BBC News Channel: distracting "news" during cathedral service

[Maurice]

D-Day 65th anniversary service from Bayeux Cathedral



Coverage was damaged by distracting, repetitive "news" scrolling along the bottom of the screen.



There was no break, even during The Last Post:

"Celtic.... new manager...subject to compensation being agreed with Baggies....five-wicket defeat by the Netherlands.....Brawn GP., Red Bull and Ferrari.....Turkish Grand Prix..."



Viewers were not simply looking at television screens. We were attempting to share the occasion.

[David Challinor]

I totally agree Maurice, but this approach sits neatly with the judgement of the 12 year olds now in charge of television. "Share the occasion!" they'd say, "you must be joking - our main aim is to prevent an audience reared on MTV from flicking channels." Is the logo in the corner? Make sure it is. Are the credits minimised to show what time the Lottery draw is on tonight? How about some background music during the commentary to 'smooth things along' like in sports presentations, to further distract?

These are all points tv people seem to have more interest in these days than the actual content. Thank God classic television broadcasts, such as JFK's or Churchill's funeral, didn't happen today, they'd be ruIned.

[orpheum]

I fully agree.i turned to the service at 9.30 only to find myself totally distracted by the news scroll at the bottom.I just turned off in the end.

[jaycad]

with the license fee,this is exactly what we're paying not to have!not taking into account the complete lack of respect, if they want to do this and have trailers and have speeded up credits with more trailers then scrap the license fee and have adverts instead,if they want to keep the license fee,then pack this in nonsense and remain the BBC-not BSKYBC!

[Lord Brett]

I haven't looked on the BBC site today (except to see if the government has fallen yet), but that's where we should be complaining about this. Imperfect though it is, the Beeb is the most responsive and accountable broadcaster we have



Complaints to the BBC worked (up to a point) with credit squeezing, so it's definitely worth doing.

[faginsgirl]

What next? Nuclear war is annouced but really all we want to see at the bottom of the screen are the big brother results so we have something to talk about in our shelters?



xx

[EHV_Emmetts]

name='Maurice']Coverage was damaged by distracting, repetitive "news" scrolling along the bottom of the screen.

This is just another example of the gradual extinction of public service broadcasting and the BBC's fetish for pandering to the LCD.

[Bernardo]

I support the BBC unequivically. Best in the world. Their slip-ups are minor compared to the positves that the BBC produce.

[EHV_Emmetts]

As I no longer pay for the BBC, via the licence fee, I supposed I can not pass comment. I will say that the BBC should simply concentrate on it's core values and principles and not get involved with a ratings battle with it's so-called "competitors".

[Carl V]

name='Maurice']



Coverage was damaged by distracting, repetitive "news" scrolling along the bottom of the screen.

I gather there were also a number of complaints about the commentary during the D-Day service, according to the Radio Times.



I agree with you with regards to the scrolling news, and it's not just the BBC, Sky News is also guilty of that. Speeded up credits and credit squeezing is another annoying habit, but this seems to apply to all terrestrial broadcasters and complaining doesn't seem to have much effect. Satellite channels, with the exception of Sky movie channels, all seem to have logos and bright red 'interactive' dots on the corner of the screen.