The Newsroom

BBC World [soon to be BBC World News]

(July 2006)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
FL
Florian
IMO, this kind of "umbrella" is sense to represent the TV Center. Chris, what else could it be ?
If we have to find a meaning about the "strange thing", we can think the BBC TVC (the swirls) are providing the news from all around the world, and in the end of the titles, the swirls are making the TVC, and showing the globe (square in the image) in the center of the BBC news' interest.

Many broadcasting compagnies are using a sort of logo to illustrate their news programms, such as RTBF (Belgian channel), TSR (Suitzerland) were using their broadcast antenna in their titles.
SE
seamus
I think that is over analysing it. It's there to provide contast to the globe prt, otherwise the globe would blend right into the background.
JR
jrothwell97
Not forgetting that BBC News and Newsreel used a transmitter in its titles, and the symbol was revived for the 1988 Nine and weekend look.

Now it's been mentioned, the swirls do look like they may have been influenced by TVC's shape.

(and remember the News 24 countdown uses the satellite dishes on the roof of TVC)
PE
Pete Founding member
Florian posted:
IMO, this kind of "umbrella" is sense to represent the TV Center. Chris, what else could it be ?.


TV Centre (in the public mind) is not news though, TV Centre is entertainment.

In addtion most people know TVC from the front view of Studio TC1 and the glass doughnut rather than the overhead view.
http://www.hymagumba.com/uploads//bbc-tv-centre.jpg

The news centre is that very top section
http://www.hymagumba.com/uploads/tvc-news.png

The red shape around the globe is surely meant to be a representation of the "news streams" and news going around the world.
HA
harshy Founding member
itsrobert posted:
kitt22 posted:
itsrobert posted:

But, quantity is not always a measure of quality. The content of BBC World has never dipped below excellent in all the years I have been watching. Editorially, it is top class. That's why you get 76 million viewers a week. However, presentationally the channel is being ruined. Here's a few pointers:

1) No thought goes into the quality of idents, titles and stings. Compare the current set to the 2000-2003 ones. The level of detail in those titles was incredibly, right down to tiny place names rotating on the cream background and radio waves pulsating all over the place. What do we have now? A strange red thing on a plain black background.

2) Stings being removed altogether or butchered beyond recognition. Why did the business/sport stings go? They were handy tools to signify sections of the bulletins. Where's the closing music gone? Yes, I know that bulletin closes were supposedly reducing viewer numbers, but why then, do they still use them for TWT, WNT and programmes like WBR, Sport Today and Asia Today? Surely people switch off after those, too? How about the weather ident? A once imaginative set of titles (2000-2005) has been reduced to nothing more than a slide with a horrendous edit of the music.

3) Dodgy logos. Admittedly, things are generally OK now, but what about the horrendous logos on the last titles that were not corrected for over 2 years? That screams no attention to detail.

4) A cheap and tacky set. Whoever came up with bright white and red plexiglass needs to be shot. The previous set/newsroom was far less distracting and had a more formal feel. Even better than that was the flags era set. If you look at the current set for too long, it begins to hurt your eyes because it is so bright!

There's four points to mull over, and there are probably more. As I said earlier, this is not about BBC World's content. That's excellent, and always has been. The problem is, the channel looks a mess.


I totally disagree.

I think that the current look is far superior to the orange/red/pink mess we had from 2004-2007.
Then we had orange channel idents, and orange breakfiller, red news titles and a pink/white set.

At least now it all matches and looks unified!

I think the cureent look is very modern and professional. The music has more power than the wishy-woshy stuff on CNN Int. and nicer then the tacky AJE stuff. The set is ok- atleast we see a real newsroom. And the titles are smart.

Its good. And I don't agree that content has always been brilliant. Before they changed the format of the bullitins earlier this year they were a pretty boring affair. At least now there is a bit of pace.

Ok rant over. Laughing


I'm not talking about BBC World between 2004 and 2007. That was indeed a horrible look for the channel. I'm going back to 2000-2003 with the original Lambie Nairn set/idents design and the original David Lowe music. That was far superior to the current look. For me, December 2003 was the turning point. Prior to that, BBC World had a look which, whilst it sat comfortably within the BBC News brand, had its own distinctive identity. Maybe you have not been watching BBC World long enough to remember this era, but I strongly suggest you look up a few clips of it on the internet. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by how good the channel looked back then. You see, I'm looking at the current look knowing what has been before and I can see how it has been a big step backwards. Between 1999/2000 and 2003, all BBC News outlets shared a similar look, but each had its own identity while still being easily recognisible as BBC News. Now, each outlet is an exact replica of each other, which is rather a sad development in terms of TV pres.

As for your comment about content, I think you're rather misguided. For as long as I can remember, every BBC News outlet, including BBC World, has had excellent journalistic and editorial quality. That has never faltered, especially where BBC World is concerned.

By the way, to clear things up, I do know what the globe looks like. That 'strange thing' I mentioned is the shape around it.


