May 1977 highlights  Ten years after colour transmission had begun on BBC2; but four out of the eight schools programmes on this day were still being shown in black-and-white. The afternoon's children's output now started earlier than ever, at 3.55, as in September 1976 the Evening News had shifted to 5.40 and Nationwide was now at 5.55 (never quite worked out why!) where it stayed until 1981. The Midday News, meanwhile, had been extended from 5 to 15 minutes.
It was Badger Watch all week on BBC1 for ten minutes each night before closedown. For the first time, we were told, infra-red cameras would give viewers a unique opportunity to observe a colony of wild badgers. In contrast, BBC2 offered an hour of bizarre comedy - but both were repeats, Monty Python and Spike Milligan. Other programmes of note this week include Saturday's Bruce's Choice, in which Mr Forsyth bowed out of the Generation Game (first time round anyway); and a show more associated with the 1960s, Z Cars, was still going, with its latest series showing on Tuesdays at 8.10. The Queen's Silver Jubilee was marked with a series of plays on Tuesdays at 6.50, under the banner Jubilee, reflecting life in the last 25 years. The Radio 1 schedule remained largely static, although Johnnie Walker had departed in 1976 to be replaced by Paul Burnett on the lunchtime show. Meanwhile, David 'Kid' Jensen stood in for DLT on the teatime show; and John Dunn had settled into the equivalent Radio 2 slot which he would occupy, one and off, for the next two decades.
 And in Radio Times 7-13 May 1977 Price 12p
RT marked Badger Watch with a detailed colour feature; but the front cover was given over to Out of this World, BBC1's documentary about UFOs. Although not actually appearing in the programme, Patrick Moore (right) contributed Radio Times's lead story. BBC2 and Radio Times took a look at the recent Annan Report on the Future of Broadcasting. Some of its rather bleak findings: BBC TV - our general impression is that the overall standard of the BBC's television output is declining; ITV - much of ITV's output seems settled in well-worn grooves, safe, stereotyped and routine in production; Local Radio - is in a mess; Some television entertainment programmes - maudlin fabrications, full of phoney sentiment, pandering to to cupidity, snobbery and self-advertisment. However, they did acknowledge that although 'there are a number of terrible programmes... they are counterbalanced by some brilliant and imaginative work, the envy of broadcasters all over the world'.
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