Skip to content

Posts tagged ‘Jeremy Clarkson’

21
Jun
clarksonmercury2

Queen and Top Gear in weird merged moment

On the run up to a new series of Top Gear the more hardcore fans loitering on the Final Gear forums start to get a little bit strange, suffering from withdrawal and desperation.

OK we’re not THAT bad, we do know it’s only a TV show but there are also only so many times you can watch the same shows over and over and over again. Read moreRead more

3
Aug

Time to pay for premium content?

Jeremy Clarkson writes a column for The Sunday Times, in fact he writes two as he writes a motoring column and an opinion column, although the only real difference is a bit of a car info at the end of the motoring one.

You can read both these columns and a fairly substantial archive on the Times website – published first thing in the morning on a Sunday, every Sunday – often before most people will have seen the paper.

He also writes a column for The Sun, another News International product, this column goes out every Saturday and there was a pretty substantial archive for that one as well.

The big difference between the two, other than the style of writing Clarkson employs for the different target audience, is the fact that eventually the Sunday Times columns will end up in a book.

Well, that was the big different until the end of June when The Sun decided there was value in NOT putting Clarkson, and a number of other celebrity columnists, on their website.

Image representing Rupert Murdoch as depicted ...
Image via CrunchBase

Instead there was a banner on the front page on a Saturday telling people to buy The Sun to read his column which is a pretty interesting development.

What with News International owner, Rupert Murdoch, announcing an end to ‘free content’ on the web, the removal of the Clarkson columns from The Sun website raises a few interesting ideas about how Newspapers can monetise online.

You see I don’t think any paper will be able to make any money out of ‘general news’, what with the BBC, Google, Yahoo, AP, Channel 4, Sky and ITN – it’s just not going to happen. Also it only takes on to give it open and ad-supported (say hello Guardian) and the whole thing falls apart anyway.

No, I think papers will probably keep their news content free and open but instead charge for the premium stuff and this will work even better if can take out a subscription to multiple papers in one go – or even multiple services.

For example, News Corp/News International is in a prime position to put their premium stuff behind a pay wall – the celebrity columnists, The Sunday Times, the News of the World, games, The Literary Supplement, The Rich List, The Educational Supplement…

If you said ‘look here is a lot of free news content you don’t have to pay for but if you pay a £5/month premium subscription you will get a digital edition of the paper and access to all this extra content – put video behind the pay wall as well and maybe even the ability to comment.

In fact the comment thing alone may be enough to get people paying – if I come across a story with a load of comments that REALLY irritate me I NEED to respond – put the ability to respond behind the pay-wall and you’ve got a new customer.

Ideally I’d pay a fixed amount per month for access to premium content across all the newspapers – say an extra £10 a month for across the board access and even more ideally this would be an ‘added extra’ on my broadband account.

If I could pay my ISP an extra £10 for full access to every national newspaper (assuming they go behind a pay-wall) I would rather do that and let them pay it on to the papers, than pay the papers directly.

I think it is inevitable that some of the content we’ve taken for granted as being free will go behind a pay-wall eventually, I’m not sure it is the best model, but if they all do it I think people will get used to it as a new ‘norm’ eventually.

Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
9
Feb

Top Gear back in June?

Top Gear series 13 returns to BBC Two on Sunday 21 June 2009. Find out more…

A post by Sonyxxx16 on the FinalGear forums – showing a photo of the latest Top Gear magazine seems to confirm a June return for everyones favourite entertainment show featuring forms of transportation.

Or – Top Gear.

The first place to find out about new Top Gear always seems to be at the end of the presenters columns in the TG mag.

I’ll post a scan as soon as I can. No confirmation on topgear.com yet though – so could change and they DID get the date wrong last time.

But who will be the Stig.

Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
2
Feb

Absense of journalists? Unmask the Stig!!

Ok so lets kick this blog post off with a list of headlines and their associated links. Then I probably won’t need to write anything else as you will have worked out what I’m talking about already.

The Sun: Stig Identity is revealed

The Sun: Clarkson names Top Gear’s Stig

The Sun: Fans blitz net in search of Stig ID

The Sun: Top Gear’s FOUR Stigs

The Mirror: The secret identity of Top Gear’s Stig revealed

Daily Mail: EXCLUSIVE: The eight drivers behind Top Gear stunt driver The Stig’s famous racing whites

Daily Mail: The Stig(s) unmasked: Top Gear use FOUR different mystery test drivers

The Guardian: Top Gear’s Stig: the truth is out there

The Independent: Top Gear’s Stig is unmasked

Telegraph: Top Gear: Rumours that Ben Collins was The Stig started on YouTube more than a year ago

Telegraph: Top Gear staff dress as The Stig

Telegraph: Stig unveiling could spell end of TV career

Telegraph: Stig mystery reignited amid claims he is played by four actors

Telegraph: The Stig’s true identity is still a mystery, claims Top Gear’s James May

Telegraph: Stig mystery reignited amid claims he is played by four actors

Telegraph: Top Gear’s The Stig ‘played by eight drivers’

Telegraph: The Stig mystery: Top Gear’s James May says ‘harmless fairytale’ like Harry Potter and Dr Who

Telegraph: The Stig: Jeremy Clarkson’s new revelation

Identity of Top Gear’s The Stig revealed as B———

Have you got the idea yet? I was going to write a long winded piece about how the lack of journalists, or at least the increase in workload for journalists has led to an increase in silly quick hit stories.

