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The Sky At Night got saved
Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 6:06 pm
by JazHaz
I just heard the BBC might cancel The Sky At Night!
There's a petition going on
www.change.org for people to sign.
For those who don't know this programme:
The monthly astronomy programme was famously presented by Sir Patrick Moore from its first episode in April 1957 until January 2013, following Sir Patrick's death in December 2012 aged 89.
He presented a total of 721 episodes, missing only one filming during July
2004 after he suffered severe food poisoning. Subsequently, the show is the longest-running TV series with the same presenter in the world.
Sir Patrick reported on NASA's Apollo moon missions during 1969 and the UK's total solar eclipse in 1999.
Re: The Sky At Night might be cancelled!
Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 6:19 pm
by Cody
It was always on the cards (still only rumour/consultation though) - Sir Patrick was a very hard act to follow.
What irks me most about it is that the cost of The Sky at Night is peanuts compared to the BBC's annual budget!
Re: The Sky At Night might be cancelled!
Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 6:30 pm
by Smivs
Outrageous! Petition duly signed.
<stalks off indignantly...>
Re: The Sky At Night might be cancelled!
Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 6:38 pm
by JazHaz
Current presenter, Dr Chris Lintott, just tweeted:
Dr Chris Lintott wrote:Total viewing figures for a typical Sky at Night, across BBC1, BBC2 and BBC4 : roughly a million. Just saying. #SaveSkyAtNight
Re: The Sky At Night might be cancelled!
Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 8:20 am
by Disembodied
Signed. Really, this is disgraceful: all we're talking about is 30 minutes a month, for what must be the most popular and widely enjoyed scientific activity in the country - a field where amateurs (or rather, unpaid enthusiasts) can still, from their homes and gardens, continue to make significant contributions to science.
Re: The Sky At Night might be cancelled!
Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 8:34 am
by DaddyHoggy
I also grew up watching it as a kid - which means it also must have been on at a sensible part of the evening too (or at least a repeat of it).
Re: The Sky At Night might be cancelled!
Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 8:52 am
by Disembodied
DaddyHoggy wrote:I also grew up watching it as a kid - which means it also must have been on at a sensible part of the evening too (or at least a repeat of it).
True - they used to repeat it on Sunday afternoons, I think. If they could do it then, with only two TV channels, I don't see why they can't do it now, with six. Granted, one of those is a dedicated news channel; one is a dedicated kids' channel; and one is a dedicated (pretty much) halfwit channel - but those are surely just making more room in the schedules for non-news/kids/halfwit shows.
Re: The Sky At Night might be cancelled!
Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 12:17 pm
by Smivs
Got this on
Slashdot.
Not a single comment in favour of axing the programme, but certainly a lot of concern (and a good bit of Beeb-bashing
).
Re: The Sky At Night might be cancelled!
Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 3:58 pm
by Smivs
Great news! The petition was successful and Sky at Night will
return in the New Year. It will be a monthly half-hour show on BBC4 (repeated on BBC2), but there is no news yet regarding presenters or format.
The hope now is that it will continue to be a serious science program, and won't get dumbed-down. Watch this space.
Re: The Sky At Night might be cancelled!
Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 5:04 pm
by jacksy
Who would you like to see take over the presenting?
Re: The Sky At Night might be cancelled!
Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 6:05 pm
by Smivs
jacksy wrote:Who would you like to see take over the presenting?
You know, I really hadn't thought about that!
<wanders off to have a think...>
Re: The Sky At Night might be cancelled!
Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 10:58 pm
by Tricky
I wouldn't mind them picking someone who is unknown. So long as they can engage with the audience and explain the information in a simple yet adult manner. None of the type of presenting you would find in Bang goes the theory. If they do pick someone famous, then I hope they haven't been brought in just because they are famous.
Re: The Sky At Night might be cancelled!
Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 11:08 pm
by Cody
Phil Plait would make a pretty good presenter, I reckon.
Re: The Sky At Night might be cancelled!
Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 11:28 pm
by Tricky
Cody wrote:Phil Plait would make a pretty good presenter, I reckon.
I watched a great Ted talk online by him.
Phil Plait: How to defend Earth from asteroids
Re: The Sky At Night got saved
Posted: Mon Nov 25, 2013 1:52 pm
by drew
I'll do it.
Cheers,
Drew.