Christmas Schedules

Basically its the BBC's (1 and 2 inparticular) way of saying the traditional Christmas is dying.

Whatever next, Queen gives up speech? Shops to open Xmas day?

Christmas is (still in my view) still a time for families to all gather round the television eating mince pies, playing games and sipping sherry. But with crap on the box - who's gonna give a stuff!

I have to say from the rumours i've heard about BBC1 and 2, that I'm not very impressed at all (especially with the sloppy 'kids dancing' ident theme AGAIN). It seems 2001 was the last time we could say (like its slogan..) 'Home for Christmas'. Nowadays its more 'Home for Champagne stains and used wrapping paper'

Grr...I'm in a mood today!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the Christmas cover of the Radio Times and my opinon, it seems a bit bare looking. I remember Christmas editiions being very bright and colourful and standing out a bit more than this....

http://unitnews.co.uk/lrgimages/rtxmas2005lrg.jpg

Not bad although I totally agree, its not the usual Christmas Card look. Had I have designed this cover, I would have removed the glass dome and made the pic bigger.

http://www.tvradiobits.co.uk/tellyyears/RT1998xmas.jpg
1995's cover from Tvradiobits.co.uk

For anybody who has DigiGuide, there has just been another update with yet further revisions made in the BBC schedules over the Christmas period. This is perhaps why the BBC haven't yet confirmed the full schedules as there are still a few TBA's as far as I can see.
I take a few of my critical points about BBC2 back judging by the new schedules. There are some great films on BBC2 during the first week of the xmas period and it looks as though, according to this DigiGuide update, BBC2 are showing late night films from 2am onwards from the 24th December with no mention of News 24 or a closedown just 'Film TBA'. So perhaps BBC2 will be going 24 hours from Christmas Eve onwards.

Yes indeed, a little plain, but in an odd sort of way rather good. Not quite the standard of 1981 and 1982 (two brilliant covers) but a welcome change from the recent blue samey covers from the past few years. And, it features a TV programme.....the first time a TV programme has been featured on the RT Christmas cover since Carols From Kings in 1989.

I think the Radio Times covers dipped when Mick Brownfield defected to the TV Times. Is the Radio Times cover by Brownfield.

I think it's because the Radio Times kept using him every year that the Christmas cover developed this 'samey-ness' during the 1990s; indeed last year's TV Times Christmas cover that he did had a distinctly familiar look about it...

You know, the more I look at this years cover, the more I really like it. Certainly the best one since 2001 and in a way reminds me of 1977's tree village scene. Don't ask me why!!!!!

I don't really like it. I prefer the more generic pic of santa type look they usually have, featuring a programme on the front is a bit like the other magazines do. Plus with it being almost all white it doesn't stand out.

Oh my God I've only just noticed the snowmen!! A Dalek and a Tom Baker dressed snowman.

It's okay. Let's hope they fix the £1.95p thing though.

Doctor Who is confirmed to be going out at 7pm on Xmas Day now, on the official website, altering the original schedule.

BBC One on Xmas Day now looks like this:

2.00 Top of the Pops
3.00 The Queen
3.15 FILM: Shrek
4.50 FILM: Toy Story 2
6.15 BBC News
6.30 EastEnders
7.00 Doctor Who
8.00 The Green Green Grass Christmas Special
9.05 EastEnders
9.35 The Two Ronnies Christmas Special
10.35 Little Britain Christmas Special
11.05 BBC News

Meaning that for the first time in a while, Christmas Day is running like a normal schedule, on the hour/half hour.

Last year we were running at ten past, IIRC, with for example, Corrie on at 7.10pm.

Yes it's a fun cover. A tad white, but fun and certainly festive!