And probably about 10 years overdue the axe - it kind of became a victim of it's own success and butchered to fit new elements. As Jay Lee said the pacy headline sequence worked so well, and originally the titles just had 7 pips and then over the years it's impact was lost as the thunderclaps were just inserted randomly (and badly) into ever increasing headline sequences and the length of the titles almost doubled somewhere along the way.
The clamshell look was my favourite and wish they hadn't reverted to a weaker version of the 1999 sequence when they replaced it in 2008. Ultimately though now is the time for a fresh start - like other branding elements in the BBC it feels like only a complete overhaul would take it to the next era rather than more tinkering. I think we all thought they were mad in 1999 to axe the orchestral themes and familar blue colour scheme, but in the long run it was absolutely the right decision.
The backdrop of the newsroom was a proper real view of the BBC News Centre, but one of the directors told us that the backdrop was on a delay. I remember he told us one time Anna Ford was presenting the BBC News at One, but if you looked closely at the newsroom you could see Anna walking down the stairs in the newsroom, as the view was recorded around 30 minutes before it played on screen.
This caused them to just put the backdrop on a shorter delay.
I thought one half was live, the other was flipped as a mirror image and delayed so the same person wasn't coming down both staircases at the same time? IIRC that after one of the several power cut incidents whichever service had decamped there had both halves live for a time and it looked odd.
It was certainly a successful rebrand and BBC News is now synonymous with the 'thunderclaps', beeps, that countdown music and the colour red.
Agreed with others that the original presentation was still the best - a punchy title sequence, the most authoritative version of the music and the studio was great with the recorded backdrop of the BBC Newsroom. Once they added a bit of colour to the newsroom (as it was originally a bit drab on-screen) it looked stunning and with Peter Sissons barking the headlines at you, the whole package just grabbed your attention in a way that it doesn't these days.
I know some think a rebrand is due but then the BBC News brand is so well known now that they'd be crazy to completely dump it. And there's no guarantee that whatever comes next would be an improvement - ITV's batcave of news would be an example.
And given how long it's taken the BBC in general to introduce a font, I can't imagine all the news output presentation changing quickly especially when you think of the various regional news sets too.
Ironically, my most favourite ever use of the current theme music wasn’t even during a normal BBC News bulletin; the long and booming intro used during the news segments embedded within “2000 Today” (The Millennium Programme) was awesome! Accompanied with those long and lofty camera swoops across that big studio.
It was at that point I was “sold” on the new look.
Albeit sans Moira.
The very recent orchestral tinges on the countdowns has also been a nice touch!
Happy Anniversary. This look was groundbreaking 20 YEARS AGO.... but now its time. IMO Its time for a new look for the next 20 years. For this current presentation to survive this long (albeit with tinkering and massages) and last all these years is impressive. Its showcased the BBC as a fresh innovative broadcaster that it is, many EU PSB broadcasters followed suit in tone and style. But IMO its lost its crown to the continent as far as news presentation goes. Yes they are smaller broadcasters, but seems like thats what the BBC is good at doing, streamlining things and rolling them out. Or should they stick with the same thing seemingly forever and continue tinkering. I look at what the CBC in Canada has done, certainly to a smaller and much limited extent. Also ABC Australia, they are preparing to roll out fresh new studio in NSW. Yeah you cant do it all in one go, but you have to begin somewhere. Whats the strangle hold on the creativity? I dont think a wholesale flushing of signature elements( ie. china red, thunderclaps) are called for, buts whats the look for the next 20 years for BBC NEWS? Can the trendsetter set the presentation agenda for PSB's for the next 20 years or will they be left behind endlessly tinkering? I think its worth discussing.
I know it's not the 1999 look but feels here's as good a place as any and have to say the original BBC London (or should it be LDN) look has stood the test of time very well.
It felt modern and different to traditional news output the opening was quite pacy and vibrant. And for local news the London team from that period went quite far and many have become well-renowned names in news circles (Emily Maitlis, Nina Hossain and Gillian Joseph among them).
Of course the key thing is the content but I do feel news presentation these days in the UK is a bit tame compared to what we once got.
The backdrop of the newsroom was a proper real view of the BBC News Centre, but one of the directors told us that the backdrop was on a delay. I remember he told us one time Anna Ford was presenting the BBC News at One, but if you looked closely at the newsroom you could see Anna walking down the stairs in the newsroom, as the view was recorded around 30 minutes before it played on screen.
This caused them to just put the backdrop on a shorter delay.
I thought one half was live, the other was flipped as a mirror image and delayed so the same person wasn't coming down both staircases at the same time? IIRC that after one of the several power cut incidents whichever service had decamped there had both halves live for a time and it looked odd.
You are right, one was "live" but with a certain delay in it, so that you wouldn't see Anna Ford again walking in the news centre. The other was flipped. I remembering asking the director that question back in 2001, and that is what he told me.
