Criticism
Despite its success, Solent TV was not without its detractors. While its TV and online news coverage on the Isle of Wight was professionally produced and popular, and the station broadcast many local programmes; it also included inexpensive imported output such as Futbol Mundial and classic films. Its unsuccessful predecessor, TV 12, featured almost entirely Isle of Wight based programmes.
In 2005, the company was involved in a public argument with Isle of Wight Radio over the reporting of a story involving Channel 4's Big Art programme. Solent TV had claimed an exclusive that Sandown had won the right for an art development to be built in the town as part of the Channel 4 show, while Isle of Wight Radio reported it hadn't, and that the programme makers were critical of Solent TV's reporting for giving Sandown residents false information. The two media organisations often mentioned each other in the public dispute, which was eventually resolved after Channel 4 confirmed Sandown had not won the art development.
The station was also criticised for not employing any type of sales team. Despite its move to Sky Digital - which presented good advertising opportunities - very few Isle of Wight companies wanted to become involved and no real advertising campaign to attract potential sponsors was ever put forward. Many critics felt that the station concentrated too heavily on its news output and lost sight of its finances. The station's directors were also criticised for engaging in such a costly project on Sky without the necessary funds to maintain it.
Solent TV was however positively reviewed by the Guardian TV reviewer Charlie Brooker.
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Famous quotes containing the word criticism:
“It is the will of God that we must have critics, and missionaries, and Congressmen, and humorists, and we must bear the burden. Meantime, I seem to have been drifting into criticism myself. But that is nothing. At the worst, criticism is nothing more than a crime, and I am not unused to that.”
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