Did anyone see the very beginning of the late bulletin tonight with Lucy as after the main titles where Lucy's name is announced there were some flashing lines on the studio floor? This isn't the first time this has happened either. There was also a 5 News programme editor on that bulletin; Hannah Emerson-Thomas.
We've probably talked about it before, and I probably sound like a broken record. But surely ITV must realise that in the ad break between the 9pm programme and NAT, those who want to watch the news flick over to BBC One and find the news has already started, so they stay with the channel. NAT on ITV regularly starts at around 22:02 or later and has done for a long, long time. It's only two minutes but it's enough to give the viewers to the BBC, who manage to start at 22:00 on the dot every night. Yes, I know ITV is a commercial station, and yes, I do realise that they slip in as many ad breaks as they can for the obvious reasons. But it's inexcusable when you've got a news programme and it's going head to head with another, one that's more established in recent years than your own. ITV used to start NAT more or less on the dot during the previous look but seems to have relaxed the start time since it became a generic bulletin that happens to be pencilled in at 10pm. Image is everything and, commercial broadcaster or not, it surely reflects badly on ITV's image to be thrashed in the ratings just because the bulletin doesn't begin on time. NAT's ratings used to be much higher during the previous look when the time start was closer to 22:00.
What I find very interesting is that during the old look, NAT
did
start as late as 22:05 during BGT week but still managed to retain the viewers and, for most of that week, beat the BBC. It hasn't happened at all with the current look, which I find a bit weird.
Might seem a bit of a silly question, but has Julian Manyon left ITV News? Thought this conflict in the Middle East would have been his forte with his years of reporting there.
Might seem a bit of a silly question, but has Julian Manyon left ITV News? Thought this conflict in the Middle East would have been his forte with his years of reporting there.
I'm in two minds really. Yes, in an ideal world News at Ten should start at 10.00pm more times than it doesn't. But, NAT has started late on some occasions for decades - there are examples of bulletins going right back to the 70s and 80s where the bongs have been dropped because it was starting late. Yet NAT was a hugely popular and well-respected bulletin back then. I think for the vast majority of people it really won't matter what time it starts, and a couple of minutes certainly wouldn't matter a great deal to most.
I think NAT's problem is threefold. Firstly, I think it was successful in the 2008-09 era because of Sir Trevor. Regardless of one's opinion of him as a newsreader, he was very well regarded and trusted by many people and he brought a great deal of authority and gravitas to the programme. He also had an attachment to the programme dating back many years so, along with the historic branding of Big Ben and the theme music, he brought continuity and stability. In contrast, I think Mark Austin still comes across as a little bit lightweight - not in a journalistic sense, as he's clearly been an effective reporter for years - but he doesn't have Trevor's presence. I do like Julie Etchingham, however, and I think she's the saving grace of ITV News.
I think the second problem is that the branding of the programme is all wrong. In 2008 it had a very distinctive and solid feel to it, just like it did in the 'glory days' of the 1990s and earlier. But the 2009 rebranding was a colossal step backwards for all the bulletins, but most definitely NAT. The virtual studio design has no depth, the colours are wrong, the titles are a bit cheap and tacky and the music is insipid. The strengths of the original NAT - and indeed the 2008 version as well - was that it was strong, bold, powerful and impressive - in everything from the titles and music through to the 2008 virtual studio design. The whole presentation package during the 1967-1999 and 2008-09 periods was arresting and commanding. The current look just screams genericness.
And finally, I think the programme has an editorial problem too. It's just not heavy enough. I'm not expecting it to be Newsnight, but if you want a thorough, in-depth digest of the day's news, you go to the BBC. ITV News is far too concerned with sensationalist language and human interest stories. Although this isn't a recent development, I do think it has become worse since 2009. I used to be an avid watcher of ITV News until about 2010, at which point I realised it just wasn't right for me any more. I'll sometimes dip into it as an alternative to the BBC, but not as much as I used to.
We've probably talked about it before, and I probably sound like a broken record. But surely ITV must realise that in the ad break between the 9pm programme and NAT, those who want to watch the news flick over to BBC One and find the news has already started, so they stay with the channel. NAT on ITV regularly starts at around 22:02 or later and has done for a long, long time. It's only two minutes but it's enough to give the viewers to the BBC, who manage to start at 22:00 on the dot every night. Yes, I know ITV is a commercial station, and yes, I do realise that they slip in as many ad breaks as they can for the obvious reasons. But it's inexcusable when you've got a news programme and it's going head to head with another, one that's more established in recent years than your own. ITV used to start NAT more or less on the dot during the previous look but seems to have relaxed the start time since it became a generic bulletin that happens to be pencilled in at 10pm. Image is everything and, commercial broadcaster or not, it surely reflects badly on ITV's image to be thrashed in the ratings just because the bulletin doesn't begin on time. NAT's ratings used to be much higher during the previous look when the time start was closer to 22:00.
What I find very interesting is that during the old look, NAT
did
start as late as 22:05 during BGT week but still managed to retain the viewers and, for most of that week, beat the BBC. It hasn't happened at all with the current look, which I find a bit weird.