I’ve fallen foul of it myself – having written a number of stories for the sake of ‘filling the gap’ until I’ve been able to properly research and write up a full original feature.

But I decided that the subject had been covered to death so would pick a single ‘quick hit make word story’ and link to all the newspapers that have covered – the Telegraph seem to have really sunk their teeth into the juicy, pointless morsel.

Do I want to know who the Stig is? does it really matter who the Stig is? Do fans really care who the Stig is? No – not really.

But it has got lots of people talking about it, I’ve just linked about eight times to The Telegraph and other newspapers thus increasing their Google Juice and a number of forums, blogs and twitteres have been doing much the same since the story first broke weeks ago.

Still – last word to TopGear.com – who’d have thought Graham Hill was the Stig!

Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
5
Jan

Clarkson on Twitter?

The latest bandwagon our illustrious British celebrities (especially the cooler ones) seem to be jumping on is that bastion of micro content – Twitter.

Stephen Fry is a regular Twitterer and has something like 30 thousand plus followers – mainly because he is actually a very good twitterer with interesting things to say.

fry_body

Robert Llewellyn is also on Twitter (AKA Kryten) with something like 2000 followers and, killing time before getting back on the air in a couple of months, Jonathan Ross (under the username Wossy).

And now (although I’m still not convinced it is actually him – a post on the Top Gear Transmission blog would go a long way to proving it) none other than Jeremy Clarkson has found himself tweeting away.

In fact I WILL need to see a post on Top Gear.com to believe it really actually truly is him – until then I’ll read it as if being written by a Clarkson/Top Gear fan.

clarkson_body

When I first checked this morning JC had around 250 followers – at the time of writing this blog post (12:45) he has nearly 550 and it seems to be increasing every time I refresh.

His first post was on 19 November as was the second but then nothing else until 29 December. There have been new posts every couple of days since then with five so far today alone.

If this really is Clarkson he may well be the first Brit to beat the American Technorati into the top five on Twitterholic – although Stephen Fry might just beat him to it.

What other British geeky celebs would you like to read on Twitter?

10
Nov

FFS leave the BBC alone

OK so I’ve avoided the Sachs-venetian blind bollocks on the grounds that I don’t really care and think the whole thing has been blown completely out of all proportion.

So two comedians, known for sailing close to the wind were left in a studio together to record a show they KNEW wasn’t going out live.

They got themselves a little bit (ok a hell of a lot) over excited and over stepped the taste and decency mark – even I accept that fact.

What I don’t accept is the horrific disproportionate response to it – first the show should NOT have been aired – the fact that it was should have led to the SUSPENSION of the senior producer responsible for approving it.

Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross should have been made to give a public apology and that should have been the end of the matter.

But it wasn’t, it became the TOP SODDING STORY across all media for about a week! And to a certain extent is still a major story now – and I can just imagine what the Daily Mail will do the week Jonathan Ross comes back.

Lets take a look at a few numbers – originally two people complained about the broadcast – after the broadcast had gone out. This is about right and proportionate – you’ll get at least one or two people complain about every show that goes out.

Then when the Mail on Sunday complained about it in print another 10 thousand people complained – about the fact that it had happened even thought they weren’t ‘directly’ offended by it.

The Daily Mail and every other media followed the Mail on Sundays lead and in the end about 30 thousand people complained.

So far there are over 50 thousand people on a Facebook group called ‘SUPPORT RUSSELL BRAND & JONATHAN ROSS’ and more in other related groups.

My biggest concern about this whole sorry episode is that, instead of making sure producers are told to follow the current (and very strict) procedures for ALL SHOWS – there will be a sanatising, a Mary Whitehouse-esq watering down of the BBC.

My fear is that the corporation will be forced into a corner that leaves it too scared to take risks or to do anything different – fortunately I don’t think that fear will be realised.

I think there are enough intelligent people to see through the Daily Mail’s thinly veiled bitter little attack on the corporation – but who knows.

I’ve restricted myself from posting what I really wanted to post – on the grounds of taste and decency and I’ve resisted posting the YouTube video of the whole Sachs-pogoda segment.

