Five News: "radical relaunch" = citizen journalism

It's often been said that today's Five News lacks the trendsetting quality that marked the service out at launch in 1997.

It sounds like that's going to change:



More here and here.

Ugh "campaigning" and "citizen journalism", sounds awful.

What's wrong with giving us the news straight with proper journalism.

That's so, like, dated. TV News has been doing that for decades. We are the future...who needs authoritative newsreaders, knowledgeable commentators and world-class reports when we've got a few minutes to talk down a 2 megapixel camera phone?

Urgh! I'm sick to death of hearing what Marion in Berkshire think of her left arm.

What made Five News 'revolutionary' was it's informal, relaxed style with so suited the channel. Bring back updates throughout the day and for heaven's sake some news presence in the morning.

Speaking of Five News, I snatched a few minutes this evening and before it headed into a break there appeared to be a very arty camera angle but, from what I can make out, it all then appeared to go tits up. The camera seemed to jerk upwards and then tilt left leaving a lovely shot of the studio floor.

And, I still notice the 'old' Sky logo on the endboard, although I may be wrong but haven't they changed over to the staked version.

Actually, whilst I'm on the subject of Five, those graphics are just silly now. I hope this 'relaunch' involves some new graphics.

I agree that this citizen journalism is a bad idea. Just last week, Mary Nightingale was promoting a similar idea on ITV News whereby viewers go out and about with a video camera/mobile phone and report what's going on where they are. It is ridiculous. It is fair enough to read out comments from people for a limited amount of time as that stimulates debate. However, I think having viewers send in videos is a step too far. Isn't that what trained journalists should be doing?

On the subject of Five News, I've never been an avid viewer. To be honest, I hardly watch Five at all. I saw it a few times during the last ITN era (when it had that shockingly awful music) and I've seen it every now and then since Sky have been producing it. I think it was better when it came from ITN, to be honest.

This has probably been one of the longest looks for Five News - it seemed to relaunch virtually every year or two under ITN.


As often said though, it's not a patch now on what it was when it launched - and under Sky it's become one of the blandest bulletins on the box.

To be fair though things started going down hill when "5" decided it wanted to be "five".


The innovation seemed to pretty much stop at people standing up. Once the other broadcasters followed suit, Five seemed to give up completly.


Though of course arguably the innovation wasn't Kirsty standing at all - it was the show being presented with the host wondering the newsroom.

Citzen journalism as the term has become, should be kept to single items, online and local news services.

What do I care if an old theater with woodworm, structual damage and rats, is closing in some village up near yorkshire or someother place.

Keep News Bulletins Authorititive, and make a new bulletin for diy-newz!

I think the whole business of "citizen journalism" is just a cost-cutting exercise, so they can get away with employing fewer journalists and camera crews. News on the cheap.

You're good at this marketing drivel, aren't you, Asa?

I may be wrong-- but I think Asa may have been being satirical?!

So was I.

If you don't have a regular team of reporters and newsreaders, how do you establish and maintain professional standards?

Also...how do you focus on larger issues that require research, fact-collecting, thinking and framing before they are presented to an audience? Most people with 2-megapixel camera phones are likely more inclined to film an auto collision or a hailstorm than they are to want to do a piece on how budget decisions will affect the elderly.

Since amateur contributions will be focused on spectacle, how will five avoid becoming tabloidesque?