Seven West Media / Channel 7
Reviews and Complaints

Hi
I just want to say how disappointed we are that the show The Front Bar isn't being shown on Perth TV until 10.30pm when it's advertised last week as being on at the all new time of 8.30pm!
We don't want to have to watch Channel 9's Footy Show. So maybe it could be shown on one of the many channels of 7.
Thank you

Agreed. I'm in NZ and Sky Sports 3 lists the programme as 'Australian Open LIVE' when it is often a match which has already finished or is taking place but the coverage is of the earlier part of the match. It's an insult to viewers who keep up to date with scores on non-televised courts. Why does the coverage end when matches on Rod Laver Arena end? Can we not watch live matches taking place on Hisense and MCA? Ridiculous.

Can't stand Jim Courier, nobody can enjoi watching the game anymore, not even one point without that ### giving us his golden thoughts. Go back to America puffy boy where you belong! Ch7 u can't even find ozy commentators to cover Australian open?!

Being an avid Castle fan I look for to Sunday nights watching the episodes usually the current affairs show runs over but as I tape the shows 20 minutes usually just works, however last Sunday the show went over 42 minutes therefore almost half of the show I watch was missed.

For an organisation the size of channel 7 and scheduling so critical how can you get it so wrong. I am so annoyed that you cannot get something so simple right and leave viewers in the lurch who rely on the integrity and ability to meet a schedule set by yourselves

Get you act together and when will the show be replayed to catch up on what was missed.

Channel 7. What a joke, to have the AFL game advertised all week and then not show it. It is a disgrace. I'm that angry right now it is beyond words. I have organised my friends to come around solely to watch this game as my friends are supporters of the Melbourne Demons and your general lack of AFL coverage prevents them watching their team. No wonder people are turning to pay TV at least they show their games that they have the rights to live. There are three channels that channel 7 currently are using and you do not put the telecast of the AFL on any till 11:30 at night. Instead you show a B grade children's movie. I have to say it again, WHAT A JOKE. I will not be watching any of your programing again. Channel 7 = JOKE

I wish channel 10 would just buy all the football so at least it would be live on oneHD. Channel 7 are a pathetic joke. They broadcast 3 channels but none of them will be showing the football...

Why do you bother with AFL when you obviously don't want anyone to view it?
Top of the table clashes ignored week after week.
How do you expect to gain any respect as sprots telecaster?

Im peeved with channel 7's coverage of AFL in Brisbane... What is the point of paying for the rights to show the AFL games, when your put on stupid movies instead.. Tonight is FIRST vs SECOND, yet i have to have pay tv to view it... its going to be a ripper of a game, but channel 7 seem to believe that all fo Brisbane do not care.. fair enough if you dont broadcast it on 7, what about putting it on your second channel 7 station?
Channel 7 broadcast games that are bottom of the table, or the brisbane lions. There are more teams in teh competition than the Brisbane lions, and no one wants to see games that are between teams that are on them bottom of the ladder.
PATHETIC.

Sorry but you should know by now what kind of filth is on public TV.

Channel 7 not only stopped telecasting the No 1 womens tennis player against our own Australian who just happens to be No 13 for the news.. a little understandable but they continue to ignore the match or even inform us of the scrore for their current affair programme which was highlighting the colour of the underwear on the tennis players .. underwear! how is that a priority

Just want to say love Peter Mitchel and his reporting persona, lovely man BUT the weather boy and girl PLEASE we can live without their
over the top attempts at making their personalities noticed . We just want the weather report please no competing for the next Logi for personality of the year it is really distracting and annoying. Restrained politeness and just the weather please and a little modesty. You are just irritating we are only interested in the weather please not you. Know your place.

Channel 7 should not be allowed any television rights to sporting events. It's the day before Australia - our national day - an Australian is playing in the Australian Open and Channel 7 think it is better to show crap television shows like TodayTonight (a load of rubbish at best) and Home and Away (not much better). Seriously, I hope the rights to the Australian Open go to Channel 9 or 10 next year, because clearly channel 7 have no idea or respect. If you want the rights to these events then show them!

