ITV News

Indeed - I recall all those names in the good old days of ITN. Peter Sharp is currently a correspondent with AJE, I think.

As well as Norman Rees, what about Ken Rees?

Peter Sharp is with Sky News, is he not?

Yes, that's right. As for Norman Rees, I believe he left ITN around 1999 but I think before the name change to ITV News - don't know about Ken Rees though. Completely forgot about Adrian Britton who IIRC was one of the best, same for Desmond Hamill - think Hamill left ITN in the early 1990s?

But does ITV News sound clumsy as opposed to ITN News, or do you just want nostalgia?

Noone bothers about Channel 4 News, also produced by ITN. Noone thinks that should also be called ITN News.

I've no problem with the ITV News brand, and I think at the time when ITN were branching out into not just C4, Five and the ITN News Channel, but also multi media, it was absolutely the right decision to drop it.

I don't really have a problem with the ITV News name either. You can't say that people associated the 'ITN News' name with tabloidy lightweight fluff though. I don't know if it's coincidental or whatever but even though ITV News has had some fantastic news scoops in the past decade or so, the service has come under flak for being too lightweight in it's approach (though arguably it's got better of late) and that it was a more serious news service when branded under the ITN name.

And then of course you have those who continue to call it 'ITN News' anyway - which begs the question, does it even matter if the bulletins aren't branded ITN anymore, particularly as many didn't even notice the difference back in 1999? The bongs are still there, the clockface still there, the same music... McDonald, Stewart, Katie Derham, everyone else still there. Yeah sure the agenda may have changed, but isn't that more to do with the people behind the scenes rather than a simple change of name? After all it's still the same company as it was ten years ago producing ITV's news bulletins.

'ITN News' sounds like a duplication, in the same way 'TSB Bank' seemed odd when they changed their signage from the original 'Trustee Savings Bank'.

When ITN branding was still applied to the start of ITV News bulletins, the name of the programme was simply 'News at X' and the v/o was 'This is the News at X from ITN'. ISTR the weekend bulletins just had the ITN logo or 'ITN Summary'. However, listings magazines may have incorrectly referred to the weekend bulletins as 'ITN News'.

I can understand ITV wanting to reinforce their own brand, they had removed almost all evidence in idents elsewhere of the regional company names (in England at least) to perhaps it was necessary to prevent ITN from using their ident at the start of their programmes. However, ITN is a trusted brand and would've represented an element of continuity as most people saw it as connected to ITV anyway.

I think ITV News has come a long way over the past year. From 1999 onwards, there was a gradual decline in the state of the bulletins, reaching a low point in around 2006/2007. However, changes to the structure of bulletins, more sitting down rather than standing and the re-introduction of News at Ten have done a lot to bring back some credibility and authority to ITV News. I'm so glad they've dropped the sensationalist headline astons recently - their absence makes the opening sequence far less tabloid.

However, I still see one or two problems. The music for the standard bulletins needs a re-work and quickly. Taking the signature notes to a higher key has not worked and, in my view, cheapens the bulletins. They should return to the original pre-2004 pitch and go for something more traditional again. I also think at the next refresh, they should re-introduce the voiceovers. Yes, that may just be nostalgia on my part, but I do think a voiceover adds a great deal of authority at the start of a bulletin.

Seriously, if you believe ITV News's credibility rests on whether they sit or stand you must be very naive.

No doubt about it ITV News went through a bad patch last year, but I think prior to that following the 2004 relaunch was probably when it was most highly regarded in recent times - and that featured plenty of newsreaders standing up.

I also think News at Ten isn't a factor now at all - less than 2m watch it most nights and the public really don't care, and although overall for ITV it's probably the better slot (at the moment at least), the 10.30 was ripped from the scheduled just as it was beginning to find it's feet - and just as Mark Austin was establishing himself as the stations lead anchor.


The non-News at Ten bulletins certainly need an overhaul now though - they are very dated compared to News at Ten. Perhaps one silver lining of the fiasco in the regions might be that when the new regional programmes launch next year they take the opportunity to revamp both the local and national news.

I don't mind the current version of the theme, but thought it was better in 2004 before they tweaked it a couple of years later. Certainly agree the voiceovers should return too, and I'd like to see the "Lunchtime", "Evening" and "Weekend" branding bought back as well.

I didn't say that the sitting/standing issue is the only reason ITV News has more credibility/authority now. You can't get away from the fact that presenters sitting behind a desk is more authoritative than standing up or perching on a desk like 5 News did in 1997. I'm just saying it's one aspect that I think has helped them regain some onscreen authority.

I'm afraid I can't agree with your comment that the News at 10.30 was moved just as it was finding its feet. The bulletin moved to 10.30 in February 2004 and it was replaced by News at Ten in January 2008. That's almost four years. I think it should have found its feet much, much earlier if it was to be successful. It wasn't going to work, nor were any of ITV's offerings in the 10pm slot working either. By bringing back NAT, ITV have given us a much better overall schedule (and let's face it, news is never going to be a big ratings winner, no matter where it goes in the schedules) and they're producing a bulletin of much higher standard than the News at 10.30 was.

Of the two theme tunes since 2004, I prefer the current one. It has a bit of added oomph that was lacking in the 2004 set. However, neither of them are as good as the 1995-2004 themes.

Though Five News had far more authority then with Kirsty Young on the prowl than it does now with Kaplunk sat firmly on the sofa. Similarly C4 News hasn't lost any credibility in the decade or so since Jon Snow discovered his legs.


It's all about getting the overall style right though, and I certainly think initially with the 2004 revamp they did. It didn't really work in the previous set, and doesn't work quite so well now with the atrium backdrop - and News at Ten certainly wouldn't benefit from it, but with the set up they had initially it was pretty much faultless.

They do need a revamp although not necessarily a new set. News at Ten has shown what ITN are capable of for a virtual studio.

The standing up on a bulletin doesn't actually look out of place on ITV News because they are always stood against the wall, however if they were stood in the middle of the floor (like on BBC News) then it looks a bit daft.

The theme tune is fine as it is, people don't tune in to a news bulletin and think the theme tune is the most important thing.

Aside from set & graphics, I think ITV News is really good at the minute. The Lunchtime News is rightfully aimed at a daytime audience so is much lighter. You can tell Alastair and Katie enjoy presenting together which IMO is very important for the mood and style of the LN. The Evening News is a little more serious, still a bit tabloid but it doesn't win award after award for no reason. People like tabloid. And with News at Ten, its a very serious/indepth type programme, some might say its what the news used to be like, so even though it only has a small audience, the general feedback is that those who do watch it like it.