BBC News - General

This has bugged me for ages. I'm out every Sunday evening and with the scheduling of the BBC bulletins, I always miss them. I leave the house at 7pm, which means I miss the supposed early evening bulletin (which should have been on between 4.30pm and 7.00pm) because it doesn't start until 7.30pm. I only return around 10.30-11.00pm, meaning I usually miss the late bulletin as well because it is on at 10.00pm. So, on Sundays, the only BBC bulletin I can see is the lunchtime summary. I always have to turn to ITV News on Sunday because of this arrangement.

How can the BBC get away with this? Surely it would be better to space the bulletins out a bit? The vast majority of people will watch one bulletin per day. It's only us junkies that watch more than that. They are more likely to get more viewers by spacing the bulletins out evenly. At the moment, on Sundays, there is a 3-hour gap between Breakfast and the lunchtime summary; then 7 and a half hours until the next bulletin, followed by a mere 2 hours before the late bulletin.

It's not right is it - but then ITV have the opposite problem on Saturdays with bulletins often around 5pm and then 11.30pm.


Personally I have more of an issue with the 10pm bulletin - but that's more a wider scheduling thing.

Now with Panorama gone from Sunday nights - and the weekly Sunday night 9pm drama serial pretty much a thing of the past with the BBC, Sunday is the only night where there is potential to show extended post-watershed drama and films uninterupted - with the late news pushed back to around 10.30pm / 11pm to accomodate them.

It has only struck me this weekend at how badly the weekend is covered for regional news on BBC One.

I think there was one bulletin on Saturday and I don't think I saw any at all yesterday. I looked through the tv guides and didnt see any scheduled either.

Whereas ITV has had the normal amount of bulletins two quite lengthy bulletins from BH Friday through to BH Monday.

Why the striking difference?

There was a regional bulletin on BBC1 yesterday - at 7.50pm. At weekends, the BBC only ever has one regional bulletin per day which is always following the early evening bulletin. Today, there will most likely be three regional bulletins on BBC1. ITV only had 2 regional bulletins on Good Friday, so the BBC had one more there.

But week in, week out ITV have a 5-minute lunchtime summary and a 15-minute evening edition, while the BBC just have one 5-minute evening summary.

It doesn't help that the weekend BBC1 bulletins move allover the schedule

The Saturday one has so far this year aired anytime from 3.30pm to 11.00pm and the Sunday one is usually at 7.55pm which is not exactly traditional news viewing time

One thing about the 7.55pm bulletin at least as far as Look North is concerned is that they can now show the football action on a Sunday, having taped it off air from Calendar News and Sport an hour previously, rather than wait until Monday

I think you have illustrated my point beautifully! So BBC News teams have been in work all day preparing for a news bulletin at 8 oclock at night! That really is worthwhile for the viewers - some people will be settling down after a busy day and I cant imagine there being much time for 'news' at that time of night! It doesnt seem worth the effort of having that token bulletin at all! I did watch the lunchtime news on BBC1 and expected a regional bulletin straight afterwards but nothing appeared. I then scoured my tv listings magazine but didnt see any scheduled - or maybe I didnt look as late as 7:50!

Whereas ITV1 have had bulletins throughout the holiday period at times you would expect to see a news bulletin! A five minute lunchtime bulletin either before or straight after the ITN news with a longer 15 minute bulletin around 5 oclockish.

News shouldn't be chased around the schedule - you thought the lesson was learnt with News at When?!

Plus the usual Breakfast regional bulletins on Good Friday.

Out of interest does anyone know (or have a guess) on who's doing the evening programs tonight? I think the beeb should make Sophie (as she was on the one) or a news 24 presenter (like Matthew A) do it as otherwise it would be a complete waste of money to bring someone like George or Natasha in today

I don't know for sure, but I've been watching BBC News for many years and they always have just one anchor on duty for BBC1 all day on bank holidays. Indeed, they only have one crew on duty as well. So, I would suspect Sophie will be on this evening.

Sophie is indeed doing tonights 10. Not simulcast with News 24 this evening. Chris Eakin presenting over there. The opening shot did seem slightly odd, seemed as though the camera should have been panned out slightly. The text on the video wall seemed slightly blurred.

Natasha K or Kate S was anchoring with Tim Willcox on N24 at around 9pm - they were quite good together