Has Five News improved since Sky took over?

BR

Brekkie 23 February 2005 1:33pm

Nearly two months on do you think Five News has improved under Sky's control?

I certainly thing the new look is an improvement on the last effort from ITN - and it's good that they now screen three bulletins a day which are quite different. My biggest concern is the tone of the bulletins though - in the first few weeks especially it didn't feel as "neutral" as the previous ITN bulletins.

I still think Five News is lacking the strong identity it has at launch - and it be nice to see the hourly bulletins reinstated throughout the day (and axed from in between movies!).

As for Sky - are they still using the ticker on the updates? If not, what's the point in it! One additional use for it could be to play the ticker out over live football coverage instead of the news updates - probably best around half time.

And one thing that certainly hasn't improved is the weather. The Sky graphics are awful - and why didn't they use the opportunity to sack the awful Lara Lewington? (Whatever happened to the original Five weatherman - Rob Glass I think!)

MA

maximus 23 February 2005 2:26pm

It is terrible now.

IT

I T V 1 23 February 2005 2:32pm

It doesnt have the "umph" that it did when launched with its unique style. The music now is poor and horrid colour scheme. Everything was fine before the final relaunch of ITN. Probably because they got rid of that great music!

AB

ab 23 February 2005 4:23pm

Brekkie Boy posted:

(Whatever happened to the original Five weatherman - Rob Glass I think!)

He's a reporter on East Midlands Today now - can't remember what his actual role is but it's generally the "and finally"-type stories

TE

TELEVISION 23 February 2005 5:42pm

I think it was a lot better from ITN. I liked the studio that was introduced in 2003, the current one has too much going on.

As for programme content, it is awful. What I like was that they used to have guests in the studio, but they don't really have that now. Plus the 5.30 programme was fine for a quick round up of the news, at just under 20 mins in lenth, and then the 30 min 7pm programme was IMO the flagship, because it had all the analysis, but now we don't have that and the 5.30 is now the flagship. But it has a 4 minute break, and it usually finishes about 5.51. I don't know how a short programme like that can call itself a flagship programme.

AN

andycaps 23 February 2005 6:02pm

TELEVISION posted:

I think it was a lot better from ITN. I liked the studio that was introduced in 2003, the current one has too much going on.

As for programme content, it is awful. What I like was that they used to have guests in the studio, but they don't really have that now. Plus the 5.30 programme was fine for a quick round up of the news, at just under 20 mins in lenth, and then the 30 min 7pm programme was IMO the flagship, because it had all the analysis, but now we don't have that and the 5.30 is now the flagship. But it has a 4 minute break, and it usually finishes about 5.51. I don't know how a short programme like that can call itself a flagship programme.

i agree

LU

Luke 23 February 2005 7:38pm

TELEVISION posted:

I think it was a lot better from ITN. I liked the studio that was introduced in 2003, the current one has too much going on.

As for programme content, it is awful. What I like was that they used to have guests in the studio, but they don't really have that now. Plus the 5.30 programme was fine for a quick round up of the news, at just under 20 mins in lenth, and then the 30 min 7pm programme was IMO the flagship, because it had all the analysis, but now we don't have that and the 5.30 is now the flagship. But it has a 4 minute break, and it usually finishes about 5.51. I don't know how a short programme like that can call itself a flagship programme.

Yes but it's Channel 5's decision to have short bulletins - apart from the 7pm show, it was the same with ITN.

TE

TELEVISION 23 February 2005 11:13pm

Yes, I realise that five will have the final say, but point I was trying to make was that they went from having a fairly good news service to a poorer one.

FB

FBC 24 February 2005 5:07pm

Quote:

Nearly two months on do you think Five News has improved under Sky's control?

No! I also thought I would eventually get used to that set, but so far it still hasn't grown on me. I also think much good has happened to the actual contents of the programme.

And I also miss the squaky violins!

LL

London Lite Founding member 24 February 2005 5:18pm

I'd rather the on duty Sky News weather presenter was on instead of Lara. Absouletly dreadful!

LO

LONDON 24 February 2005 5:34pm

i liked it when Francis did the weather. I hope that once Lara's contract expires, it will not be renewed and Francis will make his terrestrial return.

BO

Boleto 24 February 2005 5:53pm

I think Lara is great for Five New Weather. Her personal approach suits the style of the revamped news. However I must too admit that I am slightly dissapointed with Skys revamp. I managed to speak to Nick Pollard the head of Sky News in December ahead of it�s relaunch and he said to expect something "spectacular" and never seen before on television. Maybe i�m watching the wrong channel....but with the FIVE logo plasted all over the studio, i�m sure i�m not!

Has Five News improved since Sky took over?

(February 2005)