Maybe it's just a knee-jerk reaction to ITV's revamp, but does anyone else think the national news on BBC1 is in desperate need of a revamp.
It's not that it's old - and the main titles are fine, but the graphics package - especially the astons and headline straps - are very bland, while the less said about the studio, the better! Most of the regions have a better studio than the national newsroom!
BBC News 24 isn't so bad - I'm not a fan of the huge straps but I think the look has dated quite well.
The unified branding between the national and regional news has also been considerably lost over recent years, with most the English regions having little more in common than the look of the studio. The crossover between national and regional headlines is far from smooth either!
Wales and NI made an effort to link in with the new national look, but it could be better!
So do you think BBC News on BBC1 is due for a mini-revamp at least - and how should they go about it?
The unified branding between the national and regional news has also been considerably lost over recent years, with most the English regions having little more in common than the look of the studio.
But don't you think it's better that each region has an individual look - albeit with a nod to being BBC news, than the "sameyness" of ITV regional news these days?
Maybe it's just a knee-jerk reaction to ITV's revamp, but does anyone else think the national news on BBC1 is in desperate need of a revamp.
It's not that it's old - and the main titles are fine, but the graphics package - especially the astons and headline straps - are very bland, while the less said about the studio, the better! Most of the regions have a better studio than the national newsroom!
BBC News 24 isn't so bad - I'm not a fan of the huge straps but I think the look has dated quite well.
The unified branding between the national and regional news has also been considerably lost over recent years, with most the English regions having little more in common than the look of the studio. The crossover between national and regional headlines is far from smooth either!
Wales and NI made an effort to link in with the new national look, but it could be better!
So do you think BBC News on BBC1 is due for a mini-revamp at least - and how should they go about it?
There are plans to revamp the news later this year to conicide with Breakfast moving into the national studio. This was announced as part of the changed by Peter Horracks.
As LONDON as said, it is expected that the BBC1 News will get a new set (i've lost track of how many they have had since the 1999 revamp) because a multi-purpose said will be required as Breakfast will probably be moving in.
I think the let down with the current look is the titles. They just look bare and amateurish. They should come up with something based on the current look, but on a much grander scale. BBC Newsline in Northern Ireland, News 24 Tonight and Newyddion on S4C use elements of the current image, but in a much better fashion. Something like Newsline's titles would be quite good I would reckon.
Graphics wise I think News 24 is fine, and much better than the current Sky News stuff. BBC1 should adopt more News 24 style graphics, rather than the mix match between the current and older looks they have at the moment.
A new, more powerful mix of the music would also be better (on both News 24 and BBC1).
As LONDON as said, it is expected that the BBC1 News will get a new set (i've lost track of how many they have had since the 1999 revamp) because a multi-purpose said will be required as Breakfast will probably be moving in.
I think the let down with the current look is the titles. They just look bare and amateurish. They should come up with something based on the current look, but on a much grander scale. BBC Newsline in Northern Ireland, News 24 Tonight and Newyddion on S4C use elements of the current image, but in a much better fashion. Something like Newsline's titles would be quite good I would reckon.
Graphics wise I think News 24 is fine, and much better than the current Sky News stuff. BBC1 should adopt more News 24 style graphics, rather than the mix match between the current and older looks they have at the moment.
A new, more powerful mix of the music would also be better (on both News 24 and BBC1).
I would have to agree with you there the National News titles do look very amateurish, it works with News 24, but not for the National News.
Set - Complete revamp, less cheap plastic, a real newsroom view and more imaginative layout will do.
Music - Remix the title music to make it a bit more dramatic and peppier. Keep the current headline bed but have the thunderclaps prerecorded and more dramatic, instead of restarting the bed.
On screen gfx - a move towards N24 gfx including a tower onscreen instead of the current text slugs.
Titles - Complete overhaul is needed with graphics that actually mean something - maybe an update/redesign of the 1999 graphics with the new colours?
Presenters - complete reshuffle as follows....
One - Sophie Raworth (main), Darren Jordon (relief)
Six - Dermot Murnaghan & Jane Hill (Sian Williams & Bill Turnbull as relief)
Ten - Huw Edwards & George Alagiah share the bulletin regularly in the same way Sissons & Buerk did.
Breakfast - Bill Turnbull & Sian Williams, with SImon McCoy, Kate Silverton and Susanna Reid as relief presenters.