Why is channel 7 given the rights to the v8 supercars when there main priority is AFL, I am so fed up with not being able to see it live. I am at a point where I hate AFL and channel 7 for their crap service. Chanel 7 have 5 digital 3 channels playing the same thing and the other 2 playing well just crap what sort of service is this why have so many channels if you are not going to use them to their full potential. As for Tony Cochrane he has sold the v8 fans out, these are the same people who finance his life style. Give the rights back to channel 10 which served v8 fans well and promoted the v8s well over a ten year period and which raised the sport to new levels of popularity within Australia. Cochrane you suck along with channel 7

Channel 7 must think we are idiots! They keep on pimping out the repeats on shows like Criminal Minds, Ghost Whisperer and so on. When will Channel 7 realise that they are just pissing people off by doing this

Can you please look into the fact that people are unable to access your signal from Black Mountain, Cooroy. At the present you simply do not exist and I was unable to watch the final games of the Australian Open Tennis. Most of the time there is interference to either the picture or the sound. At the same time other channels are able to be viewed. Has reached the point when many are considering not watching your channel ever again

Lyn

Channel 7, your camera angles for the coverage of the AFL are terrible! People watch like to have fluency to the angles, switch from long to closeup to a stadium shot then to a shot of the crowd is not what people watch for. Instead of showing us how many cameras you have set up around the ground during the play of the ball, why not keep your cameras pointing at the ball and the players!

Channel 7. Once again you dissappoint.

AFL finals footy and you have 'Criminal Minds' on Friday night instead of showing the first final of AFL for 2009 live.

You pay for the rights and yet you continue to let down your audience interstate with your programming.

f*ck you.

Channel 7, you disapoint me and many other fans of the AFL!

It's the AFL finals & you can't even have the footy LIVE! Instead you have 'Better Homes & Gardens' on which i am sure can miss out the next few weeks to have the footy LIVE! What is wrong with you, the audience wants the footy LIVE especially when it comes to the final times.

Come on channel 7 pick up your game or give up the rights to have the footy!

You suck when it comes to programming the footy! Even this Sunday final will be on a delay! Afraid you will stuff up on air...who cares...HAVE IT LIVE!

Channel 7 AFL coverage is a disgrace & stupid

2011 and once again channel 7 has let down the mass of AFL fans in QLD, with their complete disregard of the highest rating sport in Australia. Its time for the AFL to step in and demand some coverage in the northern states especially with the introduction of the Gold Coast Suns. It may be time for Mr Demetriou to man up to Channel 7 and demand that the Northern states are included in broadcasting.

I actually just moved over from Brissy. While I was in qld i found that having foxtel I was able to watch most if not all pies games live or slightly delayed. The coverage in a rugby league state is better than a pure AFL state. That is rediculous.

Its the same in WA. Unless you support the budgies or wanchors ofcourse. Last week arguably the biggest game of the round, collingwood/carlton, was not televised on 7 until 1145pm sunday night, while the local derby was telecast both on foxtel and 7. This week, as has happend twice already this season, and will happen several times yet, the pies game will not even be telecast in this state. We are no the only fans that have this problem in WA. The AFL needs to pull their collective finger out and yank the broadcasters 7 and 10 into line and demand that all games be telecast at a reasonable time, if not live. Both broadcasters have numerous digital channels at their desposal and yet they choose to show rubbish/repeats and programming no1 even watches.

Agree .Opening game of the year 2010 Richmond v Carlton cannot find any free to air TV coverage at all according to AFL website. ( Disclaimer for following tirade if info on website is incorrect, but then again why, if any body with any brains would you get Big Pond to host your website ) Trying to contact AFL direct is impossible. Have they been declared a protective species or what Who will be the first to complain when the review of sports telecasts gives more to pay TV . The commercial stations who pay big money, then dont telecast what they paid for, thats who! Could go on about developing AFL in non AFL states, but I think I am in the wrong forum here. If channel 7 & 10, who have the free to air rights at the moment, were serious about development, ... who am I kidding its all about moneyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

The AFL should make decent programming (respectful to fans in all states) a condition of the contract. The Seven network obviously doesn't want this code to be successful in this state. They could argue that they don't get the numbers. I'd say that they'll NEVER get the numbers if they show a three hour coverage that starts at the ridiculous time of 1AM.

