Omnibus (broadcast)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
An omnibus (or omnibus edition) is a compilation of several television or radio episodes into a single instalment. An omnibus is similar to, but distinct from, what is called a marathon in other countries; In an omnibus, individual episodes are edited together (with the first episode having its closing credits removed, the final episode having the opening credits removed, and each episode in between lacking any credits whatsoever) into a single programme, whereas in a marathon the episodes are aired separately but in sequence. The term has been most frequently used in the United Kingdom, though it has also been used in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
Brookside was the first television soap to have what was called an omnibus edition, in 1982; it continued until the series stopped showing the weekly prime time episodes in 2002 and the series moved to what was the omnibus slot to become extended episodes before ending a year later. EastEnders introduced the equivalent of an omnibus edition starting in 1985, but the term "omnibus" was not used until the 1990s.
In the United Kingdom, many soap operas have been regularly repeated in omnibus format; For example, both EastEnders[1][2] and Hollyoaks[3][4] air on weekends in an omnibus edition that compiles episodes previously aired during the week. Serials such as The Sarah Jane Adventures[5] and Dead Set[6] have been presented as complete storylines in this format.
Omnibus formatting has also been used on home video; for example, the first home video releases of Doctor Who from BBC Studios Distribution re-formatted each serial into a "feature-length adventure".[7][8]
Programmes that are or have been transmitted in omnibus format in the UK include:
Television:
| Programme | Years | Channel(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Brookside | 1982–2002 1995–2001 | Channel 4 UK Living (classics) |
| Coronation Street | 1989–2011 2012–2023 1996–2004 | ITV ITV2 Granada Plus (classics) |
| Doctor Who | 1971–1977 1992-2007 2008 2013 2015 | BBC One UK Gold Drama |
| EastEnders | 1985–2015 2016–2018 1992–2001 | BBC One W UK Gold (classics) |
| Emmerdale | 2000–present 2004–present | ITV2 ITV3 |
| The Bill | 1992–2001 | UK Gold (classics) |
| Hollyoaks | 1995–present 2001–present | Channel 4 (part of T4) E4 |
| Home and Away | 1999–2000 1999–2002 2001–2005 2006–present 2015 | ITV2 UK Living (classics) Channel 5 5Star Viva |
| Neighbours | 1993–2001 2008–2022 2015 | UK Gold (classics) 5STAR Viva |
Radio:
| Programme | Years | Channel(s) |
|---|---|---|
| The Archers | 1952–64 1964–67 1967-present | BBC Light Programme BBC Home Service BBC Radio 4 |
Internet:
- EastEnders: E20 (January 2010 on BBC Red Button and BBC iPlayer; April 2010 – October 2011 on BBC Three)
Other countries
- The Bill (from 1987 to 1999 on ABC Television (Australia)
- Coronation Street on CBC Television (Canada)
- Shortland Street on TV2 (New Zealand)
- Isidingo on SABC 3 (South Africa)
- Generations on SABC 1 (South Africa)
- 7de Laan on SABC 2 (South Africa)