"What audience are they appealing to??? "


The people who don't post on message boards. Back when I frequented the HGTV boards, people were equally frustrated by the programming. Many think it has become a real estate channel.

I hate to say it, but someone over there posted stats that said HGTV viewership was UP last year. Someone likes the formulaic shows.

The poor quality of the paint jobs on these shows amaze me. If the TV camera is picking it up, it must be even worse in person. It leads me to believe that the rest of the work is amateurish as well.

And some of the sewing jobs on pillows and especially drapes - I know how long it takes to sew something, and they give the impression that they are whipping them up in an hour or so. Maybe they are.

My favorite show was Buy Me. It had a dark, spooky feel to it.

Awm03, my DH calls Buy Me, "bite me", too. We always watched that show. He would raise his eyebrow just like the guy on the roof, also.

I liked it when it was in Canada. For some reason, when they started doing it in the states, he didn't want to watch anymore.

I'll admit to the Buy Me guilty-pleasure thing, too...and I didn't realize it was because of the "dark, spooky" feel until Graywings mentioned it. I also preferred the Canadian shows. The guy in the black turtleneck somehow reminds me of Mike Myers as Dieter on Sprockets (SNL)...

{{!gwi}}

I agree w/ the person who brought up Karen MacAloon (?) of Find Your Style. That is one of the very, very few shows that I watch on HGTV because she is actually achieving decent design AND educating the people as to HOW to achieve it.

I heard a rumor here that Candice Olsen is leaving HGTV. I do hope that's not true!

There was a gardening show on HGTV that I used to watch w/ a blond lady often in a straw hat that showed us other people's gardens. Real low key. I enjoyed those gardens very much.

It's Sarah Richardson on Room Service and also Design Inc. I think that she's another good designer but I don't care much for watching all of Design Inc. I find myself fast forwarding to the finished product.

Candice and Sarah are the only 2 designers I'd ever let in my home and be confident that I'd get a room w/ good design bones that I could update throughout the yrs. w/ just the simple change out of a few pillows and/or accessories. I think that Sarah might be a bit on the bitc!# side though after watching Design Inc. Might be a bit hard to work w/. I'd try though!

I still like watching Sarah's shows, she's done her second house now, on Sarah's House, the house has had a few open houses, she spent alot of money on this house , even put in a pool in the back yard.Alot of the neighbors had pools, so she had to put one in too. I used to like watching HGTV Dream Home, but it's not on anymore. And of course good old, Flipping Out shows with Jeff Lewis,just to see what kind of trouble he can get into every week. I tried watching the new show Mansions, some people just have too much money,Paul and Holly Miklas just had to travel to Carrara Italy to the Marble quarrie just to get the perfect Marble for their client's kitchen, for her Georgian Mansion.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mansions

Flipping out is our favorite.

HGTV does still have Dream House on, lacombe. I was surprised to find it recorded on my DVR last month. Had forgotten I even had it set up to tape. They put it on in the middle of the night or early morning. It was a new one.

Not to be a thread-killer, but HGTV is moving towards a younger audience. Their biggest growth has been in viewers 18-34 and that's who the network is targeting.

Take a look at the link--it's interesting.

Here is a link that might be useful: Media Life magazine

They cater to the younger set cause they're the only ones who 'buy into' the cheap design fix. Middle age/older homeowners want professionals who do decent work, and are willing to pay for it. ;o)

One day I realized I never liked anything I watched on HGTV anymore and there was nothing on any of the 500 or whatever, cable channels, so I got rid of the TV.

I hear ya Dilly! Maybe every couple of months I watch cable TV at a relative's house, and I rarely see anything new. Wow, I watch TV 6 times a year and even I only see repeats!

I do like to watch some videos online, but dang, the repetition is annoying. I skip ahead to part 4 of 4 and pretty much get the whole story.

-Lena

Here is a link that might be useful: HGTV full episodes on line

ideefixe, does that mean all young'uns have bad/cheap taste? Not mine, at least! My daughter and I both loved Dream Drives, the one that showcased beautiful, old neighborhoods across the country, while featuring several homes. As for gardening, has anyone mentioned the Garden Design challenge,( name?)which worked same as home design challenge. In another post the importance of great professional photo work was mentioned. I disagreed just a little, having seen gorgeous rooms, viewer worthy, displayed on here by the owners. How about the Xmas Tour on here now! So, how hard/ $$ would it be to take video cameras into charity show houses? I pay big bucks to spend 15 minutes in the Pasadena one each year, and would love to view it again, and others, AFTER the show dates are over. Imagine the designers would be happy to discuss the rooms they've done( good advertising)...AND the gardens. HGTV really stinks now. Bring back the class, bring back beauty. Take away the CHEAP C--P!! But then, I suppose this is the same as my rants against cheap,tight and tawdry little girls clothing and Bratz dolls. Someone out there is buying/viewing the junk and the rest of us are not heard.

