BBC2 To Show Old Films Instead of CBBC....

For the first time in many years (since the early 1990's) BBC2 is removing the CBeebies & CBBC schedules and instead catoring for film fans by showing old films starting from Wednesday 25th August. The films showing are showing from 6.40am on the Wednesday & Thursday and from 6am on the Friday.
As pleased as I am that BBC2 are doing this, it amazes me that CBeebies or CBBC is not being scheduled instead. Could this be the start of a new look for BBC2 for weekday mornings or just a temporary schedule while the Olympics is on.
Controller Roly Keating is doing great things for BBC2 since he took over from Jane Root film-wise. Showing vintage gems like the original 1933 'King Kong' film and classic Alfred Hitchcock films is a great start. Let's hope he continues to show classics like these in the coming months.

[quote="STEVE 04"]It amazes me that CBeebies or CBBC is not being scheduled instead.[quote]

As of Monday, for the rest of the holidays, CBBC begins at 9:00 as breakfast needs to be put in on BBC TWO.

I presume the films are because the olympics will be drawing to a close and there's no replacement.

I do agree that showing old films is a good move though, not sure about them starting at 6:40am however.

Could someone remind where Jane Root's gone? Has she moved into radio or is that just my warped mind?

She went off to the US to head Discovery Networks over there.

Couldn't she have taken her counterpart on BBC One with her?

I've always found the idea of scheduling kids programmes aimed at 2-9 year olds at 6am in the morning - I mean what self-respecting parent would deliberately wake their quietly sleeping babes to subject them to twenty minutes of Tinky Winky, Laa Laa, Dipsy and Po?

Lorrainne Hegessy?

No parents will be waking their kids at that time of the morning... I think you'll find they get up themselves!

And if you are lucky as late as 6.30!

I remember not so long ago (around 1993) that BBC2 always shown CBBC from around 9am every morning and used to dedicate it's entire early morning schedule to Open University in the spring/summer and old films in the winter months. They even experimented with putting various old films from 9am for a time during the 1990's and CBBC used to transfer to BBC1 in the summer and BBC2 would show CBBC from 7am until 9am every morning (when early morning CBBC programmes were first introduced in 1997).
I hope BBC2 stick to showing these old films in the mornings, put as mentioned above, I doubt they will and this is just a temporary schedule while the Olympic Games are on.

I read in the paper yesterday that for the first time ever BBC Two had fallen behind Channel 4 in the ratings (partially blamed on the loss of The Simpsons!).

I sometimes wonder who exactally wants to watch 70 year old Laurel & Hardy films.

I think it's everyone to their own tastes. Laurel & Hardy, speaking as a big fan of the duo, are one of the best comedy teams of all time and their films are always welcome on BBC2.
Why are BBC2 competing with Channel 4? It doesn't really surprise me though with all the competion in the TV industry there is at the moment.
BBC2 used to have it's own identity with it's own brand of programmes. Nowadays, it is all about ratings. BBC2 would profit just as much if they were to show archive TV programmes and films rather than pay ex amounts of money on new programmes and pathetic repeats of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air which is overkilling the daily BBC2 schedules at the moment.
Rant over.

I think it is good that BBC Two show some old stuff in the mornings....(Enjoy it while you can, just think in 10 years time, watching a 4:3 cropped & chopped, Black and white film on BBC Two with a nice big BBC Dog in the corner!........Thank god we're still a good few years away from that)

Anyway, my recommendation for you lot is on Wednesday August 25th at 6:40am. Its " The Gay Falcon ".

Should get more viewers than GMTV!