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
EY
the eye
itsrobert posted:
People are also confusing content with presentation. The journalistic content of BBC News (on any platform) is second to none. BBC World's content is just as excellent as any other BBC platform. However, the presentation of the channel has declined over recent years which started with the streaming idea. That was when they ditched closing sequences, proper breaks etc. That's where I, and seemingly others, feel BBC World is not as good as it was. It can feel uncomfortable to watch at times (i.e. with all the pausing and sharp cuts to stings brought about by the streaming). archiveTV made out as though we presentation fans are 'obsessives' who don't matter to BBC management. But, as noggin said, the BBC must appeal to all - and that includes us. As I said yesterday, obviously presentation is important to the BBC otherwise it wouldn't invest thousands of pounds in idents, music, sets and graphics every few years. In BBC World's case, it is clearly inferior in terms of presentation to how it was a few years ago. I suspect the improved ratings can be explained through journalistic content and improved reach - presentation seems to have been lost along the way somewhere. It's a shame as BBC World was a very watchable channel before this streaming lark came along. It now lacks structure (intrestingly, News 24 - which World is obviously trying to copy by getting rid of closing sequences - flows well and has structure at the same time).


I'm with rob, BBC World News (presentation pov) is crap now, and makes watching, unwatchable. They also need to finish the bulletins using the Plasma shot like the old days. Never liked how they got rid of the Sport and Biz stings either.
NG
noggin Founding member
itsrobert posted:
People are also confusing content with presentation. The journalistic content of BBC News (on any platform) is second to none. BBC World's content is just as excellent as any other BBC platform. However, the presentation of the channel has declined over recent years which started with the streaming idea. That was when they ditched closing sequences, proper breaks etc. That's where I, and seemingly others, feel BBC World is not as good as it was. It can feel uncomfortable to watch at times (i.e. with all the pausing and sharp cuts to stings brought about by the streaming). archiveTV made out as though we presentation fans are 'obsessives' who don't matter to BBC management. But, as noggin said, the BBC must appeal to all - and that includes us. As I said yesterday, obviously presentation is important to the BBC otherwise it wouldn't invest thousands of pounds in idents, music, sets and graphics every few years. In BBC World's case, it is clearly inferior in terms of presentation to how it was a few years ago. I suspect the improved ratings can be explained through journalistic content and improved reach - presentation seems to have been lost along the way somewhere. It's a shame as BBC World was a very watchable channel before this streaming lark came along. It now lacks structure (intrestingly, News 24 - which World is obviously trying to copy by getting rid of closing sequences - flows well and has structure at the same time).


My "appeal to all"/"something for everyone" comments were limited to licence-fee funded services specifically - which doesn't include BBC World or other non-domestic output.

BBC World and other overseas BBC-branded channels are funded through a mix of subscription and commercial advertising. In these cases they DON'T have to appeal to everyone, they can be more tightly focused on making content specific to an audience their advertisers want to hit. In this case it isn't always the number of viewers that count - it is also the TYPE of viewer that counts.

BBC World seems to have advertising aimed at quite a high-end businessman end of the market - i.e. those with high disposable incomes who travel business class and buy expensive watches... Doesn't directly include me!

BBC World certainly doesn't have to target those who are fascinated by TV presentation and like a particular style - and the streaming has allowed them to be far more tightly focused in their advertising spots, and content tailoring...

I agree - as someone who has an interest in presentation myself - there are aspects that don't appeal directly to me. However the channel isn't aimed at me directly - and I still watch it when abroad.

One area that IS important to address is that closing titles are a real issue for continuous news channels. Any form of closing sequence is a subliminal trigger for many people to switch channels or switch off - often right before the commercials. Given that the commercials are what keep the channel funded - it is imperative to get as many eyeballs on them as possible. This is also a reason for streaming, allowing tailored ad breaks within the bulletin (getting a higher audience than at the end) for different regions in different timezones. It may not be that amazing to watch in production terms - but it does deliver viewers.
IT
itsrobert Founding member
Yes, the dropping of stings also helped to water down the structure of the channel. Pre-2004, I knew what was coming up when. The bulletin started on the hour. There'd usually be a break at 12 minutes past, followed by a heads recap and the business news. At 20 past there'd be sport and closing heads at 25 past. The bulletin was followed by weather and a break, then into the next programme with a channel ident. At weekends, it was pretty much the same, minus business news and breaks.

