ITV News

The first Gulf war led it to be a more uniform programme, things like Countdown Masters were dropped and from what I can remember all of the sections were presented from the one location.

I was too young to have taken too much interest in the programme content though, have memories of Dermot and waiting for Dennis to come on as it was really the only kids stuff on TV at that time of day and of course continued on the Big Breakfast.

EDIT: There's a clip on TV Ark of the last edition which shows the final studio with all the desks in one location.

That's the sort of thing that I can remember with it all being one programme. I have memories of the kids section being called Early Bird presented by a puppet bird, though I could be wrong with that.

Though to be honest ITN have had basic desktop editing since they had the Quantel/Omnibus Inspiration system introduced a good few years ago. Their new system (Avid based I believe) is a lot more sophisticated and capable of decent packaging.

That said the Beeb have also rolled out Jupiter/QCut desktops for all of their London TV journalists over the past 2 years, which also allows for desktop editing (though packages are still mainly produced by craft editors - with the journo desktops really only suited for OOVs/FLTs and simple bolt togethers - possibly as much as track and rushes... Their are no VO mics in the newsroom AFAIK)

The point Adrian Monck makes is spot on. Whilst it is entirely possible for journalists to do a good job cutting their own packages (and he's dead right about sound being the giveaway. Cutting pictures is relatively easy, but doing a quick but good sound mix requires more skill) - he is right that having two people working on them is often more efficient. The reporter/producer can be fact checking and updating stuff, whilst the picture editor is concentrating on the sound and pictures - and if you are working to a tight deadline this can be the difference between getting it on air or not...

I've never been a huge fan of the atrium back drop for ITV News, but having seen the BBC's efforts over the last couple of days watching ITV News tonight the atrium looked so much better - and a blue tint is more pleasing on the eye than grey any day.

I agree with that. It's amazing how much better the BBC Washington studio looks with a predominantly blue background.

There was an echo on the News at Ten promo tonight, and IIRC there was something like that this evening on the Evening News.

I hope its sorted out before they go on-air, what would happen then!?

The same thing happened on today's Lunchtime News promo...strange. :

I noticed this on News at Ten yesterday, during (I think) Chris Rogers report. However nothing was mentioned in the studio about it.

Is Nina Hossain pregnant?
No joke intended. I apoligise if she isn't and she reads this.

Could be, she said in an interview she wants four children, and let's face it, she's getting old.

I thought that aswell. However if she is, The Sun haven't got any pathetic headlines, like "Nina's got kid news" from her last pregnancy

Does anyone else think the ITV News music is in dire need of an overhaul? The current theme has effectively been used since 2004 (albeit with modification in 2006). I'm incredibly tired of it now. NAT's relaunch has reminded me of how superb the ITV theme can be. I say go back to an orchestral theme like 1995-2004. Those were much, much better than the current watered down version.

Agree with all of those points you've made there. Is it just me, or does anyone else wonder why news themes (of all television themes) have taken on 'bangs', 'booms', etc within the last decade? (I guess the trend started with BBC News back in 1999). Yes it's nice to be modern and up-to-date music-wise but there's nothing wrong with having a high-tech studio paired with a good old orchestral theme - as the current News at Ten look proves.

(Am I right in saying that the ITN music used between 1995 and 1999 utilised a real orchestra, and that the 1999 to 2004 package was synthesised - but retained some elements of the 95-99 themes? Also did Dave Hewson do that 95-99 package?)