BF
I remember back when they did have Sky Central as the backdrop all the time, people on here weren't fans of it so it's quite funny to see us looking at it with rose-tinted glasses now.
I do think it'd be worth showing a bit of Sky Central again - Kay's shift works using the screen as a backdrop but corridor backdrop in particular is awful - it just makes the channel look small-time and feels the furthest thing from the 'hub of news' you'd want a studio to be.
While some of the backdrops weren't the best when they moved in (and often were the back of stairs) it did at least give you a sense of how large the building was and the size of operation Sky was.
http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Sky-News-new-studio-e1477322480305.jpg
I do think it'd be worth showing a bit of Sky Central again - Kay's shift works using the screen as a backdrop but corridor backdrop in particular is awful - it just makes the channel look small-time and feels the furthest thing from the 'hub of news' you'd want a studio to be.
While some of the backdrops weren't the best when they moved in (and often were the back of stairs) it did at least give you a sense of how large the building was and the size of operation Sky was.
http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Sky-News-new-studio-e1477322480305.jpg
:-(
A former member
To be honest a bit of colour in the distance is all that is needed.
ME
Absolutely love this view, not as good as Sky News Centre but a million times better than that hideous beige corridor littered with those bizarre rectangular light boxes that can’t decide whether they should be set to red, blue or both. What actually are they as they look more like mini screens when Sophy Ridge is on and seem to be animated in her shows style?
The problem for me at the moment is that everything is just so incoherent. You just don’t know what to expect when you tune in. Some shows have branding, some don’t. Some from the glass box, some from the new studio, some from Westminster (incidentally now the best studio as it still harks back to the Sky News Centre era with gallery backdrop and the classic blue/red combo)
I’m hopeful that with the changes on Monday we may start to see a bit more uniformity. To be honest, they could do with binning off the new studio altogether and starting again as it’s just not fit for purpose. Possibly for overnights but certainly not for their flagship show.
I’d also like to see a return to more rolling news, they’ve got more filler than B&Q at present and it shows. It seems to really slow down how quickly they can react to a breaking story and this was most notable on the night of the gas explosion in Leicester. I’m sure someone can come up with a more recent example but this sticks out as huge clanger because at the time it happened, there had been a wave of terror attacks in the UK and it was initially reported in Leicester City Centre as an ‘explosion’ with a huge emergency service response. This also happened right after Leicester City Game and the concern was that it could have been something more sinister that what it turned out. It took Sky ages to break out of The Pledge and they were really caught with their trousers down. The BBC on this occasion won hands down.
It’s such a shame because Sky News still has some really good talent and can still excel massively when it puts its heart into it. The outside broadcasts are particularly well put together when there has been a major incident (Paris/London/Manchester/Barcelona etc) but it just seems the quality of programming and delivery is being deliberately stifled in order to come across less showbiz and agenda led than its sister Fox across the pond.
In actual fact, that is what the UK is crying out for. An alternative to the bland predictable delivery of the BBC. We used to have it from Sky but the past few years have become so ‘safe’.
I remember back when they did have Sky Central as the backdrop all the time, people on here weren't fans of it so it's quite funny to see us looking at it with rose-tinted glasses now.
I do think it'd be worth showing a bit of Sky Central again - Kay's shift works using the screen as a backdrop but corridor backdrop in particular is awful - it just makes the channel look small-time and feels the furthest thing from the 'hub of news' you'd want a studio to be.
While some of the backdrops weren't the best when they moved in (and often were the back of stairs) it did at least give you a sense of how large the building was and the size of operation Sky was.
http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Sky-News-new-studio-e1477322480305.jpg
I do think it'd be worth showing a bit of Sky Central again - Kay's shift works using the screen as a backdrop but corridor backdrop in particular is awful - it just makes the channel look small-time and feels the furthest thing from the 'hub of news' you'd want a studio to be.
While some of the backdrops weren't the best when they moved in (and often were the back of stairs) it did at least give you a sense of how large the building was and the size of operation Sky was.
http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Sky-News-new-studio-e1477322480305.jpg
Absolutely love this view, not as good as Sky News Centre but a million times better than that hideous beige corridor littered with those bizarre rectangular light boxes that can’t decide whether they should be set to red, blue or both. What actually are they as they look more like mini screens when Sophy Ridge is on and seem to be animated in her shows style?
The problem for me at the moment is that everything is just so incoherent. You just don’t know what to expect when you tune in. Some shows have branding, some don’t. Some from the glass box, some from the new studio, some from Westminster (incidentally now the best studio as it still harks back to the Sky News Centre era with gallery backdrop and the classic blue/red combo)
I’m hopeful that with the changes on Monday we may start to see a bit more uniformity. To be honest, they could do with binning off the new studio altogether and starting again as it’s just not fit for purpose. Possibly for overnights but certainly not for their flagship show.
