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BBC Cuts: BBC2 daytime, Local Radio, Wimbledon/F1 "at risk"

Originally BBC2 "to axe daytime programming" (March 2011)

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DE
deejay
It seems that the BBC are now considering dropping overnight TV Shows:
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/broadcasting/news/a310468/bbc-considers-axing-overnight-tv-shows.html


that daft, half the programme is either bbc news, ceefax OR better still signed programmes which is part of there commitment. also Question times is on at 10.35 and also this week,


It does seem utterly daft and very early to close the national public service broadcasting channel as early as 2235. Even back in the 70s (3 day week period excepted) closedowns were between 11pm and midnight. Taking the News Channel overnight on BBC 1 is very cost efficient - it's being produced anyway, not specifically for the small domestic audience but for the BBC World News audience which can be pretty sizeable in the wee small hours here. ISTR that peak viewing hours in Japan/South Asia are at the 0300GMT sort of time... been a while though ...!

The idea that they would cancel opts on BBC Two (National opts that is, obviously English opts stopped some years ago) would not be welcomed in the Nations I feel. I am sure Scotland would kick up a stink about losing Newsnight Scotland for example.
MA
Markymark


It does seem utterly daft and very early to close the national public service broadcasting channel as early as 2235. Even back in the 70s (3 day week period excepted) closedowns were between 11pm and midnight.


The three day week close downs were at 22:30. In fact, after a week or so the CEGB asked the BBC and ITV to stagger the close downs, so on alternate nights BBC 1 and 2 or ITV would close at 22:20hrs.

I actually like the proposal that more BBC 1 and 2 peak time programming might be repeated out of hours, it's only a +1 concept, but in a much better form IMHO.
NG
noggin Founding member
I think two suggestions have been conflated by people - including the press.

As I understand it, there have been suggestions :

1. To reduce the original programming shown after 2235 - and instead show more repeated stuff in that slot, including HD content from non-HD channels. Not all repeats are free, but many are if within the first week of transmission.

2. To cease showing programmes overnight. Not sure how much the latter saves - as these days you can't turn the transmitters off for individual channels to save power (as you once could) However presumably it would reduce playout costs a bit?

However this appears to have been read as - BBC One switches off at 2235. Nobody is suggesting that as far as I've seen.
AB
aberdeenboy
Noggin's right. There was never any suggestion of a 2235 closedown - this is wilful misreading by the press or wishful thinking by a certain kind of anorak. Wink

Indeed it's been made clear that "important" programmes after 2235 - Newsnight, Question Time, Imagine - would not be affected. Add on a few things like Norton which are popular and bear in mind that BBC2 usually shows repeated programmes at 2320 and you wonder how much content on the major channels is directly under threat.

More realistic is the chance of Sign Zone and handover to the news channel being brought forward to somewhere between midnight and 0030 - in other words what was closedown time until the mid 90s. Then take a look at next week's schedule. BBC2 often goes to the News Channel now about 0020 on weeknights and Sign Zone seems to be creeping forward anyway.
JO
Jonny
More realistic is the chance of Sign Zone and handover to the news channel being brought forward to somewhere between midnight and 0030 - in other words what was closedown time until the mid 90s. Then take a look at next week's schedule. BBC2 often goes to the News Channel now about 0020 on weeknights and Sign Zone seems to be creeping forward anyway.

And then of course the question comes back to whether it is worth the main two channels simulcasting the BBC NC throughout the night after the completion of DSO next year. At which point, switching the channels off at around 00.30, for whatever small cost saving that would bring, might be the sensible thing to do. Although BBC2 would still need to reopen for the Learning Zone during term time.
IS
Inspector Sands
2. To cease showing programmes overnight. Not sure how much the latter saves - as these days you can't turn the transmitters off for individual channels to save power (as you once could) However presumably it would reduce playout costs a bit?

It could save Red Bee a bit of money but that's very unlikely to be passed on to the BBC. AIUI the overnight staffing on the BBC channels is minimal, and even if there's nothing going out there's still stuff to do
:-(
A former member
Nice to see My family has been cut..... not sure what there going to fill it in with.

back to closedowns, even until 1988 most place where on air until 1am, showing all kinds of programmes, sport drama, films. even the bbc did this. Also BBC scotland uses the 10.35 slot for many locals show which do get the viewers in.

Maybe the bbc needs to say there want to cut programmes after 23.35?
IS
Inspector Sands
Maybe the bbc needs to say there want to cut programmes after 23.35?

All this is is just corporate brainstorming, they have to be seen to be working out how to save money.

As has been mentioned above the plan is to spend less on programming after 10:30, but then again it's just an idea being thrown out to test the water
DE
deejay
There is a huge amount of discussion at management and grass-roots level within the BBC under an initiative called "Delivering Quality First". Many of the ideas being floated about seem to end up in the papers as "plans", "proposals" and "done deals" when they have in fact only been discussed. The BBC has asked everyone how it can save 20% of its budget. Everyone has a different opinion, naturally affecting other parts of the BBC to the one they work in.

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