The Newsroom

BBC News nostalgia, including BBC World

Split from BBC News: Presenters, correspondent & rotas

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NE
Newsroom

2: Was there a reason that the BBC News / BBC World closing title wasn't played at xx25 during this era in overnights and the sting was played?

I'm not sure, except to say that the overnight bulletins had always ended with a sting as far back as 1998 when they had been introduced. Not sure if the fact that the sting ended with a sustained hold meant that it was a bit easier for BBC World to opt out? If they had used the closing titles it would have had a definite end/opt out point. Maybe it was along the same lines as the start of the bulletin that used a vamp starting with an extended staccato section to facilitate the opt in for BBC World?

3: With regard to WBR was the camera on the London presenter in N9 always meant to be off balance from "normal" camera position for that chair? (If you get my drift)

Yes, it was always like that for World Business Report. Presumably to differentiate it from the news bulletins. Eventually, in August 2001 the N9 set was upgraded to also include a plasma screen on the right side and from then on, WBR was presented from the other side of the desk.

4: What was the shortest countdown ever played out during this era given that 12s is shown in the clip?

Don't know for certain, but pretty short I imagine. I'm sure I remember some on either News 24 or World (once World had introduced a proper countdown instead of the 10-second countdown and symbol they used to use) that were 5 seconds or less.


Long before I even had access to News 24, I'd go to a friend's place and sit in front of the tv and just love watching the 90 second countdown. It was played out quite often during the daytime way back then. In relation to the question Robert has tried to answer I can only guess that during the overnights and because World's countdown was only ever 10 secs initially, that News 24 stacked their adverts as close to 10 secs as they possibly could.
NE
Newsroom
That N8 set clearly a lot of effort was put into it but just didn’t come across well on screen, whilst N9 looked the business even though it was a set dumped into a live and busy newsroom with a couple of red and beige boards put in on the sides.


Spot on here Harshy. It never looked good on screen. No activity, huge waste of space and never had the feel of a 24 hour news operation, as, like you said - N9 did. It was the one singular thing I couldn't cope with when having to watch breaking news on News 24 - that damn awful set. I saying 'having to watch' because I gave up on Sky years before.

24 days later

MI
TheMike
It's taken years to appear - but we now have an example of the short-lived BBC World branding from Monday 31th March 1997 - Friday 24th October 1997.

You'll already be familiar with parts of the graphics package - perhaps unconsciously - because it was used for the Princess Di Breaking News coverage on 31st August 1997.

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It's extracted from this recently uploaded video, which unfortunately only captures the preview, not the actual opening titles.



As you can see it's an iridescent flag, which in the opening titles would 'blow' in from the left. It replaced the original BBC World 1995 branding, which featured a globe, some flags and the programme name in a box.

The branding was used across Newsday (0400 GMT/0600 CET), Newsdesk (1100 GMT/1300 CET), News Hour Asia Pacific (1330 GMT/1530 CET), The World Today (1700 GMT/1900 CET), World Report (2100 GMT/2300 CET) and Newsroom (0000 GMT/0200 CET).

While you're watching the video, look out for the science World Living end-sting and a trailer for BBC One's 'docusoap' Airport (which was no longer shown on BBC World after 1997). The video starts with the end of an episode of Tomorrow's World Time Machine. (Tomorrow's World was also removed from BBC World after 1997).

BBC World was given an extensive makeover at the end of October 1997, with new idents, logo, graphics and schedule from Sunday 26th October 1997.
Last edited by TheMike on 1 February 2021 6:42pm
VM
VMPhil
Great to see that - it's very "90s BBC" with the dark but colourful design. Also if it was only given a rebrand at the end of Oct 1997, did they keep on using the old BBC logo after the 4th or was there a period with the above graphics using the new BBC logo?
TheMike and Roger Darthwell gave kudos
RD
Roger Darthwell
It's taken years to appear - but we now have an example of the short-lived BBC World branding from Monday 31th March 1997 - Friday 24th October 1997.

You'll already be familiar with parts of the graphics package - perhaps unconscientiously - because it was used for the Princess Di Breaking News coverage on 31st August 1997.

*

It's extracted from this recently uploaded video, which unfortunately only captures the preview, not the actual opening titles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBlPtxVUn0Q

As you can see it's an iridescent flag, which in the opening titles would 'blow' in from the left. It replaced the original BBC World 1995 branding, which featured a globe, some flags and the programme name in a box.

The branding was used across Newsday (0400 GMT/0600 CET), Newsdesk (1100 GMT/1300 CET), News Hour Asia Pacific (1330 GMT/1530 CET), The World Today (1700 GMT/1900 CET), World Report (2100 GMT/2300 CET) and Newsroom (0000 GMT/0200 CET).

