What more is there to say, that BBC LDN hasn't said...
It will be a shame to see an end to the David Lowe audio era, and the Red Globe graphical motief.
Looking at the style of Broadcasting House, its possible these elements are not on the way out, but if the look is ditched, I only hope that what takes its place is as fresh and strong an identity, and I hope it can capture my heart in the same way as the China Red, and Ivory Cream did, and the present Red and White Ring look has (the black shell shape look never did sit well with me). With a soundtrack that is as flexible and pleasant to listen to as the audio goodness from David Lowe!
That's right - Fiona Bruce was definitely Huw's understudy on the Six. Sian did the Weekend News for a while before getting the Breakfast gig. She did occasionally fill in on the Six, though. I also recall Nicholas Witchell returning for a few weeks to the Six during the china red and cream era, probably around 2000/2001.
Sian Williams was billed as "Special Correspondent" when the Six relaunched, one of the family of faces that were going to report for the Six exclusively. I remember Denise Mahoney and Fergus Walsh were among the others. You're right to say Nicholas Witchell was a regular stand-in at the start of that revamp, he did the Nine O'Clock News a few times, and on that Pinochet drama-doc the other year, they showed a clip of him from the Nine in 1999.
Could post this in "n" number of places, but will plonk it here for the timebeing.
IIRC, the BBC News David Lowe sensation commenced back in May 1999, with the relaunch initially of the Six O'Clock News and Ten O'Clock News, along with the re-branding of BBC News 24, as it was then. (Can't remember what the One O'Clock did back then? Was it the reallocation of Anna Ford??)
To confirm - May 99 saw Anna Ford on the One (with George Alagiah), Huw Edwards on the Six (with Fiona Bruce), Peter Sissons and Michael Buerk on the Nine.
The Nine became the Ten in October 2000.
Of course in May 99 the regions didn't switch overnight, it took quite some time for the roll-out - I think BBC Look North Leeds was about a year after.
Yes, that's right. Some of the English regions didn't convert until 2000, including North West Tonight, as I recall. I think Newsroom South East and the Nations (Reporting Scotland, Newsline and Wales Today) were the first, though I can't be sure of that. News 24 didn't relaunch until November 1999 and -
a common error on websites - BBC World didn't adopt the corporate look and music until April 2000. Many websites erroneously state BBC World converted in 1999.
I completely agree with those that say the original incarnations of David Lowe's music were the best. I don't think any of his work since 2003 has been up to much when compared to the originals. His music seems to have lost its character; something which the 1999-2003 music had in abundance. It's all very bland and 'samey' now. I'm of mixed opinion about the next revamp. Part of me would be curious as to what DL could come up with, especially if he took inspiration from his original work. However, another part of me thinks it's time to move on. As I recall, I think BBC management thought the same way in 2008 - it was by no means certain that DL would provide the music then, let alone next time.
Yes - I'm glad you've pointed that one out. I wish I'd got some recordings from that transitional period. I remember 3rd April 2000 - 7:00 am CET: New look BBC World. At the time, I thought it was brilliant. Loved the music! The weekend immediately before the change, (1/2nd April) all the news bulletins were from BBC News 24, the opposite of what was the case in Oct/Nov 1999, when News 24 came from BBC World. From 3rd April 2000, the coming up slide of the breakbumper (and BBC World Teletext) listed the news bulletins as BBC News, e.g. 1000 GMT BBC News followed by Weather, as opposed to 1000 GMT BBC World News and Weather. I wonder why? Perhaps one for the BBC World News thread, though...
What more is there to say, that BBC LDN hasn't said...
It will be a shame to see an end to the David Lowe audio era, and the Red Globe graphical motief.
Looking at the style of Broadcasting House, its possible these elements are not on the way out, but if the look is ditched, I only hope that what takes its place is as fresh and strong an identity, and I hope it can capture my heart in the same way as the China Red, and Ivory Cream did, and the present Red and White Ring look has (the black shell shape look never did sit well with me). With a soundtrack that is as flexible and pleasant to listen to as the audio goodness from David Lowe!
Am I the only one who preferred the orchestral music the Beeb used prior to 1999? I always thought it was more authoritative than the beep-beep-beep David Lowe stuff.
What more is there to say, that BBC LDN hasn't said...
It will be a shame to see an end to the David Lowe audio era, and the Red Globe graphical motief.
Looking at the style of Broadcasting House, its possible these elements are not on the way out, but if the look is ditched, I only hope that what takes its place is as fresh and strong an identity, and I hope it can capture my heart in the same way as the China Red, and Ivory Cream did, and the present Red and White Ring look has (the black shell shape look never did sit well with me). With a soundtrack that is as flexible and pleasant to listen to as the audio goodness from David Lowe!
