BBC: ‘Top Of The Pops’ Is Returning
November 18, 2008 by Dave Parrack
Top Of The Pops was a show broadcast weekly on the BBC for 42 years between 1964 and 2006.
Unfortunately, due to falling viewer figures and the emergence of the Web, YouTube, 24 hour music television, and mp3 players, the Beeb decided to cancel the show, and nothing has yet filled the void it left behind when it departed.
That’s because despite all the things I mentioned in the last paragraph, none of them constitute a mainstream programme catering to the masses. Listening to music on the Internet, or watching videos on YouTube is a solitary affair, as are mp3 players. And while 24 hour music television stations are a definite boon, they’re all cable channels not available to the majority of us.
So maybe the BBC should bring Top Of The Pops back. The Ting Tings certainly think so, and pleaded for its return in October. Then The Sun newspaper started a campaign to bring the show back, and it was backed by the government’s culture secretary, Andy Burnham.
Simon Cowell then added his considerable weight (okay, old man paunch) to proceedings, and offered to buy the format from the BBC to do a one-off Christmas special on ITV. The BBC clearly didn’t accept his offer and it looks like there won’t be a TOTP Christmas Day Special this year.
However, thanks to the campaigning and celebrity backing of the show, with even Noel Gallagher of Oasis stating it should come back, the BBC seems to be in the process of doing a u-turn, and The Times claims Top Of The Pops is on its way back to our screens, possibly as early as 2009.
Mark Cooper, head of music entertainment for BBC TV is said to be keen to “have a weekly music show on the BBC”. And music executives are said to be increasingly confident that the show will make a return in some form, although changes will be made.
“There is only one chance for a comeback, and the programme will fail again if it returns exactly as before. It needs to be more populist and have exclusive content, new songs, that can be put up on YouTube and shared around the Internet.”
Further changes could see songs features ahead of release, the return of miming, which will allow (untalented) pop groups to appear on the show once again, and the end of the three minute rule which meant no act could play for more than three minutes.
Top Of The Pops was originally canned because of low ratings, and so the return is likely to be classified as a public service broadcast, meaning ratings aren’t really of the utmost importance. But I don’t even think that’s necessary because if the BBC get it right, the show could be huge once again.
Top Of The Pops should be brought back because there is an obvious need for a mainstream music show in the UK. But the chances are I’ll stick to MTV, the Internet, and radio anyway purely because that’s what I’m now used to.
What do you think - should TOTP be brought back? What changes should be made to the format? Air your thoughts in the comments section.
[Photo Source: timcowlishaw at Flickr]
I guess I will have to get in the know with the British Music scene in order to see what’s new with you, Dave. Sorry you had to part ways, but you are really missed. Especially in the forum. Take care though and I, for one, will be stopping in here from time to time.;)