I also agree BBC4 should be closed. It serves little purpose when most if not all of it's content could be moved to BBC2, a channel that practically was what BBC4 is today.
Another unpopular idea, which I thought of, is the merging of neighbouring BBC radio stations. For instance in the north west why have Radio Lancashire, Radio Merseyside and Radio Manchester when one north west radio station would suffice - especially as quite a bit of the content of the stations are simulcast.
Although they all serve different parts of the north west with a so-called different angle on things, the news is the same on all the stations!!! Anyway Pan-northwest commercial radio exists and is popular, so why not use the same pattern/model for the BBC regional radio service.
I don't think it matters tbh. I think that the kids will ignore the branding and for the adults it's a nice demarkation line.
One thing I completely disagree with however was the retargeting of the CBBC to younger kids only. I think they lost a lot when ditching the early teen audience and the failure of BBC Switch has not helped matters
.
Hence my suggestion of one clear channel of progression from Cbeebies through to CBBC through to BBC Three - a complete channel/transponder demographic from early years through to early 30's.
Oh yeah - because it makes so much sense to have programmes watched by 2 years old (on one EPG number) to be on the same channel as those aimed at 16-34.
I've not been averse to them merging in the past, and I think if CBBC was the more successful of the two channels they might have done, but really don't see the need now and think savings can be made in kids TV without closing a complete channel.
Absolutely agree though CBBC needs to target that early teen audience once more - and that doesn't mean they need to run later in the evening - the 5-7pm window is ample for that.
:-(
A former member
Do there all come from the same Studio? if there do then maybe there would be very little savings to me made?
Another unpopular idea, which I thought of, is the merging of neighbouring BBC radio stations. For instance in the north west why have Radio Lancashire, Radio Merseyside and Radio Manchester when one north west radio station would suffice - especially as quite a bit of the content of the stations are simulcast.
Although they all serve different parts of the north west with a so-called different angle on things, the news is the same on all the stations!!! Anyway Pan-northwest commercial radio exists and is popular, so why not use the same pattern/model for the BBC regional radio service.
Go to Liverpool and suggest that the station will be broadcast from Manchester with the latest news on City & United ahead of Liverpool & Everton, and see how well that idea would go down. Then go to Preston or Blackburn and suggest it again!
Another unpopular idea, which I thought of, is the merging of neighbouring BBC radio stations. For instance in the north west why have Radio Lancashire, Radio Merseyside and Radio Manchester when one north west radio station would suffice - especially as quite a bit of the content of the stations are simulcast.
Although they all serve different parts of the north west with a so-called different angle on things, the news is the same on all the stations!!! Anyway Pan-northwest commercial radio exists and is popular, so why not use the same pattern/model for the BBC regional radio service.
Go to Liverpool and suggest that the station will be broadcast from Manchester with the latest news on City & United ahead of Liverpool & Everton, and see how well that idea would go down. Then go to Preston or Blackburn and suggest it again!
Indeed, a ludicrous idea. There is so much news and discussion about Liverpool on Radio Merseyside that would be of no interest to the rest of the North West region and hence doesn't make it to North West Tonight. The North West is a huge region with a big population and having one radio station along with one TV regional news programme would severely diminish the services.
Another unpopular idea, which I thought of, is the merging of neighbouring BBC radio stations. For instance in the north west why have Radio Lancashire, Radio Merseyside and Radio Manchester when one north west radio station would suffice - especially as quite a bit of the content of the stations are simulcast.
Although they all serve different parts of the north west with a so-called different angle on things, the news is the same on all the stations!!! Anyway Pan-northwest commercial radio exists and is popular, so why not use the same pattern/model for the BBC regional radio service.
Go to Liverpool and suggest that the station will be broadcast from Manchester with the latest news on City & United ahead of Liverpool & Everton, and see how well that idea would go down. Then go to Preston or Blackburn and suggest it again!
Indeed, a ludicrous idea. There is so much news and discussion about Liverpool on Radio Merseyside that would be of no interest to the rest of the North West region and hence doesn't make it to North West Tonight. The North West is a huge region with a big population and having one radio station along with one TV regional news programme would severely diminish the services.
Agree so much. Both because of content, and the relatively low running costs for such stations. Silly, silly suggestion!!
