BBC

Just added the "Variety Tier" to our cable line-up (like we really needed MORE channels!) - one of the reasons was to get BBC America. It was fun to see Changing Rooms, the "original" Trading Spaces. The Brits appear no less safe from goofy paint colors than their American counterparts -- loved it when the homeowner moaned that the color was "horrid" during the unveil.

Far more fascinating though was comparing the BBC World News with ABC's World News Tonight. The first thing I noticed was the pacing. The BBC spends a whole lot more time on their top stories. Apparently, the major US networks are under the impression that their average viewer's attention span is something like 1 minute 47 seconds. That time span alone was what the BBC allowed for an individual "sound bite" during a press conference about a Northern Ireland/IRA "peace" agreement (a story, by the way, unmentioned here in the States). In the US, a person is lucky to get out half a sentence if allowed a quote on the nightly news.

And who'd of thought that world news does not revolve completely around the United States?! The only US mentions during the newscast were the new steroid controversy (though no mention of high profile US athletes, Jason Giambi and Barry Bonds) and one video clip of President Dubya looking uncomfortable in his silk high-collared jacket at the APEC summit in Bangkok.

Even after just one viewing, it was evident that adding the BBC World News will give an American viewer a far different and broader perspective on the world (a rampant gun control problem in Brazil - 16 people killed by guns EVERY day in just Rio de Janeiro alone?!). While it may not be a daily viewing habit, I will certainly try to check in every now and then.