The Newsroom

8pm BBC News summary axed

(May 2018)

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CI
cityprod
I have always assumed that when the BBC wanted to rename Inside Ulster with a non-geographic brand, they arrived at the non-word that is "Newsline" simply by (almost) ripping-off UTV's former* "Newstime" brand (*I think/assume that UTV had already ditched the "Newstime" name before BBC Newsline ever came along?).

NewsLINE also sounds like it should be the name of their newsroom phone number (for viewers to call if they have a story), rather than the name of the actual TV news bulletins.

But how did UTV themselves ever arrive at such a mind-bogglingly twee sounding (and non-word) name to begin with?! Despite having the word "news" within it, "Newstime" somehow sounds decidedly un-newsy (or at least not serious and/or grown-up news, more like dumbed-down news aimed at either idiots or children. Or both).


Newstime is an old name , goes back to the 1950s on the BBC, where the show a clock before the news, and the words NEWS TIME would appear over the top of the clock. It was also used for the original combined Radio 1 and 2 bulletins on the half hour, and can be heard on The John Baker Tapes album on track one, the Newstime intro that Baker created. "This is Radio 1 and 2. The time is half past 7, Newstime."
SP
Spencer
I have always assumed that when the BBC wanted to rename Inside Ulster with a non-geographic brand, they arrived at the non-word that is "Newsline" simply by (almost) ripping-off UTV's former* "Newstime" brand (*I think/assume that UTV had already ditched the "Newstime" name before BBC Newsline ever came along?).

NewsLINE also sounds like it should be the name of their newsroom phone number (for viewers to call if they have a story), rather than the name of the actual TV news bulletins.

But how did UTV themselves ever arrive at such a mind-bogglingly twee sounding (and non-word) name to begin with?! Despite having the word "news" within it, "Newstime" somehow sounds decidedly un-newsy (or at least not serious and/or grown-up news, more like dumbed-down news aimed at either idiots or children. Or both).

It is only beaten by ITV Border's long-standing "Lookaround" brand (yet another non-word!) for inexplicable twee-ness.

Utterly bizarre. Confused


‘Spotlight’ and ‘Calendar’ also rank quite highly in the twee regional news name stakes.
RI
Richard
I have always assumed that when the BBC wanted to rename Inside Ulster with a non-geographic brand, they arrived at the non-word that is "Newsline" simply by (almost) ripping-off UTV's former* "Newstime" brand (*I think/assume that UTV had already ditched the "Newstime" name before BBC Newsline ever came along?).

For several years until 1992, the Saturday edition of Inside Ulster was called “Inside Ulster Newsline” so I assumed they got it from that.


Ulster Newstime was renamed UTV Live in January 1993, and Newsline 6:30 started on 12th February 1996. I remember them trailing it (on the last main edition of Inside Ulster the precious Friday) as having more lighter features given the ceasefires, although the IRA called off their ceasefire the very second the last Inside Ulster came off the air meaning the first Newsline 6:30 the following Monday had lots of serious news.

Not sure when the BBC NI short bulletins between programmes started but I think it was several years later, after the genetic look launched.
BR
Brekkie
Never really made sense that the 8pm bulletin was introduced around the time the daytime summaries were axed as being irrelevant in the days of 24 hour news, though arguably with the direction the news channel has gone in lately they're needed now more than ever.

I'd certainly like to see a red button summary bought back so you could get a 2-3 min summary on demand. Sadly now BBC News video seems to all be a bit BuzzFeed.
sjhoward and Woodpecker gave kudos
IS
Inspector Sands
Don't they do an on demand bulletin online?

The BBC News 'flash briefing' on Amazon Echo etc is quite good. If I want a news summary these days I use that
CR
Critique
Where does the audio for the BBC News bulletins on the Echo (and also Google Home) actually come from? There's no time check and they can be pretty detailed, and I can't say I ever recognise the newsreaders, so are they bespoke? I've switched to the Sky News headlines on my Google Home Mini (which come from the hour's Sky News Radio bulletin), as they're always 2 minutes long and generally cover more stories.
MI
m_in_m
Where does the audio for the BBC News bulletins on the Echo (and also Google Home) actually come from? There's no time check and they can be pretty detailed, and I can't say I ever recognise the newsreaders, so are they bespoke? I've switched to the Sky News headlines on my Google Home Mini (which come from the hour's Sky News Radio bulletin), as they're always 2 minutes long and generally cover more stories.

I thought the BBC Was clipped from Radio 2 but I've never listened to Radio 2 and then the Alexa bulletin straight after.
BR
Brekkie
Don't they do an on demand bulletin online?

The BBC News 'flash briefing' on Amazon Echo etc is quite good. If I want a news summary these days I use that

Can't see one on the app but good point about the Echo bulletins, even if it comes at the cost of Amazon and Google listening to everything you say.
CI
cityprod
Never really made sense that the 8pm bulletin was introduced around the time the daytime summaries were axed as being irrelevant in the days of 24 hour news, though arguably with the direction the news channel has gone in lately they're needed now more than ever.

I'd certainly like to see a red button summary bought back so you could get a 2-3 min summary on demand. Sadly now BBC News video seems to all be a bit BuzzFeed.


I never thought that the short news summaries were irrelevant with the arrival of News 24, in fact I thought they were a good alternative to the longform 24 hour news channel. A quick update for about 2 minutes or so, is much more easy to digest than longform bulletins. Heck, it's why radio keeps doing those quick updates at the top of the hour, even commercial radio, as it is a way to keep updated with minimal interruption to the flow of programming.
Woodpecker and Brekkie gave kudos
:-(
A former member
Channel 5 got it right in their early days...
BM
BM11
I am suprised they didn't try at least doing only the national part - with the regional part cut.
MA
mannewskev
Where does the audio for the BBC News bulletins on the Echo (and also Google Home) actually come from? There's no time check and they can be pretty detailed, and I can't say I ever recognise the newsreaders, so are they bespoke? I've switched to the Sky News headlines on my Google Home Mini (which come from the hour's Sky News Radio bulletin), as they're always 2 minutes long and generally cover more stories.


5live.

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