Omnibus (British TV programme)

Last updated

Omnibus
Genre Documentary
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Production
Running time43 minutes
Original release
Network BBC One (1967–2001)
BBC Two (2001–2003)
Release13 October 1967 (1967-10-13) 
8 January 2003 (2003-01-08)

Omnibus is a British documentary series broadcast mainly on BBC One. The programme was the successor to the arts-based series Monitor . It ran from 1967 until 2003, usually being transmitted on Sunday evenings. During its 35-year history, the programme won 12 British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards.

Contents

History

For one season in 1982, the series was in a magazine format presented by Barry Norman. [1] In 2001, the BBC announced that the programme was being switched to BBC Two, prompting accusations that the corporation was further marginalising its arts programming. [2] BBC controller of arts commissioning Roly Keating defended the move, saying "the documentary strand will be able to tackle a wider range of subjects." [2] Regarded as its "flagship arts programme", Omnibus was one of only two regular arts programmes broadcast by the BBC. In late 2002, the BBC announced that Omnibus would be cancelled the following year, to be replaced by the arts series Imagine , hosted by Alan Yentob. [3]

Selected list of programmes

Among the series' best remembered documentaries are:

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ITV Granada</span> Channel 3 regional service for North West England

ITV Granada, formerly known as Granada Television, is the ITV franchisee for the North West of England and Isle of Man. From 1956 to 1968 it broadcast to both the north west and Yorkshire on weekdays only, as ABC Weekend Television was its weekend counterpart. Granada's parent company Granada plc later bought several other regional ITV stations and, in 2004, merged with Carlton Communications to form ITV plc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BBC One</span> British television channel

BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's oldest and flagship channel, and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, primetime drama and entertainment, and live BBC Sport events.

<i>The World at War</i> 1973 British television documentary series

The World at War is a 26-episode British documentary television series that chronicles the events of the Second World War. Produced in 1973 at a cost of £900,000, it was the most expensive factual series ever made at the time. It was produced by Jeremy Isaacs, narrated by Laurence Olivier and included music composed by Carl Davis. The book, The World at War, published the same year, was written by Mark Arnold-Forster to accompany the TV series.

<i>The News Quiz</i> British topical radio panel show

The News Quiz is a British topical panel game broadcast on BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in 1977. The show, created by John Lloyd from an idea by Nicholas Parsons, has seen several hosts, including Barry Norman, Barry Took, Simon Hoggart, Sandi Toksvig, and Miles Jupp. Andy Zaltzman was announced as the permanent host after series 103. The show involves four panellists, often comedians or journalists, who answer questions about events of the previous week, often leading to humorous and satirical exchanges. The show was adapted for television in 1981 and has also inspired other shows.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barry Norman</span> British film critic

Barry Leslie Norman was a British film critic, television presenter and journalist. He presented the BBC's cinema review programme, Film..., from 1972 to 1998.

Michael Richard Jackson is a British television producer and executive. He was one of only three people to have been Controller of both BBC1 and BBC2, the main television channels of the British Broadcasting Corporation, and for being the first media studies graduate to reach a senior level in the British media. He was also the Chief Executive of British television station, Channel 4, between 1997 and 2001. In 2018, he co-founded Two Cities TV, with Wall to Wall Media founder and ex-CEO Alex Graham

<i>World in Action</i> British investigative current affairs programme

World in Action was a British investigative current affairs programme made by Granada Television for ITV from 7 January 1963 until 7 December 1998. Its campaigning journalism frequently had a major impact on events of the day. Its production teams often took audacious risks, and the programme gained a solid reputation for its often-unorthodox approach. The series was sold around the world and won numerous awards. In its heyday, World in Action drew audiences of up to 23 million in Britain alone, equivalent to almost half the population.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BBC television drama</span>

BBC television dramas have been produced and broadcast since even before the public service company had an officially established television broadcasting network in the United Kingdom. As with any major broadcast network, drama forms an important part of its schedule, with many of the BBC's top-rated programmes being from this genre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harry Thompson</span> English novelist and biographer

Harry William Thompson was an English radio and television producer, comedy writer, novelist and biographer. He was the creator of the dark humour television series Monkey Dust, screened between 2003 and 2005.

Film '71Film 2018 is a British film review television programme, which was usually broadcast on BBC One. The title of the show changed each year to incorporate the year of broadcast until its cancellation in December 2018.

<i>Natural World</i> (TV series) British TV series or programme

Natural World is a strand of British wildlife documentary programmes broadcast on BBC Two and BBC Two HD and regarded by the BBC as its flagship natural history series. It is the longest-running documentary in its genre on British television, with nearly 500 episodes broadcast since its inception in 1983. Natural World programmes are typically one-off films that take an in-depth look at particular natural history events, stories or subjects from around the globe.

The Late Show (1989–1995) was a British television arts magazine programme that was broadcast on BBC2 weeknights at 11.15pm—directly after Newsnight—often referred to as the "graveyard slot" in terms of television scheduling.

Sir Humphrey McGuire Burton is an English classical music television presenter, broadcaster, director, producer, impresario, lecturer and biographer of musicians. Burton was knighted in the 2020 New Year Honours for services to classical music, the arts and the media.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neil Nightingale</span>

Neil Nightingale is a British freelance wildlife filmmaker, executive producer and creative consultant with over 35 years experience at the BBC. From 2009 to 2018 he was the creative director of BBC Earth, BBC Worldwide's global brand for all BBC nature and science content.

<i>Omnibus</i> (American TV program) American educational television series

Omnibus was an American, commercially sponsored, educational variety television series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sidney Bernstein, Baron Bernstein</span> British businessman and media executive

Sidney Lewis Bernstein, Baron Bernstein was a British businessman and media executive who was the founding chairman of the London-based Granada Group and the founder of the Manchester-based Granada Television in 1954. Granada was one of the original four ITA franchises. He believed the North's media industry had potential to be cultivated.

David Rogerson Wheatley was a British film and television director.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Selwyn Gilbert</span> British television producer

John Selwyn Winzer Gilbert is a BAFTA nominated British television scriptwriter, director and producer who joined the BBC in 1969 as a Production Director to help to set up the Open University and who between 1979 and 1983 made a number of documentaries about the excavation and raising of the Mary Rose.

Norman Leslie Megahey was a British television producer, director and writer.

Herbert Reginald Chappell was a British conductor, composer and film-maker, best known for his television scores.

References

  1. Barry Norman bio, the Curtis Brown Literary and Talent Agency
  2. 1 2 "BBC arts chief defends Omnibus switch" by Jason Deans, The Guardian , 6 February 2001
  3. "BBC to axe Omnibus, its arts flagship" by Catherine Milner, The Daily Telegraph , 3 November 2002
  4. Obituary: David Wheatley by Leslie Megahey, The Guardian , 13 April 2009
  5. Walker, John Albert (1993). Arts TV: A History of Arts Television in Britain. Indiana University Press. p. 188. ISBN   978-0-86196-435-2.