The Wales Thread

They are though. They're never on an opt-out feed or anything in the Breakfast bulletins and never fail, since they are coming from the National capital, rather than Tina Bangs [or whoever] pressing a clunky button to get her bulletin in instead of LDN [and failing]. The Nations don't usually go back to London at 1855, although they have this last week because of the war -- before this, they only did it twice to my knowledge.

The running order of the programme and feel to it is slightly more formal than the regions too, since again, it's a National news programme. There are no 'Look North'-style soft area sections, or like Look East and EMT, with some cute story about local chip shops, or someone bringing in a gas mask. It's not stuffy, but it's formal. There is banter towards the end with Derek and Bob etc.

They are also separate in that they didn't update with the English regions last September either -- they have kept the same look as 1999, albeit with a few more louder thunderclaps. Cos again, they're National, as well as regional.

Virtual backgrounds may work well on Central News [although I prefer the last look for CN, compared to the new one], but it really is a very ITV look -- not BBC at all.



I don't really know -- it's been like that since 1995 and the under-the-sea dragon era. Since Vincent Kane left, they brought in Jamie Owen and he and Sara share main anchoring duties.

I think this is of advantage because there is rarely a day when neither of them are in, so the programme never feels like there is a "substitute" presenter today. If they were both always on, it would be harder to maintain. There's lots of walking around in the programme though, and lots of places to stand for different types of story.

I agree - It will be a shame to see the end of the HTV name after over 30 years. The aerial was my fave logo and I loved the music that went with it from 1989-1992. But the 1993 logo was very good too and im glad we still see it on the news even though we get "ITV1 Wales" on all the bits before programmes. I think the HTV name is living on borrowed time



I think 2 presenters on HTV News work very well - I cant say i realised the bbc have 1 presenter since I never watch it.

And if HTV had just one presenter we would only see Lucy and Jonathan every other day and Juliet probably wouldnt get a look in.

Oh yeah, 2 presenters suits HTV more, but they have more newsreaders to choose from if Jonathan and Lucy are off -- Steve, Tara, Juliet, Andrew even..

WT don't have so many substitutes. Claire Jones did it once but was as wooden as a gate post with her "Well the time's now... *looks at watch* ..twenty to seven" -- even though it was gone quarter to, and Jason's good on it too, but these 2 are usually on 2W News.

There are really only 2 main presenters on BBC Wales, whereas if Steve, Juliet or Tara popped up on HTV, it wouldn't at all feel like "substitute".

I cant stand Andrew - there is absolutely no need for him to be on the 6pm programme - they have Juliet and Steve and also Tara but notice she is hardly ever on the 6pm programme now.

We could manage with Andrew altogether - get Ruth Wignel on GMTV Mon/Tues, Sally on a Wed/Thurs and to finish of the week have Justina on a Friday!

Maybe that's why the Nations aren't changing to the new "LDN" style

Indeed. It's a slight shame though, because there couldn't be 3 more pretty places in the UK than Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland to have some nice scapes of the country for the titles of the programme.

I still like the maps, though given the efforts of Choice News Wales/Yr Wythnos and 2W News since 1999, the WT theme is sounding a little less interesting these days, and never was as nice as Rep Scotland/Newsline -- though much nicer than England ever was..

Perhaps the Nations will update when the National does, which doesn't look like it will be soon. But hopefully it'll be something nice and modern and reflective of the Nations themselves, whilst still being separate from the English regions.

And it must have a dragon. Did I mention a dragon..?

People keep making out that the BBC Wales Today news studio is massive and used for many other things but im sure that the HTV News studio is just as big and did have a soft seating area once and presenters do/used to stand next to their big screen to read reports!

Is the HTV News studio used for any other programmes?

I'm sure Jamez is the best person to comment -- he can probably compare them both in size.

The HTV studio doesn't look small, but it's only one part of it they use. WT use all of their studio and there are two separate parts, they make full use of all of the space available. Plus the virtual background of the HTV studio makes it feel smaller on the closer presenter shots.

Is Culverhouse X used for anything other than News?

Barry Welsh is coming

Prized Possessions

And a couple of other in-house productions.

Yeah I think the announcers are at Culverhouse Cross and also Soccer Sunday comes from there - Waterfront comes from the Cardiff Bay studio though doesnt it? Is the studio owned by HTV at Cardiff Bay?

Did you know HTV also has studios in Swansea, Carmarthen, Newtown, Colwyn Bay, Wrexham and Mold? Im not sure how big they are though - I think they are just offices for the reporters to go too?

The one in Swansea is just off Mansell St and isn't very big at all. Like most of the old houses down there, it's been turned into an office and, if it's anything like the letting agents 500yards down a bit, has a main back room, a reception, stairs and another big room upstairs -- that's if they own both floors! [Which most businesses don't].

It's only a small newsroom in Swansea, and that's the second city of Wales -- I can't see Mold being bigger than a cupboard under the stairs.