You make an interesting point, Nicky. When you mentioned brands that stuck around for years without ageing, I instantly thought about the ITN News at 5:45 from the late 70s and most of the 80s. OK, it looks like it came from the 70s. But, in all honesty, I still think it looks quite good all these years on. It was really quite minimalist, the music was just insanely catchy and totally random but I just think it worked. It wasn't fussy, and it
got the job done
. It lasted from 1976 until 1987, so it got a good innings:
What I've learnt from our discussions is that - perhaps - ITN's success in the past was due to it's simplicity. Viewers knew what they were getting, there was no hype, no flashy imagery... just the news combined with some fantastic music. It didn't feel dull or underdone, it just cut the crap.
I think it's easy to say that with rose tinted spectacles but News at Ten did seem somewhat dated ahead of the rebrand, and indeed the rest of the ITN bulletins too (and BBC for that matter). ITV probably went a bit too far with the new ITV News look but from what I remember a revamp was very much required, even if that package has now aged very favourably.
Mm, perhaps you're right - I think we all seem to be rather "attached" to the various looks of the news that we grew up with. But I would argue that many of the older looks have aged better than anything post-1999...
I grew up mainly with the 1999 look (and a couple of years of the previous look) so I think I can safely say I don't have a bias/am not looking through rose-tinted spectacles when I say that ITN's 1995 look (and before) was better. As a TV pres enhusiast maybe.
Wow this thread has brought back some memories. Going back to the mid 90's during school holidays if I was at home I'd always watch the ITN News at 12:30 usually presented by Julia Sommerville and then I'd switch over to the BBC One O'clock News usually with Edward Stourton. Personally I think the best studio ITN/ITV News has ever had was the mid 90's one that had the Grays Inn road Atrium behind it where you could see the big revolving doors. I don't know why but I've always thought this studio was awesome, probably because of its simplicity. Like some posts have stated this studio was still used for bulletins long after the 1999 ITV News rebrand to the blue/red & wood effect studio. I can still recall on occasions seeing one or two of the overnight news summaries which for a time were presented by Tim Wilcox. The ITV Morning News also continued to use this studio for quite some time after the rebrand. Infact I think it was continually used until the studio was refitted for the launch of the ITN News Channel (who remembers that one!). Even when it launched as the ITN News Channel it wasn't chaned in a big way, just a new desk and relit a bit differently.
:-(
A former member
If this look was still use in June 1989, when did the new look come in? did it in fact appear in 1989 and if so when?
Better Q, did John Suchet present the first News at 12.30 in 1987?
I think the new look News at One launched in September or October 1989. And I don't know for certain whether John Suchet presented the first News at 12:30, but the video of Leonard Parkin's last NAO says he would be taking over until Julia Somerville arrived. Of course, Jon Snow was also a presenter of the programme at that time as well.
For me, ITN's work in the late 80s was superb across ITV, Channel 4 (C4 News, The Channel 4 Daily and others) and the Super Channel - snippets of which I would watch at 5AM on the Morning News.
It's interesting to hear a poster here describe the signature ITN weekend theme as "epic". I also thought of it as awesome and quite epic. It sounded so different from anything else. I loved catching long portions of it on the
Morning News
. I even rang ITN up as an 11-year-old and asked them if I could have it for a "project" but they declined! One day, we might have the full version online...
The World This Week
on Channel 4 used to leave me in awe as a kid with its mesmerising, dark and brooding theme and style. If only programs today were so bold and creative. Another from my collection (much of which I haven't posted!):
ITN World News 1990:
ITN World News 1996:
Last edited by fox1 on 5 August 2012 10:48am
:-(
A former member
Cheers for those, hopeful we might be able to see a few more gems from you collection
I have always love the (Sept) 89 - 95 Lunchtime theme, Someone say this is based on a theme for the usa? anyone have any ideas?
Isn't that World News theme from 1992 just brilliant? Short and snappy but completely effective. The one after that was still great but I prefer the completely '80s synth sound of the first.
Cheers for those, hopeful we might be able to see a few more gems from you collection
I have always love the (Sept) 89 - 95 Lunchtime theme, Someone say this is based on a theme for the usa? anyone have any ideas?
Well, that particular theme was extracted from a longer library piece (much in the same way NAT was pieced together from "The Awakening"). If I'm not mistaken, the composer was Alan Hawkshaw. You're right - fab theme which I also love.
I'm realising I had a lot more favourite news themes than originally thought...
Cheers for those, hopeful we might be able to see a few more gems from you collection I have always love the (Sept) 89 - 95 Lunchtime theme, Someone say this is based on a theme for the usa? anyone have any ideas?
Well, that particular theme was extracted from a longer library piece (much in the same way NAT was pieced together from "The Awakening"). If I'm not mistaken, the composer was Alan Hawkshaw. You're right - fab theme which I also love.
Are you sure? I was always been told it come from the USA. Im going to have to have a wee look for that then again, all I found was that 1992 news theme. when I did a full search for Alan.
Does anyone have any clues to where I could here it?
Last edited by A former member on 5 August 2012 1:46pm
Cheers for those, hopeful we might be able to see a few more gems from you collection I have always love the (Sept) 89 - 95 Lunchtime theme, Someone say this is based on a theme for the usa? anyone have any ideas?
Well, that particular theme was extracted from a longer library piece (much in the same way NAT was pieced together from "The Awakening"). If I'm not mistaken, the composer was Alan Hawkshaw. You're right - fab theme which I also love.
Are you sure? I was always been told it come from the USA. Im going to have to have a wee look for that then again, all I found was that 1992 news theme. when I did a full search for Alan.
Does anyone have any clues to where I could here it?
That lunchtime news theme was based on a track called "Great Days" by Alan Hawkshaw. It's available in the MusicHouse library. Like "News Gathering" (Early Evening News), it seems Hawkshaw must have re-recorded it for the purposes required by ITN.