Since 2004, there has been little consistency. Some hours have breaks, some have two and some have none. There are no longer closing heads and instead a very awkward transition to the weather. During the week, there are heads at half past but these tend to be dropped at weekends. Sometimes the back half programme is introduced with an ident, whereas other times it is by the presenter. Sport seems to be still at 20 past but I couldn't tell you when business is any more. This all adds up to make the channel seem unstructured and inconsistent. I just wish someone at the BBC would wake up and realise this. Trying to make BBC World into News 24 was a big mistake, in my opinion. It never has been like News 24 and never will be. It just doesn't flow as well as News 24 does no matter how many changes they make.
TV
archiveTV
itsrobert posted:
Yes, the dropping of stings also helped to water down the structure of the channel. Pre-2004, I knew what was coming up when. The bulletin started on the hour. There'd usually be a break at 12 minutes past, followed by a heads recap and the business news. At 20 past there'd be sport and closing heads at 25 past. The bulletin was followed by weather and a break, then into the next programme with a channel ident. At weekends, it was pretty much the same, minus business news and breaks.

Since 2004, there has been little consistency. Some hours have breaks, some have two and some have none. There are no longer closing heads and instead a very awkward transition to the weather. During the week, there are heads at half past but these tend to be dropped at weekends. Sometimes the back half programme is introduced with an ident, whereas other times it is by the presenter. Sport seems to be still at 20 past but I couldn't tell you when business is any more. This all adds up to make the channel seem unstructured and inconsistent. I just wish someone at the BBC would wake up and realise this. Trying to make BBC World into News 24 was a big mistake, in my opinion. It never has been like News 24 and never will be. It just doesn't flow as well as News 24 does no matter how many changes they make.


But why would they change when audience appreciation is up, audiences are up by 10 million in one year and now stand at 76 million and ad revenue has doubled over the last few years. They would be barking mad to risk that.
IT
itsrobert Founding member
archiveTV posted:
itsrobert posted:
Yes, the dropping of stings also helped to water down the structure of the channel. Pre-2004, I knew what was coming up when. The bulletin started on the hour. There'd usually be a break at 12 minutes past, followed by a heads recap and the business news. At 20 past there'd be sport and closing heads at 25 past. The bulletin was followed by weather and a break, then into the next programme with a channel ident. At weekends, it was pretty much the same, minus business news and breaks.

Since 2004, there has been little consistency. Some hours have breaks, some have two and some have none. There are no longer closing heads and instead a very awkward transition to the weather. During the week, there are heads at half past but these tend to be dropped at weekends. Sometimes the back half programme is introduced with an ident, whereas other times it is by the presenter. Sport seems to be still at 20 past but I couldn't tell you when business is any more. This all adds up to make the channel seem unstructured and inconsistent. I just wish someone at the BBC would wake up and realise this. Trying to make BBC World into News 24 was a big mistake, in my opinion. It never has been like News 24 and never will be. It just doesn't flow as well as News 24 does no matter how many changes they make.


But why would they change when audience appreciation is up, audiences are up by 10 million in one year and now stand at 76 million and ad revenue has doubled over the last few years. They would be barking mad to risk that.


Isn't that just due to extended reach? The more platforms the channel is available on, the larger the audience is going to be. In recent years, BBC World has become available to more people so that's why they're tuning in. I really don't see how closing bulletins properly and making the channel have structure is going to make millions of people switch off.
NG
noggin Founding member
itsrobert posted:

Isn't that just due to extended reach? The more platforms the channel is available on, the larger the audience is going to be. In recent years, BBC World has become available to more people so that's why they're tuning in. I really don't see how closing bulletins properly and making the channel have structure is going to make millions of people switch off.


No - when compared to other channels with similar reach BBC World is doing very well, whilst other channels are not.

