brisbane, a case of when, not if.

When television began in this country nearly fifty-three years ago, it was a purely Sydney-Melbourne medium. Brisbane waited it's turn, until 1958, when the first two licences in Queensland were up for bids (alongside two in Adelaide, what became NWS-9 and ADS-7, later ADS-10 and one in Perth, TVW-7). Of these prized Brisbane commercial TV licences, one was sold to Queensland Television Limited, (what became QTQ-9) and the other to Brisbane TV Limited (which became BTQ-7), and the planning began...

50 Years Of Brisbane TV-The fifty icons of Brisbane TV

It's time to blow out some birthday candles, But that's tomorrow. Welcome to the 50 Years Of Brisbane TV "Super Saturday" where we honour the greats of our industry, and look back on those decisions that define our city's industry. We'll give a promo treat, and some programs that we loved from our home town. And of course, those "Only In Brisbane" moments! The idea for the top 50 (originally a top 20), came from the recent Q150 Icons poll, except, ours was personally selected by this blog's sole editor, Kuttsywood. We start now with the ten greatest personalities from Brisbane, over the last fifty years:

BTQ-7's role in a growing Brisbane area: Part 1-2010 and beyond

The mood in the Rivercity is turning, like a westerly prior to the EKKA.

This is a "What If" situation, i.e what does Seven need to do to change the current view in people's minds of what was once "Brisbane's own Channel 7". But how to achieve the change in perception? This is what this post will explain in detail, along with the twelve steps to achieve it.

50 years of Brisbane TV: Special Announcement

I remember saying back on June 25, that the 50 Years Of Brisbane TV blog series may not end with the upcoming QTQ fiftieth. Well, I have a major announcement, and...

There will be four more installments, due before the end of 2009!

Also, the "Top 50" list is currently being collated, in preparation for the unveiling on August 15, and lets just say, there is a few surprises, including the "Only In Brisbane" category, which has been broadened to include some fads, that Brisbane took hold of, and our local events, that define what being a Brisbanite is.

The QTQ fiftieth post's title will also be revealed now.

The blogs title will be "Still The One: 50 Years of Brisbane's Channel 9."

Why Still The One? Simply, Nine in Brisbane has gone through some down times in the ratings, on the opposite end of the network scale, during those first fifty years, yet it always will have the bragging rights, as the first commercial station outside Sydney and Melbourne to open, (and incidently the first of the stations turning fifty in 2009 (QTQ-9,BTQ-7,NWS-9,ADS-10 and TVW-7) to mark their birthday) as well as the first TV station in Queensland, hence the old Nine tagline, "Still The One" will always apply to QTQ, no matter what place it finishes in the ratings.

So, sit back on QTQ birthday weekend, and celebrate Brisbane's TV history, with the Top 50, and the QTQ fiftieth post.

(Note: There will be a special post or two soon, talking about my personal vision (not Seven's) of the future of BTQ-7, something that has been a real talking point lately, and what BTQ needs to do for the big 5-0.)

And one more thing: GO! launches soon: Don't forget to rescan your digital recievers!

Becoming 10 TV Australia: 20 Years On.

Where were you, on July 23 1989?

You were most likely sitting down, to watch National Nine News over dinner, then flick over to see something on 7 or 10 (Disney or in league mad states, the replay of that Sunday's afternoon game as Ten had shared TV rights back then), then watch either 60 Minutes on 9 or The Comedy Company on 10. Those who chose the lighter option noticed a "new Ten", something that had been promoted for weeks on TV and with full page ads in Sunday newspapers, As the slogan stated... "Something's Going On Around Here..." and then the ID played, and a new era had begun, which eventually led Ten to recievership just over a year later, and ratings hell all at the same time.

50 years of Brisbane TV: Part 7-1959

After the thoughts of the great stuff we have watched in the last fifty years as a prelude to the wonderful fiftieth celebrations that QTQ-9 will offer this time next month, it makes sense, that Part 7 is a look back to where it all began in Queensland, the year of 1959.

50 years of Brisbane TV: Part 6-Celebrating TV Queensland style, and the ads that we loved!

Welcome to Part 6, of this blog series, where we celebrate Brisbane TV's 50th, but this post will share the mantle with Queensland's 150th birthday of statehood. We are going with a small celebration, of video, of what makes Queensland, Queensland. We'll look at what we like in rugby league, cricket, and of course TV advertising. Some old brands will return, that have sadly left the marketplace since Brisbane TV began, like a recently discovered 1960's sales reel for Bulimba Gold Top beer. We'll look at some tourism ads, that have defined the early 21st century, including the "Not just a sleepy town" promotion for Brisbane. There will be some fast food on the menu, with locally produced ads for KFC (proudly celebrating 40 years in Queensland in 2009) and other restaraunts. All titles are below the videos. But first, we start off with...

The road to August 16: Update

Hi everyone!

I am just announcing, that due to some unexpected recent events, the 50 Years Of Brisbane TV Part 6 post will be delayed until mid July. It will be posted as a doubleheader, with Part 7, on July 16.

Brisbane TV-Let's Make It Local!

PRESS/BLOG RELEASE: BRISBANE TV-LET'S MAKE IT LOCAL!

With the recent axing of Extra, this blog will make it's mission clear. Brisbane's three commercial stations, you are all on notice. Brisbane is fed up with Sydney networking, and interference with our sacred cows.

Q150: What does Queensland mean to you?

As we leave May behind, we head towards June, Queensland Week, and the official 150th birthday of Queensland on June 6.