Another unpopular idea, which I thought of, is the merging of neighbouring BBC radio stations. For instance in the north west why have Radio Lancashire, Radio Merseyside and Radio Manchester when one north west radio station would suffice - especially as quite a bit of the content of the stations are simulcast.
Although they all serve different parts of the north west with a so-called different angle on things, the news is the same on all the stations!!! Anyway Pan-northwest commercial radio exists and is popular, so why not use the same pattern/model for the BBC regional radio service.
Go to Liverpool and suggest that the station will be broadcast from Manchester with the latest news on City & United ahead of Liverpool & Everton, and see how well that idea would go down. Then go to Preston or Blackburn and suggest it again!
Lets put it this way - I cannot stand GMR (oops I mean Radio Manchester) anyway from the point of view that it is Manchester biased, as you say - especially from a Boltonian point of view and very little reference to Bolton Wanderers! Plus I did say it would be an unpopular idea.
That North West example is an obvious one which is quite rightly rejected out of hand, but it is surprising the prospect of closing or merging some regions hasn't cropped up. I guess though the theory is that people will probably still listen to a show being broadcast across three neighbouring regions on their regional station rather than see their local radio station axed in favour of a regional station and still listen to the very same show (if that makes sense!)
I'm also going to poop on what would essentially be an expanded Radio Manchester.
As a Liverpolitan, 'local' TV news from Manchester is not acceptable already, without the one little thing that the BBC almost gets right with Liverpool, being compromised.
Whilst it's not overly my thing and seems to cater for older, 'foodyduddy'-type people, Radio Merseyside is much valued in the Liverpool region. I'm sure it's often been cited as the most popular BBC Local Radio station over the years. It's also provided a lot more content over the years, sharing less syndicated programmes with Manchester & Lancashire than it might do. To be honest, I'm not massively against sharing a few programmes with neighbouring stations, so long as 'Merseyside only' programmes still have a big representation, the news is editorially Merseyside, not North West and BBC Liverpool (gotta laugh every time I say that) gets to make some of the North West programmes - I mean Blackburn can do John Barnes' show for Lancashire & Manchester, so why not?
I'm fuming enough as it is that Liverpool's already paltry BBC presence will go from 46 members of staff to 36, whilst Manchester* is expecting 1000 extra, from a relocation that's expected to have cost in the region of £1 billion.
* please don't go down the whole 'Salford is not Manchester' route. We all know that it really is.
I'm also going to poop on what would essentially be an expanded Radio Manchester.
As a Liverpolitan, 'local' TV news from Manchester is not acceptable already, without the one little thing that the BBC almost gets right with Liverpool, being compromised.
Whilst it's not overly my thing and seems to cater for older, 'foodyduddy'-type people, Radio Merseyside is much valued in the Liverpool region. I'm sure it's often been cited as the most popular BBC Local Radio station over the years. It's also provided a lot more content over the years, sharing less syndicated programmes with Manchester & Lancashire than it might do. To be honest, I'm not massively against sharing a few programmes with neighbouring stations, so long as 'Merseyside only' programmes still have a big representation, the news is editorially Merseyside, not North West and BBC Liverpool (gotta laugh every time I say that) gets to make some of the North West programmes - I mean Blackburn can do John Barnes' show for Lancashire & Manchester, so why not?
I'm fuming enough as it is that Liverpool's already paltry BBC presence will go from 46 members of staff to 36, whilst Manchester* is expecting 1000 extra, from a relocation that's expected to have cost in the region of £1 billion.
* please don't go down the whole 'Salford is not Manchester' route. We all know that it really is.
Completely agree as a fellow Merseysider. I've been into BBC Liverpool, and its newsroom, and all the staff are very hard-working and passionate about this station, which has been said, has a very large and faithful audience. The whole approach towards this station from its staff is very particular and different to other BBC local radio stations.
Sky could soften cuts to BBC 'by waiving transmission fees'
The BBC ignited a row over how much the corporation pays BSkyB for carrying its channels by saying it could save £50m from Sky, and so reverse planned cuts to BBC local radio and BBC4.
I can't help feeling that's mainly a political move and is unlikely to happen. I wonder how this compares to the cost of carrying channels with Virgin Media.