Campaigner call for action to keep 'Neighbours' on air
David Barton has his say on the issues facing Southport and Sefton.
Ramsay St, as featured in Neighbours
A prominent campaigner for the heritage of Sefton is making a global plea to prospective commercial investors and business groups to get in touch with Fremantle Media either on a solo or consortium basis to keep the flagship community Show filming for viewers across the world.
Neighbours is an Australian television serial drama that was first broadcast on the Channel Seven Network in 1985. It was created by television executive Reg Watson and later broadcast by Channel Ten for a second production season, which began screening in 1986 and continues to operate presently under 10 Peach- Network Ten. Neighbours has since become the longest-running drama series in Australian television, with a huge core of its fanbase based in the UK.
The stories focus on the lives of the people who live and work in Erinsborough- a fictional suburb of Melbourne, Victoria. The weekday drama depicts the daily activities of the residents of Ramsay Street, a quiet suburban street and the local area. This include the Lassiters complex, comprising a Public House, Hotel, Café, Police Station, Solicitor’s Office, Boardwalk and Park.
Although beginning with three families- the Ramsays, the Robinsons and the Clarkes, the Programme has continued to grow with many more characters over the passage of time.
It has often provided famous cameos and references of the time, accounting for cultural changes along the way. The 22-minute serial features twice a day at 1:45pm and the new time of 6pm Monday to Friday with the addition of Online Content since the 2010s on Channel 5.
The show is produced by Fremantle Australia and has been sold to over sixty countries around the world, making it one of Australia's most successful media exports. Neighbours was first broadcast in the UK in 1986 on BBC One and moved to Channel 5 in 2008. In 2018, the show became the first Australian drama to air all year round bringing another record for the Programme.
David Barton- a local Campaigner for Placemaking and Traditional Vernacular Architecture believes that there is commercial viability associated with a lone or group of investors taking on the TV Programme. He affirms that it is critical that someone comes forward before the official stated date of 1 st June 2022 to ensure that the Programme can continue being made for viewing in any country besides the UK.
Mr. Barton says: “To discerning investors out there, be you individuals, consortiums or a board, there is so much scope and potential to acquiring the broadcasting rights to this age-old TV Show that would gain you national if not international acclaim for many years to come.”
He says: “From the countless jobs on and off set to the cultural pride in being part of a global phenomenon so well known to people in countries across the world, a global deal of this kind between persons and companies from different countries could well be an excellent gateway for this and other acclaimed TV Programmes that are so well-received yet require additional resources.”
“I would strongly recommend anyone who may be considering a key stake hold to get in touch with Fremantle Media as soon as possible. No matter the proportion of finance that may be manageably available, this is a sure-fire way to keep the flame burning and achieve something achievable far sooner. ”
Mr. Barton has provided the email address contact details for Fremantle Media, the TV Studio that produces Neighbours as follows:
https://fremantle.com/contact/Contact | Fremantle
general.enquiries@fremantlemedia.com
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