Shorter news programmes on bank holidays: an anachronism

Remember the good old days of the British bank holiday? A day off work for millions. Maybe a trip to the seaside?

These days bank holidays are very different.

While some companies still give their staff the day off, many businesses open as usual. On a typical high street everything will be open apart from the banks.

That is, of course, if you still have a bank on your high street. In recent years huge numbers of branches have closed, causing very real worries for those who prefer traditional banking and those with broader concerns about town centres.

Some bank holidays are not observed in particular towns or even nations. The August bank holiday is not marked in Scotland where there is a holiday on St Andrew’s Day (though few would notice it).

For many of us who will be working normally, the only real evidence of a bank holiday is the TV schedule.

The major channels still depart from their normal schedules on Bank Holiday Mondays, though to nothing like the extent they used to.

Not so long ago, it was very different.

Take a typical BBC One bank holiday in the late-eighties or nineties – children’s programmes from 7am to late morning, sport or a film in the afternoon, short news bulletins at random times and an evening schedule with little but, say, Wogan or EastEnders to remind you it was a Monday.

Tomorrow could be called semi-normal.

The big change on BBC One is that the News at One, regional news and News at Ten are shorter than usual. The Six is replaced by a shorter bulletin at 6.30pm.

Even this is still closer to normality than a few years ago. There has been a trend on BBC One towards running the news closer to its normal times during holiday periods.

In the event of a major story, it can be safely assumed that the Ten might be extended to its normal duration.

The time has surely come for BBC One to go the whole hog and plan on the assumption it will run completely normal news programmes on bank holidays – it is already 80pc of the way there.

Yes, there may need to be a bit more foreign news or pre-planned items. There would be nothing from the courts or parliament. But there are plenty of good stories – especially issue-driven pieces and human stories – which can be squeezed out on busy days.

I cannot believe Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland would face problems providing a normal half-hour programme at 6.30pm either.

In the English regions, there is a greater reliance generally on features and human stories. Surely it would be business as usual for them? The only question is about resourcing as they are often tight ships.

The main news programmes are the cornerstone of BBC One and the bank holiday service is anachronistic.

There’s nothing wrong with having a few bank holiday treats within the schedule – Planet Earth III in the afternoon or The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse at teatime.

But news staff should be working normally unless they have booked a day’s leave.

And news programmes should not be routinely curtailed or rescheduled.

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