BBC North West News 2002-2004

Hi,

I didn't really watch news in 2002-2004, but from the clips I have seen NWT looked quite good.

What was the overall feel of the prgramme like back in the days of actual regional identity?

By the way, on the North West Today programme how did they do the opening titles? Was it similar to what it is currently or different?

You do realise there are sites around which will answer all your questions:

http://www2.tv-ark.org.uk/bbc_northwest/news.html

Yes, that is why I mentioned I have seen the clips of the programme from 2002-2004, but they don't show the whole programme. I was wondering whether anybody here, could tell me what the programmes were like, as they are experienced and at sometimes, quite interesting

OK then. I don't intend to make a habit of answering your questions, but if it'll keep you quiet...

NWT was much the same as it is now. You will be aware that has a different 'feel' to Granada Reports, and this hasn't really changed. The main difference was that until Sept 2007, Gordon Burns presented the main part of the bulletin on his own, and so could fully apply his own 'style' to the programme.

On the lunchtime bulletin, the titles were just a shorter version of the 6:30 ones. You can see them on the TV-ARK page that Brekkie linked to.


What?! BBC 'regional identity' hasn't changed - we've only ever had English regions idents before regional programmes, and non-news programmes in the form of series such as 'Inside Out'. In the North West, the only changes are the recent loss of idents and regional shows on Granada. News hasn't changed at all.

(edited for spelling error)

Oh I thought that the lunchtime titles were long ones, similar to the evening bulletins and thought the opening was similar to what we have now : TITLES, HEADLINES, STING.

When I say regional idendity, I mean when each regional programme had their own titles and studio, not like now where all regions share the same type of titles.

What were the closing titles like on the LN? Did they just use a small sting?

'Titles' refers to the actual video sequence of images and logo. I would use 'opening/closing sequence' to describe what you presumably wanted to know in your first post.

Seen as I don't commit the order of these things to my long-term memory, I've looked at the TV-ARK clips. In the 2002 clip, the lunch bulletin appears to have been just short titles with no headlines. In 2000, headlines came before titles and from some point between 2002 and 2005 they switched to the current 'titles-headlines-sting' sequence.

I neither remember nor care less how the bulletin ended - probably with a short sting.

Pre-2000, NWT was much more 'newsy' - IIRC there was no 'sofa area' so most of the bulletin was reports.

I'd characterise the overall feel as spongy, incandescent, and moist.

Presumably he's referring to when each region had a genuinely different identify. Effectively between when Nationwide/Sixty Minutes ended and the 1997 Lambie Nairn look when each region got an identical (ish) set.

Not strictly true. In the 70s and 80s the English regions blanketed network presentation for many junctions during the day - meaning there were continuity announcers in many regions most of the day, reading the same (or different scripts) Bizarre I know - but apparently the case... This is why most old English Regions buildings had "Pres"/"Self-op" studios long before Breakfast Time...

I realise that now - I was misled somewhat by JJ's reference to specifically 2002-2004 in both thread title and original post!!


Well, you learn something new every day, don't you?! Sorry for giving misleading information. As you say, a bizarre situation; I was aware the 'self-op' studios were used for news, but I never knew about their original purpose!

I aplogise for any misleading

It's fine - hope that between us all, we've managed to answer your questions!