Omnibus (broadcast)

Omnibus (broadcast)

An omnibus (or omnibus edition) is a compilation of daily television or radio episodes that is re-broadcast during the following weekend. The term has been most frequently used in the United Kingdom, though it has also been used in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. An omnibus is similar to, but distinct from, what is called a marathon in other countries. In an omnibus, individual episodes are edited together into a single programme, whereas in a marathon the episodes are aired separately but in sequence.

Brookside was the first television soap to have what was called an omnibus edition, in 1991; it continued until the series ended in 2003. EastEnders introduced the equivalent of an omnibus edition starting in the 1980s, but the term "omnibus" was not used until the 1990s.