The Newsroom

BBC North West Tonight

LIVE NEWS - LOCAL NEWS - YOUR NEWS (October 2004)

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ST
Stuart
Awwww - we'll get these in the South West in about 2011.

We had just got over the fact that we were lucky in having the return of our regional logo (sort of) in the titles - and now my former home region has to go and get a better title sequence.

Gutted Rolling Eyes
AN
Andrew Founding member
2 things I don't like. The Live News, Your News business. I haven't seen such news related nonsense since ITN used 'Right Content Right Now' at the end of ITV News

Secondly, I don't think the upsidedown reflection of 'North West Tonight' is very good

Also, that cringworthy pause in the sofa chatter at the end of the main NWT. You could park a bus in the gap!
AS
Asa Admin
It's like a hybrid of the original corporate map titles and the region shots one. Generally I like it - like a few others I wouldn't have the gimmicky text on the opening titles. I wouldn't do the "wet floor" text effect either, it would look perfectly nice without it.

Was the fact it was filmed in HD necessary? I can't really see regional news programmes upgrading to HD at least before another rebrand. It's a bit like UKTV - widescreen idents made since 1997 but still yet to be seen in their entirety!

It pales South East Today's recently title relaunch into comparison anyway!
:-(
A former member
Am I the ony one to like the "Live News, Local News, Your News" text on the titles? I agree on the "wet" floor though, it really doesn't look right.
ST
STV Today
Asa posted:
It's like a hybrid of the original corporate map titles and the region shots one. Generally I like it - like a few others I wouldn't have the gimmicky text on the opening titles. I wouldn't do the "wet floor" text effect either, it would look perfectly nice without it.

Was the fact it was filmed in HD necessary? I can't really see regional news programmes upgrading to HD at least before another rebrand. It's a bit like UKTV - widescreen idents made since 1997 but still yet to be seen in their entirety!

It pales South East Today's recently title relaunch into comparison anyway!


Well at least the South East had a proper relaunch of their titles in the 2000s...Scottish viewers cannot say that (I know I sound like a windging Jock but do not care!)

I also wonder if Scotland would get the 'live news and local news' titles? Wink
GR
gregmc
Great relaunch, I wonder if we can expect something like this from MT in the coming weeks. I love the titles, how they involve national/n24/world titles mixed with countdown elements and the 1999 regional map idea!
ST
Stuart
Firstly, I think the "your news" and "local news" smacks heavily of the Granada Reports/Tonight sequence from years ago. A tad patronisingly indigenous - when in reality it isn't.

Otherwise the title sequence I like.

As for sofa area - there was one before. What's the problem?

If you want to see how a BBC regional programme makes the subtle change to "softer items" then I suggest you watch my local version - "Spotlight" (Sky 987). They do it effortlessly, yet create a different ambience in a very tiny studio. They also pull the Channel Island and SW-England version together halfway through the programme. I never realised until I watched the CI opt-out.
BB
bbc140
Yup really nice, including the set! Love it all apart from the 'Your News'

bbc140
PT
PaceTwinAddict
Asa posted:
Was the fact it was filmed in HD necessary? I can't really see regional news programmes upgrading to HD at least before another rebrand.


The titles would be shot in HD so that the the video sequences can be better rendered in post production, i.e. so that afterwards, when "reduced" back to Standard Definition, all of the number crunching that the various sequences would go through would not have "lost" definition. An analogy is when you divide 22 by 3, you get 7 and remainder 1, multiply 7 by 3 you get 21, if you kept the remainder as a decimal amount, the original can be recreated.
ST
Stuart
Another point. The Alps seen from a geo-stationary satellite has a flatter surface than that studio floor.

Matt black paint! Give it a go! Rolling Eyes
MK
Mr Kite
Set looks smart. The music is boring, to be honest. Another play on the same pips theme they've had for a best part of a decade. Titles are smart, apart from the bit at the end where Manchester is lit up on the map like a star in an otherwise cultural backwater.
IT
itsrobert Founding member
Generally, I like the revamp. The studio is an improvement, although I'm not sure about the floor. I love the titles (the nighttime shots looked especially nice) however the music doesn't have the catchiness of the old music (i.e. BBC LDN 2001). After watching NWT, I'd be humming the signature notes for ages. Not much chance of that now, as it's pretty flat and boring really. Also, it sounds a bit too serious for regional news. Even the National News music doesn't sound that sombre!

I am rather disappointed that the live Manchester backdrop has been dropped. I'd much rather have that than just images displayed on the screen behind the presenter. It makes it seem very enclosed. I know the old studio set was enclosed, but the presence of the Oxford Road backdrop subconsciously made me think it was a bit more light and airy (as if it was an actual window looking out over the city).

I really liked Ranvir, although Gordon did look a bit uncomfortable. Mind you, I suppose after 10 years of presenting on his own, it will take Gordon a while to get used to sharing duties. I think it's too much having all four presenters sat around at the end. That was fine when it was just Gordon, but it looks too crowded now. Dianne and Tony should just do their bits in the programme, then disappear. Gordon and Ranvir could quite easily cover e-mails and wrap up the programme between them. That awkward silence at the end tonight was very uncomfortable. Because there were so many of them, they didn't know what to say and who should say it. That definitely needs to be looked at.

All in all, quite a good improvement. Just a few tweaks and I think it would be pretty much perfect. Anyway, I'm just chuffed that our region has been chosen to introduce this new look. It makes a change from London and the South in general.

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