The Newsroom

ITV News

Brand realignment onwards (October 2009)

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IT
itsrobert Founding member
Mike W posted:
ITNCameraman posted:
buster posted:
There's no need to be so touchy about it. It took ITN a very long time to go to widescreen, indeed there was a couple of years where the whole thing was cropped into pretend widescreen. I was actually paying a compliment in that HD has arrived much much quicker.

No need to be rude. I wasn't being "touchy", I was trying to find out when other broadcasters went widescreen. But now that all the answers are in, it does seem that everyone apart from the BBC went widescreen within about two years.


It did come across as touchy, in fairness - like you were defending ITN's later (but not a decade) switch to Widescreen - it's understandable though, you will defend your employer!

At least they've beaten the BBC with HD though! It looks so much better now, none of this horrid green fringing either!


I do agree that it took ITN an inexcusably long time to switch to widescreen when BBC News managed it in 2000. However, I think that ITN is to be commended for being the first to switch to stereo sound. ITN switched its output to stereo when it moved into 200 Gray's Inn Road in late 1990 whereas I believe BBC News was still in mono until the April 1993 relaunch.
BE
Ben Founding member
itsrobert posted:
I do agree that it took ITN an inexcusably long time to switch to widescreen.


I don't really see it as inexcusable, it comes down to money and for things like widescreen that'll never be a problem for the Beeb. Sky only went widescreen when they did because they had just invested in a whole new news centre.
IT
itsrobert Founding member
Ben posted:
itsrobert posted:
I do agree that it took ITN an inexcusably long time to switch to widescreen.


I don't really see it as inexcusable, it comes down to money and for things like widescreen that'll never be a problem for the Beeb. Sky only went widescreen when they did because they had just invested in a whole new news centre.


Oh I agree, and if I recall correctly, ITV News only went widescreen after a contract renewal when ITN had more money to spend on upgrading its equipment. But, that it took so long for anyone to start the ball rolling is rather strange. We know that it was feasible in 2000 if BBC News managed to change, so it must only boil down to a lack of willing on somebody's part at some point in time. I'm sure if it had been a priority it would have been achieved much sooner than 2007. And that sticking plaster approach (cropping and zooming the 4:3 image) really was inexcusable! It really looked dreadful, and I'm shocked that Comedy Central is now doing the same thing to 1990s shows like Frasier. It looks worse than 4:3 on a widescreen set if you ask me.
SW
SWatson7
Not just ITV News but its bizarre how Channel 4 News didn't change until 2007 either, and even stranger for Channel 4- Big Brother didn't go widescreen until 2006. I've always felt that was very peculiar as it was their biggest show and I believe it was the last programme of its sort to be filmed in 4:3. But I'm taking the thread way off topic here.

Going back to ITN, and I rarely watch Channel 4 or 5 news, but are either of them in HD yet?
BR
Brekkie
The justification for Big Brother was the use of remote cameras, but BB rip-offs had managed it in widescreen in the years before. Notably though it is one of the few US shows still made in 4:3 SD.

I guess the justification for news was footage from around the world generally being 4:3, though ITN certainly left it rather late. Arguably though the BBC went a little bit too early - they could have held out slightly longer. Am I right in thinking BBC News went widescreen a couple of weeks before they launched the Ten o'clock News?
IT
itsrobert Founding member
Brekkie posted:
The justification for Big Brother was the use of remote cameras, but BB rip-offs had managed it in widescreen in the years before. Notably though it is one of the few US shows still made in 4:3 SD.

I guess the justification for news was footage from around the world generally being 4:3, though ITN certainly left it rather late. Arguably though the BBC went a little bit too early - they could have held out slightly longer. Am I right in thinking BBC News went widescreen a couple of weeks before they launched the Ten o'clock News?


Yes, I've got the last edition of the Nine O'Clock News recorded and it's definitely in widescreen (well, 14:9 as it was recorded off analogue). Didn't the change to widescreen happen on the same day that Breakfast launched after the Sydney Olympics? I remember watching the first edition that day and I could have sworn it was widescreen.

Interestingly, CNN remains one of the very few (only?) international news channels which persists in 4:3 transmission. I cannot for the life of me understand why as their main rivals, BBC World and AlJazeera, went widescreen years ago now. I saw a few minutes of CNN yesterday and they were clearly recycling graphics from the domestic version of CNN, as half of the words were totally cut off. Talk about professional Rolling Eyes
NW
nwtv2003
itsrobert posted:
Yes, I've got the last edition of the Nine O'Clock News recorded and it's definitely in widescreen (well, 14:9 as it was recorded off analogue). Didn't the change to widescreen happen on the same day that Breakfast launched after the Sydney Olympics? I remember watching the first edition that day and I could have sworn it was widescreen.


Correct, all national BBC News went 16:9 on Monday 2nd October 2000, so the Nine O'Clock News was in 16:9 for only 2 weeks.
MA
Macalolo
Yet more cuts planned to ITV regional news, you can only cut so much before something gives.
http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/broadcasters/itv-plans-regional-news-job-cuts/5047095.article
CF
CatsFast101
Macalolo posted:
Yet more cuts planned to ITV regional news, you can only cut so much before something gives.
http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/broadcasters/itv-plans-regional-news-job-cuts/5047095.article


Someone copy this article, as the google thing isnit working?
RI
Rijowhi
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/sep/27/itv-axe-jobs-regional-news
MW
Mike W
Quote:
ITV outlined a number of proposals to staff on Thursday, including creating a new centralised graphics unit, which would be based in Birmingham, and a new 3D and HD compatible graphics system for the regional operation.

They've been doing the graphics for the ITV regions for years!

11 days later

NI
Nicky
Been doing some YouTube trawling this evening...

Anyone remember this naff Christmas ITN endcap from 1997? I certainly don't! Laughing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFxUlM2mLFM

A brief late-90s weekend news close at the start of this video. I always loved Carol Barnes' precise enunciation of the lottery numbers. What a great double act she and Graham Miller made back then!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpphHCGA0NY

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