By: David Pascoe

David Pascoe — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 12:24:41 +0000

Well I guess the Beeb are getting there gradually in that they should have made Kermode, Barry Norman’s replacement rather than Jonathan Ross. Maybe I’m hankering after a form of broadcasting that no longer exists but I appreciated the fact that Norman told you about all the films being brought out in one week: from Hollywood blockbuster to Taiwanese art-house flick. Ross had neither the time, nor I would guess the inclination, to check out such diverse fare. Kermode would have maintained the standard and been more entertaining

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:24:57 +0000

My favourite thing about this series of The Culture Show is its scheduling. You may recall that when it began, five years ago, it was shown at seven o’clock on a weeknight, which was supposed to make it a mainstream proposition and a real alternative to the soaps. Then a year later, they moved it to seven o’clock on a Saturday night, which was sold as some sort of promotion but, to my mind, just marginalised it more because you always get arts shows in these weekend slots when nobody’s watching. Then it was moved again to ten o’clock on a weeknight, again sold as some sort of a promotion, because it would be primetime, albeit now cut to half an hour.

Now it’s been moved to… seven o’clock on a weeknight again! Which again is being sold as a promotion, because now it’s longer – despite it being the same length it had when it started. I like the idea of The Culture Show (albeit I barely watch it) but this really hasn’t worked in any slot the Beeb have tried it in and moving it back to its original slot just seems an admission of that.

Comments on: Radio on the telly

By: David Pascoe

By: Steve Williams