BBC World News America new set and titles

Half an hour til the programme with no name but two hosts in two cities. See you all soon! pic.twitter.com/m46LDWQuum

— Katty Kay (@KattyKay_) August 17, 2020

Yep, definitely looks like it has extenable wings on eitherside. Should come in handy if there's a socially distanced election special in November.

There are better themes out there:

http://www.newsmusicnow.com/

Interestingly it looks like the screens can be moved around. Guessing they're hung from rails.

This new set design certainly shows even though its small its extremely versatile. If it was designed by Clickspring, versatility is one of their hallmarks. I do like this set very much. Its layered with depth and it even has texture lighting, another Clickspring hallmark. I think it can easily fit into line with the other BBC news sets. Because it uses the most modern LED tech, they can switch it to BBC China red or white or whatever the programme requires.
I'm curious about the skyline background, behind the moveable videowalls... Are those low-res led screens or is simply a duratrans type backdrop that needs to be rolled up or something. If you notice in the tweet picture it shows DC during the day. It was so smart to include a view in to the newsroom or office portion. I love the discrete BBC logo on the grey panel. Overall this is major thumbs up from me.
I would like to think the BBC is going to be move away from their current set designs. They are a bit well, uninspired IMO. The same style has been remixed 1000 times already, squares, boxes and circles and lacking any texture and depth.... especially when compared by some sets used in Europe. But I highly doubt anything remotely similar will be used in BH. I think that maybe BBC bosses felt that the WNA had to "look American". Sadly thats not going to be the thing that draws in the viewers. PBS Newshour set is a stark departure from any other US National newscast sets and it maintain is audience and it must be said WNA is going after the same audience. Sooo...As far as BH goes... Maybe is time for something new there. Im not saying this design is it either. Regarding the WNA theme, I have to agree, its a bit nothing. Again its a probably time for something new maybe. Regarding that oddly coloured star.....SkyNews and now the BBC has both use odd blue's for their "American" branding. I think they are emulating the background of the american flag, but it doenst translate well to these applications it looks black. SkyNews also looks teal. Not good.

One miss they made, after looking at the video of the actual broadcast its the view of the capital....its rather uninspired. DC has been shown multiple times on on many sets and this one is not good. Also because its a dark image it probably needed a bit "help" so its not so dark. I think they could of amped up the colours. Firstly the shot is taken waaaaaay too elevated. Its seems as though this shot was taken across the river from Alexandria, VA or something. Its slightly blurred. The Capitol Dome is the tallest thing in the district, aside from the Washington Monument. DC is all lowrise. You have the Capitol Dome on one side of her head an then on the other side you see a construction site with bright lights, but at night it looks like a refinery or something. The shot framing was a bit off in that respect. Not a fan of the shot at all. But thankfully its just an picture and not a part of the physical set. Not a big deal just a little niggle. Hopefully they will switch to a live beauty cam shot in the future.

But this is significant upgrade for DC. Well done to the BBC for doing something brave outside the mandate look.

According to a producer they aren't using it to full potential yet due to social distancing

The studio is great but I have to agree with chris about the theme music. I'm of the opinion now that BBC News needs a page one rewrite on its news themes. Ten to twenty years ago I remember there would be massive excitement here on the prospect of a new David Lowe creation. His music had the 'wow factor' each time. Now it's just the same old, same old. As chris says, whether that's down to David Lowe running out of ideas for it, or the brief he is being given by the BBC, we can't be sure. But, for me at least, it's lacking these days. After 21 years I think I'm just fed up of hearing the same basic elements all the time.

Interestingly, though, I don't feel the same way about ITV News. I think that Dave Hewson has done a better job of keeping the core elements (the familiar News at Ten notes and bongs) intact but radically reimagining the music each time. You can listen to all his ITV News creations and they are significantly different to each other, whilst retaining familiarity.

Maybe the BBC News music has been, by and large, a bit too formulaic? Most of the titles have always been about the same length; they invariably start with a crash (and maybe a build before it), there's a beat for a few seconds, then a crash, key change, building strings and a final crash. Stings are cut-down versions of that and the beds have mostly been the same, with just variations on speed and strings.

Of course, there have been notable exceptions over the years but I'd say the vast majority of David Lowe's BBC News themes follow that same broad pattern. Interestingly, his first themes in 1999/2000 didn't really follow a pattern and were mostly unique. And, for me, they remain the best ones. Whereas there hasn't really been a pattern to Dave Hewson's ITV News themes, except for the recognisable notes and bongs always being included somewhere. Maybe that's why his music has remained fresher for longer?

I’d like to know if they redid the gallery so they can produce an entire show minus London. IIRC certain elements were cut and inserted from London. I hope with four cameras they switch up the shots a bit, shame they’re all static PTZ+Height Drive.

Here’s an HD capture from PBS (all the underwriting included!):

New theme, meh. New set looks great very non BBC but it’s still pretty clean. I like the blue on the titles but I think these rings around the globe need to go. Each year the bbc news adapt them in different ways the more they begin to look like mocks.

Hopefully we will get to see some of the studio during the 21:00 UKT hour when they return to having guests in the studio. Last night it was a fixed head shot on Katty throughout I think.

The music reminds me of bbc regional titles a bit.

Like the London and Singapore studios then? I'm not sure I'd describe colour changing LED as modern though, it's been around for a few decades now.



If you mean the bit at the back, then that's another back lit photo. You can see in the conversion photos the LED strip back lights use on all three walls.

Putting the theme, titles, and studio to one side, let's please take a moment to recognise Katty Kay's rock solid newsreading and hosting. She presents bulletins like WNA with real coolness and authority, and she co-hosts with others, especially with Christian Fraser, effortlessly and humorously. Whenever Katty is a contributor on Morning Joe or Meet the Press her interventions are well informed and very cogently conveyed. I'm a fan to say the least!

Good to see her presenting WNA again and to have a new set to play with.