We are not on the TV, why?

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Here is a strange thing. I watch "Antiques Roadshow", "Put your Money where your mouth is", "Antiques roadtrip", "Bargain Hunt" and "Flog It". The number of times these programs have featured collectible model cars can be counted on One hand. Why is our hobby so ignored. Its only the recently aired new series of "For what its worth" that go to the trouble to include the odd old toy or model ('Spot-On' Ford Zodiac was part of the show in the most recent episode) each week and yet when a TV company representative got in contact with collectors such as Nick Jones a while back, IIRC there was no interest to a level that some of us here would want to be involved!

I would love to see a half Hour programme filmed at a toy fair with Two contestants searching out specific model cars to take to auction after the resident expert has spoken to camera about the models and there value and the nearest to achieve the value at auction wins a prize, another model car.

During a mid programme break they could feature 'Brand of the Week' and talk about the Corgi, Dinky and Matchbox models we all love, surely this would work, yes it will not achieve high viewing figures (which sadly these Days dictate what programmes we get and for how long we get them...!), but those shows I mentioned above do fairly well and lend themselves easily to continuous repeats.

So should we be on the TV, cos at the moment we ain't...!

Ghosthunter.

[Miller]

We are to old, Ghosty! As stated in the display thread, not much younger people care about our models. They might prefer younger ones from their youth and thats the conflict. TV-shows are made for the main group of age 14-49. Our show doens´t fetch enough interest in this group, so they won´t do something like this.

[motorman]

I wouldn't appear on bargain hunt if you paid me!!! What a load of s##t!!!!

[Idris]

When I found my first powder blue 42b Studebaker (one of only three that I know of), Bargain Hunt were actually there (but they didn't spot it!).

[matchboxkiwi]

Didn't that guy from Top Gear , James May do a series on old toys. He took a model train track and assembled it for a few miles and then had a race with some Hornby trains. I think he also did a model kit set to full size.
We also had toy hunter over here. I think it's an American based show. There was another series that valued peoples collections. Can't remember the name of that one but it definitely had a Matchbox and Hot Wheels collector on it.

Unfortunately Ghosty I don't think the interest is there from the general public. They are keen if an old relative who collected old toys has passed on and they can get a bit of money for the toys and that's about it. Most serious collectors tend to keep to themselves a bit and don't really want everyone knowing about their collection in case someone comes and burgles it, or they are just very private people.

Just look at this site! 800 plus members and about twenty of us and always the same one's contributing. Remember this is a world wide site so on a world wide population scale basically no one is interested. TV shows need viewing audiences in the millions or it's worth doing.

Cheers, Steve
Matchboxkiwi

[fixer]

Al
sounds like you've been watching the Kieth Lemon show
Steve
we also have toy hunter and it's mostly action figures from what I remember and the lack of world wide interest doesn't seem to reflect in prices as the market is quite strong in Europe and America for quality models, encouraging members to post is a problem and I wish more were to contribute it would make for a much livelier forum the more opinions the better and it would be nice to have some of the older members back , I miss some of the views they had
Kev
Brilliant idea one day my friend one day

[ChFalkensteiner]

From my personal point of view, I do not care what is on TV, as I do not have a TV set and do not watch TV anymore.

The internet with Youtube etc. has all but replaced TV for me and probably for many others too - and there are plenty of toy cars including Matchbox on Youtube nowadays: too many for me to find the time to watch them all!

[kwakers]

Point well taken Christian, as well as all others we have read about on Ghosty's Post. There are still a lot of "secretive, miserly old Lesney Collectors running around clutching their Stannard's Guides" (In the words of Mick from Denmark), but our ranks are thinning as time passes. I used to be able to pop onto our Forum and spend a few hours discussing Lesney Regular Wheel variations with 30+ very active mid-life collectors here. We had our share of differences in opinion and historical facts sometimes, but those discussions proved to keep the interest in all diecasts here, and encouraged many "Newbies" to build smaller collections of their own, or to offer their spares here in our marketplace as they were found in lofts etc. I am still around to share my collector experiences out of the stores of the mid 1960s, and to set some (Both old and New) myths straight with my friendships, discussions, and dealings with the pioneers in our Lesney collecting hobby, but few of that 14-49 aged target group have any interest now in that era, not even my own Boys.
As time marches on though, we elders in the hobby are passing on the torch to that younger generation that played with plastic toys in their youth (such as my three boys with "Star Wars", Ghost Busters, etc.) , so those lines are now most popular with their original period toy prices on the rise.
TV??, "You Tube" lasts a lot longer, and is searchable and viewable at any hour of the night or day, so I actually prefer that modern medium. It sounds shocking for me to even say that from our Cave in upstate N.Y., but I do enjoy seeing our diecast hobby mentioned once in a while on T.V. Spellcheck doesn't even recognize "Diecast" as a real word, so maybe we could start a movement to recognize even the NAME....LOL
I agree with Ghosty in that such appearances of our hobby are few and far between on U.S. T.V., but at least shows like Antiques Roadshow are keeping some of our other historical artifacts away from landfills and into homes where they can be enjoyed. Shows like "Hoarders" poked fun at a serious Toy Collectors home one episode, so we at the Cave are now on "Lockdown" at home... Cheers!! kwakers

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Great story Dick and thank's for coming on and commenting. Can I ask our forum members across the pond to post here in this thread what shows they see broadcast in their state that does, is, or may be including toy and model vehicles.

From the above I see the BBC show 'Antiques Roadshow' mentioned, so can you please add to that what other shows you see.

I am asking because I have a friend with connections to one of the experts on that programme and he is trying to get a spot on TV in a show to promote a certain model collectors club and my involvement will be to actually do a piece to Camera.

If we have an opportunity to choose which show it will appear in, I will want to ensure it is a show that is broadcast in America.

Ghosthunter.

[motorman]

I am asking because I have a friend with connections to one of the experts on that programme and he is trying to get a spot on TV in a show to promote a certain model collectors club and my involvement will be to actually do a piece to Camera.

Ghosthunter.

It will need to be 'Post Watershed' then Ghosty, we wouldn't want you scaring any children would we?

Could Reg not do it?