One other pet peeve is the music that these shows use. Why do the shows even have music? Rather than have a workman talk through what he is doing, they play really loud music which I find completely annoying!
Homepro01

I heard a rumor here that Candice Olsen is leaving HGTV. I do hope that's not true!

I believe she has already stopped filming and is supposedly focusing on her other businesses.

Imagine the designers would be happy to discuss the rooms they've done...

Good idea!
And I'd like to see the 'Magnaverde: Timeless Decor' show!

-Lena

Wow, and I thought it was just me. I used to have HGTV on most of the day and for the past year I've only turned it on to see how bad is it now. My favorite is Candice Olsen and what happened to Designing for the Sexes, that was great fun.
And Christopher Lowell, haven't seen him in years.

Totally OT, but does it appear to anyone else that Homepro01's messages are in a different font than the other messages? I'm not trying to single you out Homepro01 -- I've just never seen that happen in this forum before! Why's it doing that?

Just kidding - I have no idea how Homepro did that!

Another one here who loves Jeff Lewis & Flipping Out. Except that he's on Bravo, not HGTV. I hope there's another season.

let's see

generated by:

[i] let's see [/i]
but change the brackets to .

I always wanted to know how people do that too!

Here is a link that might be useful: thanks to LianneNJ

Auntjen,
Easy to change the font. Before you start your text, type in "font face=arial size = 3" replace the " with . Just an old habit from years of programming.

Homepro01

anyone know what happened to lynette jennings?? is she still on somewhere?

She retired. :(

So you can't understand why HGTV "changed" from the quality decorating shows to the cheap DIY formula they're using now.

Back when HGTV had shows on like Dream Drives, Fantasy Open House, Joe Ruggiero, etc they were inundated with complaints from viewers about how far from their world this uperclass lifestyle was. They whined and whined about how the shows only cater to "rich folks". (Heaven forebid they see anything that will make them jealous) "HGTV doesn't care about the middle class", "I can't afford this", whaaah whaah whaaah the complaints were neverending. I was a regular on their forum back then and I remember all this. Well HGTV gave viewers their wish. They got the krap decorating shows they asked for. What makes me roll my eyes is that they're STILL whining! HGTV probably thinks they're damned if they do and damned if they don't.

If only HGTV would get it into their thick skulls that you don't go one exteme with all your programming and then swing to the other. Do a mix, have enough DIY shows for the folks who don't have two nickles to rub together but still want to decorate and shows about what designers can do when money is no object. BUt HGTV is too busy trying to ride the trends. They jumped onboard the real estate boom and all we saw were programs about buying a house, selling a house, buying a vacation house, fixing up a house to sell, staging the house, flipping a house, finding out how much the house is worth so you can decide if you're going to keep the house, stage the house, or sell the house. Does anyone actually live in their house anymore or is everyone in a constant state of flux?

I'm with you guys, I hate the junky decorating shows. HGTV needs to hear that their audience is older than 21 and can actually afford to buy a sofa instead of trash-picking an old futon off the sidewalk. But complaining about it here isn't going to get your anywhere, you need to tell them on THEIR website.

awm... I so agree, the wild camera movements are dizzying to watch. The Canadian show about the Stagers was the worst offender. That camera moved so fast it made me sea sick. They do it to appeal to that younger demographic ya know, apparently these *kids* have such short attention spans they can't watch an image longer than a milisecond before they get bored. HGTV wants to be seen as hip and cool and this is how they attract those ADD viewers. :)

Ooooo, I SO miss Joan Kohn---remember Kitchen Design and Bed and Bath Design? She was just so effortless, and beautiful photography. Those were some of my favorites from years past.

I like Candice Olson and her monumental budgets...LOL

...and I really, really, really loved Gardener's Diary. Real gardens with real interesting people.

Now, I wouldn't give you 2 cents for the whole danged network... I'll stick to my Law & Order marathons on TNT...

I remember the first time I saw HGTV, about 12 years ago. We were in a hotel in SoCal and I just went crazy over it. Poor DH, on vacation and can't even watch Perry Mason re-runs; in fact, DW does not want to leave the hotel room. Our local cable didn't have HGTV.

