MA
My memory may be playing tricks on me, but I thought East Midlands had short opts within Midlands Today in the late 80s/early 90s before they launched EMT as a standalone programme.
Summer 1984 might have been the date, judging by Page 2 of this, and reallocated relay stations from West to East
http://www.bbceng.info/Eng_Inf/EngInf_17.pdf
There weren't any small opt outs in the BBC back then - when the East Midlands split it was a fully fledged region in itself.
My memory may be playing tricks on me, but I thought East Midlands had short opts within Midlands Today in the late 80s/early 90s before they launched EMT as a standalone programme.
Summer 1984 might have been the date, judging by Page 2 of this, and reallocated relay stations from West to East
http://www.bbceng.info/Eng_Inf/EngInf_17.pdf
LS
Lou Scannon
There weren't any small opt outs in the BBC back then - when the East Midlands split it was a fully fledged region in itself.
Not so, actually!
EMT started as just two short sub-opts in the latter 1980s (one within the 6:30pm MT, and the whole 9:28pm bulletin), IIRC. Both were presented from some sort of "broom cupboard" type arrangement at the pre-existing BBC Radio Nottingham building.
In fact, during that initial era, the COW ident at 6:29pm from the Waltham transmitter was "BBC1 East Midlands" branded, and the announcer name-checked both the main Brum presenter(s) and the Notts sub-opt presenter. The title sequence that you then cut to was the pan-regional MT titles, played out from Bum.
By 1991, a proper full size studio had been created at BBC Nottingham, and at least the 6:30pm programme became fully-split at that point. Initially however, other bulletins (e.g. breakfast, lunchtime, weekends) were still pan-regional MT from Birmingham.
East Midlanders therefore may have still variously seen a mixture of both programme names (MT and EMT), depending which bulletin(s) they watched. Hence why the new look that coincided with the 1991 full split at 6:30pm was still a common look across both regions...
http://hub.tv-ark.org.uk/images/bbc_eastmidlands/bbc_eastmidlands_images/news/eastmidstoday_t1245a.jpg
EMT then gradually expanded to cover the remaining bulletins in the weeks/months that followed.
By the time that the "three bronze ribbons" look replaced the above look across both programmes, they had well-and-truly become fully separate services. It therefore seems odd that they still revamped at the same time, and with the same look, as there was no longer any need for them to be in tandem.
Last edited by Lou Scannon on 15 August 2016 6:48pm
MO
This is one of favourites. Soaring strings and a great signature that is memorable.
IMPACT V.4 from 615 Music
http://www.newsmusicnow.com/player.php?id=218
Morning theme
http://www.newsmusicnow.com/player.php?id=216
Then you have the great KCAL 9 - Los Angeles theme. This was the final version of a theme signature that was used for decades before CBS made them drop it. KCAL has always been one of the premier indie station in LA with great news operation before CBS bought the station, keeping it indie, but sorta merging its news operation with that of KCBS. This theme is one of many classic themes dumped by station groups in the name of mandating themes, graphics and sets. The signature is just great, and the theme is quite powerful. Just after the headlines bed, at .43 the transition, the close is brilliant IMO. Evoking images of a massive fast paced city like LA.
This is the serious evening open, they have light cuts for noon and morning broadcasts.
Newsforce - 615 Music
http://www.newsmusicnow.com/player.php?id=321
IMPACT V.4 from 615 Music
http://www.newsmusicnow.com/player.php?id=218
Morning theme
http://www.newsmusicnow.com/player.php?id=216
Then you have the great KCAL 9 - Los Angeles theme. This was the final version of a theme signature that was used for decades before CBS made them drop it. KCAL has always been one of the premier indie station in LA with great news operation before CBS bought the station, keeping it indie, but sorta merging its news operation with that of KCBS. This theme is one of many classic themes dumped by station groups in the name of mandating themes, graphics and sets. The signature is just great, and the theme is quite powerful. Just after the headlines bed, at .43 the transition, the close is brilliant IMO. Evoking images of a massive fast paced city like LA.
This is the serious evening open, they have light cuts for noon and morning broadcasts.
Newsforce - 615 Music
http://www.newsmusicnow.com/player.php?id=321
Last edited by Mouseboy33 on 16 August 2016 5:27pm - 2 times in total
IS
Not so, actually!