I’d also like to see a return to more rolling news, they’ve got more filler than B&Q at present and it shows. It seems to really slow down how quickly they can react to a breaking story and this was most notable on the night of the gas explosion in Leicester. I’m sure someone can come up with a more recent example but this sticks out as huge clanger because at the time it happened, there had been a wave of terror attacks in the UK and it was initially reported in Leicester City Centre as an ‘explosion’ with a huge emergency service response. This also happened right after Leicester City Game and the concern was that it could have been something more sinister that what it turned out. It took Sky ages to break out of The Pledge and they were really caught with their trousers down. The BBC on this occasion won hands down.
It’s such a shame because Sky News still has some really good talent and can still excel massively when it puts its heart into it. The outside broadcasts are particularly well put together when there has been a major incident (Paris/London/Manchester/Barcelona etc) but it just seems the quality of programming and delivery is being deliberately stifled in order to come across less showbiz and agenda led than its sister Fox across the pond.
In actual fact, that is what the UK is crying out for. An alternative to the bland predictable delivery of the BBC. We used to have it from Sky but the past few years have become so ‘safe’.
WA
Just finished rehearsals for new Sky News show and have to make way for someone who needs no rehearsal .... pic.twitter.com/xmNHmoqISM
— Mark Austin (@markaustintv) September 18, 2018
Beginning to feel at home here @SkyNews . The NewsHour weekdays 5pm from next Monday pic.twitter.com/d2rK4RjJEM
— Mark Austin (@markaustintv) September 18, 2018
BF
Great post. I do think Sky need to find a happy medium between their current approach which I agree feels far too timid and tepid and say what you get on CNN US where it's very loud and full of snazzy graphics but lacks much substance.
I don't think the look is too incoherent necessarily - most of the time it's Sky News at the top of the hour with a few specialist shows like 'All Out Politics' and 'Ian King Live' thrown in there (Sky News Tonight is basically Sky News but based in Westminster rather than Osterley) and you're never far from a news bulletin - especially in comparisons to some channels can be on weekends. And I think they're still quite quick on breaking news - certainly I can think of more examples where BBC have been slow off the mark.
The colour scheme too seems fairly consistent between the studios - a mix of blue, red and white.
The problem is that it feels like they could do so much more with their current branding while still keeping it simple and they've taken 'making it about the news' and making it 'less showbizzy' as making the presentation as nondescript as possible.
For example they changed the Westminster DTL from the below image which was quite nice looking to a dull all-white backdrop for no real reason:
You can still make the news the focus while having interesting presentation and a great look - Al Jazzera is a great example of that these days and ITN in the 90s too - the branding for both is pretty simple and both were very much focussed on the news but the presentation was great too.
The channel is frustrating as you can see there's the potential there for the channel to be fantastic but it's all a bit safe as you say these days.
I don't think the look is too incoherent necessarily - most of the time it's Sky News at the top of the hour with a few specialist shows like 'All Out Politics' and 'Ian King Live' thrown in there (Sky News Tonight is basically Sky News but based in Westminster rather than Osterley) and you're never far from a news bulletin - especially in comparisons to some channels can be on weekends. And I think they're still quite quick on breaking news - certainly I can think of more examples where BBC have been slow off the mark.
The colour scheme too seems fairly consistent between the studios - a mix of blue, red and white.
The problem is that it feels like they could do so much more with their current branding while still keeping it simple and they've taken 'making it about the news' and making it 'less showbizzy' as making the presentation as nondescript as possible.
For example they changed the Westminster DTL from the below image which was quite nice looking to a dull all-white backdrop for no real reason:
You can still make the news the focus while having interesting presentation and a great look - Al Jazzera is a great example of that these days and ITN in the 90s too - the branding for both is pretty simple and both were very much focussed on the news but the presentation was great too.
The channel is frustrating as you can see there's the potential there for the channel to be fantastic but it's all a bit safe as you say these days.
ME
Completely agree! That backdrop was brilliant and just disappeared without a trace for no apparent reason. It wasn’t around all that long either. Did we ever get a reason?
Your points regarding the presentation are spot on. It doesn’t have to be so non descript. In fact, Sunrise towards the end of Sky News Centre was the perfect balance in my opinion...
