BBC News 24

The new version of the countdown is still a standard 60-second track. This is reflected in the fact that there are no major new countdown visuals, and that the new countdown music has been simply laid over the existing video (which was previously 60 seconds long).

The three-minute track that you mention is actually just an extended mix 'inspired' by the new countdown, and composed by David Lowe. There are two further extended 'megamixes', also composed by David Lowe, drawing on other themes from BBC News audio elements.

Gavin Esler is presenting the 5pm hour tonight. Does anyone know if Huw is on holiday?

When was the last time Gavin presented on News 24? I do not remember him being a presenter on the channel in recent years, perhaps I am mistaken though!

Yep Huw's got the week off. Fiona Bruce is down to do the 10 all this week.

Nice to see Gavin Esler doing it - he still presents Dateline London on Sunday mornings as far as i know. But as for doing actual 'news' i don't think he's done that on News 24 since he left for Newsnight.

Actually, it was yesterday.

I did actually mean when was it last that he did "actual news" but that wasnt clear I admit. Agreed though, was nice to see him again.

Yeah, but he did 5 o'clock yesterday as well.

This thread is painful sometimes.

The odd gem of presentation related information is completelty suffocated by ENDLESS talk of who is off sick, what hour of the day a presenter appears, and whether members prefer it or not.

I'm sure there is a place to discuss newsreaders themselves, but it isn't the raison d'être of this forum.

Please, please, please can it be left in a dedicated thread so I can ignore it?

Is anyone else experiancing a loss of sound on BBC News 24 this evening, I'm not just meaning for a couple of seconds but for a few minutes. When it first goes off there are some beeps and crackling as if someone is "pulling out the plug" from a microphone jack. Is affecting studio sound, OBs and reports.

Other BBC and non-BBC channels are unaffected. I'm viewing on Freeview from Blaenplwyf

EDIT: Have just found on the BBC transmitter's site that there is scheduled work on the transmitter which could affect all TV! doh!

Only problem with it is that next to the N6 set it looks a little dark and dull, going from the end of the six to N24's own back half hour there is a real difference.

I've noticed News24 has got caught up in the World Cup Fever, with goal updates in last night's friendly and even Theo Walcott's arrival onto the pitch in a 'B' international getting the Breaking News treatment.

Although I think it is a good idea to keep people who may be interested informed, e.g. those in public places unable to see the match, surely they should make a better splash for this type of "Breaking News". A simple version keeping in check with N24 presentation could be the animated globe in the Breaking News sting being replaced by a football, perhaps accompanied by a crowd cheer. And instead of "Breaking News" the graphic could read "World Cup Latest" etc. This would allow viewers who are interested to find out what is happening, while those of no interest in football would not be confused thinking it is a serious news story. Any thoughts?

I can see that working well on screen...