ITV News: 2012 Rebranding Speculation

Is that £1m you're quoting the original price of installation in February 2004? Or for the last rebrand in 2009? I can tell you that there is a lot more to Studio 2 than meets the eye. Aside from the rather revolutionary screens, there was also the installation of virtual reality technology, e.g. the kit in the gallery and the sensors on the ceiling so the kit can track the movement of the cameras etc, not to mention new graphics and music. There's a lot more to it than it appears onscreen. Let me tell you, I've been to ITN a few times over the past 5 years and I was truly blown away by the VR technology and just what is needed behind the scenes to make it work. One of the senior ITN lighting directors had a go of explaining it to me and it was very complex indeed.

Which makes you think what's the point? I'm sure the VR technology is spectacular, but is that really what a news programme needs? No. The BBC produce far more popular and in my opinion far better news coverage, both content and branding-wise from a tiny BARCO set-up in N6.

The BBC have in Past used ITNs facilities for the Jeremy Vine VR stuff. no doubt some of the cost is recovered.

The set up fees are huge but long term it is an investment - and as ITV/ITN have made the investment they're not going to be ditching it for a real set any time soon.

The virtual set can be used in some really clever and appealing ways, as has been shown over the years, but this current "underground car park" set is really poor. Too dark and empty and the yellow doesn't work in this case. Needs changing ASAP.

I bet the BBC has spent more since 2004 on re-designing and re-building its real sets than ITV has. Let's face it, apart from removing the walkway and painting the floor green, little has changed in Studio 2 since 2004. And how many designs has ITV News featured since then? Quite a few distinct looks, yet the studio has coped admirably and has undoubtedly saved ITV/ITN a huge amount over the years. And I can't believe you're suggesting the BBC's horrible, boxy, grey and dreary BARCO stuidos with their poor background images are better than what ITV has done virtually over the years.

I am indeed. Bar the London 'big ben' backdrop, I think ITV's virtual sets have been pretty dire. The original 'theater of news' and the current look are so over-the-top it no longer becomes 'spectacular' but rather tacky. Sometime less is more...

I agree with other detractors of the yellow theme for News.

Brekkie's idea of a blue/white theme would be interesting. I think blue seems more authoritative than yellow.

I've never liked the intros with the presenter in close up away from the desk, though the return to sitting down has been welcomed.

If ITV1 changes from yellow/black it seems inevitable ITV News will move in the same direction.

Wow. It's nice to see so much passion about ITN News for a change, as opposed to the heavy leanings we mostly have towards preferring to discuss BBC News.

If I'm not mistaken, a fairly balanced debate, with a slight leaning by the majority towards preferring a rebrand?

Maybe so, but what specifically should such a rebrand feature? New colours, granted. But what about the current onscreen look, such as astons, breaking news straps, live bugs, etc. All in need of a change, or all still currently fresh enough?

And so on.........

I can't agree with you, at least not about the current N6 and TC7 designs. BBC News has had some excellent set designs over the past decade - my favourites being the original 1999-2003 versions and the current N8. However, I think the current ITV virtual reality studio is a lot better and more impressive than what domestic BBC News has got. The BARCO sets are just so cramped, boxy and grey. Even David Cameron commented on how sparatan it looked on launch day. Yes, the current ITV News backdrop/surroundings aren't the best design they've ever had, but I wouldn't say it's the worst. It's a shame they got rid of the wonderful London skyline in 2009, but I prefer the current set to the 2004-2008 period.

In an ideal world, I'd like ITV News to have a studio like Channel 4 News - totally real with a real atrium backdrop. But, given the cost and versatility of the VR set in Studio 2, I wouldn't be that disappointed if they contine with the virtual designs. All it needs is a good design - as proven by the London skyline backdrop - it's not the technology that's at fault.

What's more, it seemed totally at odds with L-N's alleged intention to significantly brighten up the studio's appearance. In contrast to the design that preceded it, it's more akin to a nuclear bunker.

I think I've said it before but it seems funny to me that they went from a bright airy newsroom with dark black titles to a dark grey studio with bright white titles!