EMT started as just two short sub-opts in the latter 1980s (one within the 6:30pm MT, and the whole 9:28pm bulletin), IIRC. Both were presented from some sort of "broom cupboard" type arrangement at the pre-existing BBC Radio Nottingham building.
I stand corrected. Though as I say Kent and Oxfordshire were a lot smaller then the East Midlands - difficult to justify spending money on the resources doing news just for them back then.
Though Nottingham were the first region to get a server automation based production system, the sort of technology that helped the South East split up in 2001. BBC Nottingham staff did a lot of the training of those moving into Tunbridge Wells and Marylebone High Street
There weren't any small opt outs in the BBC back then - when the East Midlands split it was a fully fledged region in itself.
Not so, actually!
EMT started as just two short sub-opts in the latter 1980s (one within the 6:30pm MT, and the whole 9:28pm bulletin), IIRC. Both were presented from some sort of "broom cupboard" type arrangement at the pre-existing BBC Radio Nottingham building.
I stand corrected. Though as I say Kent and Oxfordshire were a lot smaller then the East Midlands - difficult to justify spending money on the resources doing news just for them back then.
Though Nottingham were the first region to get a server automation based production system, the sort of technology that helped the South East split up in 2001. BBC Nottingham staff did a lot of the training of those moving into Tunbridge Wells and Marylebone High Street
IS
The finished programme logo of the 1989 Newsroom South East titles (posted a bit further up, by Londoner) is an utter abomination against humanity. Having the "Newsroom" bit written downwards in a separate vertical stripe to the left, and with the "south-east-quarter-of-compass" bit looking frankly more like a "paper fan".
I feel as though the screen has vomited into my eyeballs. I hope that all persons involved in creating such ugly sequences and/or logos quickly lost their media careers, and ended up shelf-stacking in convenience stores! Gah.
It's a bit poncy but not that bad. The bit that annoys me the most about it is how tidy that newsroom is. I suppose they assumed that flashy modern text-based computer system would do away with all that paper stuff!
The finished programme logo of the 1989 Newsroom South East titles (posted a bit further up, by Londoner) is an utter abomination against humanity. Having the "Newsroom" bit written downwards in a separate vertical stripe to the left, and with the "south-east-quarter-of-compass" bit looking frankly more like a "paper fan".
I feel as though the screen has vomited into my eyeballs. I hope that all persons involved in creating such ugly sequences and/or logos quickly lost their media careers, and ended up shelf-stacking in convenience stores! Gah.
It's a bit poncy but not that bad. The bit that annoys me the most about it is how tidy that newsroom is. I suppose they assumed that flashy modern text-based computer system would do away with all that paper stuff!
CH
I will add my own completely subjective nomination with KUSA's news theme that was used from 1995 until early 2009. I know it's obscure, and many people (especially within the US) would say that other big market things were better. But this theme is so distinct (never used by anyone else), and it matched the station branding perfectly. It is amazing to see how many different cuts were made of it to go from sounding orchestral to modern, and I think it aged very, very well in the time it was used. I am willing to bet that the majority of Denverites would be able to identify this theme if you played it for them.
FL
Hard to believe this is 12 years old. They could still teach the BBC a thing or two today about how to use Studio A.
Imagine, around this time 12 years ago the BBC presented the news from a boxy office like studio with wood effect floors while ITV were standing on catwalks. Now look where we are today.
Hard to believe this is 12 years old. They could still teach the BBC a thing or two today about how to use Studio A.
Imagine, around this time 12 years ago the BBC presented the news from a boxy office like studio with wood effect floors while ITV were standing on catwalks. Now look where we are today.
NW
The thing is, the graphics look very dated now, but the Theatre of News in that format did work and was faultless. I think the current ITV News set seems to have the CSO and newsroom look corresponding quite nicely.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMA6LfZvvoc
Hard to believe this is 12 years old. They could still teach the BBC a thing or two today about how to use Studio A.
Imagine, around this time 12 years ago the BBC presented the news from a boxy office like studio with wood effect floors while ITV were standing on catwalks. Now look where we are today.
Hard to believe this is 12 years old. They could still teach the BBC a thing or two today about how to use Studio A.
Imagine, around this time 12 years ago the BBC presented the news from a boxy office like studio with wood effect floors while ITV were standing on catwalks. Now look where we are today.
The thing is, the graphics look very dated now, but the Theatre of News in that format did work and was faultless. I think the current ITV News set seems to have the CSO and newsroom look corresponding quite nicely.