I agree with the negative comments regarding channel 7 and the AFL matches being delayed at finals time. I am fed up with the free to air channels in Qld treating AFL fans with contempt.
What is worse is that I understood part ofthe deal between the AFL, the free to air channels and pay TV was that if the free to air channels werent showing a match live the pay TV would show the match live.
Even though the match tonight is being televised 1 hour late it is not being shown on pay TV til 1130 pm.
I have just sent an email to the AFL to complain about this disgusting state of affairs.

The AFL filed bankruptcy and folded there are no AFL games unless you are talking AFL2.

I agree its very poor of Channel Seven to do this. Im sick of Sunrise. I think 6 days is enough without having it on Saturday as well. I am beginning to think its time to switch away to another channel. Seven you dont seem to care about your veiwers verymuch.

Why have you put sunrise on a saturday morning!
It is the only day that on channel 7 you don't need to watch it.
Who wants to watch sunrise everyday of the week.
Honestly its not the best show - it doesn't cater for everyone
Change back to making channel 7 for everyone
Children wake up early NOT at 9 and do not want to sit through hours of boring sunrise.
BRING BACK SATURDAY DISNEY.

Jim Courier may have once been a great tennis player, but he's an awful commentator. He babbles endlessly, rarely has anything intelligent to say, and greets the great match victors with ridiculous, stupid questions like "How did you win?" By the way, Jim, "often" is pronounced "offen, " not "oft-en."

I actually enjoyed Henri Leconte's, unlike his counterpart commentators he (although obviously biased) seems to get very excited every time an amazing point is played, in some parts even laughing and commentating during the point which for most commentators is a serious no-no. After seeing Leconte's earlier commentary displays in the Tsonga/Almagro match I tuned in to the Djokovic/Tsonga match, which i previously wasnt going to watch, only to listen to Leconte's hilariously biased yet emotional commentary.

In my opinion sport has become far too serious. At the end of the day tennis is merely a physical activity, no more, no less. While these games are serious for the players in terms of prize money and ranking and such, for the rest of us it doesn't really matter. To me, Leconte brings a refreshing change. He's not just a statistics or technical aspects machine; he's human. He supports one player more than another, and this provides, in my opinion, more interesting commentary. His support becomes part of the story, in essence.

Some football matches in England are commentated by two fans, each following one of the teams. It makes for hilarious arguments and interesting insights into the conflict between supporters as well as the conflict between the players. I find this much more compelling and informative than the traditional alternative. This supporter's culture does not exist to the same extent in tennis, obviously, but it is there.

I think Leconte needs to be slightly more professional and perhaps work on his command of English, but apart from that I think he is fantastic. More like him would be welcome to me indeed.

verry verry true... i nearly smashed my tv...

I agree! Absolutely disgraceful! In Perth, channel 7 interrupted the Federer match at 3:30pm (third set) only to take us to …. Hannah Montana! When I called channel 7 to make a complaint I was told by ‘Josh’ …

“We (channel 7) had broadcasted the match an hour longer than was originally planned. You can see the results on 7 News at 6pm - and we will continue the match at 7:30pm”

Good one channel 7! Ruin the anticipation! Next thing you know you’ll be telling the kiddies Santa isn’t real.

