It is twenty years since the television cameras were admitted to the House of Commons. Be ready to take issue with stories reporting that it is twenty years since ‘parliamentary broadcasting’ began. The House of Commons was catching up with the House of Lords, which had admitted the cameras in 1985. Indeed, there was a programme, ‘Their Lordships’ House’, broadcast late at night during this period. I gather it attracted rather good viewing figures for the time of evening it went out. Lord Denham thought this may be because it followed snooker and people forgot to turn off. It also attracted rather positive reviews. The programme disappeared as soon as the cameras started covering the Commons.
Twenty years? I can remember when it happened. Now I do feel old!
I’m still waiting for a fly-on-the-wall documentary about the work of the Lords, hopefully following one or more peers from this blog!
Jonathan: There have been one or two fly-on-the-wall documentaries about the Lords, though I think a new one would certainly be a good idea. Whether or not following some of us who contribute to the blog is a good idea is for others to determine!
And of course you forgot to mention the BBC’s most recent initiative:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/default.stm
Where ‘all’ video clips of Parliamentary proceedings can be found.
Senex: There is also BBC Parliament, which is extremely valuable not only for covering the chambers but also committees. It is a shame more use is not made of some of the material by the main channels.
http://www.parliamentlive.tv/
I watched most of the foreign affairs debate on this channel and only got cut off once. It then continued only losing the few words that had been cut by the loss of phone line contact.
Vastly preferable to watching in front of my Sitting room TV, but at my desk.
Parliament Channel (Sky)is increasingly being taken over by other interests, highly prejudiced BBC reports, being one. It can be useful to see a back edition from time to time.