Obviously
to define what's hot on TV is almost impossible.
It's
an utterly subjective concept.
What
TV Week or Mr Packer decide, will be motivated by
their particular needs and biases.
Don't
panic, for here's an opportunity for you - the viewing
public to have your say.
Can
I describe what's hot for me? (bear in mind I'm a
40-something year old ex "chalky").
Increasingly
for me, the aging familiar faces have lost their gloss.
I'm no longer turned on by emotionally and spiritually
inert sports commentators with toilet brush moustaches
and ill fitting dentures. Not because they aren't
sexy, but because they don't show any particular warmth
or vulnerability. These days I find Richard Glover
(ABC TV and Radio) hot - he can laugh at himself,
he's not frightened to not know, he's intelligent,
interested, engaged in life and his guests (I've never
met him but do occasionally read his SMH column).
Maybe
surprisingly, Juanita Phillips fits into my "hot"
phylum. She reads the ABC news with authority and
dispassion, but with enough simpatico to be appropriate.
This lady has a benign demeanour, is attractive, measured
and warm. Her tone is dulcet. She is the new Australian
woman in my book. She doesn't have to impose, display
her boobs, or appear in every publication you open.
Her job is done superbly and her enjoyment of same
is visible. (Yes, I am straight).
The
confused hero in the amazing TV hit, "The Sopranos",
is hot. He's not typical, cheesy grinned or particular
attractive. It's his flawed personality, full of contradictions,
that appeals. He's a thug, in therapy, ambivalent
about much - sound familiar?
So,
move over Ray, Phillip, Derryn, George, Greg, Jamie,
Tony, Rex, Ernie, and Larry. We're about to newly
define, hot.
Melbourne's
TV entrepreneur, Lewis O'Flynn, has recently launched
(into cyberspace and beyond), "Hottest On TV"
( www.hottestontv.com
), and both TV viewer's and executives agree, it's
one hot website.
So,
what is "Hottest On TV" all about?
"Hottest"
in an online showcase of the many Australian TV personalities
that peer through your TV set, week after week.
In
total, there are over 400 recognised and regular TV
presenters, newsreader actors on weekly "soapies"
and the like.
"Hottest"
is about to launch the interactive voting feature,
where the public (and insiders) will be able to vote
for who is in fact Hottest on TV. Something tells
me that Mr Packer and Murdoch won't be asked to participate
in the voting, but some other less political types,
such as Ros Reines, Brett Clements, Joy Hruby, Teena
Tingle, Rebecca Wilson, Essan Laurent and Gary Young,
for example; will be. Look out "Fab Five"!
Already,
the website is attracting over 1, 200,000 hits per
month (57,000 plus page requests per month), and O'Flynn
expects this to skyrocket, once he also has gossip
column press and collaboration with TV "big wigs"
and sponsors. It's easy to envisage the likes of Microsoft,
Sony, Coke, News Limited, Qantas, Harvey Norman and
others, will be googling and pandering to "Hottest"
and friends.
OzTam,
will you be watching and / or participating?
With
rumoured prize incentives such as TV sets, DVD players
etc, "Hottest On TV" could become a staple
of Australia's weekly TV diet i.e. "Sale Of The
Century" - Noughties style.
It's
no secret that websites are an excellent medium to
reach the lucrative and influential youth market.
Generation X have been setting a trend by turning
off the box, and logging on.
Lewis
sees a huge win-win (and fun) opportunity for all.
He explains, "The viewers get to have a say that
will be noted by TV executives, channel sponsors and
other "movers and shakers" in the business.
The big bonus is that viewers are actually involved,
without having to waste money on SMS's". How
do you like that Gretel!
As
we know, Reality TV is hot, and it's hard to argue
that Lewis hasn't added a new, tangible, living element
to television. When Lewis conducts his official "Hottest"
launch party later this year, with the household TV
names you love (and love to hate), it's going to be
a hell of a hot night in the city.
As
the world decreases in size, thanks to modern technologies
like the Internet, SMS and interactive television,
the debate will likely heat up as to who and what
defines "Hottest On TV"!
