The Newsroom

BBC News 24 and World - 90s flags presentation

(June 2012)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
BA
bakamann
Well, does anyone have this epic 2nd flags theme of BBC World? BTW, for those who don't know yet the composer of the World flags music, it's here on the Hum Music website:

http://www.hum.co.uk/audio-branding/#/BBC_World


I still wish someone had those 2nd flag themes, and music... but from what I see they were rare?
I hope not.
LW
LeeWN
Those titles shown on the website are World News, World Business Report (as what I'm saying, only the pianos and heavy drums is the first WBR flags theme) and the Ident (no hold). I really hope some good ones are willing to put them up here. Smile

They aren't rare. These themes were actually used on air according to my friend.
LW
LeeWN
Hi a516, it looks like you know a lot during the flags era. Well I have a few questions to ask (sorry about that):

1. Was USA Direct a direct replacement to Newsnight at the time?

2. When did actually World started the 1-minute back half hour news summary? I knew it was only used for the 0500 The World Today N24/World simulcast back then.

3. Is 1/2 April the only weekend where World joined forces with News 24 as its set was getting renovated?

and....

4. When did BBC World started showing programmes in 14:9? Some of them including news bulletins, Top Gear, HARDtalk, etc...

Sorry if it's so many. But I would really like to know!
IT
itsrobert Founding member
I hope a516 doesn't mind, but I can have a crack at a few of them....

1. USA Direct was a News 24 programme so my guess is that World wanted to show it too and decided that Newsnight was surplus to requirements? I know for certain that Newsnight was not shown on BBC World by the year 2000 when I first started watching the channel.

2. The .30 news summary on World is a fairly recent invention. Setting aside The World Today, which, as you rightly say, had a half past summary, I don't think it was rolled out across the channel until the red/black era - although which version of that I can't remember. My guess would be some time around 2004/05? It may well have been when the channel starting 'streaming' in 2004. That was when each bulletin had two ad breaks, some of which were taken by various regions and others had the newsreader filling in between stings. Prior to 2004 there was only one ad break per bulletin (and sometimes no breaks at all) and the presenter was off air in between the stings. If your region didn't show ads, you got the breakfiller. This became very repetitive, hence the decision to start 'streaming' the channel.

3. BBC World and News 24 have simulcast many, many times over the years. This has happened for set renovation or something as mundane as studio/gallery maintenance. There are just too many occasions to recall them all.

4. BBC World started showing some programming in 14:9 when the channel moved into N9 in 1998. Prior to that it was based in N1 which was only 4:3 capable.

I hope that answers some of your questions - but I'm sure a516 can give some more detail.
LW
LeeWN
Thanks, Robert! Still wondering if World broadcasted the overnight joint bulletins (these became the norm in 1998) in 14:9 when N24 was still in N9 showing in that ratio at the time.

EDIT: I even think World started showing the :30 news summary when their studio was changed into the worst one in November 2004. That also starts the showing of bad opts! They were terrible, plus the end of proper closing sequence (which returned when it recently moved to BH).
Last edited by LeeWN on 18 February 2013 2:51pm - 2 times in total
MI
Mike516
The first programmes in 14:9 were in November 1997 with the introduction of simulcasts e.g. Europe Direct with BBC News 24. BBC News 24/World came together for overnights from the end of March 1998 and was of course in 14:9. Non-news shows followed. All news by the autumn of 1998 with the move of studio. The DOG was still in the 4:3 position until 2000 when the playout of the channel went 14:9.

Newsnight, Breakfast with Frost and Question Time were all culled at the same time as the channel became more internationally focused.
LW
LeeWN
Did This Week and Reporters converted to 14:9 during the flags?
BA
Bail Moderator
Well, does anyone have this epic 2nd flags theme of BBC World? BTW, for those who don't know yet the composer of the World flags music, it's here on the Hum Music website:

http://www.hum.co.uk/audio-branding/#/BBC_World


I still wish someone had those 2nd flag themes, and music... but from what I see they were rare?
I hope not.


I know this isn't requests but do you mean these?

News Titles
World News Today
NG
noggin Founding member

4. BBC World started showing some programming in 14:9 when the channel moved into N9 in 1998. Prior to that it was based in N1 which was only 4:3 capable.


I think that BBC World started showing 14:9 content originated by the News 24 studio long before they left N1. Europe Direct, USA Direct and the joint overnight service were all 14:9 on BBC World when the main BBC World news operation was still 4:3 on the 6th floor.

BBC World would also run packages that were originated in the News 24 area, and these were ARCed 14:9 letterbox in 4:3 for them to playout.

In fact I think Europe Direct launched on BBC World from the News 24 studio a week or two BEFORE News 24 launched. (I may be wrong but it's ringing strong bells)
MI
Mike516

4. BBC World started showing some programming in 14:9 when the channel moved into N9 in 1998. Prior to that it was based in N1 which was only 4:3 capable.




In fact I think Europe Direct launched on BBC World from the News 24 studio a week or two BEFORE News 24 launched. (I may be wrong but it's ringing strong bells)


I wouldn't disagree with you there. News 24 didn't launch until mid-November 1997, while BBC World's new autumn schedule started at the clock change weekend at the end of October. It sounds right.
MI
Mike516
Did This Week and Reporters convert to 14:9 during the flags?


Yes. In 1998 along with news bulletins.
IT
itsrobert Founding member
a516 posted:
Did This Week and Reporters convert to 14:9 during the flags?


Yes. In 1998 along with news bulletins.

Out of interest, did you record any footage from BBC World in the later flags era?

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