SMTM
The market share is growing to over 35% so the shows a hit. These type of shows can't by their very nature deal at a detailed level, and remain entertaining to the mass audience. AAM and readers of personal finance pages are a specialist audience. If you win one you lose the other.
Hobbs has been around a long time running media campaigns at a highly detailed level. Employees of Life Offices and Banks that expected heavy hits from a money maker TV programme show a lack of understanding of TV. The format for that type of detailed and academic would require something like PrimeTime and a much later slot. But imagine PrimeTime focusing purely on personal finance ugh. The audience would be abysmal, but we'd love it.
It is also expecting too much to get free advice customised to your circumstances from TV! Two way communication like AAM is needed.
Once you bear this in mind and follow SMTM, its actually very good. Its about the people on the show, their relationships with each other and their relationship with money. My family are glued to it, including my young teenagers, so I'm happy. SMTM isn't the only recent success from RTE. I thought I'd never be heard saying it but the old girl is showing signs of sparkle. Maybe it was the fee increase!