Yeah that's the bit I was alluding to where I mentioned 'Not containing some of the special colourless pages that were used on ITV' in my original post.
The news didn't break at 5pm, Hatton Cross. It was way after 5.30. This is backed up by various people who recall, and that breaking news documentary also has times.
I suspect that it was out by 1730. The news was announced by the guard on the 1730 Liverpool Street to Norwich, just before departure. I'm fairly convinced that it was the 1730 and not 1830, had a connection down the East Suffolk branch...
The news didn't break at 5pm, Hatton Cross. It was way after 5.30. This is backed up by various people who recall, and that breaking news documentary also has times.
I suspect that it was out by 1730. The news was announced by the guard on the 1730 Liverpool Street to Norwich, just before departure. I'm fairly convinced that it was the 1730 and not 1830, had a connection down the East Suffolk branch...
Well sadly, because it was 2002, we cannot say for sure on recollections here. The fact however it was announced by the BBC back of 5.50pm. If I was a betting man I very much doubt anyone outside newsrooms had heard the news at that point. We have to remember that in 2002 news like that would have been contained, obviously if it was today those young 'journalists' wouldn't be able to help themselves by breaking embargoes.
The documentary clearly spells out the timings of broadcast.
I'm pretty certain that the announcement on the BBC interrupted an Auntie's Bloomers-type show (apparantly 'Dazzling Bloomers') as I remember watching it and thinking 'What's going on? as they faded to black mid-'funny clip'...
Dazzling Bloomers ran after the 1715-1730 News and 1730-1735 Regional News block. My understanding is that most of the newsroom were not aware of anything until the 1715-1730 news was off-air.
Incidentally does anyone know what CBBC/CBeebies did, if anything? Did they put a 'Major news announcement on BBC One' caption up? I know BBC Four has done that in the past but I don't think the children's channels do (I imagine it can come across a bit scary)
Fairly sure the BBC announcement was at 1754. They originally agreed an on-air time that wasn't much later than ITV/Sky (who went at roughly 1748-ish) before News realised they weren't ready and asked for an extra four minutes to prepare - unfortunately BBC Two had already gone. There were rumours at the time (possibly on here) that the embargo was for 1800 and after the commercial channels went a little early the BBC decided to follow, which would explain the scramble, but I have no idea if that's true.
I don't know for sure but CBBC/CBeebies would almost certainly have put up captions, that is ok for them to do but they wouldn't interrupt programmes. Had it been a long, drawn-out affair, with reports of deteriorating health for days and the nation being prepared for the news then CBBC would have had Newsround on standby and joined BBC One for the main announcement as it was felt that it would be suitable for the CBBC age group if the news was not a sudden shock. CBeebies wouldn't in any case. If it was announced after 1900 then Choice and Four would have joined for the news but would have left earlier than Two.
Dazzling Bloomers ran after the 1715-1730 News and 1730-1735 Regional News block. My understanding is that most of the newsroom were not aware of anything until the 1715-1730 news was off-air.
I remember colleagues who were working in the regional news that evening saying that they finished their bulletin and then heard mumours about the death on network talkback and on ENPS so stayed for a bit to watch the newsflash go out
Fairly sure the BBC announcement was at 1754. They originally agreed an on-air time that wasn't much later than ITV/Sky (who went at roughly 1748-ish) before News realised they weren't ready and asked for an extra four minutes to prepare - unfortunately BBC Two had already gone. There were rumours at the time (possibly on here) that the embargo was for 1800 and after the commercial channels went a little early the BBC decided to follow, which would explain the scramble, but I have no idea if that's true.
I remember listening to the two-week-old 6 Music that evening - they ran a brief news bulletin at around 1750 (possibly from 5 Live?), then played
Unfinished Sympathy
, before joining up with a networked news programme at the top of the hour, then simulcast with Radio 2 for the rest of the night.
I heard not long after that the plan had originally been to wait until the top of the hour, but there was a last minute change and they decided to interrupt programmes. I guess the news breaking elsewhere might have changed their mind.
Fairly sure the BBC announcement was at 1754. They originally agreed an on-air time that wasn't much later than ITV/Sky (who went at roughly 1748-ish) before News realised they weren't ready and asked for an extra four minutes to prepare - unfortunately BBC Two had already gone. There were rumours at the time (possibly on here) that the embargo was for 1800 and after the commercial channels went a little early the BBC decided to follow, which would explain the scramble, but I have no idea if that's true.
I'd still love to know what was on News 24 prior to the announcement. Holding slides or something?