The whole point is that would involve another studio and all the extra cost involved. This way only uses one studio and to be honest the BBC One audience is far bigger than the News 24 one. ITN News Channel used to do it all the time - simulcast the main bulletins.
A channel that had no viewers and is now off air really isn't cause for optimism.
Is it really so hard just to time a brief "You're watching BBC News 24" (or similar), followed by a sting, into the simulcast? Granted, it's not the greatest piece of flowing television, but is relatively unconvoluted (which is definitely a word).
Exactly.
It's the same out of the bulletins too on weekdays though - now we get a dodgy throw to the regional news which just doesn't work as well as when the bulletins actually ended with a sting - and the even dodgier "Coming up on News 24 - but HERE on BBC1", even though you might not be watching on BBC1.
It wouldn't take much at all just to neaten things up across the board and make these simulcasts seemless, but somehow the BBC still manage to cock it up.
Re: ITV - perhaps the advantage of commercial breaks, but the simulcasts were never as messy as these, and they had the use of the second CSO studio too for the News Channel before the bulletins, or for short weekend bulletins to allow the News Channel to continue uninterrupted.
They did simulcast the weekend bulletins, but not the short lunchtime summary like News 24 do on a Saturday. Also pretty sure they didn't launch into an hour if the Weekend News was coming up just 10 minutes later.
Would it not be possible to do the BBC1 bulletin from a CSO background - like the one used for the update during the Politics Show? There is not much need for a wide shot since the bulletins are so short, and it would allow News 24 to carry on as normal. I'm sure someone in the know will give me all sorts of reasons why this option hasn't been explored..but it seems too obvious an answer.
The whole point is that would involve another studio and all the extra cost involved. This way only uses one studio and to be honest the BBC One audience is far bigger than the News 24 one. ITN News Channel used to do it all the time - simulcast the main bulletins.
Except a) they had the ability to continue with the news channel if need be and b) they decamped to another studio so that the ITV1 bulletins could rehearse in the hour before. Despite ITV's dubious commitment to its news output, they still managed to do it in a way that was relatively undisruptive to both channels' schedules.
Would it not be possible to do the BBC1 bulletin from a CSO background - like the one used for the update during the Politics Show? There is not much need for a wide shot since the bulletins are so short, and it would allow News 24 to carry on as normal. I'm sure someone in the know will give me all sorts of reasons why this option hasn't been explored..but it seems too obvious an answer.
The whole point is that would involve another studio and all the extra cost involved. This way only uses one studio and to be honest the BBC One audience is far bigger than the News 24 one. ITN News Channel used to do it all the time - simulcast the main bulletins.
Ok, thanks for that Nicky. I just thought that CSO would be a lot cheaper than setting up and operating from a seperate set, as it would only require one fixed camera angle (and could be self-operated by the presenter...possibly?).
On a separate note, I wonder if BBC News 24 would be simulcasting to such a large extent if Sky News was still beating them in the ratings? I understand that budget cuts dictate, but perhaps they would be making them in other areas. However I suppose putting the available money into content is more important than running a completely seamless service. I guess I just answered my own question there...
I would do something like this;
http://www.rp-network.com/tvforum/uploads/news_24_crossover.jpg Have an image of the newsroom, graphic or of the set, with graphics still running and advertising the upcoming news. This would stay on screen for up to a minute, until the programme begins.
I suspect the problem here is that in the BBC the focus is entirely on making sure the bulletins on BBC One appear entirely uncompromised, despite the budget cuts. In trying to achieve this, they've not bothered to delve too much into how the handover should be handled on News 24. Even if it does look disastrous to N24 viewers, there won't be very many of them anyway.
There seems to be a reluctance on the part of the producers of BBC One bulletins to change the script used at the end of bulletins, resulting in the awful "here on BBC One" line being uttered, and the still disjointed feeling of the News Hours. Maintaining the status quo seems to be more important than acknowledging how ridiculous it sounds to those watching on N24. Any of us here could come up with smoother ways of handling the junctions in and out of these bulletins but noone in the BBC seems to have sat down for a few minutes and thought about it.
EDIT: As I was typing, Manxy's already done it! One of many ways it could be handled better
I would do something like this;
http://www.rp-network.com/tvforum/uploads/news_24_crossover.jpg Have an image of the newsroom, graphic or of the set, with graphics still running and advertising the upcoming news. This would stay on screen for up to a minute, until the programme begins.
How would that be better than the usual countdown?
I suppose this is going to be the case forever more now as once the studio is ready again, News 24 will be moving in with them anyway.
So at the moment is it just cost preventing them using the current main studio at weekends - as I'd have thought to keep some consistency they'd have wanted to continue having their weekend bulletins from there as they did before Christmas.
I would do something like this;
http://www.rp-network.com/tvforum/uploads/news_24_crossover.jpg Have an image of the newsroom, graphic or of the set, with graphics still running and advertising the upcoming news. This would stay on screen for up to a minute, until the programme begins.
How would that be better than the usual countdown?
I suppose this is going to be the case forever more now as once the studio is ready again, News 24 will be moving in with them anyway.
So at the moment is it just cost preventing them using the current main studio at weekends - as I'd have thought to keep some consistency they'd have wanted to continue having their weekend bulletins from there as they did before Christmas.
Its not cost, its the fact the current nationals studio ( N6) is closed for refurbishment.
ITN News Channel used to do it all the time - simulcast the main bulletins.
ITN News Channel was always a standalone operation.
I think you are misremembering how the ITV News Channel worked Nicky...
When it became ITV News Channel it moved to the main ITV News studio for most of its day output.
HOWEVER as I understand it - the ITV News Cahnnel had a second gallery to drive that studio (allowing the news channel to run at low staffing levels, and ITV1 bulletins to run traditionally) AND it had a second studio based on CSO/VR technology that they could run the News Channel from to allow ITV1 bulletins rehearsal time (often more than an hour before special programmes) AND/OR pre-record items for the ITV1 bulletins. (Cleverly either gallery could work to either studio)
There was some very clever engineering allowing things like lighting, cameras, autocue, sound etc. to be switched between the two studios and the two galleries - very daring and very clever...
If the BBC were planning that it would make a lot more sense than trying to make one studio and one gallery serve two networks... But AFAIK they haven't taken that leap. (Rebuilding the News 24 studio/gallery and BBC One studio/gallery so they could interlink as ITN did would have been a smart move...)
Its not cost, its the fact the current nationals studio (N6) is closed for refurbishment.
I think Brekkie is right - I don't think there is any plan, currently, for weekend bulletins to be done in any other way other than as an opt-in to News 24 even after the refurbishment when News 24 moves into its new home... That is another cost saving...
I suppose this is going to be the case forever more now as once the studio is ready again, News 24 will be moving in with them anyway.
So at the moment is it just cost preventing them using the current main studio at weekends - as I'd have thought to keep some consistency they'd have wanted to continue having their weekend bulletins from there as they did before Christmas.
Its not cost, its the fact the current nationals studio (N6) is closed for refurbishment.[/quote]
It isn't on Saturday currently - as the other studio is re-set for The Andrew Marr Show and The Politics Show during the afternoon (and re-lit on Sunday morning). Unless they didn't re-set the studio until after the late news, or came in very early in the morning on Sunday, there isn't a set to present from on Saturday afternoon and evening. Similar issue on Sunday afternoon - as the studio has to be re-set back for Breakfast after The Politics Show. (Which is both a re-set and a re-light)
