By
Paul Revoir
18:21 EST, 30 April 2012
|
02:39 EST, 1 May 2012
BBC1 will screen virtually nothing but Olympics coverage from 6am until midnight every day when the event starts in July, it emerged yesterday.
Bosses have decided to clear the flagship channel’s entire schedule, aside from main news bulletins, for 18 hours a day – but they insist they are not ‘driving the Games down people’s throats’.
Some popular shows, such as EastEnders, Panorama and Songs Of Praise, will be moved to BBC2, while others, including The One Show, will be rested.
The BBC insists it will not be ‘driving the Games down people’s throats’, despite 18 hours of coverage a day on its main channel
BBC3 will also be dedicated to the Games between 9am and 11pm, and BBC2 will be used whenever BBC1 is screening news bulletins.
On top of this, the broadcaster has already revealed it will be running 24 high-definition channels, allowing every event to be covered in full.
The BBC believes the public will be so caught up in enthusiasm for the Games that they will not mind the mass disruption to normal viewing.
Speaking at The Voice of the Listener and Viewer spring conference, Roger Mosey, the BBC’s director of London 2012, said: ‘BBC1 will be devoted to news and the Olympics.
‘So it will be Breakfast from the park, then Olympics through the morning, then news, then Olympics in the afternoon.
‘BBC2 will carry Olympics during the news bulletins, but the important thing to stress here is that BBC2 in peak will be Olympic-free. So if you want the regular programmes, they will be on BBC2 between 7pm and 10pm in the evening and BBC4 will also be Olympic-free. It is not driving the Olympics down people’s throats.’
In addition to the coverage on its four TV channels, the BBC will be running 24 high-definition channels, allowing every event to be covered in full
He added: ‘We will try to strike a balance between audiences that want sport and those who don’t want sport.’
In the build-up to the Games, the BBC will also be showing hours of Olympic-themed comedies, dramas and documentaries.
These include a BBC1 drama about two Olympic rowers, called Bert And Dickie, which stars Doctor Who actor Matt Smith.
Among the other shows will be a history of the Games called Faster, Higher, Stronger on BBC2, and a special themed episode of Absolutely Fabulous on BBC1 .
EastEnders will feature a storyline about the Olympic torch coming to Walford.
Holby City, however, is likely to be rested during the Games, while Casualty is expected to be moved to BBC2.
Mr Mosey defended the intense coverage, saying that during the Beijing Olympics in 2008, around 42million viewers had watched some of the UK programming for at least 15 minutes.
He admitted the accompanying Cultural Olympiad was a much ‘tougher sell’ as it had ‘low awareness’ with the public and it did not mean much to audiences.
Radio 4 has already faced criticism from some of its listeners about the level of coverage it is giving to the Games, which are still more than 12 weeks away.
Some have expressed annoyance at the amount of build-up programming dedicated to the Games, describing it as a ‘softening up’ raid for the ‘saturation bombing of the Olympics coverage’.
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I don’t see what the big deal is. Even in America there will be at least one pay channel that shows the games 24 hours a day.
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What does it matter what BBC1 shows?! If you don’t want to watch the Olympic coverage just switch over to a different Freeview/Sky channel. People are commenting here as if there is no choice! We’ve never had so much TV choice in history!
– Deedee, Reading, 1/5/2012 10:17
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But why can’t they use the BBC3 channel for exclusive Olympic coverage and leave the rest of us alone?
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Excellent, can’t wait to watch real people from all around the world achieving their dreams. Also really looking forward to and excited to watch Team GB’s athletes win some medals. Better than watching pretend people live pretend lives and it’s only for 2 weeks, we won’t have this happen in our lifetime again. Enjoy it.
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What a load of moaning minnies on here. A lifetime’s event and you lot moan like old people. Do I moan about day on day coverage of Eastenders and soaps EVERY day of the year – No! So shut-up and bear with it for two weeks.
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SO CAN I HAVE A REFUND ON M,Y LICENSE I HATE THE OLYMPICS AND WONT BE WATCHING. thought not we are so used to not getting a service i n this Country but still pay for it.,
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FORCING IT DOWN OUR THROATS yes you are, what utter garbage spouts from the BBC, their rating will fall below ground level, so they can find and extra 25 HD channels now for sport, so what about normal programming, nope no olympics in this house purely as a demonstration of disgust at the BEEB idiots.
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Can I have a refund of my tv licence fee?
– Trish, Rossendale, 01/5/2012 10:02 – what’s a TV licence fee? I’ve never had one and there’s nothing they can do about it, cos they will never get in my property to find out – not that they have ever tried in the last 23 years.
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Can I have a refund of some of my license fee please? I’m not interested in the Olympic games and don’t see why my viewing choices should be reduced because of them. Who are these people making these decisions?
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Very simple; don’t watch Bring Back Communism, switch to another channel.
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