ITV News

A mug of hot lemon should do the trick...

Rob, as always, a legend in providing us with great video coverage. Despite him being fluey may I let you all know!

Personally I think the changes are a big improvement. The only let down is the naff frosted-people-strolling-around-the-clockface opener.

It looks cleaner, crisper, and more "newsy" - if such a word exists...

Lee has also previously done some mocks here which are very close to the new backdrop.

I think it's quite evident really that skyline backdrops work better at night than during the day, hence the general approval for the Evening News backdrop and questions over the Lunchtime News look. Personally I thought it looked great on the wideshot, but not so good close up.

I agree with you there Brekkie. I think the problem is too much blue and nothing else on the close-ups. On those shots it does look easily like it could come from the late eighties or early nineties.

Edit: Are they using slightly different shots today? The background on the close-up shots seems to have more buildings and less blue.

I have just quickly compared a few of the shots and they do appear to have been taken from slightly higher up, with the effect that you do indeed see a little more of the buildings and less blue sky.

Though I appear to be in the minority I prefer the lighter background of the Lunchtime News, with its daylight views of St Paul's, the NatWest Tower, the Swiss Re Building etc., but the Evening News has the advantage of more variation in the camera angles and no frosting on the clock face behind the presenters (perhaps it was thought that a clear view would be too distracting for a daytime shot of the city or that the resultant effect wouldn't have been convincing).

It's worth noting that the backdrop features the 'Swiss Light' on top of Tate Modern which was dismantled nearly a year ago.

Is it just me or has the desk been pushed back a little bit? It doesn't look like it could fit the walkway in anymore if they wanted to ...

Also interesting that the morning bulletin has the News at Ten backdrop. I wonder whether in the summer it will be ditched in favour of the lunchtime backdrop? But then again, it isn't supposed to be live as shown with the News at Ten backdrop last summer when it was still quite light.

But now I've seen them all, I definitely think its the best look ITV News has ever had, quite a contrast from what I thought was the worst ever look just 2 days ago!

On The Late News and Weekend News, when it airs in the night time )23:00etc) do you think they will use the News at Ten backdrop?

I just notcied Katie named Libby Wiener as Australia Correspondent.

Yes, they started referring to Libby as Australia Correspondent from yesterday.

Second day in and the backdrop is slowly growing on me. Just wish they'd recolour the opening sting to blue though - new straps would also be welcome!

So about 20 minuutes of news at 6:30pm. (Excluding Breaks and Weather). What with the recent changes to the regional service Meridian (as well as others to come) this IMO is a poor show from ITV and it is as if they wat as to change channels.

As far as I'm aware the lengths of the bulletins haven't changed, the only difference being that the mid-morning local news update has been dropped.
If it's just that the new bulletins give the illusion of having passed more quickly then surely that's a good thing.