TV
I'd be interested to know the reasons behind this seismic increase in playing time. 25 years ago I would have killed to see Christmas idents on air for this long, in just six years the BBC have gone from one extreme to the other! Even worse in 1989 and 1990 - the idents didn't appear until late Christmas Eve and were gone again on the 27th.
In the mechanical days, the symbols tied up Pres B and that might explain the three-day rule; perhaps no-one thought to review the policy in later years. While I would hate to return to "back to normal" on the 27th, we now have nothing to look forward to on Christmas Eve.
Joe Havard posted:
I'm not surprised at all that it's the 17th. It's far too early, but I knew that they would debut on this date.
I'd be interested to know the reasons behind this seismic increase in playing time. 25 years ago I would have killed to see Christmas idents on air for this long, in just six years the BBC have gone from one extreme to the other! Even worse in 1989 and 1990 - the idents didn't appear until late Christmas Eve and were gone again on the 27th.
In the mechanical days, the symbols tied up Pres B and that might explain the three-day rule; perhaps no-one thought to review the policy in later years. While I would hate to return to "back to normal" on the 27th, we now have nothing to look forward to on Christmas Eve.
HA
This whole debate really does make me smile - It seems that the BBC just can't win with some people...
a) People complain if the BBC doesn't create a new Christmas ident (as in 2003).
b) So they decide to create a new one. However, the Corporation's cost model today is very different to the cosy world of 10 or 20 years ago. For a start there is the cost of maintaining a multi-channel digital TV, radio & online network. Then there's viewer and regulatory pressure to invest in more original programming, with higher (& more expensive) production values, as well as less repeats and fewer imports. Then there's the expensive big-ticket sporting & cultural events that they are bidding for against Sky, ITV etc etc. The list goes on & on, but sadly for the BBC the TV licence doesn't go up & up.....
Therefore, I should imagine that all programme and other expediture is now strictly evaluated against a business case. In order to justify the expense of creating a special festive ident, the BBC1 controller will have to commit in the business case to an air time greater than a couple of days (ie. more like a couple of weeks). It will also have to be produced as cost-effectively as possible, so gone are the days of expensive Aardman Animation creations (as per 2001), and in their place are cheaper studio-based live action idents.
c) People (often the same ones as above) then complain that the idents are on far too long and contain far too many children.
See what I mean? To be honest I think we should be grateful for ANY festive idents, regardless of what they contain and when they start or end.
tvarksouthwest posted:
I'd be interested to know the reasons behind this seismic increase in playing time. 25 years ago I would have killed to see Christmas idents on air for this long, in just six years the BBC have gone from one extreme to the other! Even worse in 1989 and 1990 - the idents didn't appear until late Christmas Eve and were gone again on the 27th.
In the mechanical days, the symbols tied up Pres B and that might explain the three-day rule; perhaps no-one thought to review the policy in later years. While I would hate to return to "back to normal" on the 27th, we now have nothing to look forward to on Christmas Eve.
In the mechanical days, the symbols tied up Pres B and that might explain the three-day rule; perhaps no-one thought to review the policy in later years. While I would hate to return to "back to normal" on the 27th, we now have nothing to look forward to on Christmas Eve.
This whole debate really does make me smile - It seems that the BBC just can't win with some people...
a) People complain if the BBC doesn't create a new Christmas ident (as in 2003).
b) So they decide to create a new one. However, the Corporation's cost model today is very different to the cosy world of 10 or 20 years ago. For a start there is the cost of maintaining a multi-channel digital TV, radio & online network. Then there's viewer and regulatory pressure to invest in more original programming, with higher (& more expensive) production values, as well as less repeats and fewer imports. Then there's the expensive big-ticket sporting & cultural events that they are bidding for against Sky, ITV etc etc. The list goes on & on, but sadly for the BBC the TV licence doesn't go up & up.....
Therefore, I should imagine that all programme and other expediture is now strictly evaluated against a business case. In order to justify the expense of creating a special festive ident, the BBC1 controller will have to commit in the business case to an air time greater than a couple of days (ie. more like a couple of weeks). It will also have to be produced as cost-effectively as possible, so gone are the days of expensive Aardman Animation creations (as per 2001), and in their place are cheaper studio-based live action idents.
c) People (often the same ones as above) then complain that the idents are on far too long and contain far too many children.
See what I mean? To be honest I think we should be grateful for ANY festive idents, regardless of what they contain and when they start or end.
:-(
A former member
So, it's now less than a week to go before we see this year's Christmas idents on BBC1 and 2.
SC
A few caps I managed to get during Record of the Year:
http://www.utvtoday.co.uk/images/parkinson1.jpg
http://www.utvtoday.co.uk/images/parkinson2.jpg
http://www.utvtoday.co.uk/images/parkinson3.jpg
http://www.utvtoday.co.uk/images/parkinson1.jpg
http://www.utvtoday.co.uk/images/parkinson2.jpg
http://www.utvtoday.co.uk/images/parkinson3.jpg
GE
continues at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguide/columnists/story/0,14669,1662164,00.html
thegeek
Founding member
Charlie Brooker posted:
When, in your head, does December stop being December and start being Christmas instead? For me, it's nothing to do with the physical signs you see in the street - lampposts swaddled in fairy lights, a drunk in a Santa hat throwing up in a doorway, shoppers kicking each other to death to get their hands on an Xbox 360 ... that's part of the build-up, not the event itself. Because as far as I'm concerned, Christmas only truly arrives the moment BBC1 unveils its annual Christmas idents.
continues at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguide/columnists/story/0,14669,1662164,00.html
TV
The fact that Christmas idents have universal air dates on both channels suggests this decision must come from someone higher than the channel controllers. The Aardman idents were only four years ago, and we know from the junk that fills BBC junctions the corporation is perfectly capable of matching these efforts.
Speaking of which, one way the BBC could divest more money into programme making would be to rein in its increasingly lavish self-promotion between programmes.
hallbrooke posted:
[Therefore, I should imagine that all programme and other expediture is now strictly evaluated against a business case. In order to justify the expense of creating a special festive ident, the BBC1 controller will have to commit in the business case to an air time greater than a couple of days (ie. more like a couple of weeks). It will also have to be produced as cost-effectively as possible, so gone are the days of expensive Aardman Animation creations (as per 2001), and in their place are cheaper studio-based live action idents.
The fact that Christmas idents have universal air dates on both channels suggests this decision must come from someone higher than the channel controllers. The Aardman idents were only four years ago, and we know from the junk that fills BBC junctions the corporation is perfectly capable of matching these efforts.
Speaking of which, one way the BBC could divest more money into programme making would be to rein in its increasingly lavish self-promotion between programmes.
CY
For the 9,437,825th time, there is definitely going to be a new BBC1 ident this year. Same goes for BBC2.
Do you know if BBC2 are going to use their new ident along with previous ones or just the new one this Christmas? And will there be stings for the BBC1 idents?
Joe Havard posted:
r2ro posted:
I could see, despite the controversey last year, a reuse of Bouncy Puddings and also Snowflake on BBC One.
For the 9,437,825th time, there is definitely going to be a new BBC1 ident this year. Same goes for BBC2.
Do you know if BBC2 are going to use their new ident along with previous ones or just the new one this Christmas? And will there be stings for the BBC1 idents?