Top Gear

What I will say though is that the Daily Mail’s latest target – Jeremy Clarkson and Top Gear seems to be back firing.

There are a LOT of very fierce Top Gear supporters and fans out there – covering a seriously wide range of people (young, old, socialist, conservative, male, female…).

The DM wrote an article the other day complaining about Jeremy Clarkson apparently giving the finger to a police officer in the most recent Top Gear (the American Roadtrip).

First this is bollocks and taken out of context (it was just a funny segment in a scripted show that was having a laugh and taking the piss) and secondly – who gives a flying one – sometimes people just need to lighten up and learn to laugh.

If you don’t like it (and they clearly don’t like Top Gear as they complain about it so much – although they do watch it every week for some reason) don’t watch it – Strictly Come Prancing about in sequins is on BBC One at the same time after all.

Interestingly – this article seems to have disappeared from the Daily Mail website – interesting given the volume of anti-Daily Mail comments I read on the article before the story was pulled.

I think the Mail may well be pushing people more in favour of the BBC and the licence fee with their constant whinging and complaining – instead of making people against it (which seems to be their goal).

Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
5
Nov

This is disturbing…

There’s a show on BBC THREE called Coming of Age, if you live in the UK you can watch the most recent episode on iPlayer now.

If you haven’t seen it then it’s a slightly odd (ok very odd) teen comedy set in aj sixth form college centered around a group of odd mates – think Skins but surreal, funny, off the wall and a 1970s style inuendo laced laughfest..

One of the main characters is a cardboard cut out of Jeremy Clarkson – another of the main characters talks to him and responds in Jeremys voice when nobody else is around.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00dvkkm

Anyway – in this weeks episode two other characters (virgins wanting to have sex but not sure) are sitting in the shed with the ‘Clarksonator’ and the boy says ‘lets do it now’ and the girl responds ‘I can’t with him watching.

See this picture:

Jeremy is watching

So boy gets up and says ‘its ok i’ll turn him around:

Turn around

Eeeeeeeeeeeek – girl says ‘That’s disturbing’ and boy agrees:

That's disturbing

And then covers Jezzas modesty with a hat:

Modesty with a hat

Oh and then later first boy that talks to Jeremy gets a bit lonely while his girlfriend is out with a Russian boy and um…

Top Gear

22
Oct

Top Gear returns 2 November

Also known as The big and shiny pre Top Gear series 12 post.

Can I just say, before I go ANY further ‘TOP GEAR IS NEARLY BACK’ WHOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOO

OK I appreciate your patience in letting me get that out of my system. Now lets get on with the post and talk about Top Gear instead of screaming in anticipation.

Series 12 (Sunday 2 November 2008)

I do have a full and detailed post planned that will look at some of the things we know will be in the next series of Top Gear – will include lots of fan love and man crushing and will hopefully be very exciting and informative.

I’ll even post about the new website when it launches later this week AND the fact that you can now buy Top Gear series 10 on iTunes – but only in the US and in a cut down form with different music.

While you’re waiting why not check out the Transmission blog on topgear.com or the Final Gear forums – that’s where I’ll source my info from anyway.

In the meantime here is the trail that’s been doing the rounds on BBC One, BBC Two and BBC Three for the past few days.

Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
6
Oct

Further milking of the cash cow

Stig CowChristmas is coming and the Stig is getting stuffed. Actually its just a doll version but the message is still very much the same.

I’m still not 100% certain of the timing of the start of series 12 of Top Gear – it’s either at the end of this month or the very start of next – either way it will finish near Christmas.

On the flip side the timing of a new licensing partnership between BBC Worldwide and Wow! Stuff that will see a range of new TopGear toys released by Autumn 09 – is well planned.

The deal will see a doll of the The Stig made as well as other toys, gifts and gadgets for the already very well milked hit show.

But I would rather this than advertising. It’s better that the BBC fill any funding gap, and help keep the licence fee low by selling fringe marketing materials for its hit shows – than demand to carry advertising or go subscription based.

Initial product line plans include remote control cars, novelty gifts, desk top toys and a hotly anticipated doll of the Stig – all due to hit retailers in Autumn 2009.

Other new deals include a toy and game range for Marks & Spencer licensing to Peter Black Holdings, which will hit shops this October.

Apparently there is also a deal with Kinnerton Confectionary that will include celebration cakes (from January 2009) and childrens lunch bags/water bottles.

What this really proves though – other than the fact that JC has clearly and obviously just signed a new deal giving him more of the TG Wordlwide profits – is how many kids actually watch the show.

I know I sit down every Sunday and watch it with my five year old lad.

I guess we can now look forward to ‘the amazing adventures of Stiiiiig’ on CBBC within the next six months.

« Older Entries