BBC News 1993-99

New technology, provided by Silicon Graphics, came into use in 1993 for a re-launch of the main BBC 1 bulletins, creating a virtual set which appeared to be much larger than it was physically. The relaunch also brought all bulletins into the same style of set with only small changes in colouring, titles, and music to differentiate each. A computer generated glass sculpture of the BBC coat of arms was the centrepiece of the programme titles until the large scale corporate rebranding of news services in 1999.

It was the first 'virtual reality' set. When the time came to refresh the branding in 1999, the old 'blue and glass' set was deemed to signify too cold an approach to the audience - as if the BBC were delivering the news from a high.

The replacement of the set coincided with a readjustment in the editorial approach of BBC News. Research had indicated that members of the audience thought the BBC were too remote and that they did not try to explain in clearer language the significance of some of the developments on which it was reporting.

Because of this, there was a move, graphically, to a warmer red with specially composed music incorporating the time 'pips' as well as a clearer editorial approach. One benefit of the change was that the BBC were able to unify the many different approaches that BBC News stations had taken to their branding.

The change from the blue cut glass era to the first version of the 'current' look was a very big one indeed for the BBC. Watch anything from the blue era and you might be forgiven for thinking its from the 1960s the way it's written and delivered. This is the BBC, sit up, pay attention and stop slouching!

They wanted to remove the pomposity in the approach and the music, reflect the new building where BBC News was based. They also wanted to unify their regional, national, 24 hour, and world wide news branding.

I think it was a hybrid of the two approaches they had tried so far. If you remember, the strict BBC One bulletins contrasted heavily with the informal BBC News 24 bulletins (no jackets, bright shirts and ties!).

Some of the strange rumours at the time were, out with the tory blue and in with the labour red.....