It was absolutely brilliant at launch. The style of it, the tone, the graphics, all were executed perfectly. None of the subsequent relaunches have come close to it. It's such a shame that this look was only around for such a relatively short time.
Yeah, I totally agree. The original execution of 5 News was one of the best executions of a news programme on any of the main channels, or indeed on any of the news channels at the time. Even BBC's virtual studio didn't look quite as good. I never understood why they changed the look of 5 News in 2000. A new presenter wasn't enough of a reason really to change the look. It was a successful format, a good look, and it was working on screen, even if the timings were a little screwy at times.
The newsroom look would be a great move now, especially if they were mobile around the newsroom, something that none of the main news programmes on the other major channels could match.
Couldn't agree more. It would also be great if they re-introduced more short bulletins throughout the day, starting with a couple during The Wright Stuff, and one maybe later in the evening around 11pm.
I think the overall service has become a bit pedestrian - it certainly doesn't have the energy or pace of 5 News c. 98/99.
We never did find out what happened to Rob Butler, did we?
Obviously C5 had to refresh as being fresh was it's selling point, but agree it was a shame they moved to being solely studio based as I'm sure the 2000 set and the one that followed could have been incorporated in a working newsroom. I thought the look they used when Kirsty Young returned looked quite good, but when they went all upmarket with their new theme the service was a shadow of it former self, and it only got worse under Sky.
The current CSO studios look awful, but more importantly with the service essentially being the two bulletins and one or two further updates it's more of an after thought than a credible alternative.
