Letters to The Guide
- Publication: The Canberra Times
- Date: 1988-11-28
- Author:
- Page: TV Guide, p. 6
- Language: English
Who's axing?
Received November 23
DUE to the coverage of the Test cricket, which the commercial networks didn't broadcast to their regional stations, the ABC decided, without any consideration to the Dr Who fans or children, to axe the first three parts of the Dr Who 25th Anniversary Special Remembrance of the Daleks and screen three hours of the cricket each day to those areas not receiving the cricket. These episodes incidentally were on its original screening in Australia, and were still screened in Sydney with the final part only being shown to all ABC viewers.
This particular story could be said to be historic as it relates back to an original story of Dr Who, which was screened in 1963-64 starring William Hartnell.
On approaching the ABC publicity department their view was one of "bad luck but we can't juggle individual regional stations programs to show Dr Who and the cricket". No answer was given as to why they were still going to screen the final part of this series to all ABC viewers, when many regional stations had not seen the First three parts, nor when this story was likely to be repeated.
Maybe if enough people write in to the ABC and complain against this sort of discriminatory decision-making and indicating that they would like this story screened again, they might think twice about axing an ongoing series requiring continuity and may even screen this story again for our benefit.
ALLAN CHISHOLM
Chisholm
Heavy Who fans
Received November 21
I NOTED with disappointment that the advertised 25th anniversary special of Doctor Who was to be replaced by the cricket. I have no quarrel with the cricket fraternity but was curious as to what had become of the advertised program.
Therefore I rang ABC's Canberra studios to be told, "It is not going to be screened and not going to be repeated. And there is nothing we can do about it."
Although it may seem naive I would have thought there is a lot the ABC can do about it. If the "missed" programs can't be delayed a few days in the "major" cities, it surely couldn't be so difficult to screen the missed programs at a later date.
Why must the "regional" areas suffer the loss of programs because of the ABC's lack of understanding that not everyone in this world cares who wins the latest Test, or football, etc?
Perhaps the ABC should remember that this "regional" area is home to many of the public servants who help the Government to decide the ABC's funding. Or perhaps they should give their "unscreened" programs to Capital 7 or SBS — after all Capital 7 screens the cricket, and SBS is turning out to be Canberra's only decent station.
K. M. WEEDEN
Downer
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- APA 6th ed.: (1988-11-28). Letters to The Guide. The Canberra Times p. TV Guide, p. 6.
- MLA 7th ed.: "Letters to The Guide." The Canberra Times [add city] 1988-11-28, TV Guide, p. 6. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: "Letters to The Guide." The Canberra Times, edition, sec., 1988-11-28
- Turabian: "Letters to The Guide." The Canberra Times, 1988-11-28, section, TV Guide, p. 6 edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=Letters to The Guide | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Letters_to_The_Guide | work=The Canberra Times | pages=TV Guide, p. 6 | date=1988-11-28 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=18 November 2024 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=Letters to The Guide | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Letters_to_The_Guide | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=18 November 2024}}</ref>
