The Newsroom

Greatest News Themes of All Time

(August 2016)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
FL
flaziola
For me, this is still one of the best news programming openers .
DV
dvboy
This one

NE
neonemesis
msim posted:
It has to be the 1989-1993 Breakfast News titles. The perfect combination of an epic theme (updated from 1986 Breakfast Time) and amazing visuals - the way that map becomes a C that circles the globe and become a giant 'BBC' just as the theme begins to peak!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UN8jdWZFcNg



I've said this before but I love that you can hear elements of that original Breakfast Time theme in today's Breakfast theme
BA
Bail Moderator
For me, this is still one of the best news programming openers .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfEKKFF_UQY

Oh I loved that era of BBC World. The titles not so much, black was horrid but the lovely shallow depth of field open newsroom.
scottishtv, Charles and JamesWorldNews gave kudos
WH
Whataday Founding member


I can't get over how much Bernadette Kearney looks like Doon Mackichan in a Day Today sketch.
GU
guest03
This is my favourite theme tune from Germany:

NY
NYTV
Here is WNYW New York, "Fox 5 News at 10" during their "What New Yorkers Watch" era in 2005 with some great camera work.
DV
dvboy
mark posted:
A relatively short-lived one that I doubt many people will remember, but I always loved it...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7AIBfP6FJQ


Central West had some bloody awful themes in the Carlton era, but this was a good one, I remember it well.

This look from Five News seems to be a very marmite thing in the pres world - I personally loved the whole thing, the music, the titles, the set, the little sting after the headlines. Shame it was only used for a very short period.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xya6zsX3Hps


That theme is horrible, it's like they recorded a school orchestra.

May I present early 2000s BBC World Business Report, nice and simple theme that was used for ages, but these were the best visual titles to accompany it:


and then they changed it to this:

Last edited by dvboy on 12 August 2016 9:04pm - 2 times in total
tv_bread and bkman1990 gave kudos
VM
VMPhil
That World Business Report based on the 1997 BBC World package which lasted until just a year or so ago. I think the longest surviving BBC News 24/BBC World theme is now Dateline London?
IT
itsrobert Founding member
That World Business Report based on the 1997 BBC World package which lasted until just a year or so ago. I think the longest surviving BBC News 24/BBC World theme is now Dateline London?

Yes, the previous WBR theme was used from 1997 until 2013. I believe Dateline London's theme is the last element of the flags era remaining on BBC News and has been used from 1997 to date. All of the other themes from that era have long since been replaced.


Some of my favourite news themes date from the late 1980s. You've got to love some synth in a news theme!

ITN Super Channel News 1987-94



ITN News at 12:30 1987-89



ITN Weekend News 1987-92



ITN News at 5:45 1988-92



And although it's not my favourite, you've got to admire this theme. Imagine something like this being used now!

ITN Weekend News 1982-87



Looking back at those clips makes me long for the days when each bulletin had its own unique look and sound. Everything's so homogenised now. I know it's meant to solidify the brand in a multi-platform era, but I do miss each bulletin having different titles and music!
SP
Steve in Pudsey
I'm amazed that ITN were still using this at weekends in 1981

FO
fox1
I loved "News at One" (well, that's how I knew it! I was too young for the 12:30.)



..and yes, I agree about the different bulletins.
Last edited by fox1 on 13 August 2016 10:12am

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