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New look Channel 4 morning schedule from Monday 11th Jan!

(January 2010)

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EX
excel99
Not that long ago (early CBeebies days?) there was an odd 10 minute childrens slot on BBC2 at 1pm

Of course the change in thet times parliament sits a few years ago caused major changes for the BBC2 daytime schedules
NE
newsfan1
C4 seem to be going gown the route of E4 - showing the same old shows over and over again - Friends is bad enough - Im totally sick of it now - there are bound to be other shows out there that they could repeat - smacks of laziness and a couldn't care less attitude
BE
benriggers
Surely it's on 4oD anyway.

Although deviating from the traditional and repeat heavy, there were still a few gems amongst their programming - and they've stuck at the same level as the eighties for a lot longer than the BBC, whose school schedule is all over the place - though don't know how repeat heavy it is or whether there are any gems amongst it.

It would be good though if C4 did continue with a couple of landmark series a year (like Battlefront), just played out within the morning schedule rather than a dedicated "learning" strand.


BBC2 have also somewhat reduced their morning school programmes. I remember in the 90's BBC2 would run a morning of school programmes titled 'Daytime On Two' from 9am until 12.30pm. Now BBC2 show school programmes at 11am until 12pm. Having said this, BBC2 don't really need to show much school programmes anymore as they still show The Learning Zone at 4am to 6am on certain times of the year. I think it's currently taking a short break, though according to DigiGuide, it's not scheduled to return in the next 2 weeks. Maybe BBC2 has axed it now? Time will tell Smile


Schools is back on BBC2 On 18th January.
NW
nwtv2003
As well as a broadcasters point of view, I think you have to see it from a Schools point of view too, in that although as useful as Schools Television is/was, it's not the most convienient way of getting programmes into Schools, when you can easily get stuff off the Internet or DVDs sent to them at a reduced cost, hence why the Open University ended on BBC Two. And it's a damn sight easier than having to set a Video or DVD for a programme that's transmitted once a week, it surely must be easier to get them in one go.

I take it a lot of the BBC's Schools output is on overnight now? When the Learning Zone is on of course.

I was hoping Countdown would get a mid morning repeat, but they have reinstated it at 5.00am-ish instead, still better than nothing.
BR
Brekkie
A shame Countdown doesn't get a More4 repeat anymore too - now Deal or No Deal is pushed back to 6.35pm they could squeeze it in at 5.50pm.

Hopefully the C4 repeats of Deal or No Deal will be the previous day, not like More4 which are about 3 months out of synch.
GA
Gareth Founding member
As well as a broadcasters point of view, I think you have to see it from a Schools point of view too, in that although as useful as Schools Television is/was, it's not the most convienient way of getting programmes into Schools, when you can easily get stuff off the Internet or DVDs sent to them at a reduced cost, hence why the Open University ended on BBC Two. And it's a damn sight easier than having to set a Video or DVD for a programme that's transmitted once a week, it surely must be easier to get them in one go.

I take it a lot of the BBC's Schools output is on overnight now? When the Learning Zone is on of course.

I was hoping Countdown would get a mid morning repeat, but they have reinstated it at 5.00am-ish instead, still better than nothing.


Indeed, both Channel 4 and the BBC have launched new school programme services BBC 'Class Clips' and C4 'Clip Bank'. Both of which offer searchable content and are shorter 'to the point' clips of both new and old programmes. The BBC service streams online whereas the C4 one you buy in and they install and maintain a server on site containing all the clips. Far easier to access than the 100+ tapes and DVDs we have in our departmental video library.
ST
STEVE 03
Yes I remember when BBC2 would run Daytime on Two from 9am until 1.00pm (before the days of Working Lunch which began in the mid 1990's), then CBBC would be shown for 20 minutes, then Daytime on Two would continue to 2.15pm. In this slot, we mainly got a documentary repeat, probably an edition of Look, Stranger which used to be repeated quite a lot in them days. Every Friday afternoon, BBC2 would dedicate the whole schedule to sport from 2.15pm with a show called 'Sport on Friday' I think it was called.

Then from the mid 1990's to the present day BBC2 have gradually decreased their schools programmes during daytime and now show schools programmes from 11am to 12pm Monday to Friday, with nightly editions of The Learning Zone at 4am to 6am from Monday to Thursday night. I've noticed the BBC have also gradually reduced The Learning Zone schedule over the last few years as well. It used to be shown at 12.30am through to 7am then from 2am to 6am every night including Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Now it's just limited to just 2 hours a night Monday to Thursday which is quite a big decrease in scheduled hours since 1996 when it launched.

Times are changing however and the demand for such educational programmes can be met elsewhere and through alternative sources such as the internet and the mass of Digital TV channels which I assume is the main place teachers get their educational shows from these days. There is simply very little need to rely on the BBC's or Channel 4's school programmes for recording anymore, hence probably one of the reasons why they have been reduced or scrapped.

I think the BBC will always continue to show some kind of schools programmes though on BBC2, because I think it's part of their remit. If they stopped showing school programmes or children's programmes, there would be an uproar. However, a view probably best left for another thread, I think it's time BBC2 considered reducing the CBBC hours on BBC2 every weekday morning. Showing 5 hours every morning of repeated CBBC shows is not good practice, especially when you've got a load of kids channels showing similiar programmes. Perhaps after the Digital Switchover, a significant reduction in CBBC shows on BBC1 and BBC2 will take place Smile
BR
Brekkie
Agree with that last sentiment.

Completely agree too with the views that DVDs/online are better for schools now, but it would be nice for some sort of requirement to produce a limited amount of new stuff each year for schools programming, with it slotted into the schedule just when necessary as though not traditional schools programming, I do think some of the more recent efforts from C4 are worthy of the wider audience a TV airing brings, and also diversifies their line up a bit too.
ST
STEVE 03
I believe the Open University has made a few prime time shows for the BBC in the last couple of years. I can't recall the names of these programmes, but I think one of them was shown in a 7pm slot on BBC1.

I noticed on Saturday 19th, Sunday 20th and Monday 21st December BBC2 shown The Learning Zone in a 12.30am (or something like that) slot with a Shakespeare documentary which I think was shown in 3 parts over the 3 respective nights. So perhaps the BBC will do a similiar thing like this again.
BR
Brekkie
They've made quite a few - pretty sure Coast is one of them, and Electric Dreams for BBC4 was.

Not sure how funding works there - is it out of the BBC budget, or do the OU have their own funds for programming with the BBC obliged to screen it.

26 days later

BE
benriggers
BBC Schools Daytime Programmes are moving to BBC Learning Zone from next term. No more from March!
details at: www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone
trailer on BBC2 This morning:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFrdfva2dBo
Last edited by benriggers on 4 February 2010 10:03pm
GE
thegeek Founding member
benr posted:
BBC Schools Daytime Programmes are moving to BBC Learning Zone from next term. No more from March!
details at: www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone
What? You mean primary school teachers will need to learn how to use a VCR?!

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