AN
The last 2 paragraphs of your post. I’m sure there are plenty of jarring changes of genre on BBC1.
NL
I see.Thank you for the clarification. Yes, BBC1 does have many genre changes, As a general entertainment channel with a mass-market appeal it has had to develop a "multiple personality syndrome"
I said in an earlier post that in my opinion it wouldn't be possible to create an entirely streamlined BBC with specific channels showing specific programmes unless (and this definitely is fantasy scheduling here so I'm giving fair warning here ) the BBC as we know it now is abolished and replaced with genre specific channels. Not just BBC News and the children's channels but each genre on BBC1 now being given an entirely separate station in the same style as the Australian system of sub-channels
Following that theory you would have a situation such as this
1.1 BBC 1 HD
1.2 BBC 2 HD
1.3 BBC News
1.4.BBC Parliament
1.5. CBBC
1.6 Cbeebies
1.7. BBC Drama (including Eastenders)
1.8. BBC Comedies
1.9 BBC Documentaries (including history)
1.10 BBC Style (Homes Under The Hammer et al)
1.11 BBC Sport (Snooker, Super League etc)
1.12 BBC Future (Testing ground for new ideas)
1.13 BBC Local (Regional and National programming e.g. "Nolan Live" on the Red Button)
The last 2 paragraphs of your post. I’m sure there are plenty of jarring changes of genre on BBC1.
I see.Thank you for the clarification. Yes, BBC1 does have many genre changes, As a general entertainment channel with a mass-market appeal it has had to develop a "multiple personality syndrome"
I said in an earlier post that in my opinion it wouldn't be possible to create an entirely streamlined BBC with specific channels showing specific programmes unless (and this definitely is fantasy scheduling here so I'm giving fair warning here ) the BBC as we know it now is abolished and replaced with genre specific channels. Not just BBC News and the children's channels but each genre on BBC1 now being given an entirely separate station in the same style as the Australian system of sub-channels
Following that theory you would have a situation such as this
1.1 BBC 1 HD
1.2 BBC 2 HD
1.3 BBC News
1.4.BBC Parliament
1.5. CBBC
1.6 Cbeebies
1.7. BBC Drama (including Eastenders)
1.8. BBC Comedies
1.9 BBC Documentaries (including history)
1.10 BBC Style (Homes Under The Hammer et al)
1.11 BBC Sport (Snooker, Super League etc)
1.12 BBC Future (Testing ground for new ideas)
1.13 BBC Local (Regional and National programming e.g. "Nolan Live" on the Red Button)
Last edited by Ne1L C on 17 May 2020 8:20pm - 3 times in total
VA
1.7. BBC Drama (including Eastenders)
1.8. BBC Comedies
1.9 BBC Documentaries (including history)
1.10 BBC Style (Homes Under The Hammer et al)
That would actually be pretty similar to what Sky is doing now with their genre channels. I can't see the BBC going down that route as it may just look like they're copying, but it's certainly an interesting theory.
1.7. BBC Drama (including Eastenders)
1.8. BBC Comedies
1.9 BBC Documentaries (including history)
1.10 BBC Style (Homes Under The Hammer et al)
That would actually be pretty similar to what Sky is doing now with their genre channels. I can't see the BBC going down that route as it may just look like they're copying, but it's certainly an interesting theory.
FG
1.7. BBC Drama (including Eastenders)
1.8. BBC Comedies
1.9 BBC Documentaries (including history)
1.10 BBC Style (Homes Under The Hammer et al)
That would actually be pretty similar to what Sky is doing now with their genre channels. I can't see the BBC going down that route as it may just look like they're copying, but it's certainly an interesting theory.
I'm not sure they would launch linear channels for all these, but coming up with genre specific branding to wrap around the content for an online offering could work... Some of the genres already have associated brands like BBC Comedy...
1.7. BBC Drama (including Eastenders)
1.8. BBC Comedies
1.9 BBC Documentaries (including history)
1.10 BBC Style (Homes Under The Hammer et al)
That would actually be pretty similar to what Sky is doing now with their genre channels. I can't see the BBC going down that route as it may just look like they're copying, but it's certainly an interesting theory.
I'm not sure they would launch linear channels for all these, but coming up with genre specific branding to wrap around the content for an online offering could work... Some of the genres already have associated brands like BBC Comedy...
NL
1.7. BBC Drama (including Eastenders)
1.8. BBC Comedies
1.9 BBC Documentaries (including history)
1.10 BBC Style (Homes Under The Hammer et al)
That would actually be pretty similar to what Sky is doing now with their genre channels. I can't see the BBC going down that route as it may just look like they're copying, but it's certainly an interesting theory.
I'm not sure they would launch linear channels for all these, but coming up with genre specific branding to wrap around the content for an online offering could work... Some of the genres already have associated brands like BBC Comedy...
I don't think this would ever happen either. It was just an extrapolation based on what if genres were separated so as to keep channels diverse.
1.7. BBC Drama (including Eastenders)
1.8. BBC Comedies
1.9 BBC Documentaries (including history)
1.10 BBC Style (Homes Under The Hammer et al)
That would actually be pretty similar to what Sky is doing now with their genre channels. I can't see the BBC going down that route as it may just look like they're copying, but it's certainly an interesting theory.
