The problem with say moving away from David Lowe is that when people hear his work they think BBC News - the likes of Bill Bailey doing what he did with it just re-inforces the BBC News brand. To ditch that would be very risky - the new music may not instantly say BBC News. We can probably all remember the classic Thames TV ident because it was so identifiably Thames ... Imagine Channel 4 News without the Bruton Music theme - it is identifiably Channel 4 News ... the David Lowe stuff is identifiably BBC News.
You could have said the same in 1999 though - that music was well established back then and it was a big change when the beeps were bought in.
IMO the reason why the nineties music worked well is that it was an instantly recognisable theme, but also with enough variation for each of the bulletins to be unique in some way.
The problem with the current music is it's the same for every news bulletin, and every hour on BBC News 24 - even back in 1999 the titles were slightly different for each bulletin, with IIRC the Six concentrating more on UK cities and the Ten (well, Nine) on World cities.
We know there are more variations of this theme in use, and of the look too, but they are mainly tucked away on BBC World. I've no problem with them keeping the beeps - but give the bulletins a bit of variation, even if it's just making News 24 slightly different to the "BBC1" bulletins.
The problem with say moving away from David Lowe is that when people hear his work they think BBC News - the likes of Bill Bailey doing what he did with it just re-inforces the BBC News brand. To ditch that would be very risky - the new music may not instantly say BBC News. We can probably all remember the classic Thames TV ident because it was so identifiably Thames ... Imagine Channel 4 News without the Bruton Music theme - it is identifiably Channel 4 News ... the David Lowe stuff is identifiably BBC News.
You could have said the same in 1999 though - that music was well established back then and it was a big change when the beeps were bought in.
IMO the reason why the nineties music worked well is that it was an instantly recognisable theme, but also with enough variation for each of the bulletins to be unique in some way.
The problem with the current music is it's the same for every news bulletin, and every hour on BBC News 24 - even back in 1999 the titles were slightly different for each bulletin, with IIRC the Six concentrating more on UK cities and the Ten (well, Nine) on World cities.
We know there are more variations of this theme in use, and of the look too, but they are mainly tucked away on BBC World. I've no problem with them keeping the beeps - but give the bulletins a bit of variation, even if it's just making News 24 slightly differed to the "BBC1" bulletins.
Yes, the current problems with BBC News stem from the adoption of identical music and idents across all the platforms. As you said, in 1999/2000 every channel looked like it was from the same stable but each had its own unique elements. DL's music was different for each channel but they were all instantly recognisibly the same. The Lambie-Nairn titles, as you rightly said, different not only between channels but also between bulletins.
That was also the magic of the virtual era. The bulletins all looked similar - but not identical. The studio gradually became darker as the day progressed from Breakfast News to the Nine O'Clock News. Similarly, George Fenton's themes for each bulletin were all unique but were instantly recognisible as coming from the same stable.
I really think this is something the BBC should return to. Having everything identical is just too much. They should all conform but each should have their own unique elements.
I do like the idea of blending the beep music with the original themes. I'm sure DL could do a fantastic job of merging the old recognisible themes with the beeps and drums.
Check out the related videos for a 6 and a 1 opening too - just by simply changing the colour for each bulletin it gives them all a unique look, but they are undoubtedly linked.
All quite reminiscent of CNN really - probably not suitable at all for BBC News, but it definately shows how even the most simple of changes can make a generic look and the one studio feel different for each bulletin of the day.
Check out the related videos for a 6 and a 1 opening too - just by simply changing the colour for each bulletin it gives them all a unique look, but they are undoubtedly linked.
All quite reminiscent of CNN really - probably not suitable at all for BBC News, but it definately shows how even the most simple of changes can make a generic look and the one studio feel different for each bulletin of the day.
Indeed it does. Very different feeling bulletins too, from what appears to be the lighter Lunchtime bulletin to the main 7 and the less formal 6.
Quite a nice sized studio too. I do think that they should think more like this in this country. Different bulletins reach different people at different times of the day, so surely they should be branded as such.
It is something that has been neglected in recent years. ITV seem to be getting back to it through News At Ten. They could do with creating indivdual looks for the other bulletins too. I suppose they had this with the ITV Day version of the lunchtime, but seem to have neglected it since. Of course ITV's problems stem from having a coloured logo, but I'm sure there's ways around it.
