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Posted by: Stu Jan 7 2007, 03:32 PM

Many UK members - and some of our US friends, I'm sure - will be aware that tonight's edition of THE SKY AT NIGHT is the 650th episode. Yes, you read that right, its 650th episode!!! The longest running science program In The World I believe...

And what time is it on? 01.55. That's 01.55 tomorrow morning.

Which is just wrong.

The consistently pre-dawn time slot of THE SKY AT NIGHT is, in my opinion, insulting to a broadcaster and writer of Sir Patrick's standing, insulting to the show's audience specifically, and insulting to the intelligence of the British TV viewer in general. Don't get me wrong, I love the BBC, for all the good shows it gives us - DR WHO, PLANET EARTH, HORIZON (sometimes, when it's not fall asleep boring or ruined by trendy juddery camera work... or has bandwagon-jumping expert astrologer Jonathan Cainer as an "expert" on an astronomical edition, STILL mad about that!!!) SPACE ODYSSEY a couple of years ago, and Radio 5 LIVE is wonderful - but when it comes to THE SKY AT NIGHT the BBC has its priorities and audience values all wrong.

I mean, the timeslot is just plain stupid - it should be on earlier simply because of it's title, "...At Night"... it isn't called "The Sky Just Before Dawn", it's ridiculous!!

Over Christmas the BBC gave us such festive, prime time delights as EASTENDERS' Pauline Fowler dying in the snow (long overdue, miserable witch, but not right for Christmas Day evening, surely!!); an extended episode of the least funny "comedy" show ever written, MY FAMILY, which is about as funny as a puppy on crutches; several blood-soaked episodes of HOLBY CITY CASUALTY DEATH WARD DARK PLACE or whatever it's called; Universe-knows how many shows featuring z-list celebrities singing or dancing or picking their noses in an attempt to resurrect their careers... the list goes on... Yet they have, in THE SKY AT NIGHT, a show that mixes science with humour, has friendly, knowledgeable presenters, attracts experts from all across the world, and is respected all over the world - that is, by by everyone EXCEPT THE IDIOTS IN CHARGE OF THE TV COMPANY THAT MAKES IT!! They'd rather fill our evenings with "CELEBRITY SINK WASHING" or something - anything - with Anne Robinson in it than put on a worthwhile, educational program like TSAN.

I'd write to the Beeb about it, but don't fancy having my letter turned into a new show called "CELEBRITY LETTERS OF COMPLAINT OPENING"...

But be sure to watch it, or set your vid for it more likely, because Patrick will be interviewing Piers Sellers, the British shuttle astronaut. And in Aptril, of course, there's the big anniversary episode...

Posted by: Bob Shaw Jan 7 2007, 03:51 PM

'Dave, I really think you ought to calm down and take a stress pill...'

650 episodes? Wow. I rarely watch it now, sadly...


Bob Shaw

Posted by: Stu Jan 7 2007, 04:39 PM

Not stressed, just shaking my head in amazement at the Beeb's attitude to what should be one of its flagship programmes. Maybe they'd treat it with a bit more respect if they got a group of "celebrities" together in a dark field and made them identify stars and constellations in order to earn a meal...

I know what you mean about rarely watching it. I keep missing it, just because of the crazy time it's on and I forget to set my vid. Some real nuggets on there tho, and Sir P is as good an ambassador for astronomy as ever.

Posted by: PhilCo126 Jan 7 2007, 04:43 PM

Stu, about the time slot, for the rest of Europe it's even an hour later!
But I believe each episode becomes viewable online;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/spaceguide/skyatnight/

Posted by: Stu Jan 7 2007, 05:21 PM

True, but contrary to popular belief - and the BBC's spokespeople and adverts - not everyone is "digital" nowadays, online or with digital TV. I meet many, shall we say "elderly people" as I do my Outreach work, and many of them have been left behind by the new digital revolution. They aren't able to "get more information" from websites, or watch repeats on BBC digital stations, so they're losing out, as are other groups. Which is a shame. I've met many people who say they used to watch the program, but over the years its time slot has got pushed further and further back and now it's only watched by active astronomers, vampires, or people with VCRs.

Which is a shame.

Posted by: djellison Jan 7 2007, 05:23 PM

What's even worse is that from one month to the next it changes, dramatically, so it might be 1200 one day, an hour one way the next etc etc.

Doug

Posted by: ljk4-1 Jan 7 2007, 05:26 PM

Jack Horkheimer's Star Gazer series is also usually dumped in the 1 a.m.
time slot on many PBS stations.

http://www.jackstargazer.com/

Posted by: PhilCo126 Jan 13 2007, 01:31 PM

Well, I saw today's rerun at BBC-2 and it was a great episode. Sir Patrick Moore surely creates a cozy view/atmosphere sitting in his library surrounded by a thousand books and a dozen globes
Most important thing I remember was that the next episode will be a Mars special