ITV News

Which rather begs the question who would buy it? The Murdochs' and BSkyB have been proud of the channel (ahem) and it's been (until now) good for its portfolio. It has not made money. Even if you sacked all the reporters, producers and non-studio crew and made it a 24-hour platform of already-existing reports (such as from ITN, Reuters etc.) would the channel make money?

Well that's all part of Rupert's devilish plan, isn't it? Offer to hive it off as an independent organisation, wait a few years, watch it make no money so no one else would possibly want to take it on, and then quietly re-assume control. Meanwhile the profits roll in from his total control of B-Sky-B. He may be an evil, megalomaniacal monster, but he's no dummy.

I know it is by no means ‘raking in the cash’ but to be taken seriously as a serious dedicated news provider ITN needs a news channel it provides a chance to do live coverage on things like PMQ’s and also events like the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visting Canada both of which ITN don’t do and I don’t see why they were willing to provide for Setanta Sports News a few years ago so surely if ITV put the money into what their doing with this live website they could produce something credible as I do believe people would watch an ITN/ITV News Channel there is a gap in the market IMO.

ITN were 'willing' to provide Setanta with a news channel because Setanta were willing to pay for it. ITV have been there and done that with a news channel. They bought out the ITN News Channel in 2002, rebranded it as the ITV News Channel and it was axed within a mere 3 years. Why on earth would they go back and try it again, especially when people are moving towards the internet for news? Hence this new web project which is on the cards. The BBC and Sky dominate the British news channel market and there just wouldn't be a large enough audience to justify ITV having a news channel again. You mention ITV ought to cover PMQs. Why?! It's already shown on BBC2, BBC News and BBC Parliament - why is there need for another channel showing exactly the same thing? Anything noteworthy generally makes it into the ITV News bulletins anyway. I'm afraid you're in the realms of fantasy with this one.

Apparently the walkabout in the ITN building by Rupert back in the 1980's was more to give him an idea of how much a news channel/broadcaster would cost to run. But as you say it would have been very different, but considering how many people were anti-Sky in the late 80s/early 90s (especially a lot of ITV companies) I don't think the idea would have happened anyway.

Sky News has never turned a profit in it's life, it never will, it's subsidised through BSkyB, to give the Sky name a good name and to show Sky can do public service to please it's critics, like the Sky Arts channels, which I don't think make any money but are there to show off.

Right now, I think the focus is more on ITV taking back full control of ITN (which has been a long-running aim ever since Charles Allen and Gerry Robinson were at the helm). That and the on-going 'One ITV News' review.

Andrea's back on the news at 6.30 tonight.

I thought ITV's coverage of the News of the World story was excellent last night. Especially on NAT were most of the programme was dedicated to the subject with exclusive reports. Just shows how good they can do things if they put their mind to it.

One very weak link Jon Clements the crime correspondent he has an awful reporting style.

It appears that this week is a very random week for presenters on every channel. Old TV Forum favourite Lucy Meacock has just tweeted that's she's presenting the national bulletins this weekend.

Daisy McAndrew just referred to as "Business Editor" on NaT. Odd...

I thought it was extremely pointless and OTT for Alastair Stewart to be shipped out to Wapping to present at 6:30. For political or royal news events, then yes, I can see the necessity in presenting on location - but for this story, it added nothing. I'm glad ITV News realised this and have put both newscasters in the studio for tonight's News at Ten.


Odd indeed. I can't imagine they're getting rid of the Economics Editor role so I assume it was a slip of the tongue!


I do agree with you that Jon Clements is a bizarre signing, and his awkward tabloid reporting style is terrible.

But I didn't find NAT last night or tonight particularly excellent at all. The news is still clouded with adjectives; the camera angles cringeworthy with slow zooms; the graphics even more tacky and shoddy than usual over the past few months ... such is the current editorial focus of ITV News.

Paying tribute to the News of the World for the "And Finally..." - says it all really.


I appreciate you aren't able to reveal too much insider info Sky ... but would you be able to tell us just what this news review is all about? What is its focus? Is there any anxiety from ITV or ITN management about ITV News' current editorial quality?

I don't know if it has been mentioned, but I'm sure last night I noticed that the default Hero panels had been changed? Nt the ones that are headline specific and change everyday, but the ones in the background. I think David Beckham has gone. Was I seeing things? (Or possibly this has already been mentioned!)