As for both the BBC and ITV at current, surely just changing the brightness of the background according to time of the day isn't enough really. Even channel 4 manages to change the feel mainly by moving the desk around, but it's something that's achieved well.
I don't understand why some people prefer the 2003 versions to the 2007 refresh. Although giving all bulletins the same music and titles WAS a mistake, the visuals and music are vastly superior to 2003. And there are small nuances; BBC World has many different vamps, and there are a few subtle differences between the National's/N24's title music. Variety is the key for the upcoming relaunch - a family of programmes with a house style. But 2003 was absolutely dreadful.
The problem with say moving away from David Lowe is that when people hear his work they think BBC News - the likes of Bill Bailey doing what he did with it just re-inforces the BBC News brand. To ditch that would be very risky - the new music may not instantly say BBC News. We can probably all remember the classic Thames TV ident because it was so identifiably Thames ... Imagine Channel 4 News without the Bruton Music theme - it is identifiably Channel 4 News ... the David Lowe stuff is identifiably BBC News.
You could have said the same in 1999 though - that music was well established back then and it was a big change when the beeps were bought in.
IMO the reason why the nineties music worked well is that it was an instantly recognisable theme, but also with enough variation for each of the bulletins to be unique in some way.
The problem with the current music is it's the same for every news bulletin, and every hour on BBC News 24 - even back in 1999 the titles were slightly different for each bulletin, with IIRC the Six concentrating more on UK cities and the Ten (well, Nine) on World cities.
We know there are more variations of this theme in use, and of the look too, but they are mainly tucked away on BBC World. I've no problem with them keeping the beeps - but give the bulletins a bit of variation, even if it's just making News 24 slightly differed to the "BBC1" bulletins.
Yes, the current problems with BBC News stem from the adoption of identical music and idents across all the platforms. As you said, in 1999/2000 every channel looked like it was from the same stable but each had its own unique elements. DL's music was different for each channel but they were all instantly recognisibly the same. The Lambie-Nairn titles, as you rightly said, different not only between channels but also between bulletins.
That was also the magic of the virtual era. The bulletins all looked similar - but not identical. The studio gradually became darker as the day progressed from Breakfast News to the Nine O'Clock News. Similarly, George Fenton's themes for each bulletin were all unique but were instantly recognisible as coming from the same stable.
I really think this is something the BBC should return to. Having everything identical is just too much. They should all conform but each should have their own unique elements.
I do like the idea of blending the beep music with the original themes. I'm sure DL could do a fantastic job of merging the old recognisible themes with the beeps and drums.
The problem is the world news landscape was very different back then. Competition is far stronger now and you need an audience where-ever they are to instantly know they are watching or listening to BBC News. You may know you are but with the utmost respect we are all anoraks. You'd be surprised how many people don't know they are watching or listening to BBC News. Having one single theme (with the variations) gives that if you are watching in the UK or anywhere else in the World - especially one that people do now identify with BBC News.
It is something that has been neglected in recent years. ITV seem to be getting back to it through News At Ten. They could do with creating indivdual looks for the other bulletins too. I suppose they had this with the ITV Day version of the lunchtime, but seem to have neglected it since. Of course ITV's problems stem from having a coloured logo, but I'm sure there's ways around it.
Well now on the astons at least ITV News are using a white logo, they could achieve a different look just by tinkering with the colours for the graphics on each bulletin - but keeping a consistent white logo throughout.
Not sure - but both the VRT and Telediaro sets, to me, look over-designed, contrived and cluttered. The VRT set in particular looks quite dated - with the presenter stranded with no real relationship to the set and the screens. Like the high-gloss on some of the surfaces - but it doesn't do it for me. Too much going on, not much of which says anything of interest in design terms.
And the white lightbox + plasma wall is a direct lift from the final Liquid News set... (Who knew that most European set designers watch UK TV for inspiration... Oh - we all did...)
ORF in Austria did a nice job with their version of the current BBC One News look - but they officially visited the BBC and asked for advice etc.
will they be keeping the same set and just changing the graphics that appear on the video walls, and obviously changing the colours and floor and lighting etc. im just confused as they introduced these not so long ago and as it is completely a LED wall, it would have cost a fortune...just seems a waste of money to me.
