Search This Blog

Friday, May 27, 2005

It's an edu-ma-cation

Sometimes nocturnal television can actually be educational, you know - or at least it can if you don't have satellite or cable, and don't fancy repeats of the ITV daytime schedule. Last night, for instance, BBC2's late night schools' programming had a show on contemporary art. Among those featured was sculptor Laura Ford, who creates figures of children, dancers, and animals which, in their form and the materials used, have an almost eerie effect.

The early hours can also be useful for improving your language skills, with both Open University shows and school pupil level shows, and BBC News 24 interviews with assorted European political types (turns out the French Prime Minister chappie was largely understandable without resorting to subtitles when interviewed on the EU constitution vote this Sunday).

Should your eyes decide they need a rest, the radio schedules are also a veritable feast of information overnight, with 5 Live's Up All Night keeping us informed on the latest in the USA, the antipodes and Africa, and Radio 4 turning over to the BBC World Service. Drifting off while listening, you can almost obtain information by osmosis, the only side effect being the presence of figures and situations from the news in your dreams.

In fact, compared to a lot of daytime media scheduling, the person who wishes to be well-informed would do well to consider insomnia - okay, so you miss out on sunshine and light, but it turns out there's a pretty good pay off.

No comments: