:-(
A former member
At least some one is highlighted the trouble with the channel.
Quote:
The programmes on BBC One and Two have become indistinguishable, Sir David Attenborough has said, as he admits he would be "seriously interested" to know what had happened to policy at his old channel.
Sir David, who became controller of BBC Two in 1965 and introduced colour to British television, said he can no longer tell which channel he is watching, despite their traditionally differing roles.
Saying the editorial policies of the station were not "overly plain", he added he would be keen to understand decisions behind choosing which programmes to broadcast.
BBC 1 v BBC 2: The differences between them
Speaking to the Radio Times, he added he does not watch cookery programmes, quizzes or soaps, and avoids the Great British Bake Off in favour of more serious documentaries.
Sir David, who has built a career on natural history documentaries, also spoke about the lack of "new and unique" programmes on British television, in a growing industry which favours the guaranteed success of tried-and-tested formats.
He added there is "no conceivable way" he would enjoy the same success if he began his career now, after being offered his first BBC job by watching only one television programme at a friend's house.
Sir David has now announced he is to visit the Great Barrier Reef to make a new 3D programme for the BBC, for their first major new commission after they scaled back their 3D projects several years ago.
When asked about his work at BBC Two, which he joined in 1965, he told the magazine: "It was easy enough for me to say, ‘Yes, I’m only going to do something that is new and unique,’ but it’s difficult to do that now.
"At the same time I can’t tell whether a programme is on BBC1 or BBC2 just by watching it.
“I’m not sure how they would define its policy. I would be seriously interested to know, in a paragraph, not necessarily a sentence, what guides them, what guides the editorial decisions on BBC2, because it isn’t overly plain to me.
“I guess that BBC4 has taken on perhaps the invention and experimental side of BBC2, but it wouldn’t harm them to say so. You know, if they said, ‘That’s what we’re going to do.’ But they don’t actually say it.”
He added of the problems: “It’s been going on for some time.”
Sir David doesn't watch Great British Bake Off because "I've got quite enough to fill my life"
When asked about his thoughts on television today, Sir David said: "The sad thing is that you’d think that the more stations there are, the more varied the output, but the practice is the reverse – the more you get, the more similar they become. And you get genres that become the flavour of the month.
"I mean, I don’t watch any cookery programmes, whether they are competitive, whether it’s the Great Bake Off, or… I don’t watch quizzes either. I mean, they’re perfectly OK – I’m not being snobbish about them – but I’ve quite a lot to do and I don’t put on the television as a sort of ‘filler’.
"I’ve got quite enough to fill my life, and so I only put on programmes that I actually, positively, want to see.”
He added there are a "great number" of subjects scarcely covered by television, with music only broadcast in terms of performance and no serious, regular natural history series.
Sir David also highlighted a perceived trend toward rejecting "expert" presenters on television, saying: "The mood of the audience – or maybe it’s the controllers – is against the expert.
"The general view is that viewers don’t like people coming along and saying they know more about it than you do, so it’s unfashionable."
Sir David, who became controller of BBC Two in 1965 and introduced colour to British television, said he can no longer tell which channel he is watching, despite their traditionally differing roles.
Saying the editorial policies of the station were not "overly plain", he added he would be keen to understand decisions behind choosing which programmes to broadcast.
BBC 1 v BBC 2: The differences between them
Speaking to the Radio Times, he added he does not watch cookery programmes, quizzes or soaps, and avoids the Great British Bake Off in favour of more serious documentaries.
Sir David, who has built a career on natural history documentaries, also spoke about the lack of "new and unique" programmes on British television, in a growing industry which favours the guaranteed success of tried-and-tested formats.
He added there is "no conceivable way" he would enjoy the same success if he began his career now, after being offered his first BBC job by watching only one television programme at a friend's house.
Sir David has now announced he is to visit the Great Barrier Reef to make a new 3D programme for the BBC, for their first major new commission after they scaled back their 3D projects several years ago.
When asked about his work at BBC Two, which he joined in 1965, he told the magazine: "It was easy enough for me to say, ‘Yes, I’m only going to do something that is new and unique,’ but it’s difficult to do that now.
"At the same time I can’t tell whether a programme is on BBC1 or BBC2 just by watching it.
“I’m not sure how they would define its policy. I would be seriously interested to know, in a paragraph, not necessarily a sentence, what guides them, what guides the editorial decisions on BBC2, because it isn’t overly plain to me.
“I guess that BBC4 has taken on perhaps the invention and experimental side of BBC2, but it wouldn’t harm them to say so. You know, if they said, ‘That’s what we’re going to do.’ But they don’t actually say it.”
He added of the problems: “It’s been going on for some time.”
Sir David doesn't watch Great British Bake Off because "I've got quite enough to fill my life"
When asked about his thoughts on television today, Sir David said: "The sad thing is that you’d think that the more stations there are, the more varied the output, but the practice is the reverse – the more you get, the more similar they become. And you get genres that become the flavour of the month.
"I mean, I don’t watch any cookery programmes, whether they are competitive, whether it’s the Great Bake Off, or… I don’t watch quizzes either. I mean, they’re perfectly OK – I’m not being snobbish about them – but I’ve quite a lot to do and I don’t put on the television as a sort of ‘filler’.
"I’ve got quite enough to fill my life, and so I only put on programmes that I actually, positively, want to see.”
He added there are a "great number" of subjects scarcely covered by television, with music only broadcast in terms of performance and no serious, regular natural history series.
Sir David also highlighted a perceived trend toward rejecting "expert" presenters on television, saying: "The mood of the audience – or maybe it’s the controllers – is against the expert.
"The general view is that viewers don’t like people coming along and saying they know more about it than you do, so it’s unfashionable."
