Yeah, it is a real shame. Back in the day (about six or seven years ago), me and my family used to watch the shows for hours. We were addicted! Admittedly, I didn't buy much from them. My mother once bought a ring for me and a pendant for my sister, but that was it. Nowadays things have really gone downhill. I can only watch for about 5 minutes at a time without it on mute and my mother now just shouts at the screen and curses the presenters when Gems TV is on. It used to be fun, but now it's just... irritating.
I've felt this way for quite a while before I joined or even knew about this forum (so there goes the whole "bribed sheep hypothesis". Besides, Graham still hasn't sent me my pay cheque yet! :tongue: ). I felt things were going wrong just over a year or so ago (figurines and meteorites on a jewelery channel? Really?), but since the changes earlier on this year, this feeling has deepened. All the dishonesty, hard sell, insults towards their most loyal customers, poor quality goods, delusions of grandeur, annoying sound effects and presenters that act like children's tv rejects really put me off. To add insult to injury, these changes are said to benefit us?! Somehow I don't think so...
I know the above may sound harsh. I really really want to like Gems TV like I did in the past. I want to watch their shows and think "That's pretty. Maybe I'll buy it" rather than "Hmmm... I dunno. Looks dodgy" or "For goodness sake will you shut the :mysmilie_455: up?!" Unfortunately, I can't. I just can't. I really don't know whether to stick with it or just move on.