Kaplinsky decides to leave BBC News and concentrate on light entertainment shows!
BBC News is definitely overdue for a complete re-launch. I like the current look of BBC News 24 and BBC World, but it is BBC1 which is a mess. They should have used 8th December 2003 as the date for a complete re-launch of BBC News in the new style adopted by the rolling news channels. The thing which has hurt the National News the most is that the changes have come in dribs and drabs. First, the studio changed (to something which eventually would not fit in with N24), then the titles/music, plus a few aston redesigns along the way. The background has also been tinkered with and now looks rather messy.
The studio deserves a paragraph of its own. It has dated very quickly indeed. What's even worse is that it doesn't really fit in with either N24 or the regions. The desk is about the most similar thing between Nationals and N24. The wooden floor needs to go and be replaced in the style of N24 and the backdrop/projector screens need to be worked on.
The music is a very poor version of a once wonderful theme tune. The 1999/2000 pieces composed for BBC1, N24, World and Regions were excellent: powerful and dramatic. The current mixes sound flat and lifeless. There's just no oomph to them at all. I'm a firm believer in powerful, recognisable theme tunes for news programmes. ITN have it right with ITV News and C4 News. The tunes have not changed much for decades. I think the best era for the BBC was 1993-1999. I don't think that music can ever be beaten, but the 1999 re-launch did come close. The latest mixes, however, have completely watered down the theme.
When BBC News completely re-launched in 1999, it had it right: a fresh look with strong branding and powerful music. Gradually, they've tinkered with it bit by bit and have completely ruined it. I think ITV News win hands down when it comes to news presentation in the 21st century.
I think if the BBC 1 News 1999 look was still around today, it would definately still look quite good. A lot better than the current look.
I would like to see a complete new look (set, titles, music, graphics) for BBC News, at least on BBC 1 anyway. Most of all, a completely new theme. I have never been a fan of David Lowe's creation. I think something orchestral would suit BBC News again. And in terms of a set, definately ditch the fake newsroom.
The graphics and camera angles used are so boring and uninteresting. The camera angles on BBC 1 News have been the same since the 2003 look was introduced, there is no variation at all.
BBC News may have the upper hand in tha ratings over Sky and ITV, mostly due news content. But they are miles behind in terms of presentation. ITV and Sky are excellent. Huge, open spaces are 'in' just now for news sets, and I'm afraid BBC News just doesn't float my boat.
If i remember correctly BBC 1 News will relaunch in March/ April time and will incorporate virtual reality into the set. Personally i think this could be a step back.
I absoletly hate the current incarnation of the BBC's National News. It's absoletly symbolic of slap dash approachs to news pres.
As many have already said in terms of studio/pres ITN and Sky easily out do the Beeb.
The studio, well where do you start? Seriously, the walls, the screens of the backdrop? Take you pick. I was always miffed as to who thought it would be a good idea to change the seemingly very large, and elegent studio of the cream era. It now looks like something picked up in Clarks. So many things just don't work in the space, the backdrop for all intend and purposes merely annoying and ever so slightly distracting. The plasma's being the size of a small flat. Just don't fit with the space provided, really it's quite laughable seeing how big they are in comparsion with the studio/presenters. Graphically speaking it really is flogging a dead horse, I always maintain that when the discision was taken to switch from Gills San to Swiss that the astons should have been changed, it really is as itsroberts has said a wateredown version of a once excellent package.
I can say I'm a selective fan of Mr Lowe's. His cream era package was amazing and certainly, I'd argue changed the path of news pres in the UK but now, like the pres seems to have become watered down and lacks the originality which set the previous package part so much.
Proposing I was headed up to change the National I'd completely change the lot, Breakfast, 1,6 and 10 in terms of pres/studio and presenters. It really has become flat.
Finger's firmly crossed for a complete overhaul although a word of warning about ill preparing for a relaunch matching the current graphical "direction". BBC 4's The World. How *not* to go...
Thank goodness people are starting to agree with me about that revolting studio! I hated it when it came out and only hate it more now. We're overdue for a revamp now though, the national titles came out several years ago!
I'd like to see darker colours for the studio, warmer like the BBC News we had of 1999... not this minimalist wood-and-frosted-glass approach that just looks dated intsead of "chic" (or whatever words they had in their stupid brief).