The Newsroom

ITV News

Widescreen - Sat 1st Dec (December 2005)

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JE
Jez Founding member
Well Alistair will soon have a regular bulletin on ITV1 National - the lunchtime news, presenting with Katie Derham.

James Mates does smile at lot more than Mark IMO.

Geraint seems to have relaxed a lot more and is doing a good job at the moment.
BR
Brekkie
Alistair does get a regular gig though now replacing Nicholas Owen on the Lunchtime News - though as I've said before they'd have been better off taking it back to a single anchor programme now it's back to 30 minutes again.


I refer to Geraint as arguably the number two as basically if Mark quit today, Geraint would almost certainly replace him on the Evening News. Steve Scott seems pretty much out of the picture now.

I don't think he'd host the News at Ten Thirty - but arguably that isn't the flagship job.
LO
Londoner
Don't forget Steve Scott - he's still somewhere in the pecking order of male presenters.
SH
Steve Hyden
Jez posted:
Well Alistair will soon have a regular bulletin on ITV1 National - the lunchtime news, presenting with Katie Derham.

James Mates does smile at lot more than Mark IMO.

Geraint seems to have relaxed a lot more and is doing a good job at the moment.


Cool didn't know about the lunchtime changes! Have to say though that I really liked Katie Derham a few years back - is it just me though cause I think she is really full of herself at the moment. Not as much as Natasha Kerplunkski but nevertheless stil becoming a bit of a diva.

Back to my 'Mate' James - my only problem with him is that he appears very wooden - more Geraint!!
JE
Jez Founding member
Londoner posted:
Don't forget Steve Scott - he's still somewhere in the pecking order of male presenters.


He presents The West Tonight so must be on a par with Lucy Owen in the pecking order!
JE
Jez Founding member
Steve Hyden posted:
Jez posted:
Well Alistair will soon have a regular bulletin on ITV1 National - the lunchtime news, presenting with Katie Derham.

James Mates does smile at lot more than Mark IMO.

Geraint seems to have relaxed a lot more and is doing a good job at the moment.


Cool didn't know about the lunchtime changes! Have to say though that I really liked Katie Derham a few years back - is it just me though cause I think she is really full of herself at the moment. Not as much as Natasha Kerplunkski but nevertheless stil becoming a bit of a diva.

Back to my 'Mate' James - my only problem with him is that he appears very wooden - more Geraint!!


Well strangely im liking Katie a lot more recently - never liked her much before but she has improved IMO.

If Mark was to quit I think Geraint would take over on the 6.30pm and James Mates on the 10.30pm. If Mary was to quit I think Katie would take over on the 6.30pm and someone else would do London Tonight.

I still dont agree with Mark having both the 6.30 and 10.30 - it seems they cant make up their minds which is the flagship so have given him both.
LO
Londoner
Jez posted:
He presents The West Tonight so must be on a par with Lucy Owen in the pecking order!

He's the permanent Friday presenter of the Evening News, though, and occasionally does weekends.

www.itn.co.uk/news/making-news/itv-news/presenters/
PR
Primetime
I think for the Lunchtime News they should have just Katie. With Alistar the News at 10:30 anchor. Also doing London Tonight - with Mark just on the Evenings with Mary.
JB
JosephB
Steve Scott is totally underused and compared to Geraint Vincent he's about 14 times better! He's a pleasant presenter, and talks with authority and certainly gives the impression he knows about what he's talking about and he's interested in it. He seems to present with such ease, moreso than Mark Austin to be honest.

Geraint is ok, I just don't like the tone of his voice, and he seems to lack some of those qualities I mentioned in Steve Scott.

I think Lucy Owen is terrible, I'm surprised about lack of negative comments about her! Yes, she can read the news, but there's just no personality, no interest - nothing except a monotone, lifeless voice.

Katie Derham I used to like a lot, and I still do, but I can't help feeling she's lost something she once had - I can't quite put my finger on it though.

Of course, Alastair Stewart is ITV News's, and possibly TV's finest newscaster right now.
PR
Primetime
I think that Mark Austin is overated over at ITV News HQ.

He shows no expression or interest whilst presenting the news. However Steve Scott shows loads of interest and is barely used. Alistar Stewart is showing to be one of the best at the moment for ITV News.
JO
Jonathan
JosephB posted:
Steve Scott is totally underused and compared to Geraint Vincent he's about 14 times better! He's a pleasant presenter, and talks with authority and certainly gives the impression he knows about what he's talking about and he's interested in it. He seems to present with such ease, moreso than Mark Austin to be honest.

Geraint is ok, I just don't like the tone of his voice, and he seems to lack some of those qualities I mentioned in Steve Scott.

I think Lucy Owen is terrible, I'm surprised about lack of negative comments about her! Yes, she can read the news, but there's just no personality, no interest - nothing except a monotone, lifeless voice.

Katie Derham I used to like a lot, and I still do, but I can't help feeling she's lost something she once had - I can't quite put my finger on it though.

Of course, Alastair Stewart is ITV News's, and possibly TV's finest newscaster right now.

Ummm....Let's start with your first point, which I agree with. Scott is a pleasant presenter, as you say, and I find him beliveable and authoritive, unlike Geraint. I dislike Geraint's vocal tones; his voice is kind of whiny, nasal and not really very clear. Steve's voice is nicer to listen to, however I prefer having an older male anchor, so Steve I prefer therefore.
I don't agree with what you say about Miss Owen; I find her delivery somewhat sexy actually, and her voice is extremely clear and not ''monotone'' -like at all!
Katie, well what can I say? To me, her only ability as a news presenter seems to be head-nodding whilst her co-presenter speaks. Totally boring IMO and pompous.
Alastair- many of you tonight have spoken about him with such praise and admiration, reverance almost. He used to endear me, but now I find him the most odious and unwatchable television news presenter/television personality on British television. His delivery style is utterly smug and he comes across as very conceited and self-adoring. I remember a clip we were shown on the ITV News of Alastair receiving his OBE and that self-adoration and pomposity etched onto his face was fairly visible to all. I just find him pompous, to be honest, and even when he isn't pompous, he's exaggerating the significance of news stories and making ITV News seem somewhat extreme; remember the news at 10.30 programme he hosted last year and they ran the story of the swan that died from bird-flu - a pure example of his rubbish and ridiculous delivery at times.
BR
Brekkie
The trouble with Alistair is he's a heavy weight journalist on a light weight bulletin.


Never seen London Tonight, but all regional news is the same. And there is little opportunity for journalistic talent on the Lunchtime News - especially now 20 minutes of linking to reports is shared between two people.


As I, and others have said, the shorter version of the Lunchtime News works best with one presenter (as it did before the hour-long version) - and indeed back in 2004/2005 it was a pretty fine bulletin.

I'd let Katie be the main presenter on it, with Alistair standing in regularly. I think we'd get more out of Alistair Stewart anchoring the bulletin alone once or twice a week than him co-hosting it everyday!

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