Am I the only one who preferred the orchestral music the Beeb used prior to 1999? I always thought it was more authoritative than the beep-beep-beep David Lowe stuff.
Not at all, Bob. Although I liked David Lowe's 1999-2003 music, by far my favourite BBC News themes were the 1993-1999 orchestral ones. They were fantastic!
Could post this in "n" number of places, but will plonk it here for the timebeing.
IIRC, the BBC News David Lowe sensation commenced back in May 1999, with the relaunch initially of the Six O'Clock News and Ten O'Clock News, along with the re-branding of BBC News 24, as it was then. (Can't remember what the One O'Clock did back then? Was it the reallocation of Anna Ford??)
To confirm - May 99 saw Anna Ford on the One (with George Alagiah), Huw Edwards on the Six (with Fiona Bruce), Peter Sissons and Michael Buerk on the Nine.
The Nine became the Ten in October 2000.
Of course in May 99 the regions didn't switch overnight, it took quite some time for the roll-out - I think BBC Look North Leeds was about a year after.
Yes, that's right. Some of the English regions didn't convert until 2000, including North West Tonight, as I recall. I think Newsroom South East and the Nations (Reporting Scotland, Newsline and Wales Today) were the first, though I can't be sure of that. News 24 didn't relaunch until November 1999 and -
a common error on websites - BBC World didn't adopt the corporate look and music until April 2000. Many websites erroneously state BBC World converted in 1999.
I completely agree with those that say the original incarnations of David Lowe's music were the best. I don't think any of his work since 2003 has been up to much when compared to the originals. His music seems to have lost its character; something which the 1999-2003 music had in abundance. It's all very bland and 'samey' now. I'm of mixed opinion about the next revamp. Part of me would be curious as to what DL could come up with, especially if he took inspiration from his original work. However, another part of me thinks it's time to move on. As I recall, I think BBC management thought the same way in 2008 - it was by no means certain that DL would provide the music then, let alone next time.
Yes - I'm glad you've pointed that one out. I wish I'd got some recordings from that transitional period. I remember 3rd April 2000 - 7:00 am CET: New look BBC World. At the time, I thought it was brilliant. Loved the music! The weekend immediately before the change, (1/2nd April) all the news bulletins were from BBC News 24, the opposite of what was the case in Oct/Nov 1999, when News 24 came from BBC World. From 3rd April 2000, the coming up slide of the breakbumper (and BBC World Teletext) listed the news bulletins as BBC News, e.g. 1000 GMT BBC News followed by Weather, as opposed to 1000 GMT BBC World News and Weather. I wonder why? Perhaps one for the BBC World News thread, though...
A clip I've found on Youtube from the early hours of Boxing Day 1999, showing the overnight BBC News 24 simulcast, and that indeed the BBC One titles were used:
What more is there to say, that BBC LDN hasn't said...
It will be a shame to see an end to the David Lowe audio era, and the Red Globe graphical motief.
Looking at the style of Broadcasting House, its possible these elements are not on the way out, but if the look is ditched, I only hope that what takes its place is as fresh and strong an identity, and I hope it can capture my heart in the same way as the China Red, and Ivory Cream did, and the present Red and White Ring look has (the black shell shape look never did sit well with me). With a soundtrack that is as flexible and pleasant to listen to as the audio goodness from David Lowe!
Am I the only one who preferred the orchestral music the Beeb used prior to 1999? I always thought it was more authoritative than the beep-beep-beep David Lowe stuff.
I also liked the individual Breakfast, One, Six, Nine themes prior to that....
...and also the much better way they were introduced back then. Instead of the mouthful that is, "Now on BBC One the BBC News at Six with George Alagiah and Joe Bloggs", it was just "THIS is BBC ONE!"
I too liked the orchestral themes prior to the 1999 revamp. In particular, because it was the only channel I really had access to, the BBC World look and sound at that time (slightly revamped flags era). It was an exceptional composition, IMO.
However, probably the intro that sticks in my mind the most, is from the 80's (I think), and what became known as the BBC Nine o'Clock News' "Flying Fish Fingers" intro. Pardon the pun, some considered them as rather cheesy fish fingers. I thought they were brilliant. The transmitter theme which followed was just a bit too dour IMO. (I know it's news we are talking about, and as such it's not supposed to be too jolly. But.........)
So it looks like that's it for World News America - I think it's lost its UK showing. No sign of NC on its website.
The 2300 news hour is far better now though, with a more in-depth look at the Sport (probably longer than Sportsday - which seems to be now always at 2230), and a longer review of tomorrow's front pages at 2315 and tomorrow's back pages at 2245. Chris Eakin was good at explaining the new changes as the hour went on and Hardtalk is now at 0030 - which is good as often it can be on up to 3 times in 6 hours!
To be honest though, apart from the business round-up, I doubt that the NC gets high viewings at these times as Newnight's on BBC Two anyway.