BBC National News: Presentation

I can't see how anyone can justify keeping the tennis on BBC1 and relegating the news to BBC2. Fair enough, if BBC2 offered the same regional capabilities on digital as BBC1. But, leaving millions of viewers inconvenienced without their regional news service is not on in my opinion. The BBC's remit is to educate as well as entertain. It is clear with such decisions that they are more interested in the ratings achieved through entertainment than their duties to provide a regional news service. Forcing millions of viewers to tune into analogue (which is supposedly inferior to digital) or not watch their regional news service at all is a very poor decision...all for the sake of a few million Wimbledon viewers having to press one button on the same platform as they are already watching. If the BBC wasn't so interested in ratings, the logical thing would have been to switch the tennis over to BBC2 and leave the news where it always is. That way, nobody is compromised. But that's too simple for the BBC.

This is ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. May I remind you all that many millions of people watch Wimbledon each year, an event that takes up just a few weeks a year compared to the 50-odd weeks of uninterrupted news and regional programming. Wimbledon attracts many people who don't usually watch sporting events and I wouldn't be surprised if more wanted to see Wimbledon than regional news.

Also may I remind you that there have been numerous occasions when the BBC News at Ten has been pushed backwards because of football, for example, and therefore regional programming has also been pushed backwards, often meaning those who wanted to see the late regional news update couldn't because they had to go to bed. But no, surely one football match running into extra time is more important!


They did provide national news and they did provide regional news to those who could get it. Lets not forget there are also be two separate news bulletins, albeit it shorter than the 6.30 ones, on today and most of the programs are available on the websites.

Wouldn't the same happen to people recording Wimbledon, missing the end due to the switch?

And the bus company quip is pathetic - it would be commercial suicide. However, making local news unavailible to a minority of people for one edition - just a little unfortunate.

This isn't about showing Wimbledon OR the regional news.

The BBC had two choices.

1. Show Wimbledon and the regional news as scheduled. Anyone who had setup recordings for either would also get their recordings.

2. Show just Wimbledon and make regional news unavailble to most of England using digital platforms. People who had setup recordings for either would not get them. BBC employees who had worked on their sub-regional news programmes had a wasted day.

How can anyone argue that 2 is better than 1? With option 1, no one loses out but with option 2 some people, BBC viewers and BBC staff do lose out.

I'm sure most people at the BBC can see what a stupid decision this is too.



Minority? Are you sure?

Anyway, we have this thread every year. It's a stupid decision every year and it will still be a stupid decision when they make it again next year.

Unlike in years gone by the 'digital switchover' has begun and therefore an increasing number of people are unable to view regional programmes if they get moved onto BBC2. This is different to cases where the news has been delayed, as when delayed it has remained on the same channel (ie. BBC1) which is supports opt-outs.

Whilst the BBC may provide other regional bulletins during the day this is the main one, which goes into more detail and covers stories which simply aren't featured in the shorter bulletins. Also at present the regional programmes are not available on the iPlayer, though are available in much low resolution via the regional news website.

No, because that's what the published schedule would have been in the first place.

For those who are interested, I've uploaded a video of the big switch which includes the close of the Six.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhbyclQVL2c

Thanks for that. It was certainly a misleading announcement at 6:30, if some of the newer regions can't opt out on analogue.

Unless over half of people watching were unable to access their BBC Local News for that evening, then yes, a minority. As far as I can tell, the Switchover hasn't had that much of an effect yet - I.e. not half off, half on.

But honestly, how many people cannot watch the Breakfast, One O'Clock nor the Ten O'Clock regional news editions, and can only watch the Six? Living in the "analogue deprived" areas?

An utter disaster in the South West - Stockland and Torbay have already switched completely and North Devon switched off BBC Two analogue on Wednesday (bad timing!).

Spotlight was live from Exeter tonight and was only available to be watched in Cornwall and Plymouth. (And presumbaly the Channel Islands, whose regular programme also wasn't broadcast - if I'm correct?)

If it had been next week, West Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly would also have lost out as BBC Two analogue is being switched off on the 8th July.

I really don't see what the fuss is about here.

In my opinion, even if the regional news had been on, I still wouldn't have bloody watched it. To put it in perspective, Tyne Tees (ITV, admittedly, but the regionalism still stands) took a story about some bloke who has a collection of Michael Jackson videos - you're saying give up an important tennis match for regional dross?

Secondly, regional news is available by logging onto the BBC website in most cases - and in all fairness to the BBC, there would have been less hassle involved in keeping the match on BBC1 (where do you put the switchover without sacrificing a part of the game, for example?) and at least most regions still got to produce some form of programming. Having a shorter regional programme on BBC1 would have pissed the regions off even more, frankly.

Anyway, it's one night in July, and I don't particularly care what happened in my region today. If it's important enough, I'll hear about it tomorrow or on the internet.

And get some perspective, for God's sake - we're not talking about the national news being cancelled or Sophie Raworth getting her breasts out on screen.

Caldbeck in Cumbria lost it's BBC2 analogue last week too.



The Channel Islands would have broadcast BBC2 England which was carrying BBC London News.

Lets hope the OB in Exeter didn't need an off-air cue!