Alternatives to the BBC Red Button?

[alywin]

The BBC are due to switch off the Red Button service (presumably only the teletext?!) next month. I always found it a very good way of catching up with news headlines in a number of fields if I got home late - a couple of minutes would probably be enough to skim the headlines, rather than switching on e.g. the BBC News Channel and waiting half an hour while they run through everything.

Can anyone suggest anything else which does something similar, ideally without you having to go online? I fear the answer will be no, but thought I might as well try asking.

[Sir Velo]

The BBC has this helpful article

[LMcD]

The BBC has this helpful article

France 24 usually displays headlines from the UK and elsewhere along the bottom of the screen. It's available on Freeview, Freesat and Sky.

[DracoM]

Thx for France 24.

[Dave2002]

The BBC has this helpful article

Looks as though the BBC has totally missed the point that some people don't want to go online, and that some people don't want to have to watch even 30 minutes of "news" to get the headlines. It doesn't bother me too much personally, but other people may find quick access to news outlines on devices they have and can use easily more useful than the other suggestions the BBC has come back with.

[alywin]

Looks as though the BBC has totally missed the point that some people don't want to go online, and that some people don't want to have to watch even 30 minutes of "news" to get the headlines. It doesn't bother me too much personally, but other people may find quick access to news outlines on devices they have and can use easily more useful than the other suggestions the BBC has come back with.

Exactly. The speed was the thing. And updating the travel news in the mornings while watching breakfast TV, which only gave you an update maybe every 20 minutes ... And I really can't see things like scores in minor tennis tournaments, for example, ever making it onto the news.

Thanks for all the replies. I wasn't aware that France24 was on Freeview - will take a look.

[LMcD]

Exactly. The speed was the thing. And updating the travel news in the mornings while watching breakfast TV, which only gave you an update maybe every 20 minutes ... And I really can't see things like scores in minor tennis tournaments, for example, ever making it onto the news.

Thanks for all the replies. I wasn't aware that France24 was on Freeview - will take a look.

Channel 110, I believe.

[Andrew]

I'm not sure if a certain BBC reporter was being humorous, but a few nights ago there was a report on the latest machinations of the government of The Democratic People's Republic Of Korea (that's North Korea's official title-although how the word "Democratic" applies is a mystery to me....) Anyway, the reporter ended his piece to camera with the phrase "...and if you want to find out more about North Korea's weapons, press the red button"........ Sorry? North Korean weapons...RED button.... I just can't quite believe he was being ironic, or did that slip under the editor's radar?

[Rover_KE]

Channel 110, I believe.

Thanks for that info.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The teletext service must cost a pittance to maintain. Meanwhile they waste megabucks on a daily basis, such as sending reporters to stand in a puddle in Cockermouth, waiting for the floodwaters to rise, and telling people ad nauseam what they're doing all day.

[LMcD]

The teletext service must cost a pittance to maintain. Meanwhile they waste megabucks on a daily basis, such as sending reporters to stand in a puddle in Cockermouth, waiting for the floodwaters to rise, and telling people ad nauseam what they're doing all day.

Clive Myrie's reports from Australia are becoming progressively less informative - I guess he's required to appear every night in order to justify the cost of sending him out there.

[kernelbogey]

I'm working out how to begin to have less news in my life. Essentially it's a product, now, and competing organisations are vying for my attention.

I don't have the answer to this thread, at the moment, in relation to news. But last summer I discovered that the red button was in use for the Wiimbledon coverage, and you could switch between up to (IIRC) sixteen matches, Is this, too, being abandoned?

[LMcD]

I'm working out how to begin to have less news in my life. Essentially it's a product, now, and competing organisations are vying for my attention.

I don't have the answer to this thread, at the moment, in relation to news. But last summer I discovered that the red button was in use for the Wiimbledon coverage, and you could switch between up to (IIRC) sixteen matches, Is this, too, being abandoned?

Fear not - it's only the news reports that are being dropped. Other red button facilities are being retained.

[alywin]

I don't have the answer to this thread, at the moment, in relation to news. But last summer I discovered that the red button was in use for the Wiimbledon coverage, and you could switch between up to (IIRC) sixteen matches, Is this, too, being abandoned?

Thankfully, no - and nor will the Olympic coverage etc. be. Red Button is way too useful for additional sports, Glasto etc. coverage.

[teamsaint]

Thankfully, no - and nor will the Olympic coverage etc. be. Red Button is way too useful for additional sports, Glasto etc. coverage.

I just had a look at the BBC announcements about this. Basically , they want everybody to behave themselves and go online, and the days of the red button video choices are probably numbered, as the options are gradually moved online.
So some people , probably mostly the elderly, will have to add a broadband package to their outgoings on top of the licence fee to retain the same viewing options.