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Nuts TV? You must be crackers!

Posted in Media, Branwell Johnson, Latest reporters' blogs July 31st, 2007 by Branwell Johnson

Nuts TV is on the way eh? Yahoo! Or maybe not, as the recent history of TV programming is littered with shows – or indeed whole channels – that tried to target “lads” with Loaded-type programming.

Bravo went through a total revamp to move away from its original positioning as a rather tacky and tawdry channel to offer a more sophisticated menu, including Italian footie, last year. At the time the director of programming said that it was being repositioned to be “an upmarket entertainment channel.”

SkyOne ditched laddish programming such as Ibiza Uncovered a long time ago while Five has moved to put clear blue water between its original offering of “football, films and fucking,” as Dawn Airey put it.

Men & Motors is still running but was cancelled on Freeview in April last year to make way for ITV Play (hmm – now that’s gone too!) and is now only available on satellite and cable. Speculation that ITV will sell the channel remains strong.

Yep, Nuts is a brand that is working with its target demographic – although whether they’ll be allowed the PIN number by their parents to tune in via the Freeview box I’m not sure. Nuts works as a throwaway read but I’m not sure that it will translate into a hit channel attracting viewers five nights a week. Wouldn’t the audience rather be in the pub?