BBC ONE Scot/Wales Questions

Earlier, the short break in BBC ONE Scotland showed Ceefax, while BBC ONE Wales finished several minutes later, and went into a 'Tonight' menu showing the upcoming programmes accompanied by background music which ran for about 15 minutes.

Is there any reason why BBC ONE in Wales did not show Ceefax, and is this common?

In addition, despite both showing the same programs in the Sign Zone, Wales have shown the "BBC ONE Wales" logo into the first ident, while Scotland only had the network logo into the same ident (Tumbler) - They have since both switched to network.

I don't know exactly what the schedules of BBC ONE Wales and Scotland were like tonight, but from what you describe, they must have both been playing local programmes (and/or timeshifted network programmes) earlier this evening, and then had to fill time until rejoining network programming.

Pages from Ceefax are commonly used by BBC Scotland to fill time. I wasn't aware that BBC Wales filled time with a menu and music, it's... novel, I suppose. BBC Northern Ireland tends to use News 24 to fill any gaps, unless the gap is so short as to make a burst of News 24 ridiculous. In that instance, one or two short filler programmes are used (Small Ads, or Sky High). The decision as to what fills the gap is taken locally, and not (at least in the case of NI) by the director/announcer on duty.

The logic in NI being that News 24, or a short filler programme, is more likely to retain an average viewer’s attention than pages from Ceefax, or a static slide and music for that matter.



I take it you mean that BBC ONE Wales introduced the first Sign Zone programme using their own symbol, and that BBC ONE Scotland just let the network symbol go through. It may have been a cock-up at BBC ONE Scotland, or (how can I phrase this without insulting anyone at BBC Scotland pres?)... it may just be the unique way they do things!

BBC Wales never fill with Ceefax on BBC ONE (unless taking it as part of a network feed), only on BBC TWO. Opting to News 24 is normally only done at the end of BBC ONE transmission in Wales, we try to avoid taking News 24 for short periods before going back to BBC ONE for the Sign Zone, the schedules being constructed so that there should only ever be a short gap (usually 15 minutes max) between the end of and delayed/timeshifted programme in Wales and the next convenient network junction. The view is taken that this is too short a slot to make taking News 24 worthwhile.

There is no real argument of retaining viewers' interest as the Sign Zone, much like the Learning Zone on BBC TWO is intended for recording and later viewing, not for real-time viewing.

There was a BBC Wales symbol after the menu as the director obviously has to be there to execute the opt back to network, so they'd just as well do the junction properly, although of course there's no reason why you can't just cut across to the network feed for the junction, which appears to be the method used in Scotland.

The menu screen on BBC One is so boring to look at. Hideous bright red background with skinny white text. Ughh.

And why does BBC ONE Wales always play the same music over the menu? It's the most boring music ever!

Because a) Unlike most 'interesting' music they don't have to pay a huge sum to use it, and b) as I've already pointed out, it's only there to fill the gap before everyone's VCR cuts in. The directors don't even listen to it, it's sole purpose is to stop the transmitter alarms going off!

Therefore does that mean whenever a pop song is used on a BBC promotion (Eg. Radio 2 Television Advert) or on a BBC News Report it has to be paid for?

Yes, providing they use thirty or more continuous seconds of the material.

I was amused by last evening's EastEnders, where the music in the pub sing-song got dramatically chopped at twenty-nine seconds every time.

Take note of your Welsh colleagues, Belfast. And BBC2 network. It's a sorry state of affairs if broadcasters chase ratings in such obscure slots.


But the libraries are full of interesting music! A lot of these tunes are quite familiar and might banish Crazy Frog from the charts if released... BBC Scotland use the music they do because its compiler, Tony Currie, is a big fan.

Nevertheless congratulations Wales and Scotland for giving those that care a little treat now and again.

Slight tangent here, but this TV ad's an interesting one. Seems like it took longer to make than it would initially appear.


Audio to appear soon at Music4

www.music4.com rather than co.uk

Simon, we've been here before. You're suggesting that television channels shouldn't show television programmes. I disagree with you.