BBC Regional Current Affairs

no real surprise here but to quote the press release ...

BBC regional current affairs to switch to BBC ONE
The BBC's regional current affairs programmes are to switch from BBC TWO to a new peaktime slot on BBC ONE next autumn.

These programmes are currently broadcast in each English Region on Thursday nights at 7.30 pm on BBC TWO.

Andy Griffee, Controller of the BBC's English Regions said: 'We believe that the right place for our regional current affairs programmes is on BBC ONE, alongside our highly successful regional news programmes.'

Lorraine Heggessey, Controller of BBC ONE, said: 'Regional news is a vital part of the BBC ONE mix and this is a natural extension of the channel's commitment to giving viewers the full local picture'.

What do the English regions see when Scotland gets 'Frontline Scotland' or 'Ex-S'? These shows go out on BBC One Scotland after the Ten O'Clock news normally.

As far as I know we don't usually have 'regional' shows on BBC Two.

Incidentally, 'Ex-S' stands for 'Except for Viewers in Scotland'; something we used to hear quite often before we got entirely Scottish presentation.

There aren't any regular regional programmes on BBC1 in England other than regional news; we just have normal networked programming when I presume these national opt-outs occur.

Don't mean to sound cynical, but I think this has more to do with getting the English regions on Sky without having to have several BBC1s AND BBC2s broadcasting (and hence halving costs) than it does getting in tune with the people.

But still, anything which increases the profile of local programming has to be a good thing

Not just on satellite; BBC2 English regions are not available on digital terrestrial either, and it was not considered viable to kit out all the regions with the expensive equipment to allow them to opt out of the digital stream for just two programmes a week and one daily bulletin. It seems perfectly sensible to make BBC2 in England fully networked; but it seems strange it's taken as long as this.

BBC 2 Regions in England will probably be stoped to save the Beeb money and have all regional stuff on one because face it who actually watches the regional stuff on Two not many of us.

There was something a couple of months ago that the beeb wern't going to bother with regional 2.

Of course Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will stay the same.

Not until NEXT Autumn...?

So we are stuck with those poor BBC TWO Idents with regional names in the tinyiest lettering until then!

We'll no doubt soon have BBC ONE idents with the region names in the tiniest lettering possible as well!