EA
Yup, and they were cleverly disguised with framing.
http://www.tv-live.org.uk/media/bbcnews2008/regions/northwest/nwt0029.jpg
To be fair I think NWT Had the most real looking window back then with the framing.
That Midlands Today set looked quite ridiculous, the window looked like a toilet window or a box room.
Exactly the same situation as what is happening with ITV now. Trying to replicate a lavish national news design on the region's which a much more limited budget.
Slight tangent from the ITV discussion but the BBC 'Windows' were quite different across the regions as budgets were rather limited at the time too. Some regions, such as North West Tonight and Look North (NE & Cumbria), used old fashioned Barco cubes recycled from old sets (hence the vertical and horizontal frames as there were lines going vertically and horizontally to cover up). Other regions had larger budgets so had back projection (such as Newsroom South East). Midlands Today was a bit of a weird one - it was indeed two plasma TVs placed vertically and as far as I know, the only region to end up with this compromise. It never really worked and eventually they invested in a large 4:3 plasma and got rid of the framing (similar to what East Midlands Today had from the start). However, South Today and Spotlight didn't even bother with screens at all - their 'windows' were CSO'ed against a green screen. It was a cheap alternative but never really looked right to be honest.
I do agree that it was a missed opportunity to have the five screens placed vertically on the new ITV sets. They could've just had light boxes or carefully lit perspex on the side walls to avoid buying more than the five large screens that are being utilised. There is something not quite right about the design that seems to be going out to the regions - it does feel like it was going to be grander but then cuts have been made to save on the cost. I'm sure over time that they might become more cleverer with it. A simple up/downlight of a teal blue behind the plastic would make a big difference at least.
I think I've seen the original generic BBC regional Lambie Nairn sets with screens behind the presenters described as Window on the World.
Yup, and they were cleverly disguised with framing.
http://www.tv-live.org.uk/media/bbcnews2008/regions/northwest/nwt0029.jpg
To be fair I think NWT Had the most real looking window back then with the framing.
That Midlands Today set looked quite ridiculous, the window looked like a toilet window or a box room.
Exactly the same situation as what is happening with ITV now. Trying to replicate a lavish national news design on the region's which a much more limited budget.
Slight tangent from the ITV discussion but the BBC 'Windows' were quite different across the regions as budgets were rather limited at the time too. Some regions, such as North West Tonight and Look North (NE & Cumbria), used old fashioned Barco cubes recycled from old sets (hence the vertical and horizontal frames as there were lines going vertically and horizontally to cover up). Other regions had larger budgets so had back projection (such as Newsroom South East). Midlands Today was a bit of a weird one - it was indeed two plasma TVs placed vertically and as far as I know, the only region to end up with this compromise. It never really worked and eventually they invested in a large 4:3 plasma and got rid of the framing (similar to what East Midlands Today had from the start). However, South Today and Spotlight didn't even bother with screens at all - their 'windows' were CSO'ed against a green screen. It was a cheap alternative but never really looked right to be honest.
I do agree that it was a missed opportunity to have the five screens placed vertically on the new ITV sets. They could've just had light boxes or carefully lit perspex on the side walls to avoid buying more than the five large screens that are being utilised. There is something not quite right about the design that seems to be going out to the regions - it does feel like it was going to be grander but then cuts have been made to save on the cost. I'm sure over time that they might become more cleverer with it. A simple up/downlight of a teal blue behind the plastic would make a big difference at least.