You'd be surprised about closing titles being a switch off/switch channel moment - in the UK they can cause 100,000s of people to do that... When you watch the second-by-second ratings on domestic channels there is LOTs of interesting bits of data to be seen based on the audience response. I'd be surprised if the BBC didn't consider similar issues for international services.
CO
cortomaltese
Bulletins on BBCWorld are normally followed by the weather forecast, not by adverts. I'm not interested in the weather forecast, therefore I usually switch off or to another channel as soon as I see the weatherman popping on my screen. I used to do so, back when the bulletins had a proper closing and the weather forecast a beautiful opening sting, I still do so now, even if both stings are gone.
I don't choose to switch off or to keep watching because of a closing sting. If what I was interested in was just the news, then I switch off at the end of the bulletin, if I want to keep watching the channel I take a look at the ads and at what's coming up next. I mean, I don't watch the channel longer now that they've scrapped the closing sting, people don't switch off only when the presenter says goodbye, if people don't want to watch the weather or the adverts they will just switch off as they've always did.
IT
itsrobert Founding member
Thanks, as ever, for your informative response, noggin. One thing I am a bit confused with, though, is programmes like WBR, Asia Today, Sport Today, TWT, World News Today etc. All of those programmes have closing titles with the presenter not necessarily saying 'goodbye' but instead telling the viewer what's coming up next. Wouldn't that be sufficient for BBC News? It would mean they could still play out a closing theme which just acts as a smooth buffer before the weather/commercials. The current sharp transitions are what makes it a bit uncomfortable to watch.
NG
noggin Founding member
cortomaltese posted:
Bulletins on BBCWorld are normally followed by the weather forecast, not by adverts. I'm not interested in the weather forecast, therefore I usually switch off or to another channel as soon as I see the weatherman popping on my screen. I used to do so, back when the bulletins had a proper closing and the weather forecast a beautiful opening sting, I still do so now, even if both stings are gone.


For many viewers the weather forecast is the MOST popular bit of the output believe it or not. (In the UK, where we are particularly weather obsessed, it is by far the most popular element of regional news programmes believe it or not...)

Quote:

I don't choose to switch off or to keep watching because of a closing sting.

You may not - but the stats show that many do - as they associate it with the end of the need to watch.

Quote:

If what I was interested in was just the news, then I switch off at the end of the bulletin, if I want to keep watching the channel I take a look at the ads and at what's coming up next. I mean, I don't watch the channel longer now that they've scrapped the closing sting, people don't switch off only when the presenter says goodbye, if people don't want to watch the weather or the adverts they will just switch off as they've always did.


Except that they don't! They do this stuff for a reason - based on quite complicated focus group and "second by second" analysis. I believe that one of the reasons they actually made these changes was because they got some decent viewer analysis, rather than relying on gut feeling and guesswork. We may not like it - but audience research is a powerful tool these days.
NG
noggin Founding member
itsrobert posted:
Thanks, as ever, for your informative response, noggin. One thing I am a bit confused with, though, is programmes like WBR, Asia Today, Sport Today, TWT, World News Today etc. All of those programmes have closing titles with the presenter not necessarily saying 'goodbye' but instead telling the viewer what's coming up next. Wouldn't that be sufficient for BBC News? It would mean they could still play out a closing theme which just acts as a smooth buffer before the weather/commercials. The current sharp transitions are what makes it a bit uncomfortable to watch.


It is difficult to round off recorded shows that sit in many different places in the schedule with something that works - hence short closing titles remain a requirement for practical schedule reasons. However where they CAN be got rid of, on live output where the closing link can be bespoke for every bulletin they are.
EY
the eye
noggin posted:

For many viewers the weather forecast is the MOST popular bit of the output believe it or not. (In the UK, where we are particularly weather obsessed, it is by far the most popular element of regional news programmes believe it or not...)


If so, then why did they drastically shorten the forecasts to what now seems very pointless?
NG
noggin Founding member
the eye posted:
noggin posted:

For many viewers the weather forecast is the MOST popular bit of the output believe it or not. (In the UK, where we are particularly weather obsessed, it is by far the most popular element of regional news programmes believe it or not...)


If so, then why did they drastically shorten the forecasts to what now seems very pointless?


Too many ads sold I guess, and shortening them stops people like Cortomaltese turning over!

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