2019 General Christmas election.

Can see where some are coming from on here on ITV News and what comes below may be a rather unpopular take on here.

The 'News At When' debate often comes up here but I don't think shifting the news these days is as big a deal as it was say 20 years ago as these days if you are that desperate for the news, you can get it on demand online or from all manner of news channels so the 10pm bulletin is less 'appointment TV' than it once was.
And News At Ten doesn't have the pull and ratings these days to justify staying in slot over live sport which attracts far more viewers and better advertising rates. Certainly with things like live sport and big shows like I'm A Celeb which are huge rating getters you can see why ITV shift the News At Ten but less so if it's just a show like Vera.

Reputations in news takes years to build up and seconds to destroy and last night will not have done ITV any good. Most things about that debate were an utter mess and moments like 'the quickfire round', questions to the PM and Corbyn about Prince Andrew and quizzing other party leaders on which other leader they'd like on 'I'm A Celeb' come across as tacky and will stick in people's minds and undo the good work ITV News does elsewhere.

Similarly one of the ITV News correspondents carelessly suggesting a business may be about to go under (Joel Hills/Boots) doesn't do ITV News many favours. It was no doubt a mistake that Joel instantly was mortified about but a big mistake nevertheless. Similarly, Peston randomly and persistently asking Jeremy Hunt about the death of his baby sister came across as tacky and did ITV's reputation no favours and had something of the Peter Andre/Kay Burley about it.

For me perhaps unfairly when I think of ITV's News department I think of the attention-seeking GMB or Tom Bradby's 'conversational', at times fluffy style on News At 10 which is a shame as ITV has some great presenters like Mary & Nina and a lot to recommend it.
I've found too if I want a substantive news review at 10 O'Clock these days I tune over to CNN for the Brief (which feels the sort of show News At 10 really should be - it's very much about the news and covers a lot in only half an hour) or Al Jazeera and don't give ITV a second's thought.

This all escalated quickly didn’t it?

Suddenly the reputation of ITV News over the last 15 years is in question based on last nights debate

Also it’s perfectly normal to ask a light question at the end, they all do it.

The first debate did 6.7m which is very impressive, can’t imagine any of the rest doing nearly as well though

ITV News's reputation isn't great among the public sadly - the ratings tell you as much.Many both online and offline when thinking about modern day ITV News still probably think of 'News At When' or that 2004-2009 when it was abysmal - full of tabloid language, dumbed down and not a quality newscast. Tom Bradby's News At 10 too seems very marmite and certainly not what many consider a proper bulletin. It's what I was saying about 'reputations taking ages to build but seconds to destroy'.

So in that context nights like last night do reinforce that view/reputation with viewers. And maybe I'm alone in this but using what should be a serious format to blatantly plug another ITV show and using Prince Andrew as a teaser into the break didn't sit well with me and other viewers. And that's without getting into the clapping, gameshow set etc.

The BBC will still get the majority of negative coverage during the election no matter what happens (which media are hoping for ITV to fail - plenty are hoping for the BBC to do so.) - ironically some of it will surely be that the Election night Studio looks too cheap or something because they feel they have to be critical

Do you ever stop with your bull ****?

Yes, I also watch The Brief at 10 on CNN from London with Bianca. It is very consice and a proper 30 minute bulletin.
I find its fresh, fast paced (but still thorough) style is more watchable than BBC News and ITV News.

The frustrating thing with The Brief is that it's easily dropped for more impeachment yarn.

The Lib Dems have released their manifesto. I hope posting this doesn't break the rules but I noticed something that tvforum may be interested in.

Hypothetical question. If there's a hung parliament and negotiations go on until christmas. If there's any development on Christmas Day how will it be covered eg if the new PM enters 10 Downing St

Cant imagine they’d be working on Christmas Day.

Unlikely such a deal would be Christmas day.
Through it is reported that if the Tories win a majority the commons will sit on the 23rd December to vote on the deal.