While you're watching the video, look out for the science World Living end-sting and a trailer for BBC One's 'docusoap' Airport (which was no longer shown on BBC World after 1997). The video starts with the end of an episode of Tomorrow's World Time Machine. (Tomorrow's World was also removed from BBC World after 1997).

BBC World was given an extensive makeover at the end of October 1997, with new idents, logo, graphics and schedule from Sunday 26th October 1997.

This is magnificent! Great find! I hope somebody saves this video, because I fear it can be taken down at any moment!
MI
TheMike
Great to see that - it's very "90s BBC" with the dark but colourful design. Also if it was only given a rebrand at the end of Oct 1997, did they keep on using the old BBC logo after the 4th or was there a period with the above graphics using the new BBC logo?

Hi. BBC World kept using the old BBC logo until the end of October. Yes, that did mean programmes like 'Panorama' went out with the new logo in the end credit, and the old BBC logo in the DOG!

From Monday 27th October, Newsday, Newsdesk and News Hour Asia Pacific were rebranded The World Today. World Report and Newsroom were axed. Five months later, BBC World and News 24 joined forces overnight.
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Last edited by TheMike on 1 February 2021 2:45pm
VM
VMPhil
Ah right, interesting to know! I only ask as they were pretty strict with that rebrand, the famous example being one of the regional bulletins - can't remember which - who were having a rebrand on the following Monday (the rebrand was on the Saturday) but they still modified the old titles to have the new logo. But BBC World managed to get away with it!
MI
TheMike
Here's the lesser-spotted Weather segment of the 1997-2000 BBC World Breakfiller, followed by World Living: Top Gear.



World Living (replaced Time Out) was BBC World's lifestyle strand. Programmes included Holiday, The Travel Show (original BBC2 version), The Clothes Show, Food and Drink, Tomorrow's World, Airport, Film 9x with Barry Norman, Top Gear and QED. Seven different programmes a week, each premiering at 2230 CET then appearing on subsequent days at various times across the schedule, meaning they would be shown at some point in prime-time in every major timezone.

From the end of 1997, World Living was cut to five different programmes a week, with the weekend slots showing repeats, e.g. the same episode of Top Gear on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2230 CET.

World Living was abolished with the flags, and following the April 2000 revamp of the channel, there was less lifestyle and more news on the channel. Click Online took one of the former World Living slots. That and Talking Movies (which replaced Film 9x when Barry Norman left) are the last remaining elements of that era still on the channel today.
MI
TheMike
Ah right, interesting to know! I only ask as they were pretty strict with that rebrand, the famous example being one of the regional bulletins - can't remember which - who were having a rebrand on the following Monday (the rebrand was on the Saturday) but they still modified the old titles to have the new logo. But BBC World managed to get away with it!

BBC Prime also switched at the same time as World. End of October was around the mid-point between the new BBC blocks appearing on domestic and the launch of BBC News 24 - so World got the new corporate branding a bit later, but got Dateline London, Europe Direct and USA Direct and the next generation of BBC News flag branding a few weeks earlier.
DE
deejay
Here's the lesser-spotted Weather segment of the 1997-2000 BBC World Breakfiller, followed by World Living: Top Gear.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QPgWI8suYQ

World Living (replaced Time Out) was BBC World's lifestyle strand. Programmes included Holiday, The Travel Show (original BBC2 version), The Clothes Show, Food and Drink, Tomorrow's World, Airport, Film 9x with Barry Norman, Top Gear and QED. Seven different programmes a week, each premiering at 2230 CET then appearing on subsequent days at various times across the schedule, meaning they would be shown at some point in prime-time in every major timezone.

From the end of 1997, World Living was cut to five different programmes a week, with the weekend slots showing repeats, e.g. the same episode of Top Gear on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2230 CET.

World Living was abolished with the flags, and following the April 2000 revamp of the channel, there was less lifestyle and more news on the channel. Click Online took one of the former World Living slots. That and Talking Movies (which replaced Film 9x when Barry Norman left) are the last remaining elements of that era still on the channel today.

I’ve been looking for an example of the weather segment of the ABF for years - good find! It was never scheduled for some reason and was therefore only aired when data on one section or another was found to be out of date or incorrect.
Roger Darthwell and TheMike gave kudos
JA
Jamesypoo
I find it interesting that one thing in particular remained pretty consistent throughout the various rebrands of the late nineties - early noughties: the break bumper.

It was always a little square with a short burst of the current branding surrounded by lots of black. Always looked pretty slick too IMO. I think it lasted until the end of the 1st ribbons/globe look?

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Images from TV Ark.
DE
deejay
Yes, and for the flags and first Gill Sans look, was (believe it or not) played from a separate BetaSP video cassette or laserdisc machine (if it was a break in a live news programme).

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