BBC North West Tonight

I agree. Gordon can't be too happy with the way the show is going. He has had a fantastic journalistic and news presenting career yet is saddled with this dross to present most nights now.

The current predicament draws interesting parallels to Krypton Factor which Gordon used to expertly host in that when they radically changed the show's format in 1995 - following years of acclaim - so popularity fell.

He has been cutting back on his hours generally, but this may not be him winding down in anyway since when he took a Friday and then the following week off mid-June it was around the time of his 63rd birthday I believe (and still going...top man!) so maybe he was enjoying a richly deserved week off for the occasion.

Most regular national presenters seem to get Fridays off - surely Gordon is deserved them off too? 3 day weekend...

He told viewers taht he was in Italy when he had the week off.

To be honest, I dont think he's had that much time off. He did last year though.

At least Mondays edition actually had 15 minutes of news. Its OK on Monday as the sports fills up just over five minutes. On normal days, they fill that up with competition etc

I think that had more to do with having no choice but to cover a major story such as the shooting of a police officer.
But they didn't cover themselves in glory last night
Watching the wondeful Fiona Trott this morning her material wasn't as good as the woman who was reading for Granada.

Suppose we cant balme the presenters and reporters for the decline in real news content as it's the editors who have the final say I should imagine.

A busy newsday in the region today, two sieges and Steven Gerrard leaving Liverpool.

The Lancashire siege was covered well I suppose with the ameteur footage courtesy of 'ITV News', although no real feel of its seriousness. Kate Simms covered the story very well yesterday though - with a live update with with Annabel at 10.25.

And the second siege in which a woman was stabbed to death was an 'in-brief' item - very poor IMO. Yet there was a item with children on space hoppers.... And a report on hospitals was clearly recorded last week, with the tennis on a tv screen over a hospital bed!!! so why couldnt this just be shown on another day to make way for a report on the Merseyside siege, much more important i believe.

Good to see Gordon back mind, NWT always seems to be lacking something when Stuart is anchoring, and when Jayne Barret is presenting - well it makes an Alastair Mann anchored Granada Reports look fantastic.

Yes, one or two 'major' stories were only mentioned briefly and perhaps not covered to the extent they should. Nevertheless, I was much more pleased with tonight's show than I have the recent competition and 'give us your views'- laden rubbish.

Happy to note that true news stories were still being dealt with beyond 6.45, a sign that the balance between the serious and the less so features was more equitable.

Sure, there was a WW2 feature but I feel this was justified and it is part of a national look back at the history and experiences of the time.

Rather this sort of meaningful, thought provoking piece than Jayne Barrett rifling through people's fridges asking whether or not their cauliflowers are from the supermarket.

Having watched Granada Reports coverage of the Lancashire siege I think it's fair to say they delivered a knockout blow on that story to NWT - so much so that the BBC felt the need to use ITV's materail.

Did you notice they must have recorded Granada Reports as their starp covered the Granada Reports logo.

I haven't seen the BBC feel the need to do that for a long time. Is that another sign of their poor newsgathering?

Anybody see the Manchester Evening News on Thursday?
The paper claims the BBC and Granada have fallen out over the pictures of the Rawtenstall siege?
Granada claim the BBC stole their exclusive pictures without permission.
BBC say they were allowed to access it under something called Fair Dealing.
I know they do that for Sport but didn't think you could do that for news.
My view (for what it's worth) is that's very poor of the BBC.
Another sign of slipping standards?
If they missed out on the footage they should get over it and move on.

I know they consulted heavily with lawyers before doing it but apparently the editor of granada was not happy!!.. as you said.. missed pictures?.. get over it!.. its probably the bonus off going on air 30mins later.. if you've missed anything you can tape it off your rival!!!!

don't suppose its online anywhere?.. got a link?