Community Programme Unit
Encyclopedia
The Community Programme Unit was established by the BBC
to help members of the public create programmes to be broadcast nationally.
The unit was set up in 1972 by influential producers such as Rowan Ayers
having won the approval of the Director of Programmes David Attenborough
for a series of ten programmes called Open Door
for BBC 2
. The first programme was broadcast on April 2nd, 1973.
Open Door evolved into Open Space
which by the end of the 1980s was receiving up to twenty proposals from the public for programmes every week. These proposals were evaluated by the CPU's staff three or four times a year and a shortlist of six to eight potential programmes to fill the next series was drawn up. The programmes would usually highlight a group or point of view that was underrepresented or misrepresented in British broadcasting,
With the increased availability and quality of domestic video equipment
the CPU started compiling and broadcasting a series of Video Diaries
which in turn evolved into Video Nation
.
The Community Programme Unit suffered from the budget cuts at the BBC and had been disbanded by 2004.
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
to help members of the public create programmes to be broadcast nationally.
The unit was set up in 1972 by influential producers such as Rowan Ayers
Rowan Ayers
Rowan Ayers was a television producer and poet. He was best known as producer of BBC's Line-Up and Late Night Line-Up in the 1960s. He was the originator of BBCs influential late night rock music show Old Grey Whistle Test and the long-running Points of View...
having won the approval of the Director of Programmes David Attenborough
David Attenborough
Sir David Frederick Attenborough OM, CH, CVO, CBE, FRS, FZS, FSA is a British broadcaster and naturalist. His career as the face and voice of natural history programmes has endured for more than 50 years...
for a series of ten programmes called Open Door
Open Door (BBC TV)
Open Door was a programme produced by the BBC's Community Programme Unit. It was first broadcast on April 2nd 1973.The programme gave people control of the airwaves and was a platform for the public to talk about its own issues and give their own views without editorial input.The programme was...
for BBC 2
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
. The first programme was broadcast on April 2nd, 1973.
Open Door evolved into Open Space
Open Space (BBC TV)
Open Space was a programme produced by the BBC's Community Programme Unit. It was an evolution of the earlier Open Door series of programmes allowing minority points of view to make a television programme about issues of concern to them...
which by the end of the 1980s was receiving up to twenty proposals from the public for programmes every week. These proposals were evaluated by the CPU's staff three or four times a year and a shortlist of six to eight potential programmes to fill the next series was drawn up. The programmes would usually highlight a group or point of view that was underrepresented or misrepresented in British broadcasting,
With the increased availability and quality of domestic video equipment
Camcorder
A camcorder is an electronic device that combines a video camera and a video recorder into one unit. Equipment manufacturers do not seem to have strict guidelines for the term usage...
the CPU started compiling and broadcasting a series of Video Diaries
Video Diaries
Video Diaries was a BBC television programme produced by the Community Programme Unit. The series of programmes was created in 1990 by producer Jeremy Gibson. The programme's production team offered members of the public basic video training and ongoing...
which in turn evolved into Video Nation
Video Nation
Video Nation was a BBC television project in social anthropology and audience interactivity. Beginning in 1993, the BBC encouraged people to record their lives on video. These video diaries were then shown on BBC TV and, from 2001-2011, were included on the BBC's website at .The original project...
.
The Community Programme Unit suffered from the budget cuts at the BBC and had been disbanded by 2004.
External links
- Massive cuts announced at BBC - BECTUBroadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph and Theatre UnionThe Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph and Theatre Union is a trade union in the United Kingdom. It has around 26,500 members who work in broadcasting, film, theatre, entertainment, leisure and interactive media....
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