TV Home Forum

ITV Regional News

(April 2001)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
VI
Viakenny
Wadda ya think about regional ITV news programmes?
IT
itsrobert Founding member
I hate the ITV regional news - mine is Granada Tonight - I went for a tour of the studios a while ago - it was rubbish. I hate Granada Tonight - I hope I can go for a tour of BBC NorthWest studios in BBC Manchester!
The tune to Granada News really annoys me - it sound tinny - nothing like NorthWest Today/Tonight!
ND
Nick D
Calendar News is the most irritating of them all. It needs to have a b-i-g-g-e-r studio, rather than a carpet with a desk and this line and circle logo. (www.thetvroom.com) has pictures of it if you need to see it. The opening headlines sound good though, much better than previous. (available on TV Home website ITV)

Oh, and don't you think ITV newsroom should go corporate like BBC? It would be much better.
:-(
A former member
I doubt they'd go corporate. (Although HTV's new look news could well make a good corporate one if used for all regions!)

I'll give you all the details on Granada Tonight's new look on Tuesday!
CA
cat
gnnrr!
ITV could not go corporate for the simple fact it just aint like BBC ONE regions!
What you seem to be missing is the fact that each franchise is operated by a totally different company. And whilst most companies are owned by either Granada or Carlton, they are still seperate companies in their own right.
BBC Regions on the otherhand are overseen by one bloke sat in London, who manages them all.
The point about ITV when it was set up on 'Channel 12 and Channel 9' was that it was a regional service, hence, could never go to becoming a BBC One service, which is only regional for about 1 hour each day, if that.
And anyway, I hate the fact that all the BBC regions are now corporate, whilst they all look very nice, the idea of them all being a 'Mini BBC News' annoys me.
It was much better when they were all unique, having different sets of idents and studios etc.
:-(
A former member
Absolutely- North West Tonight used to have really good music and graphics. Much better than the current ones!
AS
Asa Admin
I just wish Meridian News would change their presentation! The titles, captions and set are terrible and they've even got a DOG in the right-hand bottom corner!

Cheers,
Asa
IT
itsrobert Founding member
Are Granada Tonight getting a re-vamp? I'll watch a little on Tuesday - but it'll mean missing Gordon Burns!
I do like the current NorthWest Today titles but the old ones were better. That tune was great - the other regional news programmes, Close Up North and North Westminster still use the old ones, so I can still hear a variation of it.
CA
cat
Asa, when I wrote to Meridian a while ago to get a tape from their archives, there was a little note slipped in..
I still have it somewhere, but from what I can remember it read as follows.

'Thank you for your enquiry....(I had asked whether they would be planning any changes to their idents)...
As you may know we have recently become part of the GMG. At present we are using the TV from the Heart of Life style in our presentation. However, we feel we have lost too much regional identity, and as you know, Granada are all in favour of regionality, so watch this space... (And Carlton aren't Smile '
So perhaps a change to Meridian, I don't know. But GMG seem to be re-vamping all of the northern stations first, seen as they are seen as the most important to Granada, that makes sense.
Southern regions are probably going to change all at once.
And yes GT are relaunching next week.
not just a revamp either. It may as well be a new show. No cosy chats, proper news this time, and serious presenters. Although Lucy Meacock stays, she is actually very good at reading the news.
AS
Asa Admin
'However, we feel we have lost too much regional identity, and as you know, Granada are all in favour of regionality' - well said Meridian!

Although I didn't live down here until last year, I've seen the idents pre-hearts and prefer them so much (they'll appear on TV Home this weekend). I've always said the hearts idents would be fine if the regional logo could be made bigger, in its proper colour with the name of the station in a better font and the square box removed Smile

I can certainly understand them wanting to revamp the northern ones first - that's fine providing they get round to us! The set at Meridian is so tacky - it's sortof two doughnut rings (one for the sport) plonked in the middle of a studio.

And don't get me started on the weather presentation! They have a bulletin at 7.29 and seriously, the sponsorship bumpers either side are longer than the actual bulletin. The graphics are tacky - how I long for the fantastic presentation of YTV Weather!!

Cheers,
Asa
CA
cat
I think they are reffered to as 'Hot Tubs' aren't they?
That is what they look like anyway.
And on the subject of desks, Granada had better put a desk on for Tonight, or Reports, or whatever the thinks in Quay Street have decided to call it!
If you think Meridian Tonight is bad, you aint seen nothing till you have seen Granada's attempt!
I will personally walk down to Granada HQ clutching a mortar if I do not see a desk on that set!
When I was down in Meridian land, and watched Meridian Tonight, I became really embarrassed when that bloke came on and literally shouted 'THIS IS MERIDIAN TONIGHT'. I sort of turned away from the TV and thought, oh my god, what the h*ll am I watching!!

HTV News has also been ruined by a man declaring 'HTV News with (...)'
I hate it!
MV
Mr Voiceover
I like the new-look HTV Wales news. visually pleasing set, and music. The new version has a more welsh theme to it, with the dragon present in the opening graphics, and on 'Comng up next' caption.

Of course I like many, only watch HTV News just to see Lucy Cohen Wink

Mr V

Newer posts