The Newsroom

Christmas News Bulletins

(December 2006)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
AN
Andrew Founding member
Does anyone know what days off the BBC & ITV Regional News teams will be having this year?

Radio Times is less than clear (listing them when they won't be on, not listing them when they are etc)
CO
Colm
I think the UTV Live team are having the longest time off, as per usual...
MA
marksi
BBC Newsline will only be having Christmas Day off, though of course Presentation will be staffed...
JE
Jez Founding member
For ITV1 I assume it is bulletins as normal on Saturday and Sunday 23rd and 24th

No Bulletins Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Years Day.

Wednesday-Friday 27th-29th GMTV bulletins as normal, no mid morning bulletin, lunchtime bulletin, a shorter than normal evening bulletin and normal late bulletin.

30th and 31st - normal weekend bulletins

Back to normal from 2nd January.
CO
Colm
marksi posted:
BBC Newsline will only be having Christmas Day off, though of course Presentation will be staffed...


UTV Presentation should be staffed too... all day on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, perhaps to counterbalance for no news?

O/T, but when did Presentation at BBC Northern Ireland begin working shifts on Christmas Day?

I remember for many years that the Presentation Department at Broadcasting House, Belfast had the day off, and we were treated to network continuity all day.
MA
marksi
Col posted:
marksi posted:
BBC Newsline will only be having Christmas Day off, though of course Presentation will be staffed...


UTV Presentation should be staffed too... all day on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, perhaps to counterbalance for no news?

O/T, but when did Presentation at BBC Northern Ireland begin working shifts on Christmas Day?

I remember for many years that the Presentation Department at Broadcasting House, Belfast had the day off, and we were treated to network continuity all day.


I think it was 4 years ago.
TV
tvmercia Founding member
marksi posted:
Col posted:
marksi posted:
BBC Newsline will only be having Christmas Day off, though of course Presentation will be staffed...


UTV Presentation should be staffed too... all day on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, perhaps to counterbalance for no news?

O/T, but when did Presentation at BBC Northern Ireland begin working shifts on Christmas Day?

I remember for many years that the Presentation Department at Broadcasting House, Belfast had the day off, and we were treated to network continuity all day.


I think it was 4 years ago.

not wanting to question the value of the good people at bbc ni, but manning local presentation does strike me as an unnecessary cost with there being (i presume) absolutely no variations from network at all. and i'm sure the staff would prefer to be at home getting merry with their families like the rest of us. unless i am missing something?
MA
marksi
tvmercia posted:
marksi posted:
Col posted:
marksi posted:
BBC Newsline will only be having Christmas Day off, though of course Presentation will be staffed...


UTV Presentation should be staffed too... all day on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, perhaps to counterbalance for no news?

O/T, but when did Presentation at BBC Northern Ireland begin working shifts on Christmas Day?

I remember for many years that the Presentation Department at Broadcasting House, Belfast had the day off, and we were treated to network continuity all day.


I think it was 4 years ago.

not wanting to question the value of the good people at bbc ni, but manning local presentation does strike me as an unnecessary cost with there being (i presume) absolutely no variations from network at all. and i'm sure the staff would prefer to be at home getting merry with their families like the rest of us. unless i am missing something?


Up until that point there was little local branding on trails... now that all trails are locally branded it would probably seem odd if on the biggest viewing day of the year there was to be no local branding. The reason that it started was because the Head of Programmes at the time decided to schedule a local programme on BBC TWO NI (First Stop Christmas Special - an entertainment guide which was watched by virtually no one at all) on Christmas night against a high profile network programme which was being trailed on both channels and therefore required trails to be replaced on both channels all day.
AN
Andrew Founding member
marksi posted:
BBC Newsline will only be having Christmas Day off, though of course Presentation will be staffed...

So there is BBC Regional News on New Year's Day then? Radio Times doesn't list any but it's probably wrong
MA
marksi
I don't know off the top of my head - you asked about Christmas.
CR
City Road
I'm sure I saw in one of the telly mags that there was ITV regional news on Christmas day...
JE
Jez Founding member
Three Rivers Fantasy posted:
I'm sure I saw in one of the telly mags that there was ITV regional news on Christmas day...


They often do that. Some magazines even list a late night regional bulletins at weekends when we know there isnt.

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