Hoover's Gold attracts 470,000 viewers!

470,000 viewers tuned in to last night's broadcast of Hoover's Gold on SBS, making it the highest rating Storyline Australia documentary to date. This is a fantastic result for SBS and Mago Films.

Feedback during the post-screening webchat was universally positive, with comments such as: "Your program was so inspiring" / "Brilliant documentary" / "I want to thank you for showing this important documentary" / "Thanks for an excellent documentary" / "I found the subject very worthwhile and fascinating" / "What a fascinating doco!" / "Congratulations to all on a wonderful documentary", etc, etc.

B-Day! Yes, Hoover's Gold goes to air tonight (Thursday 27th July) across Australia on SBS TV

Today is a busy media day for the Hoover's Gold production team, with live-to-air radio interviews across the nation as a prelude to the broadcast on SBS TV @ 8.30pm. We very much hope you can share your reactions to the film with us during the webchat on SBS following the screening (see the previous post for details).

Hoover's Gold has enjoyed quite extensive media coverage over the past week, including ABC Stateline (WA), The Sunday Times (WA), The Sydney Morning Herald and The Weekend Australian. Writing in The Weekend Australian, Victoria Laurie noted that "had he (Hoover) not come here, his life may have unfolded differently and he may not have become president of the US. In other words, Australia made the man". Tune in on SBS at 8.30pm and you'll see how.

Post-screening Hoover's Gold webchat on SBS TV - Thursday 27th July @ 9.30pm EST & 7.30pm WST

SBS TV's Storyline Australia will be hosting a post-screening webchat on Thursday 27th July commencing at 9.30pm EST and 7.30pm WST. For Western Australian viewers, this is an hour prior to Hoover's Gold going to air in WA. To participate in the webchat, click on the following link and follow the on-line instructions:

http://www20.sbs.com.au/storylineaustralia/

You will be able to 'chat' with Franco di Chiera (Director & Co-writer), Marian Bartsch (Producer) and Barry Strickland (Original Concept & Co-writer).

If you are unable to participate in the webchat, you can post comments in the Storyline Australia guestbook.

Counting down to SBS Television broadcast on July 27th

Yes, we're now counting down to the national broadcast of HOOVER'S GOLD on SBS Television on Thursday 27 July at 8.30pm (the Storyline Australia time-slot).

Just over two weeks ago, guests at the Lotterywest-hosted Goldfields premiere screening of Hoover's Gold (held at the Australian Prospectors and Miners Hall of Fame) heard US Consul General Robin K. McClellan explain how one of her first official duties on her arrival in WA in 2004 was to attend a dinner at which Herbert Hoover was inducted into the 'Hall of Fame'. In launching the film, the Consul General revealed that while she's no stranger to the Goldfields - having backpacked through the region during her student days - it came as something of a surprise to discover the 31st US President's intimate connection with WA's gold-mining industry.

Jacqui Thomson, Lotterywest's host at the Goldfields premiere, explained how crucial buying Lotto tickets and associated games is to the well-being of WA's film and television industry. Profits ensure that WA stories such as HOOVER's GOLD find their way to the screen - big or small. ScreenWest's CEO Tania Chambers reiterated this and, two days later, the local community was delighted to discover that the winning Lotto numbers in the $25 million jackpot had been those of a very lucky Goldfields player! Privately, we think HOOVER'S GOLD did the trick!!!