Internet leakage boosts ratings
12/08/05 12:44 Media
issues
Did anybody see the new Ricky Gervais comedy,
Extras,
last night? I did, and I saw it last night, unlike
the people who downloaded the episode and saw it the
night before - you naughty, naughty people. It leaked
onto the Internet and the broadcasters were very
annoyed,
So the radio said this morning (I was listening to Jo Good on BBC London). But I can't help wonder whether we're missing a trick here. Earlier this year, in February/March time, you might remember the first episode of the new Doctor Who leaked onto the Net. The BBC was up in the proverbial arms...
...but the show did really, really well. Was it in spite of 1000 or so people looking at a rough cut of the episode or did the event keep the programme in the headlines and generate more interest? I'm coming round to the latter view, I've got to admit.
And now we come to Extras leaking out. It's an interesting thing, isn't it, that rather than the first episode leaking it was the fourth - which, coincidentally, was an absolute belter, certainly the best so far and if enough people see it, the one that's going to revive Les Dennis' career. I have no inside information, and if the leak was deliberate then it failed because there were no headlines in the lead-up to it.
But the choice of episode to leak looks a little convenient to me.
So the radio said this morning (I was listening to Jo Good on BBC London). But I can't help wonder whether we're missing a trick here. Earlier this year, in February/March time, you might remember the first episode of the new Doctor Who leaked onto the Net. The BBC was up in the proverbial arms...
...but the show did really, really well. Was it in spite of 1000 or so people looking at a rough cut of the episode or did the event keep the programme in the headlines and generate more interest? I'm coming round to the latter view, I've got to admit.
And now we come to Extras leaking out. It's an interesting thing, isn't it, that rather than the first episode leaking it was the fourth - which, coincidentally, was an absolute belter, certainly the best so far and if enough people see it, the one that's going to revive Les Dennis' career. I have no inside information, and if the leak was deliberate then it failed because there were no headlines in the lead-up to it.
But the choice of episode to leak looks a little convenient to me.
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