Omnibus

Omnibus was an arts-based BBC television documentary series, broadcast mainly on BBC1 in the United Kingdom. The programme was the successor to the long-running arts-based series 'Monitor'. It ran from 1967 until 2003, usually being transmitted on Sunday evenings. During its 35-year history, the programme won 12 Bafta awards. Among the series' best remembered documentaries are Cracked Actor, a profile of David Bowie, and Rene Magritte, a graduate film by David Wheatley, “Madonna: Behind the American dream”, a film produced by Nadia Hagger, and a profile of the British film director Ridley Scott. For a season in 1982, the series was in a magazine format presented by Barry Norman. In 2001, the BBC announced that the programme was being switched to BBC2, prompting accusations that the Corporation was further marginalising its arts programming. Regarded as its "flagship arts programme", 'Omnibus' was one of only two regular arts platforms still broadcast by the BBC. In late 2002 the BBC announced that 'Omnibus' was being axed the following year. The series was replaced by Imagine hosted by Alan Yentob.