BBC ECP Changes

Not correct. By effectively bringing forward the end of the programme by making the credits a non-inclusive after-thought (as they are doing at present), they simply encouraging people to start channel-surfing even sooner. That's why slugs started - to *INFORM* those who were avoiding ECPs.

Why would I want to see the preferred choice of a particular broadcaster when I can call up a menu of all my own favourite channels even faster? I'm sure I'm not alone in reacting adversely to being "told" what is on offer when I plainly have more choice than they claim.

Are the BBC still using the slugs?

They are currently restricted to daytime use, although BBC Two's slug has been known to pop up during the evening.

As slugs go, BBC Two's is quite neat and subtle but BBC One's is a complete mess.

Ha ha your are correct, but thanks for the tip.

And by the sounds of it we will have to make do with those cropping up in programmes.

I really think that people's intelligence is insulted with all these ECPs, slugs etc. We already have a number of promos, various menus, a continuity announcement which normally tells us what's coming up later 'but first...' and then another announcement over the credits to tell us about what's coming up later. That's not mentioning the various listings magazines and EPGs that are available.

Do we really need more on-screen clutter? Are people still unaware of what's coming next and will be entinced to watch simply by having the credits squashed or by having a massive slug on screen?

I caught the end of some BBC One programme in the gym and the credits were displayed in a sort of "tv style" graphic taking up about 50% of the screen, with a BBC Online promo filling the second half. It then returned to full frame credits.

Is this a new ECP format I'm not aware of?

Any caps?

Surprisingly not while I was sweating away on a treadmill

Whatever they did to it (BBC Wales - around 8pm) it was far more legible than previous ECPs and there was a nice cross-fade to the full frame credits after the promo, rather than a jerky animated transfer.

I know this is sort of a BBC World thing to do, but why not simply have a breakfiller for 30-45 seconds after each programme, if that, to show all of the information they need - this would let the credits run clean, and the announcer can simply introduce the programme on now. Any trailers they would want to run could be in the breakfiller.

I've found it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00ccgsn

Go to the end of that programme.

I don't think it's a new ECP - it was just done to promote the website.

Interesting idea all the same though. I'm not sure if it would work for every programme, as it may seem a bit odd coming out of a drama or film, etc. but they certainly looked more legiable than the small credit box.

BBC Wales have been doing this for a number of weeks now. It's not been used often as an ECP, but is common during junctions as a trailer - the end of the previous trailer is squeezed before starting to show the BBC HD trailer with Fiona Bruce on the left, whilst the 'laptop' has advertised individual programme sites like the one for Not In My Nature or current Welsh news items on the BBC News site. The URL reference is always to bbc.co.uk/wales though - the announcer refers to going to the Wales site and clicking on 'news' etc.

Not In My Nature, meanwhile, has had a special trailer endboard - the most recent is on the website.