I'm not sure they would launch linear channels for all these, but coming up with genre specific branding to wrap around the content for an online offering could work... Some of the genres already have associated brands like BBC Comedy...
I don't think this would ever happen either. It was just an extrapolation based on what if genres were separated so as to keep channels diverse.
TR
A lot of the discussion here is stuck in the 1990s.
We are no longer in the multi-channel digital satellite era. We are in the streaming and on-demand era.
Linear channels have a place - for big event TV, breaking news, live discussion and premieres. But the BBC can't afford to spread its content thinly across several channels, and luckily it no longer needs to.
Streaming is the difference between making 10 episodes of Homes Under The Hammer, and 30 episodes because you need to fill airtime every day with something . Instead of running several scarcely-watched channels, you can offer pop-up events on streaming platforms. Streaming frees you up to do fewer things better.
The BBC is facing the toughest challenges of its history, and if it is to survive, it needs to be ready for the streaming era, and it needs to be ready yesterday.
We are no longer in the multi-channel digital satellite era. We are in the streaming and on-demand era.
Linear channels have a place - for big event TV, breaking news, live discussion and premieres. But the BBC can't afford to spread its content thinly across several channels, and luckily it no longer needs to.
Streaming is the difference between making 10 episodes of Homes Under The Hammer, and 30 episodes because you need to fill airtime every day with something . Instead of running several scarcely-watched channels, you can offer pop-up events on streaming platforms. Streaming frees you up to do fewer things better.
The BBC is facing the toughest challenges of its history, and if it is to survive, it needs to be ready for the streaming era, and it needs to be ready yesterday.
JA
1.7. BBC Drama (including Eastenders)
1.8. BBC Comedies
1.9 BBC Documentaries (including history)
1.10 BBC Style (Homes Under The Hammer et al)
That would actually be pretty similar to what Sky is doing now with their genre channels. I can't see the BBC going down that route as it may just look like they're copying, but it's certainly an interesting theory.
I'm not sure they would launch linear channels for all these, but coming up with genre specific branding to wrap around the content for an online offering could work... Some of the genres already have associated brands like BBC Comedy...
Who said anything about launching new channels? They could be rebrands of the UKTV channels, which the BBC now have full control of.
1.7. BBC Drama (including Eastenders)
1.8. BBC Comedies
1.9 BBC Documentaries (including history)
1.10 BBC Style (Homes Under The Hammer et al)
That would actually be pretty similar to what Sky is doing now with their genre channels. I can't see the BBC going down that route as it may just look like they're copying, but it's certainly an interesting theory.
I'm not sure they would launch linear channels for all these, but coming up with genre specific branding to wrap around the content for an online offering could work... Some of the genres already have associated brands like BBC Comedy...
JF
You do have to take into consideration that broadcasting online is a cheap and cost-effective future they could end up with (doesn't require satellite/cable slots, capacity for more services, etc), plus it could mean more coverage for certain events in the similar way of Red Button. You could keep BBC Four online and on for the whole day, same with BBC Three as it would allow for programming to premiere plus an incentive to watch the channel. Yes, it won't be at the choice of the viewer as that's the "future of TV" but at least the viewer will have that option if they wanted to. Internet streaming could be the future of broadcasting at the BBC.
There will
always
be a place for linear channels but streaming will become more important in the future. As I stated a few posts earlier having BBC 1,2 News and Kids as a core linear service with streaming for lesser events is going to be the best way forward.
You do have to take into consideration that broadcasting online is a cheap and cost-effective future they could end up with (doesn't require satellite/cable slots, capacity for more services, etc), plus it could mean more coverage for certain events in the similar way of Red Button. You could keep BBC Four online and on for the whole day, same with BBC Three as it would allow for programming to premiere plus an incentive to watch the channel. Yes, it won't be at the choice of the viewer as that's the "future of TV" but at least the viewer will have that option if they wanted to. Internet streaming could be the future of broadcasting at the BBC.
SJ
I think it would be a real shame if BBC Four ended up closing. I'm in my 30's, so not in target age range as suggested by a lot of media articles, but I love all the pop culture and music documentaries, TOTP repeats and other archiving programming. In fact it's probably one of my most watched channels.
It's a wonder really that BBC haven't pushed their 'BBC Archive' brand a lot more, move all the history docs and music coverage onto BBC2, and then focus on repeating old shows on BBC Four. Not the stuff that gets non-stop repeats like Dad's Army and Only Fools, but stuff like TOTP, maybe Blue Peter, Tomorrow's World, Play for Today etc that don't get seen so much!
It's a wonder really that BBC haven't pushed their 'BBC Archive' brand a lot more, move all the history docs and music coverage onto BBC2, and then focus on repeating old shows on BBC Four. Not the stuff that gets non-stop repeats like Dad's Army and Only Fools, but stuff like TOTP, maybe Blue Peter, Tomorrow's World, Play for Today etc that don't get seen so much!
TR
There is absolutely nothing here that could not be done on BBC One. Two, or iPlayer at considerably lower cost.
I think it would be a real shame if BBC Four ended up closing. I'm in my 30's, so not in target age range as suggested by a lot of media articles, but I love all the pop culture and music documentaries, TOTP repeats and other archiving programming.
There is absolutely nothing here that could not be done on BBC One. Two, or iPlayer at considerably lower cost.