I totally agree with itsrobert comments, as to the person who says BBC World is consistant, well it sure ain't, in fact you wonder if there is any thought process put in the idents, as they all seem like separate elements to me, none of the presentational aspects of the channel match one another, you have a mish mash of BBC World DOG's now, the new breakfiller has a different copy, and it dosen't match the position of the transparent DOG, which is also a few pixels out, the static BBC World DOG appears on some BBC News programmes for no apparent reason, essentally Red Bee has turned the channel into a complete mess, and undone Lambie Nairn's efforts in bringing consistant to the channel.

But its making money, even though the channel is now a poor version of BBC News 24.
EY
the eye
Why is it a poor News 24 ? I honestly don't see why people say that. BBC World to me is a much bigger brand than News 24
HA
harshy Founding member
the eye posted:
Why is it a poor News 24 ? I honestly don't see why people say that. BBC World to me is a much bigger brand than News 24


Well in theory yes, but I think internally, BBC News 24 is more important as its a licence fee channel therefore the BBC have to get it right, whilst BBC World is just their to make a profit and spread the BBC News brand across the globe, so technically BBC World is last in the order of priority despite going out to 76 million viewers.
EY
the eye
But what makes it 'poor'?
TV
archiveTV
harshy posted:
the eye posted:
Why is it a poor News 24 ? I honestly don't see why people say that. BBC World to me is a much bigger brand than News 24


Well in theory yes, but I think internally, BBC News 24 is more important as its a licence fee channel therefore the BBC have to get it right, whilst BBC World is just their to make a profit and spread the BBC News brand across the globe, so technically BBC World is last in the order of priority despite going out to 76 million viewers.


Not at all. BBC World is vital to the BBC's success. A lot of interviews and guests obtained by the BBC are due to it's high international profile. Indeed guests on Newsnight have only agreed to be interviewed providing the interview goes out on BBC World.

And it's BBC News's only growing channel so is thought of as central to the future of BBC News.
JW
JamesWorldNews
Julian Marshall and Tanya Beckett yesterday. Who was the third?
IT
itsrobert Founding member
BBC WORLD posted:
Julian Marshall and Tanya Beckett yesterday. Who was the third?


The weekend line-up was:

Saturday:
Martine Dennis
Julian Marshall
Tony Campion

Sunday:
Martine Dennis
Tanya Beckett
Alastair Yates

I'm loving the variety of presenters at the weekend these days. A few years ago, it was always Anita McNaught, Adrian Finighan and Mike Embley. I liked all of those presenters very much, but variety is the spice of life, as they say.
CL
cldsleyon
Here is BBC WORLD, Ree Bee and Pixel statement on the new graphics system.
Red Bee Media Creates Automated Promotional Graphics For BBC World With Pixel Promo DJ
New Contracts, Graphics

Mon, 17th, Sep 2007

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Red Bee Media, working with Pixel Power, has developed and implemented an automated graphics and branding system which creates sophisticated interstitial sequences between programmes in a process it calls dynamic junctions (DJ).

It provides creative, tailored and varied information and branding sequences for the six variants of BBC World.

BBC World is distributed by satellite from Red Bee Media’s West London playout centre to broadcasters around the world. There are actually six different BBC World channels: a master programme and variants for Europe, Latin America, North America, Asia-Pacific and South Asia. The broadcasters who have the rights to BBC World in each territory can sell advertising around the programmes to local limits, and the schedule is designed to allow for this. The new DJ system allows for any difference in advertising durations across streams to be populated with relevant media providing solid branding and varied promotion. The DJ system also puts relevant graphics and trailers between programmes.

The Pixel Promo system interrogates the system automation to know which programmes are coming next, and also to obtain the future schedule. Based on this, it selects the appropriate sequences from a library of templates, and populates it with live data to fit the required duration.


As well as interrogating the station automation system, Pixel Promo DJ also has interfaces to a number of other internal and external sources of information, automatically collecting everything from the news headlines and weather forecast to stock market data.

Pixel Promo DJ runs on a Microsoft Windows Server with a SQL database. In the Red Bee Media installation there are six Pixel Power Clarity 500 graphics systems attached to it, one for each channel. Each is capable of creating and outputting sophisticated sequences in real time, including live video, DVE moves and separate voiceover tracks. Because each sequence is created specifically for each junction and assembled at the time of playout, all the station automation needs do is cue the appropriate Clarity, minimising the overhead on the automation system and eliminating the need for scheduling specific sequences.

“The dynamic junction system makes the difference between dull and repetitive promos which alienate an audience, and bright, lively and interesting graphics and branding,” said Neil Caldicott, Head of Presentation BBC World. “Pixel Power was the one company that understood the requirement for an output that was going to engage the audience, and the technical solution they have delivered is excellent.”

“The BBC World system is a great example of how we at Pixel Power can link excellent graphics capabilities with intelligent control,” said James Gilbert, managing director of Pixel Power“. Once the rules and templates are established, the system at Red Bee Media needs no overhead apart from editing video clips for trailers. Completely automatically – and without imposing on the scheduling or automation systems – it generates lively and varied content.”


Weblinks: http;//www.pixelpower.com http://www.redbeemedia.com

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