How will the analogue switch-off affect schedules?

Imagine if tomorrow analogue TV was switched off permanently and there was full digital coverage. Everyone watching TV would have access all the main free-to-air channels.

How would scheduling change? Would we continue to have separate news on BBC One and News 24? What about CBBC, would it continue on the One/Two? What programmes would be moved from ITV1 to 2?

I've not really seen this question asked, and I'm interested in how broadcasters will use their digital-only channels once absolutely everyone can receive them. Any guesses?

This situation was covered by Mark Thompson when he was still Director of TV at the BBC - and was the reasoning behind the original re-scheduling of BBC One (Drama and Entertainment), BBC Two (Lifestyle), BBC Three (Youth), BBC Four (Highbrow and arts), CBBC (Older children), CBeebies (Younger Children) I may have got the targets slightly wrong - but this was how he was moving the channels - even before analogue switch-off... His argument was that the BBC needed genre based channels to work in the digital arena - and the sooner people got used to it the stronger the BBC would be in a digital arena (and the quicker digital take-up would be)

However Jana Bennett took over after Mark went to Channel Four - and she reversed his moves - especially with respect to BBC One and BBC Two. Instead she argued that all four main BBC channels should be mixed genre - with less programme-type specialisation... (So arts would remain on BBC One and BBC Two as well as BBC Four...)

In the longer term the digital future will obviously play a part in scheduling - but more interestingly PVRs (such as Sky+, Tivo, Pace Puma, etc.) may render schedules little more than guides for video recorders to record from, rather than viewers to watch from....

Once you start using a PVR - you pretty much forget about channels and schedules as a viewer - with only a few "appointment to view" live programmes...

Having had Sky+ and Tivo for a good few years now, the only thing I watch live is sport and the news. The rest of the time I watch programmes I've "cherry-picked" from the schedules. I can't tell you the last time I watched an ad break!

Channel 4 would probably force the launch of there space on freeview, on channel 14. And maybe channel 5 may launch its own channel (channel 6 )

This could effect the whole freeview lineup completely, having QVC, TV Travel Shop, Price Drop and Bid Up running 24 hours (for some reason) a day isn't the most appetising lineup. So they may end up closing some, opening more general entertainment from, as I said, C4 and five.

I wonder how long they would display "Upgrade to digital" cards, how long where they displayed on ye olde Sky?

Yep - quite a worry for the commercial channels and advertisers. (I can't remember the last time I watched a full ad break at home either - especially with Tivo's undocumented 30" skip button!)

This is presumably the argument for more product placement, programme sponsorship and subscription channels - well it will be if PVRs take full hold. How can commercials fund a channel if no-one watches them most of the time?

(ISTR that one US advertising bigwig accused people who fast forward/skip through ads as "stealing" from advertisers!)

They never were - although ever since early 2000 when they announced that they would no longer allow new subscriptions to Sky Analogue they pushed SkyDigital at every opportunity. Every page in SkyTVGuide carried an advert for Sky Digital, every letter they sent you tacked on 'or you could upgrade to Sky Digital' on the end.

When they started winding down channels they sent letters out to analogue subscribers informing them of the closures, some channels then made their own ads informing viewers of the closures (cue 'digital quality' referred to more times than is healthy. Indeed Granada Plus's analogue closure announcement was billed as it being a step forward rather than back), some didn't. Sky channels notably never carried closedown announcements until 2001 when they announced the closure of the remaining 3 channels (although they always pulled the channels a few days before their transponder space ran out and used the last few days to display 'analogue service closed' cards along with adverts for Sky Digital). QVC (and C5, if you want to count them) were the only channels to actually display onscreen captions over programming.

Below is the card that would appear on Sky channels after their closure:
http://www.rp-networkservices.com/tvforum/uploads/analogue_closed.jpg

Following the removal of Sky's card, Astra would sometimes then put their own cards up (but not always):
http://www.rp-networkservices.com/tvforum/uploads/astra_card.jpg

It won't be a worry at all - they will just be justified in finding new - more annoying ways of advertising... in the digital age, how about pop up windows for selected websites when products appear on your tv?
It is possible... and way worse than coping with commercial breaks as they are!

I wonder how long it will be before the UK is allowed to do an "ESPN" with, for example, the on-screen scores during football matches.

Over there, you get MLS with Mastercard logos just below where the score is - something Soccer AM parodies with their Pilgrims section (very funny)

In favour of sport, I can tell you which brands sponsor coverage of each competition, but I couldn't tell you what was advertised in the breaks.

Like Noggin said, sponsorship is going to start costing a lot more for advertisers over the coming years because the "ads" are displayed so close to the actual programme.

And, of course, well produced sponsorship promos help associate the brand with the show ...

One thing that would have to change is BBC Two Wales opting out Digital seperately as 2W

If you think about it, both BBC1 and BBC2 would be stripped almost bare if CBBC and BBC News 24 was to be removed from the daily schedules when the analogue switch off arises. It doesn't really seem fair because both CBBC and News 24 are apart and have been apart of the BBC1 and BBC2 schedule for decades now.
I personally would favor the removal of News 24 from BBC1 & BBC2 though I have to admitt and even cutting back on the CBBC programming slightly. Perhaps BBC1 and BBC2 will re-launch when the analogue switch off takes place with BBC1 showing more or less what it shows now and BBC2 showing documentaries & learning programmes and perhaps more movies.

Movies are often a good thing. I walk in from school and find my mum watching/listening a five afternoon movie. Doesnt matter how tacky they are, people want something they can watch and enjoy.

In the f tn forums, people kept asking where the world movies channel was, people didnt understand that it was just part of BBC4's programming, people also didnt like it when they heard that TCM wouldnt be launching.

Re: the BBC. If programmes were restricted to their place I think BBC2 and BBC4 would have to merge. The comedy stuff would move to BBC3, leaving BBC2 to concentrate on factual and lifestyle. It would also be possible that although children's programmes are moved from BBC1/2, BBC2 could become a time-share channel, with say CBeebies from 6am-6pm and BBC2 from 6pm-6am.

Schools programmes would go to CBBC, and the political stuff / Working Lunch to BBC News 24.

ITV would probably benefit most from the analogue switch off, enabling them to use ITV2 much more for sport and live events. I imagine C4 and five would take advantage of interactive services rather than having mainstream secondary channels, while Sky would launch the "6th terrestrial channel".