I T V Thames Valley Tonight.

What's the deal with www.itvlocal.tv then? Is it for real?

It looks like it could be quite good, but I've only even seen Meridian on there. There's no way to change region (if indeed that function exists), virtually none of the content can load because of the poor way the site has been built.

It's a bit of a pain because I'm in Central... although it's not that much of a pain because I can access 'Regionals' quite easily.

ITV announced last week that ITV Local is going national. They've just appointed a new management team to take it forward after the Meridian pilot.

Wesley Smith did the morning bulletin (the first edition of Thames Valley Today) with Mary Green presenting at lunchtime.

They've kept Meridian West's Newbury canal backdrop.

Interesting that they're publishing a number with an 01489 code for viewers to contact them; not even pretending to be based in the region.

Oh is that Newbury...I was thinking it was Reading! I would of loved to have seen an Oxford based backdrop but suppose something in the middle of the region is a good idea. Nice to see more central south faces tonight than meridian west!!

I notice Alistair Stewart gave a mention to the fledging Thames Valley on the lunchtime news before the regional slot; there were some pictures from Wesley reading his first bulletin for Thames Valley

Yep, load up itvlocal.tv, head to News and Features, and select Thames Valley Tonight from the menu on the left (even though the graphic next to it says Meridian Tonight)

It is Reading - there was a guy recording it last week (note the Christmas tree to the left). I'm probably seen walking over the bridge in the background several times too not that you'd be able to distinguish me of course.

Some caps from the first main programme.

http://www.rp-networkservices.com/tvforum/uploads/thamesvalley1.jpg
http://www.rp-networkservices.com/tvforum/uploads/thamesvalley2.jpg
http://www.rp-networkservices.com/tvforum/uploads/thamesvalley3.jpg
http://www.rp-networkservices.com/tvforum/uploads/thamesvalley4.jpg
http://www.rp-networkservices.com/tvforum/uploads/thamesvalley5.jpg
http://www.rp-networkservices.com/tvforum/uploads/thamesvalley6.jpg
http://www.rp-networkservices.com/tvforum/uploads/thamesvalley7.jpg
http://www.rp-networkservices.com/tvforum/uploads/thamesvalley8.jpg
http://www.rp-networkservices.com/tvforum/uploads/thamesvalley9.jpg
http://www.rp-networkservices.com/tvforum/uploads/thamesvalley10.jpg

Thanks for the caps, I see they are using the former Meridian West studio, nice to see Christopher Peacock is still there

I see that the 6:35 bulletin on GMTV this morning was an expanded Meridian pan regional effort, it carried on Hannington and Oxford. The DOG stated "GMTV News". Ridiculous coverage area, Kent and Essex, Dorset, and up to Oxon and Bucks. It's like having the BBC's UK Today back !

There you go.

You've now answered your own question, from elsewhere, on which is the controlling region and where the playout must come from.

(Yes, I do know the network's configured differently during GMTV.)

I think you mean Kent and Sussex !

I had suspected that GMTV would not be willing to carry one extra ITV regional news, so the expanded Meridian pan-regional is no surprise.

I'd be interested to see caps of the " GMTV News " DOG. I knew they wouldn't want to mention "Meridian" in the Thames Valley area.



I'm surprised that they've squeezed the whole name into the DOG! I really thought they'd do a bit like Westcountry, and just have the DOG saying:

Thames
Valley

at all times.

The ITV regions map at ITV.com has still not been updated!