Then about 7-8 years ago I was casually surfing our channels and up it popped and I started screaming from the den We Have It We Have It! That lasted for a little while and then it started to slide. I knew it was going downhill quickly when more and more shows showed those bimbos slapping one coat of red paint over the green color, no primer, no taping, just big red zigzags all over the walls. That's one way to teach painting! Plus, as someone noted, the "We only have 10 minutes left to finish sawing the trim and painting this plywood stuff and sewing the sheets into curtains."

Vivian31 - I hear you! Only for me it's more the Law & Order:Criminal Intent on TBS and Bravo. I especially miss Homes Across America and Matt and Sheri.

It's not an age thing. It's a taste thing. My daughters and daughter in law (20's, 30's) voice the same complaints.
I can't imagine where those numbers are coming from! Maybe they're catching bored college students tuning in between classes to watch some stud lay tile for the 40th time.
PBS has some good gardening programs on the weekend. But how I miss Homes Across America and Gardener's Diary! ttodd, that's the lady wearing the straw hat.

Watching HGTV was what prompted me to go and major at my university in Interior Design. Too bad it's not the same thing anymore. I do miss Michael Paine for "Designing for the sexes", he was so articulate and really had some substance.
I don't really understand why they gear the viewership so young as it seems to me that those that would spend money improving their spaces wouldn't really be 21 year olds. Don't they all go to IKEA?
I don't mind the over-the-top personalities as long as they have great design aesthetics. I mean, the narcissist from "Flipping Out" makes for great TV on Bravo but also has some great taste! Bring on more David Bromstead's and Candace Olsen's (minus her humor and dressing up Chico. Trade in Miles for the runner up dude (remember him) from that season on Design Star.
I do like their House Hunters/International. It is a guilty pleasure. I just hate the "we need 5,000 sq ft for 3 people mentality" people have and that's really not House Hunters' fault.

In all, If I were to say anything the HGTV, I would say that I am ready and willing to be inspired by you. If you do that, I will use your sponsors and get off the sofa and start painting. I promise.

I couldn't believe it when I found this post. I was insistent that HGTV be in my cable package. I used to have it on all the time, literally. Now I almost never watch it. One by one the good shows have disappeared. I was feeling a little guilty for abandoning it -- lol -- till I read all your posts.

What on earth happened to the management at HGTV? Did they take leave of their senses? Some idiot there tried to make the shows all about sex appeal and they lost their depth of variety in design styles. My taste runs more to antiques, traditional, or even country -- and not so mod.

I loved Country Design, and Room by Room (yeah they were corny but she sure can accessorize!), and Debby Whatzername the cute Canadian decorative painter.

You know, when this subject came up a year or two ago, I sent the link to HGTV "comments", with the note that here was a demographic that they may find interesting--a population of regular participants on a very large decorating forum--and maybe it would be to their advantage to pay attention. I can't believe that my link had anything to do with it, but a few weeks later they were airing "Homes Across America" again. It didn't last very long, and it was on at a weird time. It was also older reruns. At any rate, I sure did like those programs that played beautiful music and slowly let you study the elements of not just good, but excellent design. They lifted me up. Who cares if we all can afford them or not? Why not inspire, instead of sink to the lowest denominator like the rest of TV programming? Those beautiful homes were a wealth of micro-ideas about everything from how to hang pictures beautifully to the value of attention to detail, and they covered every style instead of dialing us all into one-size-fits-all. And there are endless beautiful, creative homes across America to inspire. Even small homes can be stunning. I never get tired of looking.

Sure do enjoy your comments.

I still miss Kitty Bartholomew.

I still like to watch Divine Design when it's on too. I also like to watch House Hunters. That's about it. I don't like those ones that use cheap junk either.

I want Carol Duvall back!!!

I want Room by Room, Trash to Treasure, and any show that teaches you something about decorating. I'm so sick of house hunters that when I hear the theme music I hit the mute button.

Get a Grip America -- quit watching crap that means nothing in your own lives!
You've lost your job; you have no budget to fix up; you want to sell, but can't; and your watching a fixer upper that someone else is paying for and "they" live happily ever after!! Get back to reality!

I rarely watch HGTV anymore either and I used to have it on all the time. Like others have stated the quality of the shows is just awful. I hope they do something soon.............
~Des

IMO, I like Candace's humor. It seems that the people on the show really like each other. Of course, if she were a terrible decorator, I probably wouldn't like it as much. She is amazing. I miss Room by Room, complete with corniness, and I do like Decorating Cents. Yes, the quality is not always there on that last show, but sometimes you can take an idea that's done with cheaper things and crank it up a notch with slightly better quality things.