Not too in your face but didn’t look small time and felt like Sky News. That was another set of branding that didn’t seem to stick around long. It feels the best stuff comes and goes but the terrible stuff lingers on. I can’t for one second imagine that anyone at the channel is looking at the current output and thinking it is better than what has come before. In fact, I’m sure they are thinking quite the opposite so why are they taking so long to implement any changes.
Out of interest, are we in here optimistic that we will see some presentation changes on Monday or do we think it may just be the same shade of dull Sky News but with added names on the EPG
For example they changed the Westminster DTL from the below image which was quite nice looking to a dull all-white backdrop for no real reason:
Completely agree! That backdrop was brilliant and just disappeared without a trace for no apparent reason. It wasn’t around all that long either. Did we ever get a reason?
Your points regarding the presentation are spot on. It doesn’t have to be so non descript. In fact, Sunrise towards the end of Sky News Centre was the perfect balance in my opinion...
Not too in your face but didn’t look small time and felt like Sky News. That was another set of branding that didn’t seem to stick around long. It feels the best stuff comes and goes but the terrible stuff lingers on. I can’t for one second imagine that anyone at the channel is looking at the current output and thinking it is better than what has come before. In fact, I’m sure they are thinking quite the opposite so why are they taking so long to implement any changes.
Out of interest, are we in here optimistic that we will see some presentation changes on Monday or do we think it may just be the same shade of dull Sky News but with added names on the EPG
Last edited by mediamonkeyuk on 18 September 2018 10:55pm
TT
Have to say that when they went back to the old Studio for a couple of months at the end of last year and the start of this year, they had really really good presentation and the changes that they did to the old studio for the election.
It managed to both keep the magic of the Sky News Centre before the glass box was launched, whilst also making it seem less dated than it was before the pre-election overhaul, thanks to the newer galley background and the use of more white whilst also using deep blues.
The only real thing wrong with the old studio was the light bars in the presenter area which were badly faded (but never shown on TV) and the big screen which some of the panels that made it up didn't output exactly the same colours as ones next to it (wear I guess) which could probably be fixed by replacing with a bigger screen or replacing some of the small panels that made it up.
Personally the biggest issue for me with Sky News now is it's gone too bland (ironically did anyone notice that the One Show now has a very similar blue/red background area to what Sky used to have!) and it's just not First for Breaking News compared to BBC etc, so many times there's been filler on when news break and they simply don't break out of it. At that point I switch to the BBC and never go back.
Presenters are generally good for the most part and journalism is still good, and foreign correspondents exceptional., but as a channel, it's just not the must watch it used to be, I find myself watching the BBC more the last year, because it feels more fresh and less filler content. The slogan that Sky News used to have was something like "When You Need Us, We're there" but the problem is half the time lately it's felt like "When I need you, you're showing a filler so I switch to the BBC"
It managed to both keep the magic of the Sky News Centre before the glass box was launched, whilst also making it seem less dated than it was before the pre-election overhaul, thanks to the newer galley background and the use of more white whilst also using deep blues.
The only real thing wrong with the old studio was the light bars in the presenter area which were badly faded (but never shown on TV) and the big screen which some of the panels that made it up didn't output exactly the same colours as ones next to it (wear I guess) which could probably be fixed by replacing with a bigger screen or replacing some of the small panels that made it up.
Personally the biggest issue for me with Sky News now is it's gone too bland (ironically did anyone notice that the One Show now has a very similar blue/red background area to what Sky used to have!) and it's just not First for Breaking News compared to BBC etc, so many times there's been filler on when news break and they simply don't break out of it. At that point I switch to the BBC and never go back.
Presenters are generally good for the most part and journalism is still good, and foreign correspondents exceptional., but as a channel, it's just not the must watch it used to be, I find myself watching the BBC more the last year, because it feels more fresh and less filler content. The slogan that Sky News used to have was something like "When You Need Us, We're there" but the problem is half the time lately it's felt like "When I need you, you're showing a filler so I switch to the BBC"
CI
I'm not going to disagree with your assessment of Sky News, especially because the whole over-use of the press preview at 2230, 2330, 0030 and 0130 just feels like overkill. But BBC News isn't that hot either when it comes to the news channel. The way evening programming is at the moment feels a little bit of a waste. I'm not saying they're bad, I just feel that both channels look weak at times.
Have to say that when they went back to the old Studio for a couple of months at the end of last year and the start of this year, they had really really good presentation and the changes that they did to the old studio for the election.
It managed to both keep the magic of the Sky News Centre before the glass box was launched, whilst also making it seem less dated than it was before the pre-election overhaul, thanks to the newer galley background and the use of more white whilst also using deep blues.