I want comment on terrible quality of tennis broadcast these days. Pl pl pl pl concentrate on the area of play ..not on the individual players. The camera shot on the court arena is done only after the player tosses the ball from closeup camera shot. This is unnecessary since constant change of cameras...angles etc brings headache. Morever, the movement of the other player can be best appreciated as the server begins to serve. Sometimes the cort area is focused in such away, say at 15 deg angle, even after the rally we never know who has son the point!. The best angle to focus is perhaps 30 deg angle, which is normally done, so that the viewers can appreciate the game fully. Presently its likd auota system whete all shots are accommodated just because they are there. Its desired that 4 seconds before the player serves, the entire court area is focussed. I think its a crime to change the camera shot if the player misses the first serve.. pl continue with the same camera shot for the next serve. Any body listening?

I refer to the TV coverage of the Australian Open tennis by Channel 7. As a longtime fan, I have been most unhappy with it and I was not at all surprised to read newspapers reports stating that crowds were up at the tennis but that ratings were down for the 7 coverage.

What follows are the issues:

1. During the tournament there were too many times when the tennis was filled with endless and repetitive "hot shots", trivia, etc. These moments, before matches, after matches and between matches, were certainly avoidable, especially in the first week. There were other matches that could have been shown. What happened was an insult to the audience.

2. The one- network monopoly of the 2010 Australian Open this year meant that the coverage was less than adequate.

3. The commentary was uncritical and at times inane . When matches were poor, or when players were playing poorly, there was no honest appraisal.

4. Indeed, there was too much talk. When on TV, it is better to let the images talk. The silence is instructive.

5. The self-promotional push for future TV programs was irritating in the extreme.To actually have the commentators also "plugging" what's coming up "after the tennis" was commercialism at it's worst.

6.The lack of LIVE coverage at prime time in Adelaide, S.A. If free-to-air stations such as 7 aren't going to show sport live (and live means across Australia no matter what the time zone) then pay tv should be able to offer it to the public. Then those viewers who wish to pay to watch live sport such as the Australian Open can do so.

Hope the rights go to Channel Ten in partnership with Fox sports whenever Seven's rights expire.

Why is it that every time I watch Deal or No Deal there is no TRUE AUSSIE on it.

By 'true' AUSSIE, do you mean white with no accent?

Channel 7 disrespecting the GAME of TENNIS.
1.
Channel 7 SHOWING THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN COVERAGE IN SD ONLY.
I have fox sports HD, and will be watching tennis mostly on there because the quality is
10x better. Channel 7 CAN broadcast in HD on their 7mate channel, but chose to run sloppy re-runs and b grade comedies instead.

To make this decision is RIDICULOUS and infuriating as 7 has the rights to the most popular matches.

The worst thing is- the difference is unbearable after seeing the quality of HD and knowing 7 CHOOSES not to show the AUSTRALIAN OPEN in HD (for gods sake) is really really really bad. PEOPLE LIKE TO SWAP BACK AND FORTH, and see as much as they can. It is sickening everytime you try to switch back to 7's coverage.

Channel 7- you are losing respect from viewers, sponsors and advertising as a network in general by not giving people the highest quality possible and especially because it is by choice!

2.
Channel 7 AMOUNT OF ADVERTISING AND PROGRAMMING DURING THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN
At every given moment, channel 7 goes to an ad. Whether its to promote one of the sponsors, or something of 7's it is so disgusting and infuriating that EVERY moment they are throwing in ads.
One of the best things of tennis is the downtime moments, change of ends etc. and great commentary that is possible during these times, for analysis of players etc. 7 doesn't realise this and shows no respect for the game or the players, who have given their time this year to help with fundraising efforts for QLD.

3.
Channel 7 LOUDNESS of COMMERCIALS
Not only do channel 7 advertise at the slightest of slight chances for a snippit of advertising- (and I dont know why because they aren't even spending money on HD coverage...)
These ads are noticeably louder that the coverage. It is not because the Tennis is a fairly quiet program- and there fore the difference is quite noticeable- you actually HAVE TO PHYSICALLY TURN DOWN THE TV FIVE OR SIX levels to make the ADS level. This is noticeable on other channel 7 programs also even the news and evening programming. Some other channels are also having their ads louder. If anything ads should be made to be 5-10% lower level than the television programs to counteract this.

