It should have been "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" and I love how they state it is a big BP tradition.
Don't they normally alternate between the two every year?
The ship "zoom" at the end is very 70s/80s, haven't seen that for a very long time!
I think it's been 'O Come All Ye Faithful' for the past few years, also I think the silver ship has been used for the past few too. As much as the show continues to evolve, it's nice to see that they still stick to some of the traditions set. So far this series has been very well produced, with elements going back to days of old, but also moving the show in a new direction. Even though the smallest set that they've had, it's been very well designed and executed brilliantly.
The URL says it all. Although the spin is that the budget won't change, that's exactly what they said when it went from three times a week to two, and it's clearly not the show it was. It also explains why they didn't replace Andy when he left which seemed an odd decision at the time, and why Barney has been able to go off and do panto without having much of an effect on the show (clearly not much advance filming to do at the moment).
Although it'll air all year round (something they have done before for a few years in the early 00s), it's still a big reduction in the total episodes produced. Moving to CBBC is something of an inevitability, it leaves the 5pm Newsround as the only show to premiere on BBC1, and with them sharing the continuity studio with CBBC it logistically makes sense for that to transfer too in the near future, paving the way for the end of the BBC1 block.
The only bright point is the new airtime - 5.45pm.
Last edited by buster on 15 December 2011 10:20pm - 2 times in total
However, this is the first time that BP has seen a shift away from terrestrial TV.
When will these journalists understand that all the BBC TV channels, are TERRESTRIAL channels !
In fact the majority of the country now has no analogue TV available to them, but I suppose until DSO hits London, we'll keep getting poorly written stuff as per the quoted example.
I honestly don't think this points to Blue Peter ending than to any other time. Money is insanely tight. They could get rid of the show right now and who would actually really notice beyond the usual "oh that's terrible that is" brigade lasting all of a nostalgic two minutes? This gives a bit of stability through tough economic times all round and the BP team can make of it what they wish to. I doubt CBBC is excempt to some form of cuts.
Moving to CBBC is something of an inevitability, it leaves the 5pm Newsround as the only show to premiere on BBC1, and with them sharing the continuity studio with CBBC it logistically makes sense for that to transfer too in the near future, paving the way for the end of the BBC1 block.
Very true. This time next year, the block's continued existence will be illogical, as DSO will be complete. Will they also get rid of the BBC News Channel simulcasts, which will be equally obsolete?
You cannot compare the CBBC slots on 1 and 2 with the fact the main news bulletins go out on BBC1.
Just in case anyone doesn't know this already, Breakfast and the three main news programmes all comfortably win their slots and provide the backbone of BBC1. Quite apart from any principled argument for keeping them, t' the right thing in practice.
There are many people who are not news junkies who like to get their news from the main programmes on 1 and I don't think anyone could seriously contemplate a premiere public service channel without news.
For some time, the CBBC slots have primarily existed for the benefit of children who do not have access to the digital channels. A lot of the best CBBC programmes have debuted on the CBBC channel at 5.15pm or later because more children are watching on CBBC than on 1.
Moving BP to the CBBC Channel - much as the nostalgic adult in me hates the idea in principle - is probably the right move in practice. More kids will watch at 5.45pm on CBBC than at 4.35pm on 1.
It's also clever politically. It means that when the BBC moves to remove the CBBC block on 1 it can point to the fact that the audience for its flagship show mostly comes from the CBBC Channel and make the inevitable 40 something complainers look daft.
Although it would be nice to keep some kids presence on the main channels you're absolutely right - the ratings show kids head straight for the CBBC channel - it's what they've grown up with.
Personally I'd revive a Saturday morning show on BBC1 as compensation for moving all other kids shows to CBBC as I think that sort of show could only make an impact on BBC1 - but anything else the BBC is more than justified in keeping to the CBBC channel.