BBC Unveils its Red-Button Interactive TV Schedule for Next Two Weeks

Submitted by tracyswedlow on October 20, 2009 - 1:34am

The BBC announced last week the line-up of content that will be available through its red-button interactive TV service for the next two weeks and beyond:

From October 20th through 31st, digital viewers will be able to press red to access multiscreen and highlights coverage of the BBC Electric Proms, an annual concert series that brings together popular (rock, pop, R&B, hip-hop, drum & base, and more) and classical music traditions. Viewers on Freeview, Sky and Virgin Media will be able to access headline performances, such as Shirley Bassey and Smokey Robinson, both performing with the BBC Concert Orchestra. Viewers on Sky and Virgin Media will also be able to access additional content, including films from an initiative called "New Music Shorts" that saw the BBC inviting filmmakers to develop short films based on music from Florence and the Machine and Metronomy. In addition, through Tuesday evening (October 20th), the BBC is making available through the red button profiles of the Electric Proms' headline artists and the New Music Shorts initiative. (Note: the BBC Electric Proms red-button service is not available on the UK's free-to-air satellite platform, Freesat.)
Immediately after the show's Thursday night broadcast and after 9:00PM on select evenings throughout October and November, digital viewers can press red to see the stars of the BBC Two satirical music series, "Never Mind the Buzzcocks," debating what the BBC calls "an Issue of Cultural Importance." According to the corporation, the debates to date have "revolved around the relative merits of Brian Ferry and ferries, and just who is the greatest: legendary glam-rockers Wizzard or, er, wizards." (Note: not available on Freesat.)
Starting October 24th, following each episode's broadcast and on select evenings, digital viewers will be able to press red to access exclusive additional content from Armando Ianucci's political comedy, "The Thick of It." (Note: not available on Freesat.)
From 9:00AM-11:00AM on Saturday mornings, digital viewers can press red to watch a "visualization" of BBC Radio Five's "The Danny Baker Show." The visualization app presents viewers with video of Baker as he hosts his show, as well as text messages and pictures sent in by other viewers; access to a range of informational content, including the weekend's soccer tables, fixture lists, information on upcoming commentaries, sports news, and details of upcoming red-button content; and a range of what the BBC calls "unexpected content," including "spoof fixtures and unique animations as Danny sets up audience head-to-heads on the phone." (Note: not available on Freesat.)
On Thursday October 22nd and 29th, starting at 6:30PM, digital viewers in Scotland can press red to access uninterrupted coverage of "Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two" (note: in other areas, the show can be seen on BBC Two). However, due to bandwidth limitations, the October 22nd showing will not be available on Freeview. (Note: not available on Freesat.)
During the October 22nd and 29th broadcasts of the BBC One political panel talk show, "Question Time," viewers will, as always, be able to view information on the show's panelists and discussion topics, as well as a selection of comments texted in by viewers, on Red Button page 155.
On weekdays, around the clock, digital viewers can press red to access Video Choice, a recently launched feature on the BBC News Multiscreen application. The feature consists of a two-minute package of highlights which is billed as featuring the day's best picture stories, and which is put together by BBC News's On Demand team. On weekends, the daily highlights package is replaced by a topical video interview, entitled "Five Minutes with..." (Note: not available on Freesat or Freeview.)
A range of soccer-themed programming continues to be available through the red button: on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings, digital viewers can press red to access "Lawro's Friday Focus," a show in which commentator, Mark Lawrenson, shares his predictions for the weekend's games; from 2:30PM on Saturday afternoons and on select midweek evenings, viewers can press red to access the soccer results show, "Final Score"; and on Sunday mornings until noon, viewers can press red to access the BBC One Football League round-up show, "The Football League Show."
On October 24th, starting at 5:15PM, digital viewers can press red to access live coverage of the soccer championship match between Derby County and Queen's Park Rangers, with an additional audio option (Note: the audio option will not be available on Freeview.)
In the run-up to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, digital viewers will be able to press red to access coverage of all on-track sessions, including Friday and Saturday practice and qualifying sessions. They will also be able to access re-runs of classic Grands Prix. Then, during the race itself, they will be able to access a choice of three streams featuring split-screen in-car camera feeds, leaderboards and rolling highlights, with the option of listening to either network or BBC Radio 5 Live commentary. Finally, after the race has been run, digital viewers will be able to access a post-race analysis show, and, the BBC says, highlights will probably also be available the following day. (Note: red-button coverage of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is available October 28th-November 3rd.)
On October 24th and 25th, digital viewers will be able to press red to access supplemental coverage-- including Saturday-afternoon qualifying sessions, re-runs and highlights--of MotoGP racing.
On October 30th, starting at 7:00PM, digital viewers will be able to press red to access live coverage of cycling's Track World Championships in Manchester.
On October 23rd and 30th, starting at 7:00PM, digital viewers will be able to access live coverage of Celtic League rugby matches (together with various audio options) between the Scarlets and the Newport Dragons and between the Ospreys and the Glasgow Warriors respectively. This coverage, and all the sports coverage listed above, is offered through the BBC Sport Multiscreen, a 24/7 red-button application that provides up to five screens of extra coverage as well as round-the-clock headlines.