ITV News

Daisy is in the category of being a better reporter than presenter. Having said that, James Mates used to be in the same boat, however as the years have went on, he has gained a lot more experience, and has much more confidence when it comes to presenting. Daisy may be the same, given the chance.

Nicely put.

Though it's worth remembering Daisy isn't new to presenting, having spent a couple of years at The Daily Politics with Andrew Neil.

Conversation seems to have run dry in this thread lately...!

The roles of Political Editor and UK Editor are important ones, and IMO are currently filled by very weak correspondents.

I think Chris Ship would make a much, much better Political Editor (James Mates would also be good in this role, although it'll never happen). Putting Ship in that role could pave the way for someone like Lucy Manning or Libby Wiener to become Senior Political Correspondent.

For UK Editor, I think someone like Penny Marshall would add the necessary "gravitas" and heavyweight reporting style needed for that role - she'd do a hell of a lot better than flipping Keir Simmons. But a equally good choice could be Geraint Vincent.

Who would you install in these roles if you had such power?

Yeah I agree. I preferred Angus to Keir as UK Editor. Keir almost seems like his still in his Crime correspondent role really. UK editor is probably one of the "biggest jobs" IMO, they could have much better people. Chris Ship would make a good Political Editor - Tom Bradby annoys me a little. But to be honest I'd pick someone completely different if I had the choice.

James Mates would make a good choice for either of these roles. But as you say that wouldn’t happen, I think its fine to have him as a special correspondent covering only high profile events, but it's a waste really. If he had more of a full time editor’s role, it would make ITV's line up substantially better. No reason why he couldn't still do occasional presenting cover too.

Same with Penny Marshall, they only seem to have kept her role as News at Ten exclusive special correspondent, even though the days since the rebrand I'm sure I've only heard her reports on NAT and almost always it's just Penny doing the same report ( literally word for word) that another correspondent did on the 6:30 - theres no need. The pre rebrand reports Penny used to do just for NAT were excellent - often the best of the night and instead of the same old from the 6:30 - they used to show a differnt slant on the story.

Maybe it's actually through the correspondents personal circumstances, but they really do seem to underuse some of their best "older" correspondents such as Penny and James. Although their technically more exclusive, it's just a waste IMO.

Well I agree with what's said about Tom Bradby, however I would say the reason he’s in the role is not because of the quality of his reports but because he’s got a big ego as you say they would be far better to have someone such as Chris Ship or maybe look at BBC/Sky. The other day I took part in the discussion on the BBC News thread about Matt Frei’s replacement and there was discussion of it maybe being time for Jon Sopel to move on and I’m sure if they offered him the editor role along with presenting duties , possibly a programme then he would be tempted and in my opinion would be massively better than Bradby and as for UK editor there was a very good reason there were previously two roles of UK Editor and Crime Correspondent and that is because their two vastly different roles and the stories Angus Walker (who was excellent in the role IMO and would also make a good Political Editor) covered now seem to be shoved onto Chris Choi or Penny Marshall with Simmons still covering pretty much the same thing.

At the moment ITV News feel’s to me very GMTV awful news content and poor reporting and also an horrendous set with patronizing correspondents. At the moment in the top 5 UK news organizations (ie. BBC, ITV, Sky C4 + C5) I would put ITV News 5th apart from at Lunchtime and on weekends when the content is a lot better. I would have had ITV 2nd when NAT was called NAT they had a proper studio and News it is not ITV News + Human un-interest items it is ITV News.

The winning of a third successive BAFTA by ITV News is a great tribute to them, but I think it just distracts from their real problem which is a lack of consistent quality. Sometimes they are brilliant, and that's why they can still deservedly win the big awards. But when you watch them night after night, there are too many bad programs, to many times that you think 'why am I bothering to watch this' and switching to the BBC. What the BBC offers is often dull and rarely spectacular, but it is solid. They have good and serious correspondents and editors who are on night after night.
Bradby and Simmons are definitely weak links for ITV. 2 such important roles should not be filled with such lightweights. Yes, they both look pretty, but too often they have nothing to say, or simply speak nonsense. The correspondents in the bureaux, Bill Neely, James Mates, Penny Marshall, Chirs Ship are all superb, but their efforts, and the brand itself, are damaged again and again by sub-standard reporting in the 2 most important areas of domestic news. I completely agree with those who don't think we see enough of Mates and Marshall in particular, and I don't understand why they don't have higher profile roles. Maybe there's something we don't know...in fact there must be something we don't know, because otherwise it makes no sense at all. Can anyone throw any light?

ITV News is fantastic when covering big or breaking stories. But day to day and mundane stories they are awful at because that's when they start their Daily Mail reporting, trying to put a sensationalist human angle on everything possible.

Nice little touch to the programme from Alistair who wished Mary happy birthday accompanied by a kiss on the hand.

Oh and days after a member mentioning the fact Penny Marshall only featured on ITV News At Ten tonight she featured on the news at 6.30 albeit for a few minutes.

Yeah Alastair always does nice little touches like that!

Yeah I noticed that, perhaps she has been on before and I haven't watched on that night or something. But she still is definitely underused - should be used like she was tonight IMO.

I agree, it was great to see Penny Marshall on the 6:30 - maybe she'll do a piece for the Ten tonight? She's an excellent correspondent and I agree she's still waaay underused. Oh, and add Paul Davies to that list, he did a good opening report for the 6:30 today.

On another but similar note - those of you with long ITN memories may like to tune into the Ten tonight, as former war correspondent Michael Nicholson will be making an appearance. I think in a report. I don't remember him at all but I do know he was one of their best reporters.

Michael Nicholson was also an anchor on the News at 5.45.