The 50 Years of Brisbane TV series will take a wide look, on what makes Queensland great, including some classic ads, and some of our defining moments, that only Queenslanders can produce. As the saying goes, "It's our land, my land, Queensland".

50 years of Brisbane TV Part 5: The Gold Coast, Queensland's TV production hub

Dedicated to... Charles "Bud" Tingwell AM, a icon of Australian film and television, who has achieved many honours in his long career, 1923-2009.

This month we have left Brisbane behind again, to this time focus on Queensland's TV production heart, the Gold Coast, and look at it's two distinct roles in the history of the Queensland industry, first being the place where our early stars got away from it all, and second, the film and television sector wanting a piece of "Australia's Hollywood".

Regional Television Month, bids adeiu...

As we say goodbye to Regional Television Month, we forward on to our next themed month, GC Shines Month, where our focus switches again from Brisbane, this time to our fast growing neighbour to the south, the Gold Coast, which has become a major production centre, in the last twenty years, all due to the development of Warner Roadshow Studios at Oxenford, which also spawned the Warner Bros Movie World theme park (which opened in 1991).

50 years of Brisbane TV: Part 4-Queensland's regional television stations, the heart of Queensland's rural life.

Dedicated to those regional Queensland viewers who waited nearly thirty years for the same choice as Brisbane TV viewers.

Regional Television Month continues, with this fourth installment, of 50 Years of Brisbane TV, which will leave the big smoke, for a journey down the old bush track, we call memory lane, and stop and remember Queensland's great contribution to regional television.

BREAKING NEWS: Kuttsywood's Couch to become segment on 7 News.

Note: This was the blog's 2009 April Fools Joke, so all content in this post is jocular in nature.

Aggregation-Twenty years on.

This post officially starts Regional Television Month in honor of the 20th anniversary of the start of aggregation in Australia, where this blog will take looks into the history of regional telly, with the 50 Years of Brisbane TV feature having a country twang (with a small history of regional television in Queensland prior to 1991, when Queensland was aggregated), as well as a specific look at NQTV, the former solus broadcaster for Cairns and Townsville, which became QTV for aggregation, and eventually became Southern Cross Ten's Queensland affiliate. But now onto the first topic in this post:

50 years of Brisbane TV: Part 3-The Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin's contribution to Queensland's TV industry.

Dedicated to Steve Irwin 1962-2006



2009, is a year where we don't just reflect on the living legacy of Brisbane (and indeed Queensland) television. We reflect on the fallen stars, who either died too young, like Brisbane TV personality Tony Gordon, who died tragically in a aerobatics accident in 2001, or died after a distinguished career, like former QTQ newsreader Don Seccombe who passed away suddenly in 1993 and BTQ-7's most notable personality from their 1959 launch, Brian Tait who passed away peacefully in late 2007. But one name is sadly part of this list, the person who brought their Queensland experiences into living rooms worldwide. That man is Steve Irwin.

50 Years Of Brisbane TV-Part 2-Shine On Brisbane, the 1982 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony.

Dedicated to the victims of Black Saturday, including former GTV-9 newsreader Brian Naylor and his wife Moiree...

Prolougue...
Television changed sport in Australia. It turned sport from a mainly spectator medium, to a national obsession. Radio did some work, same with newsreels, but it wasn't until television arrived in 1956 that people saw sport in a new light. Melbourne's Olympic Games that year was the first major event broadcast on Australian television, with all three Melbourne stations providing coverage, with film replays (the Sydney-Melbourne coaxial cable bearer not being built until the early 1960's) being screened in Sydney the next day. By the time the Brisbane stations launched in 1959, sport became a staple of any new television station's schedule.

50 years of Brisbane TV: Part two update...

Part Two, of the 50 years of Brisbane TV blog series will not be seen as planned on the 16th of February.

2009- A special year... in more ways than one.

2009 is a important year. It is our state's 150th birthday, QTQ-9, BTQ-7 and ABQ-2 celebrate their 50th birthdays, and some other events may or may not get a mention in the media... But I will mention them here...

50 Years of Brisbane TV-Part 1 Good night and Goodbye: Farewells from the newsdesk...

Dedicated to Mark "Mawk" Riccardi, [uploader of Marie-Louise Theile's farewell] 1989-2008.

Brisbane is a unique TV market. We were the first metro TV stations north of Sydney. We still cling to our localism like a raft. But we innovate, like no other. Before we get to the farewells, I will talk about some past female newsreaders, and one who is still going strong.

What's coming up in early 2009. Brisbane style...

So 2008's ending...

Lets see, what we have covered here this year...

The Logies moving to Queensland?

I saw an article, on the Courier Mail website, talking about a pitch by the Queensland Government to lure the Logies out of Melbourne. What the QLD Government is suggesting is a Gold Coast move, but industry insiders said, that the Gold Coast has no TV history.

The retro strategy and how it failed...

This is the symbolic sequel to one of my most popular posts of 2008, Bringing Back Love You Brisbane, but it starts in a strange place, aggregated regional Queensland, in 1995.

Seven... We have a message for you.

So what if you "claim to win 2008".

The Love You Brisbane Appreciation Society will not accept any victory if it was made using networked programs, having a attitude that Brisbane viewers aren't good enough for separate promotion, by destroying your history for office space that leaks badly and risking a backlash if Kay leaves to join the Paige / Lofthouse issue at 9.

Thanks for nothing 7. Networking can go to hell!

The Love You Brisbane Appreciation Society

http://au.youtube.com/group/luvyabnefanclub

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=35322692002