Christmas repeats 'up a quarter

The number of repeats on TV this Christmas has increased by a quarter since last year, according to research commissioned by the Liberal Democrats.

The study found that 44% of all programmes shown between Christmas Eve and Boxing Day were scheduled to be repeats, up from 35% a year ago.

Five was the worst offender, as almost 60% of its output had been seen before, the party claimed.

Christmas Day repeats were up on all networks except Channel 4, it added.

The research also suggested that 80% of all programmes specifically produced for children shown between Christmas Eve and Boxing Day would be repeats.

'Worrying'

"People are fed up with Christmas because of repeats," the Liberal Democrats' culture spokesman, Don Foster, said.

"Children's programmes are the most worrying of all. Christmas is predominently for children and it's a pity that they're getting 80% repeats."


We can access programmes in a variety of ways to watch time and again at a time of our own choosing, so putting them in the schedules is not a good excuse
Don Foster
Lib Dem culture spokesman

However, the BBC has argued it is delivering original programming during the Christmas period.

"The BBC pulls out all the stops over Christmas to bring viewers original festive programmes and film premieres for all the family to enjoy," a BBC spokesman said.

"There will be no repeats in peak time on BBC One on Christmas Day and we are very happy to be able to offer viewers the chance to see some of the BBC's best programmes again over the holiday period - our research shows that viewers really appreciate this.

"No UK broadcaster invests as much in original UK programmes as the BBC and our schedules reflect that."

Mr Foster said there was no need to repeat programmes during primetime schedules, owing to the growth of personal video recorders and other on-demand services.

"We can access programmes in a variety of ways to watch time and again at a time of our own choosing, so putting them in the schedules is not a good excuse," he said.

Mr Foster admitted he did enjoy some Christmas repeats, however.

"Some of the blockbuster films I enjoy watching, or a Morecombe and Wise Christmas special, are great. But I prefer more original programming like Cranford."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7144224.stm

I wonder, why do the Liberal Democrats feel the need to commission this survey, they did something similar last year.

Haven't they got anything better to be doing instead of counting repeats in the Radio Times, like finding a leader or coming up with some policies ?

It is not helped by the fact BBC TWO's night-time schedules end even later on the main Christmas days this year, with films scheduled to start after 3am if BBC1 finishes early.

does that not make it boxing day morning?

Technically, yes!

Exactly - it's the sort of thing you expect from your typical Daily Mail reading Conservative.


"Repeat" is a very general term - there are welcome repeats (i.e. The Snowman), and the not so welcome repeats (i.e. Only Fools and Horses) - while there's also the programmes which may indeed be new, but are basically repeating the same material they do every year.


This year's Christmas schedules, especially Christmas Day, are undoubtedly the worst for a number of years - but I wouldn't say that's the fault of repeats at all!

What exactly is wrong with repeats anyway? There are several things that are classed as repeats that either only get shown at this time of year or would only be likely to be watched at this time of year.

It is not as if TV channels tend to repeat things that were shown a couple of months ago over Christmas and when they do show repeats they usually pick the choice stuff.

Sorry, I'm not parsing this. One, WTH would BBC2's schedule - especially at that time - be dependent on BBC1. Two, WTH would BBC1's schedule be so variable that it finishing early is an "if"? Either it will or it won't at this point.

I often read comments like this.

The answer is: of course they have, just as I 've got more important things to do than put this post on this forum.

If you don't think that television has some importance, why are you on this forum ?

Repeats aren't all bad, especially at Christmas. The channels have so much more time to fill with the lack of regular programmes and short news over the Christmas period.

It was always (and still is) a good time to see good stuff for a second time, often striped across the week. This year for example there's Red Dwarf and Comedy Connections every night on BBC2

What else could the TV companies show, there can't be new stuff from all day every day (and the answer isn't 'ceefax'!!!! )

I'd wish they'd repeat 'Worst Christmas of My Life' that was class.

Me too, although if you're interested Dave is currently repeating the first series - Worst Week of My Life