The only real thing wrong with the old studio was the light bars in the presenter area which were badly faded (but never shown on TV) and the big screen which some of the panels that made it up didn't output exactly the same colours as ones next to it (wear I guess) which could probably be fixed by replacing with a bigger screen or replacing some of the small panels that made it up.
Personally the biggest issue for me with Sky News now is it's gone too bland (ironically did anyone notice that the One Show now has a very similar blue/red background area to what Sky used to have!) and it's just not First for Breaking News compared to BBC etc, so many times there's been filler on when news break and they simply don't break out of it. At that point I switch to the BBC and never go back.
Presenters are generally good for the most part and journalism is still good, and foreign correspondents exceptional., but as a channel, it's just not the must watch it used to be, I find myself watching the BBC more the last year, because it feels more fresh and less filler content. The slogan that Sky News used to have was something like "When You Need Us, We're there" but the problem is half the time lately it's felt like "When I need you, you're showing a filler so I switch to the BBC"
It managed to both keep the magic of the Sky News Centre before the glass box was launched, whilst also making it seem less dated than it was before the pre-election overhaul, thanks to the newer galley background and the use of more white whilst also using deep blues.
The only real thing wrong with the old studio was the light bars in the presenter area which were badly faded (but never shown on TV) and the big screen which some of the panels that made it up didn't output exactly the same colours as ones next to it (wear I guess) which could probably be fixed by replacing with a bigger screen or replacing some of the small panels that made it up.
Personally the biggest issue for me with Sky News now is it's gone too bland (ironically did anyone notice that the One Show now has a very similar blue/red background area to what Sky used to have!) and it's just not First for Breaking News compared to BBC etc, so many times there's been filler on when news break and they simply don't break out of it. At that point I switch to the BBC and never go back.
Presenters are generally good for the most part and journalism is still good, and foreign correspondents exceptional., but as a channel, it's just not the must watch it used to be, I find myself watching the BBC more the last year, because it feels more fresh and less filler content. The slogan that Sky News used to have was something like "When You Need Us, We're there" but the problem is half the time lately it's felt like "When I need you, you're showing a filler so I switch to the BBC"
I'm not going to disagree with your assessment of Sky News, especially because the whole over-use of the press preview at 2230, 2330, 0030 and 0130 just feels like overkill. But BBC News isn't that hot either when it comes to the news channel. The way evening programming is at the moment feels a little bit of a waste. I'm not saying they're bad, I just feel that both channels look weak at times.
LL
I'm not going to disagree with your assessment of Sky News, especially because the whole over-use of the press preview at 2230, 2330, 0030 and 0130 just feels like overkill. But BBC News isn't that hot either when it comes to the news channel. The way evening programming is at the moment feels a little bit of a waste. I'm not saying they're bad, I just feel that both channels look weak at times.
They've replaced the 0130 repeat of Press Preview with Ian King Live.
London Lite
Founding member
Have to say that when they went back to the old Studio for a couple of months at the end of last year and the start of this year, they had really really good presentation and the changes that they did to the old studio for the election.
It managed to both keep the magic of the Sky News Centre before the glass box was launched, whilst also making it seem less dated than it was before the pre-election overhaul, thanks to the newer galley background and the use of more white whilst also using deep blues.
The only real thing wrong with the old studio was the light bars in the presenter area which were badly faded (but never shown on TV) and the big screen which some of the panels that made it up didn't output exactly the same colours as ones next to it (wear I guess) which could probably be fixed by replacing with a bigger screen or replacing some of the small panels that made it up.
Personally the biggest issue for me with Sky News now is it's gone too bland (ironically did anyone notice that the One Show now has a very similar blue/red background area to what Sky used to have!) and it's just not First for Breaking News compared to BBC etc, so many times there's been filler on when news break and they simply don't break out of it. At that point I switch to the BBC and never go back.
Presenters are generally good for the most part and journalism is still good, and foreign correspondents exceptional., but as a channel, it's just not the must watch it used to be, I find myself watching the BBC more the last year, because it feels more fresh and less filler content. The slogan that Sky News used to have was something like "When You Need Us, We're there" but the problem is half the time lately it's felt like "When I need you, you're showing a filler so I switch to the BBC"
It managed to both keep the magic of the Sky News Centre before the glass box was launched, whilst also making it seem less dated than it was before the pre-election overhaul, thanks to the newer galley background and the use of more white whilst also using deep blues.
The only real thing wrong with the old studio was the light bars in the presenter area which were badly faded (but never shown on TV) and the big screen which some of the panels that made it up didn't output exactly the same colours as ones next to it (wear I guess) which could probably be fixed by replacing with a bigger screen or replacing some of the small panels that made it up.
