moonstorm
29-05-2008, 13:17
What The Papers Say Is Axed
Britain's second longest-running television programme - What The Papers Say - has been axed by the BBC.
The BBC has also dropped coverage of the annual What the Papers Say awards, which were launched in 1957.
What the Papers Say, a weekly 10-minute programme featuring commentators reviewing the best and worst offerings from the press, has been on air for 52 years, starting in 1956 on ITV before transferring to Channel 4 and then BBC Two in 1989.
The first programme was fronted by Brian Inglis, then deputy editor of The Spectator.
The corporation said it had decided to take up a new series as the way news was now consumed had changed. The final episode of What the Papers Say aired in March this year.
"After careful consideration we have decided not to take the option to commission the next series of What the Papers Say," a BBC spokeswoman said.
"It has had a great run with us, but the media environment has changed dramatically and so has the way our audience consumes the news.
"We already provide this service to our audience through many BBC outlets and will continue to explore new ways to do so."
ITV Productions, which makes the show, said it was looking for another home for the programme.
"The series, and its prestigious awards ceremony, has had a home with the BBC for the last decade and we very much hope to find it a new home in which to continue its proud tradition," an ITV spokeswoman said.
"What The Papers Say is a unique and iconic show which has been an important part of the British television landscape for more than 50 years."
Britain's second longest-running television programme - What The Papers Say - has been axed by the BBC.
The BBC has also dropped coverage of the annual What the Papers Say awards, which were launched in 1957.
What the Papers Say, a weekly 10-minute programme featuring commentators reviewing the best and worst offerings from the press, has been on air for 52 years, starting in 1956 on ITV before transferring to Channel 4 and then BBC Two in 1989.
The first programme was fronted by Brian Inglis, then deputy editor of The Spectator.
The corporation said it had decided to take up a new series as the way news was now consumed had changed. The final episode of What the Papers Say aired in March this year.
"After careful consideration we have decided not to take the option to commission the next series of What the Papers Say," a BBC spokeswoman said.
"It has had a great run with us, but the media environment has changed dramatically and so has the way our audience consumes the news.
"We already provide this service to our audience through many BBC outlets and will continue to explore new ways to do so."
ITV Productions, which makes the show, said it was looking for another home for the programme.
"The series, and its prestigious awards ceremony, has had a home with the BBC for the last decade and we very much hope to find it a new home in which to continue its proud tradition," an ITV spokeswoman said.
"What The Papers Say is a unique and iconic show which has been an important part of the British television landscape for more than 50 years."