BBC1 consider dumping kids tv

From Media Guardian again...

In the light of ITV1 opening negotiations with Ofcom about moving its kids programming, the BBC today admitted it was considering moving its children's shows too.

BBC daytime controller Jay Hunt admitted that ITV's plan to ditch children's programming from ITV1's afternoon schedule, will have an inevitable knock on effect at the BBC.

Hunt admitted that the corporation will look at "rationalising" its kids output on BBC1 and BBC2.

While she was loath to spell out what exactly this "rationalisation" would involve - and stressed that it is not being actively considered now - it seems clear that the BBC might respond to ITV's move by switching its own weekday afternoon output from BBC1 to BBC2, ending many years of broadcasting tradition.

Ms Hunt said it was inevitably something that would be looked at between now and digital switchover in 2012.

"If ITV moves its children's programmes, we will need to look at how we programme [kids shows] on BBC1 and BBC2, she said after the session.

BBC2 is turning into a funny channel, if it get's a big hit, it's moved to BBC1, and if BBC1 gets a flop, it's moved to BBC2. No wonder Channel 4 is the 3rd most popular channel in the UK

well it least there not Getting rid of Kids tv, on the BBC,

at the rate its going CH4 will become the seond watch tv station in UK

I fail to see the sense in a such a move. It's been on ONE for so long and it's not like switching it would make it more popular.

I'm thinking it is change for change's sake here. I look forward to hearing the full reasoning behind it, nonetheless.

True it wouldn't make kids tv more popular, but it may make other programming at that time more popular than the kids stuff - just like ITV's apparrent obsession with dumping Citv just to beat DOND

Presumably without childrens programmes on ITV, the BBC has no competition for theirs and can therefore finally move it all over to BBC2

To be honest this doesn't bother me as much as the Saturday morning shows moving. Wouldn't mind CBBC being on BBC2 in the afternoons - but bring back the Saturday morning slot on BBC1 for a flagship show!


Also, what would happen with Neighbours? Would it move to BBC2 with CBBC, or would The Weakest Link etc. move to earlier slots to keep it on BBC1 at 5.35pm.

Or perhaps they'll even see sense at last and axe it!

Remember after Digital Switchoff, ITV will have 1 kids channel, and BBC have 2, so thats enough to be going with i think.