Personally the biggest issue for me with Sky News now is it's gone too bland (ironically did anyone notice that the One Show now has a very similar blue/red background area to what Sky used to have!) and it's just not First for Breaking News compared to BBC etc, so many times there's been filler on when news break and they simply don't break out of it. At that point I switch to the BBC and never go back.
Presenters are generally good for the most part and journalism is still good, and foreign correspondents exceptional., but as a channel, it's just not the must watch it used to be, I find myself watching the BBC more the last year, because it feels more fresh and less filler content. The slogan that Sky News used to have was something like "When You Need Us, We're there" but the problem is half the time lately it's felt like "When I need you, you're showing a filler so I switch to the BBC"
I'm not going to disagree with your assessment of Sky News, especially because the whole over-use of the press preview at 2230, 2330, 0030 and 0130 just feels like overkill. But BBC News isn't that hot either when it comes to the news channel. The way evening programming is at the moment feels a little bit of a waste. I'm not saying they're bad, I just feel that both channels look weak at times.
They've replaced the 0130 repeat of Press Preview with Ian King Live.
WO
I'm not going to disagree with your assessment of Sky News, especially because the whole over-use of the press preview at 2230, 2330, 0030 and 0130 just feels like overkill. But BBC News isn't that hot either when it comes to the news channel. The way evening programming is at the moment feels a little bit of a waste. I'm not saying they're bad, I just feel that both channels look weak at times.
They've replaced the 0130 repeat of Press Preview with Ian King Live.
Surely the repeat should be renamed 'Ian King Not-So Live'?
Have to say that when they went back to the old Studio for a couple of months at the end of last year and the start of this year, they had really really good presentation and the changes that they did to the old studio for the election.
It managed to both keep the magic of the Sky News Centre before the glass box was launched, whilst also making it seem less dated than it was before the pre-election overhaul, thanks to the newer galley background and the use of more white whilst also using deep blues.
The only real thing wrong with the old studio was the light bars in the presenter area which were badly faded (but never shown on TV) and the big screen which some of the panels that made it up didn't output exactly the same colours as ones next to it (wear I guess) which could probably be fixed by replacing with a bigger screen or replacing some of the small panels that made it up.
Personally the biggest issue for me with Sky News now is it's gone too bland (ironically did anyone notice that the One Show now has a very similar blue/red background area to what Sky used to have!) and it's just not First for Breaking News compared to BBC etc, so many times there's been filler on when news break and they simply don't break out of it. At that point I switch to the BBC and never go back.
Presenters are generally good for the most part and journalism is still good, and foreign correspondents exceptional., but as a channel, it's just not the must watch it used to be, I find myself watching the BBC more the last year, because it feels more fresh and less filler content. The slogan that Sky News used to have was something like "When You Need Us, We're there" but the problem is half the time lately it's felt like "When I need you, you're showing a filler so I switch to the BBC"
It managed to both keep the magic of the Sky News Centre before the glass box was launched, whilst also making it seem less dated than it was before the pre-election overhaul, thanks to the newer galley background and the use of more white whilst also using deep blues.
The only real thing wrong with the old studio was the light bars in the presenter area which were badly faded (but never shown on TV) and the big screen which some of the panels that made it up didn't output exactly the same colours as ones next to it (wear I guess) which could probably be fixed by replacing with a bigger screen or replacing some of the small panels that made it up.
Personally the biggest issue for me with Sky News now is it's gone too bland (ironically did anyone notice that the One Show now has a very similar blue/red background area to what Sky used to have!) and it's just not First for Breaking News compared to BBC etc, so many times there's been filler on when news break and they simply don't break out of it. At that point I switch to the BBC and never go back.
Presenters are generally good for the most part and journalism is still good, and foreign correspondents exceptional., but as a channel, it's just not the must watch it used to be, I find myself watching the BBC more the last year, because it feels more fresh and less filler content. The slogan that Sky News used to have was something like "When You Need Us, We're there" but the problem is half the time lately it's felt like "When I need you, you're showing a filler so I switch to the BBC"
I'm not going to disagree with your assessment of Sky News, especially because the whole over-use of the press preview at 2230, 2330, 0030 and 0130 just feels like overkill. But BBC News isn't that hot either when it comes to the news channel. The way evening programming is at the moment feels a little bit of a waste. I'm not saying they're bad, I just feel that both channels look weak at times.
They've replaced the 0130 repeat of Press Preview with Ian King Live.
Surely the repeat should be renamed 'Ian King Not-So Live'?