You would think that when they have a massive lead in the ratings in the 9pm slot they would want to give NAT a big boost. So why not forego the ad break between I'm a Celebrity and NAT? They need to build a loyal viewer base and that would seem an ideal opportunity. Also why put NAT back 30 mins as they are doing on Friday. Why not simply leave NAT at 10 and come back at 10.30 for the last 30 mins of I'm a Celebrity. It would boost the ratings all round. On a similar note why not sandwich the Sunday late bulletin between X-Factor and either Downton or I'm a Celebrity on a Sunday night? You could end up with the News in the top five in the ratings.
You would think that when they have a massive lead in the ratings in the 9pm slot they would want to give NAT a big boost. So why not forego the ad break between I'm a Celebrity and NAT? They need to build a loyal viewer base and that would seem an ideal opportunity. Also why put NAT back 30 mins as they are doing on Friday. Why not simply leave NAT at 10 and come back at 10.30 for the last 30 mins of I'm a Celebrity. It would boost the ratings all round. On a similar note why not sandwich the Sunday late bulletin between X-Factor and either Downton or I'm a Celebrity on a Sunday night? You could end up with the News in the top five in the ratings.
That's probably what they would have done 10+ years ago. But ITV's commitment to news provision these days is such that I get the impression that they aren't really bothered by news ratings any more. I think they'd rather get the big audiences for their key shows than news. And that's probably where they're going wrong from our point of view as viewers who want decent ITN news coverage.
We've probably talked about it before, and I probably sound like a broken record. But surely ITV must realise that in the ad break between the 9pm programme and NAT, those who want to watch the news flick over to BBC One and find the news has already started, so they stay with the channel. NAT on ITV regularly starts at around 22:02 or later and has done for a long, long time. It's only two minutes but it's enough to give the viewers to the BBC, who manage to start at 22:00 on the dot every night. Yes, I know ITV is a commercial station, and yes, I do realise that they slip in as many ad breaks as they can for the obvious reasons. But it's inexcusable when you've got a news programme and it's going head to head with another, one that's more established in recent years than your own. ITV used to start NAT more or less on the dot during the previous look but seems to have relaxed the start time since it became a generic bulletin that happens to be pencilled in at 10pm. Image is everything and, commercial broadcaster or not, it surely reflects badly on ITV's image to be thrashed in the ratings just because the bulletin doesn't begin on time. NAT's ratings used to be much higher during the previous look when the time start was closer to 22:00.
In reality ITV is a commercial channel and as such the ratings of the block of ads is more important to it than the ratings of News at Ten - and they obviously feel the ads get more viewers before News at Ten than they would during it, even if that means sacrificing some News at Ten viewers.
Did anyone see the very beginning of the late bulletin tonight with Lucy as after the main titles where Lucy's name is announced there were some flashing lines on the studio floor? This isn't the first time this has happened either. There was also a 5 News programme editor on that bulletin; Hannah Emerson-Thomas.
Hannah Emerson-Thomas has been an ITN stalwart, producing and even occasionally reporting for London Tonight as well.
We've probably talked about it before, and I probably sound like a broken record. But surely ITV must realise that in the ad break between the 9pm programme and NAT, those who want to watch the news flick over to BBC One and find the news has already started, so they stay with the channel. NAT on ITV regularly starts at around 22:02 or later and has done for a long, long time. It's only two minutes but it's enough to give the viewers to the BBC, who manage to start at 22:00 on the dot every night. Yes, I know ITV is a commercial station, and yes, I do realise that they slip in as many ad breaks as they can for the obvious reasons. But it's inexcusable when you've got a news programme and it's going head to head with another, one that's more established in recent years than your own. ITV used to start NAT more or less on the dot during the previous look but seems to have relaxed the start time since it became a generic bulletin that happens to be pencilled in at 10pm. Image is everything and, commercial broadcaster or not, it surely reflects badly on ITV's image to be thrashed in the ratings just because the bulletin doesn't begin on time. NAT's ratings used to be much higher during the previous look when the time start was closer to 22:00.
What I find very interesting is that during the old look, NAT
did
start as late as 22:05 during BGT week but still managed to retain the viewers and, for most of that week, beat the BBC. It hasn't happened at all with the current look, which I find a bit weird.
You would think that when they have a massive lead in the ratings in the 9pm slot they would want to give NAT a big boost. So why not forego the ad break between I'm a Celebrity and NAT? They need to build a loyal viewer base and that would seem an ideal opportunity. Also why put NAT back 30 mins as they are doing on Friday. Why not simply leave NAT at 10 and come back at 10.30 for the last 30 mins of I'm a Celebrity. It would boost the ratings all round. On a similar note why not sandwich the Sunday late bulletin between X-Factor and either Downton or I'm a Celebrity on a Sunday night? You could end up with the News in the top five in the ratings.
News bulletins can cause viewers to drift off and go elsewhere and the other channel would capitalise on this by starting their big stuff at the same time as the news bulletin, which is why, particularly at weekends it is always scheduled at the end of the evening. The days of the weekend news being at 8:30/9:00 are long gone. This applies to the BBC News as well.
I don't see an issue with News at Ten very occasionally being late on a Friday. Friday's are different, people are less interested in the news, particularly the late bulletin.
