BBC News: Donna Summer tribute report

Always sad when someone dies, of course.

However, was quite surprised to see the report shown on the BBC News at Ten featured some really poor quality footage of her music videos. The one clip I am thinking of most is online here, with the footage of 'State of Independence' looking like it's straight off YouTube. It's not credited at all, but features an ugly circa-2001 MTV Hits! DOG, caption and and 'press red' graphics.

Isn't there a better music video library available at the fingertips of the mighty BBC? Surely there are specialist archives of this sort of stuff? Anyone in the business have any knowledge of this?

Apologies, I was wrong. The report I saw was on the Six - must've been quickly pulled together which was why the poor quality footage was used.

A much better version (which is has replaced the earlier version on the above link) must've been created and broadcast on the Ten. I guess any footage will do when you're up against the deadline.

I think it depends on how unexpected the death was. I think it would be pretty safe to say that Donna Summer's death was unexpected, so there would have been quite a rush to prepare that report. It would be easier to quicker to grab whatever was easily available, rather than taking the time to do a serious search of music video archives.

There did appear to be some Top Of The Pops footage used so maybe we can expect a TOTP2 special to be produced soon.

She only performed once in the studio didn't she?

1990, This Time I Know Its For Real.

Maybe 1987, Dinner With Gershwin too?

I think the reports didn't really start coming in until well after 5pm, which wouldn't have left the Six much time to get it pulled together. For obituary reporting a lot of copyright restrictions are temporarily lifted under news access arrangements and it's possible that the YouTube/MTV stuff was just seen as the best they could do with the time available (and just about legit under the obit copyright deal). When Liz Taylor died a lot of terribly glamorous film and production stills from picture libraries like Rex Features got wheeled out, which would normally cost a couple of hundred pounds each per transmission ...

It was first being reported around 4:40 ish.

The confirmation did not come through until around 5.15. Eddie Mair brought it as breaking news on radio 4. The news channel did not report it until a few minutes later when they added a breaking news strap along the bottom of the screen. They were doing the Athens hand over at the time.

Thanks for the replies all. Yes, it seems the Six did a good job in pulling something together in such a short space of time - including a brief soundbite from Paul Gambaccini.

I've found the clip I saw. It's here on Youtube, and a grab from the Six will probably finish this thread off nicely: