The Newsroom

BBC News 24 1997-1999

(May 2016)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
IS
Inspector Sands
I always liked the flags branding. I'd forgotten that the News 24 version had a couple of real flags on them - England and Scotland. The concept when the original 1995 ones for World were designed was that they were generic elements from flags without featuring any actual ones
AN
Andrew Founding member
They aren't flawless though, their greater detail can result in less accuracy.

They struggle to denote showers well, leaving people to think it will rain exactly where the blue blob is and will be dry where there isn't a blue blob whereas it actually means there will be showers across the whole area
DE
deejay
The flags concept was one developed from the BBC World 1995 look, which to this day remains very classy IMO.

A 1995 junction, starting with the end of a break filler (before the Automated Breakfiller was introduced, generic monthly highlights trails filled the breaks), then a trail for World Business Report, then symbol to a news bulletin with Peter Dobbie.


This is appears to be a partial copy of the laserdisc for BBC World 1995 and includes clean symbols, break bumpers, stings and news titles:

I suspect, given the Japanese breakdown slides to was the end of the clip, this was a tape sent to a partner broadcaster in the region.
RI
Richard
Inspector Sands posted:
DrewF posted:
A lot of people seem to hate the post-2005 weather maps on here - personally I think they're infinitely better than the old symbols. I find it a very odd experience watching the ITV which still uses symbols for the most part.

Yeah they're so much more detailed and contain much more information than anything the other broadcasters do.

Having one cloud to represent several hundred square miles of land just isn't good enough

I agree to an extent, but the current weather maps do use randomising when displaying rain/cloud cover over a particular place. It isn't as accurate as the picture implies.
JU
Justin
Shame that the flag idents didn't last longer. I enjoy the pips and everything after but I think some of the sombre music used on BBC World was just superb compared to everything else at the time. News 24 was also quite good, but it didn't sound as authoritative to me.

The BBC World music just screamed authority when you heard it.
DT
DTV
One aspect of the flags look did actually last right through to 2013 - the World Business Report music. The music may have been remixed in 2000, but it was the same tune as it was in 1997.
NG
noggin Founding member
DTV posted:
One aspect of the flags look did actually last right through to 2013 - the World Business Report music. The music may have been remixed in 2000, but it was the same tune as it was in 1997.


There's one bit that has lasted longer and is still on-air I think. Dateline London was a launch show ('Dateline London with Charles Wheeler') and I think it retains the original 1997 music. Charles is much missed. Amazing bloke.
VM
VMPhil
noggin posted:
DTV posted:
One aspect of the flags look did actually last right through to 2013 - the World Business Report music. The music may have been remixed in 2000, but it was the same tune as it was in 1997.


There's one bit that has lasted longer and is still on-air I think. Dateline London was a launch show ('Dateline London with Charles Wheeler') and I think it retains the original 1997 music. Charles is much missed. Amazing bloke.

Indeed, the original titles of which you can see here

https://youtu.be/8cfIkCPiHx8?t=3m01s
RA
radiolistener
VMPhil posted:
I think the greatest thing about this package for me was the music. It's hard to believe it was only used for two years, and only on News 24 in an era where few would have heard it unless you watched BBC One overnight.


Hated the look with the flags, it was totally meaningless.
RA
radiolistener
Inspector Sands posted:
I always liked the flags branding. I'd forgotten that the News 24 version had a couple of real flags on them - England and Scotland. The concept when the original 1995 ones for World were designed was that they were generic elements from flags without featuring any actual ones


Which was pointless. Why not use proper flags to signify "world news", ending or / and beginning with the flags of the "home nations"? It was just typical BBC politically correct nonsense.
VM
VMPhil
Have you seen most flags? The News 24 flags were probably better designed than most
DE
deejay
radiolistener posted:
Inspector Sands posted:
I always liked the flags branding. I'd forgotten that the News 24 version had a couple of real flags on them - England and Scotland. The concept when the original 1995 ones for World were designed was that they were generic elements from flags without featuring any actual ones


Which was pointless. Why not use proper flags to signify "world news", ending or / and beginning with the flags of the "home nations"? It was just typical BBC politically correct nonsense.


No, it was nothing to do with being politically correct. It was all to do with being politically neutral . The BBC is well respected globally for being unbiased in its reporting and editorially independent of any agenda or government.

"Home nations" flags were not featured in World's branding because BBC World is not and has never been a uk focussed channel.
Inspector Sands and DTV gave kudos

Newer posts