Get a Grip America -- quit watching crap that means nothing in your own lives!
You've lost your job; you have no budget to fix up; you want to sell, but can't; and your watching a fixer upper that someone else is paying for and "they" live happily ever after!! Get back to reality

Oooooohkaaaaaaay ...

I want Carol Duvall back!!!

Me too! And Room by Room with Matt and Shari, and Debi Travis, and Country Style, and Homes Across America, and Simply Quilts!!

What on earth were they thinking? Did they just run out of money or something? They let all their good shows go and now it's like all they do is buy and sell houses. Who cares? I used to watch HGTV around the clock. Now I rarely turn it on. :o(

I agree with most of you, bring back Designer's Challenge, Designing for the Sexes, Decorating Cents, Room by Room!

have any of you communicated your opinions with HGTV? I have..i have discussed many things with them such as bringing back GET COLOR when it went off..i thought it was a clever idea having people choose their favorite colors from a color wheel.

one thing to remember, with the writers strike etc..all the t v programming has been messed up now for about 3 years..thenormal 13 weeks of new shows each season on several have gone to 4 or 5 new shows and then reruns..

so much for writers unions..they messed it all up.

there are so many reruns because they have not been able to get the shows filmed and out there to the public..they have been going to cheaper shows to do for that same reason.

we can all hope when summer is over and winter comes back with a vengance, that they will have the new fall line up something we will want to watch..but unless you actually contact HGTV or whatever channel with your opinions..don't expect to see something you like..they won't know.

After reading this, I had forgotten about some of the good "oldies". I miss Matt and Sheri "Room by Room"....guess I am getting old, because they could have come in and decorated my house anyway....I happen to have loved their style....not this "far out" stuff they are showing now. Also miss "Decorating for the Sexes", even if he did drive my DH nuts! I especially like the part of "Decorating Cents" where they re-arrange the furniture using what they already have. I know it is "fixed" but I do like Lisa on "Design for Sale"....but could do without Clive~~
I used to watch so much HGTV, but not anymore....

I don't have a t.v. but I've always enjoyed watching HGTV when I am staying in a hotel.

Well, a few months ago I saw a kitchen "makeover" ----total cost $500---and the "light fixture" was an upside down metal colander with cheap forks, knives and spoons affixed to the edge hanging down all around from the rim of the upside down bowl. This was hanging from a cord from the ceiling and had a bulb going through it.

It was unbelievably tacky and I very much doubt it was UL approved.

I knew I was "done" with HGTV when even their dream house didn't appeal to me!

Well, I for one love House Hunters International. Its my one constant that I watch every night. Most of the homes they show are smaller scale than what's been built in the U.S. recently, and it makes me think my 1300 square foot home is actually pretty grand. Its illuminating what other parts of globe think is "spacious". I especially loved the Japanese episode.

Have you noticed that "My House is Worth What" is gone now? Nobody wants to know what their house is worth now...

Wow! Thanks for the great posts , "Sounds". like a lot of us are on the same page about HGTV
I too am with Kelly , give me the G. I really miss the great gardening shows of the past(A gardeners Diary , A gardeners Journal) ...now there are a few token shows that just don't come close to the quality of the old ones.Speaking of old, I am old enough to remember living in houses with one bathroom and one sink in the bathroom and all the families I knew then survived those bathrooms .It drives me nuts that they make such a big deal about a 2 sink bathroom .
I do like the new income property show and when I do watch HGTV am most interested in seeing the new wall colors .

Just wanted to let you know that Designers Challenge is still on but it's at 3 or so in the afternoon. New episodes are still airing about weekly. I DVR the new ons.

My favorite decorator show is on the FLC it is called "Design Inc". Gawd those people can design a room and even a pigsty. Did ya'll see that espisode? I don't know what day it is or the time, but it would be easy to find out.

Or maybe we should watch The Bachelor, huh Annie? Talk about reality. JK!

The team from Design Inc.

{{!gwi}}

Amazing, all my views and more. HGTV was like an extension in my home and I couldn't get up and do anything for fear I'd miss someone, NOW, I'm getting more stuff done around the house because I no longer watch as much. I miss Joe, Debbie Travis, Karen McAloon who was by far the best for "teaching" design concepts. Also, the blond who used the color wheel and food for room inspirations. Matt and Sherry, were class and added important elements for those on a budget. It's like an old friend is gone...

I’m sick of HGTV, they play episodes from years ago, like they have nothing else to give us. Finally a women that doesn’t take down walls, sick of wall removal. Most of the designers stay with the same color and style. In 10 years what they are putting into the house will look like what they are taking out now, lol. What really happened to gardening styles? I guess the out side doesn’t matter to the public, so they think. Give us something to watch, what you have is boring, boring, boring!