In conclusion channel 7 and their Australian OPEN tennis broadcast is completely disrespectful to the players, sponsors/advertisers and most importantly 'us' the viewers. I have seen many similar complaints in my research on the web and there is a non straight forward process to even complain to channel 7 directly- nothing directly via internet OR PHONE which is completely rude and convenient for them only.
I would ask that you pass this e-mail onto channel 7 on my behalf and I hope that before the first day of the Australian open is finished that ALL of these 3 things can be rectified. It is ludicrous that in 2011 these things are even happening to complain about.

Lauren Trompp

I agree. This year is worse than ever. I'm in Victoria and assume it must be the same everywhere. We continually miss the first point after the ads. They advertise the night session as exciting, and then show a delayed version at 10.30! You've got to be joking. Does anybody actually watch those woeful shows?
Ros

G'day Rhett, you have a few that the majority of Austrlians would have. Unfortunately Channel 7 is the rival channel of channel 9. Have you noticed that they have the news at the same time and today tonight at the same time as a current affair. Unfortunately 7 find shows such as home and away and a special of the brangelina split more important than an international sporting event. If they want to broadcast home and away they should make 7 sport a seperate channel and show the tennis on that channel for the remainder of the tournament and use that channel for AFL during the winter

Regards: MR. COMMON SENSE

Hi Rhett,

I agree with your comment.

I posted one similar tonight after they paused for the news whilst Federer was playing. I suggested that they move the coverage over to seven two during this time instead of showing replays of old shows (full house - some twenty years old).

Regards
Aaron Rambaud

I am sick of the copious amounts of home shopping shown on your channel...and your not the only one...how many times do we need to know about non stick pans...floor cleaners etc ...seems your trying to be too American...and repeating the same shows or catering for children seems to ignore us older generation...wen "free to view" first arrived you showed great old shows like Buck Rogers, Adam 12 to name a few now on mate just repeats of car races or amazing garages...not everyone is interested in that...AND THE AMOUNT OF COMMMERCIALS ARE RIDICULOUS..YOUR NEW CEO SHOULD TAKE HEED AS IT SEEMED THAT IS WHEN THINGS CHANGED...I am not in the habit of complaining BUT I think you need to do some rethinking about who watches your channel we are sift workers...insomniacs...elderly...I know I no longer watch your morning sow due to the amount of home shopping ads after a 3 minute commercial and 2sconds of Larry and Kylie...I don't think your programming is in touch with the real world, , , , , I love your channels but am getting very fed up with the programming. I know you need to get revenue to keep things viable and make a profit but be fair and respect us all and you do have a separate channel for shopping and why don't you get one for sport who cares about horse racing.,

Thank you

Totally agree Australian television is abysmal. Recently my wife and I counted 31 channels in Melbourne about 24 featured home shopping. The networks conned the Government saying there would be improved content going digital. WHAT A LIE. The best thing to emerge out Australia's pathetic network television is our discovery of Youtube. We now watch old movies, TV shows, documentaries when we want to and it's free. Goodbye channel 7 and 9!. My advice dump Free to Air, buy a Mac AppleTV and watch everything you want on YouTube.

Hi,
just want to know if something is wrong with your transmission. I had lost signal this am and still not on this pm. during the recent weather, I have had at sometime the various channels without signal but not for so long.. thanks elaine

Chris bath tonight (7-4-10) said that gordon brown went to the queen to ask permission to disolve parliament. they dont ask permission, they tell the queen as a courtesy! remember parliament went to war with the monarchy. the queen is a figure-head only. the people rule! please get your facts right and stop saying things for news effect! she is still queen of australia too, although one would'nt think so, if one believed the things you news channels report. and - we dont ask permission to hold an election either!

