[Jimbo2022]

You can't compare it to BBC1 but when I was at junior school so in the mid 70s yes the licence fee was less - but

BBC1 and BBC2 transmitters were on air from 0600 and carried Open University prior to 0800 approx. BBC2 did the same

On other days OU was on on Saturdays until around 1500 on BBC2 and on Sundays until around the same time.

But bbc1 core programmes ran at lunchtime and after 1555 fir children then the news then entertainment in the evening. Daytime was schools programmes outside that

BBC2 had OU during the week at 1650-1800 approx. Most nights BBC2 started around 1900 rather like BBC3/4 do today.

After 1972 after play school BBC2 would close down completely until 1600.

So they were not full time services. Bbc1 started daytime output in 1983 after schools were moved to BBC2 daytime.

If the BBC cannot afford the news channel they should put proper resources into the main channels and leave it at that. Back to basics in other words.

Many countries only have one or two main public channels. The BBC actually has 7 TV networks and 9 channels. Four if them are timeshared. BBC Parliament inky exists because the BBC took over responsibility for it in 1998 from UAP.

Although the current generation if viewers are used to multiple channels it would possibly make a better BBC if only they did not feel they had to do everything.