ITV News

After watching the relaunched SKY News all day it has been quite refreshing to turn back to the ITV NC. You don't really appreciate what you have until it's gone!

I think SKY have a great all singing all dancing glitzy studio but has been let down by over-complicated presenter choreography, lack of rolling news, poor content and also the inability to focus and absorb the news being broadcast in such a busy studio.

Referring to the ITV NC and watching it's presentation it might appear simple and basic but it does the job and it does the job without all neon tubes, over the top sound effects, too many presenters, distracting studio and drawn out links and ad-libs.

The ITV NC should retain it's current format as it now fills the remit for a rolling news channel better than SKY and on par with the BBC (if only they didn't have so much red tape!)

Let the news do the talking and don't detract from the story - no presenter, studio or pice of furniture or gimmick is bigger than the actual news content!

If only the ITV NC went widescreen and had better coverage at night it would be a winner.

I can't see the general public liking the latest style of SKY News as people want to drop in on a news channel for 15-30 minutes and gets the days news and/or breaking news NOT segments!!!!!

As I predicted, Sky has handed the ITV News Channel a niche. People who don't want Eamonn Holmes talking crap throughout a sports bulletin, 'personality' news bulletins or any of that associated nonsense, and are bored of the BBC's bland presentation, will turn to ITV. I know I will be tomorrow morning.

It's just a pitty that the internal politics of ITV stops them from advertising ITV News Breakfast much on ITV1

Well I don't suppose we will see much change to the News Channel until the January relaunch, but it will certainly be interesting to see how they respond, and if they move into some of the 'space' (style and content-wise) until now occupied by the old-style Sky News.

Well, graphically I wouldn't expect much more than cosmetic changes as a result of the new logo.

As for the scheduling, I think alot will depend on whether it keeps it's place on Freeview. They'll put alot more effort in if it's available in 15m homes compared to 8m.

The biggest problems with the schedule still arise from the main studio being vacated an hour before the main ITV1 bulletins. Surely if Sky can go from one bulletin to the next without resorting to CSO studios, so could ITV!

I think though the real part of the set now needs looking at. The virtual newswall, with the right background, works fine, but the rest of the set is rather boring - especially now when you compared the cold blue floor by the ITV Newswall, compared to the rich red Sky have used.

I'm not too worried about the overnight service at the moment - it's inadequate (but not for 99% of viewers who are asleep!), but until the schedule is sorted out in waking hours it's not a top priority.

I also think that Sky have gone for the right strategy in bringing in a fixed scheudle for primetime, and ITV News wouldn't have to do much to do something similar by building on existing programmes such as Evening News Extra and the ITV News Network, plus introducing a nightly Sports Extra programme.

That person could just be winding us up, or even just cosmetic changes could be classed as 'brand new titles' etc.

Remember the markets and sport stings when they changed from the ITN News Channel to the ITV News Channel, they changed but they were basically still the same sting

Well, I'm not in the know but I still wouldn't get your hopes up! Remember ITV News got new titles when News at Ten returned in 2001, and again following the launch of the ITV News Channel, both with very minor differences.

New titles for the regions wouldn't surprise me though as they generally update for more regularly!

And I guess it's completly pointless even starting speculation about ITN programmes going widescreen!

Back to my earlier thoughts over a more structured prime-time schedule:

How about something like this:

19.00 Evening News Extra
More from the Evening news team, including interviews, phone-ins and analysis plus more on the top stories of the day.
20.00 ITV News
Felicity Barr presents the day’s top stories and latest developments.
21.00 ITV News Network
Joyce O’Haja presents the nightly programme bringing together the top stories from the ITV regions.
21.45 ITV News Sport Extra
Felicity Barr presents tonight’s sports bulletin.
22.00 World News at Ten
The top stories from around the World, with Joyce O’Haja.


Basically ENE is extended to an hour and includes a bit more, including a big interview, a link-up to some of the regional news rooms and a sports bulletin with Felicity.

At 8pm we're back to a regular news hour (an alternative to Sky's World News Tonight), then at 9pm an extended News Network, followed by a nightly sports bulletin at 9.45pm.

10pm is a difficult slot, as you have the main bulletin at 10.30pm and also have to compete with the BBC 10pm News. I think something different is required, that's why I went for World News - but to be honest I don't think ITV News have the resources for this. There strength is certainly with British, not World news.

Anyone have any better ideas?

Joyce Ohajah

Ah bless you all! Fishing for caps are we? I suppose it depends what everyone constitutes being beyond a 'minor' change. The titles will still be at the top of the programme if that helps!
Beyond that I can asure you that, though some brand elements will certainly be retained (debate: what are the strongest parts of ITV/N's identity?), there will be massive changes to the whole graphic package. I expect to see some 'mocks' appearing quite soon.

Why do you want to give Joyce so much air time? She's just awful! The only time she seemed to be enjoying her job was on the 'and finally' programme where she was overexcited to be interviewing Sir Trevor McDonald.

Saw Tom Bradby walking with David Mannion near Downing Street yesterday. Ironically, Nick Robinson was just a few meters behind them.