What's even funnier is the today tonight article about wishing good luck to sam stosur and talking at great length about venus williams knickers while sam stosur is actually playing - followed by the breaking news that children may be abducted if you don't keep an eye on them at the shops. they relocate the news/current affairs to outside rod laver to make a big song and dance about how they've got the tennis, then don't actually show any.
They seem to be using the tennis to advertise the collection of copy-cat home grown programs - airways, something-kitchen-something - and us dramas they show virtually the whole series of in the advert then cut to the next game which is about halfway through, while forcing the commentators to shoehorn in a reference to one of the aforementioned shows instead of commentating. back home the bbc show wimbledon across 2 channels, temporarily canceling some programs to make room and switching channels if the news has to come on. they also have the red button where you can select any match currently taking place - mixed doubles on court 22 - anything. they started this about 5 years ago... seriously what are these clowns at channel 7 doing - it seems like they can't get their head round the fact that sporting events - and especially tennis don't run to a schedule. if they don't want to show tennis don't bid for it. as in the uk, select sports event must be shown on terrestrial tv, but not exclusively, so them not allowing foxtel access simply wouldn't happen.

Yes couldn't agree more. I also just rang foxtel to ask why they don't show any aussie open while they show outside courts from wimbledon, us open & french - they told me channel 7 won't allow them the rights to show any matches.

Early in major tournaments a lot of the best matches are on outside courts as we aren't seeing federer wipe somone [protected]!

What is with that?

Channel 7 is from now on in my bad books...

It's not just the nauseating repeat of the same ads over and over -- like the useless snakeoil Blackmores and the incessant gambling app ads -- it's the fact that they actually cut off key points, sometimes nearly an entire game, just so they can get through all the ads. Channel 7 doesn't deserve to host the Australian Open.

Why interrupt major matches for a soapy? If they don't want to broadcast it live, for god sake let soemone else.

why would ur four yr old watch it?
its rated 'SUPERNATURAL THEMES'?
and maybe for som of us, 8:30pm is our bedtime!

My daughters are 4 and 2. The only reason I would prefer Ghost Whisperer being on a little later is so I can have time to get the kids to bed and be ready to watch it. If the kids aren't in bed, so be it - I don't turn the telly on! I have that choice, I'm the parent. Kids will probably go off to sleep better and have a better night's sleep if they don't watch telly for at least an hour before bed time. At that time of night we're busy with dinner, stories, brushing teeth and winding down. Who has time to have the telly on with kids this age between dinner and their bedtime? I wouldn't miss ghost whisperer for anything. Tonight the girls where in bed on time by a minute! But wait - where's the show? I'm REALLY missing it. Where is my show?

l don't have a problem with the gory bits, its after all the reality of life. l'm more annoyed with where the show has dissappeared to.? l was only just starting to watch tv again, but no tv stations just have to tease us by making us guess when a show is or is not not gunna be on!

Inappropriate advertisement for Fifty Shades of Grey - the uncut version showing a woman wanting to be handcuffed or bound.
The news before stated an 18 yo man was being charged with rape of a girl in her own home.

I ABSOLUTELY AGREE.
Someone should contact channel 7 directly, it was so riduculous. During a movie is the only time when there are no ads/logos popping up on the screen. It was so irritating! It's fair enough if they put it there for the first 2 minutes or so of the movie then take it off, but the whole movie?

I have emailed Channel 7 to let them know we thought this was unacceptable too. I switched off Casino Royale last night and won't be watching 7 tonight in protest.

BAD IDEA channel 7...

I agree,
don't get me wrong, i love channel 7 and i am looking forward to flash forward, saying this i did not appreciate it raping the bottom right hand corner of my TV for an entire day.

i think the massive signs that pop up at the bottom of the screen 30 seconds back from an add break are bad enough. no need to leave it entirely on the screen for the whole night.

hi,
I absolutely agree with the comments above. to try and watch a movie with a VERY ANNOYING ad in bottom right corner (NOT EVEN IN THE CORNER!) is INFURIATING!
I watch a variety of stations, and when i switched to seven to watch the bond movie - it pissed me off.
no movie is worth that BS!
I'm off to another channel...
GOODBYE...