NG
It has intrigued me why the BBC never promoted educational programmes relating to school subjects directly to children and their parents in the years when they were available on a linear channel, but instead decided to operate Bitesize as an internet based service at a time (1998) when only around 10% of families with school age children had the internet at home, and in most cases connection was made with modems and the misery of time metered telephone calls.
Didn't Bitesize include Learning Zone broadcasts of its content too, overnight, for schools to record? (It kind of followed on from the BBC Select service)
noggin
Founding member
It has intrigued me why the BBC never promoted educational programmes relating to school subjects directly to children and their parents in the years when they were available on a linear channel, but instead decided to operate Bitesize as an internet based service at a time (1998) when only around 10% of families with school age children had the internet at home, and in most cases connection was made with modems and the misery of time metered telephone calls.
Didn't Bitesize include Learning Zone broadcasts of its content too, overnight, for schools to record? (It kind of followed on from the BBC Select service)
SJ
It has intrigued me why the BBC never promoted educational programmes relating to school subjects directly to children and their parents in the years when they were available on a linear channel, but instead decided to operate Bitesize as an internet based service at a time (1998) when only around 10% of families with school age children had the internet at home, and in most cases connection was made with modems and the misery of time metered telephone calls.
Didn't Bitesize include Learning Zone broadcasts of its content too, overnight, for schools to record? (It kind of followed on from the BBC Select service)
It absolutely did! As with Learning Zone, people were encouraged to tape the programmes overnight. There were printed Bitesize revision textbooks which would direct readers to specific time codes in the video to see the related content.
I remember the books and the programmes well from my own GCSEs, but have no memory at all of the website.
Here's a launch review from the TES.
It has intrigued me why the BBC never promoted educational programmes relating to school subjects directly to children and their parents in the years when they were available on a linear channel, but instead decided to operate Bitesize as an internet based service at a time (1998) when only around 10% of families with school age children had the internet at home, and in most cases connection was made with modems and the misery of time metered telephone calls.
Didn't Bitesize include Learning Zone broadcasts of its content too, overnight, for schools to record? (It kind of followed on from the BBC Select service)
It absolutely did! As with Learning Zone, people were encouraged to tape the programmes overnight. There were printed Bitesize revision textbooks which would direct readers to specific time codes in the video to see the related content.
I remember the books and the programmes well from my own GCSEs, but have no memory at all of the website.
Here's a launch review from the TES.
BU
That launch article reminds of how quickly those original GCSE Bitesize programmes dated because they stuffed them full of celebrity revision tips from the likes of Noel Edmonds, B*Witched, Cleopatra and Peter Andre which was all a bit embarrassing within just a couple of years when they were all nowhere to be seen.
Anyone remember AS Guru? Short lived AS version that they were doing around the time I did my AS Levels (so 2001). Don’t remember it being anywhere near as successful as Bitesize and wasn’t particularly watchable either. The presentation was a bit dreary - the original Bitesize had a cracking earworm of a theme tune which you heard throughout the whole show virtually...
Anyone remember AS Guru? Short lived AS version that they were doing around the time I did my AS Levels (so 2001). Don’t remember it being anywhere near as successful as Bitesize and wasn’t particularly watchable either. The presentation was a bit dreary - the original Bitesize had a cracking earworm of a theme tune which you heard throughout the whole show virtually...
CW
Having recorded them at the time due to studying I distinctly recall one of the original tips included Phill Jupitus saying along the lines of "if you cheat, be discreet... .. what, am I not allowed to say that?". I seem to recall this bit was edited out when the episode was shown in subsequent years.
Charlie Wells
Moderator
That launch article reminds of how quickly those original GCSE Bitesize programmes dated because they stuffed them full of celebrity revision tips from the likes of Noel Edmonds, B*Witched, Cleopatra and Peter Andre which was all a bit embarrassing within just a couple of years when they were all nowhere to be seen.
Having recorded them at the time due to studying I distinctly recall one of the original tips included Phill Jupitus saying along the lines of "if you cheat, be discreet... .. what, am I not allowed to say that?". I seem to recall this bit was edited out when the episode was shown in subsequent years.
BU
I think they used various voices that would be recognisable by the audience, not sure when that started by by the time I was doing GCSEs in 2000 Jamie Theakston was doing a fair few (but then he was all over the BBC at that point anyway).
Not sure if it helped my grades but it was a cracking excuse to put the TV on when I was "revising".
Not sure if it helped my grades but it was a cracking excuse to put the TV on when I was "revising".
JO
BBC Bitesize Daily finished off today with Sports Day for Primary students and Creative Arts Week for Secondary students.
Programming continues on the Red Button throughout next week with compilation shows.
#BBCBitesizeDaily broadcasts will be closing down for the summer on 10th July, with compilations available from 9-11am on Red Button 13th-17th July.
— BBC Bitesize (@bbcbitesize) July 8, 2020
Online Daily Lessons will be continuing until 24th July.
We’re working on a new approach for Autumn so watch this space! pic.twitter.com/Ng7FyftqwM
BBC Bitesize Daily finished off today with Sports Day for Primary students and Creative Arts Week for Secondary students.
Programming continues on the Red Button throughout next week with compilation shows.
CW
Charlie Wells
Moderator
I wonder that their "new approach for autumn" actually is. It probably won't happen but it would be good if they broadcast an hour or two a day on BBC Two during the daytime. That would break up the news channel simulcast, and in my opinion better than just putting it on the red button.
JO
It would be nice if we see Bitesize Daily return in September as a full-time feature although logistically that might not be possible (unless they're able to film in blocks like they have been doing). It would be a nice change to the BBC News simulcast. Besides, it's not like the BBC News Channel doesn't exist... 