ITV News

I think the National News is considered more important than London Tonight....

A national bulletin is a bit more important I would guess than a regional one.

I wonder why Alistair didnt present the News At 6.30 with Julie since he is around for News At Ten? Nice to see Katie tho!

It was also nice that Katie led the bulletin. Hopefully her presence on the later bulletins will be a fairly regular thing as I had been turning to the BBC with increasing frequency.

I thought Julie was more 'watchable' today on the 6.30 News alongside Katie than she usually is with Mark or Alastair on the News at Ten, (though I'm not suggesting that they permanently do away with male newsreaders).

I'm still struggling to get used to "6.30pm News" as the bulletin's name. Hopefully the change from the Lunchtime & Evening News was based on some producer's whim; I'd hate to think that consultants were paid to come up with 1.30pm and 6.30pm .

Now Mark and Al that woulb be funny XD

...if only for the height difference.

The Christmas/New Year presenter rotas (from DigiGuide)

Lunchtime
21/12 (13.30) - James Mates
22/12 (13.30) - James Mates
23/12 (13.30) - James Mates
24/12 (13.00) - James Mates
25/12 (13.00) - Charlene White

26/12 (12.25) - Charlene White
27/12 (13.50) - Charlene White

28/12 (12.10) - Matt Teale
29/12 (12.35) - James Mates
30/12 (13.05) - Nina Hossain
31/12 (13.15) - Alastair Stewart
01/01 (12.15) - Alastair Stewart


Evening
21/12 (18.30) - Mary Nightingale & Alastair Stewart (Julie presented)
22/12 (18.30) - Mary Nightingale & Alastair Stewart
23/12 (18.30) - Mary Nightingale & Alastair Stewart (Julie presented)
24/12 (17.45) - James Mates
25/12 (17.40) - Julie Etchingham

26/12 (18.15) - Steve Scott
27/12 (17.15) - Mary Nightingale

28/12 (18.45) - Mary Nightingale
29/12 (18.45) - James Mates
30/12 (18.45) - Nina Hossain
31/12 (18.45) - Alastair Stewart
01/01 (18.40) - Alastair Stewart


Late
21/12 (22.30) - Julie Etchingham & Alastair Stewart
22/12 (22.00) - Mary Nightingale & Alastair Stewart
23/12 (23.00) - Julie Etchingham & Alastair Stewart (Alastair presented solo)
24/12 (22.00) - James Mates
25/12 (23.00) - Julie Etchingham

26/12 (22.30) - Steve Scott
27/12 (23.35) - Mary Nightingale

28/12 (22.30) - Mary Nightingale
29/12 (22.00) - James Mates
30/12 (22.30) - Nina Hossain
31/12 (23.35) - Alastair Stewart
01/01 (23.00) - Alastair Stewart

It would have been better to see alastair and katie, rather than julie.

Gone are the days when it used to be relatively junior or "fill-in" staff presenting the news on Christmas Day. There is a growing trend that senior anchors now appear on Christmas Day across several outlets.

I suppose over on the BBC it will either be Huw, George or Fiona p'raps?

Katie Derham finally gets Christmas off then - hasn't she presented on Christmas Day quite often in the last few years?

I imagine the New Year listings will change considering Alistair is hosting a midnight bulletin, can't see him doing both the Lunchtime bulletins on New Years Eve and New Years Day.


Has James Mates hosted the main bulletins at all since the revamp, considering Alistair now seems to be the regular News at Ten fill in?

Not yet, but he is scheduled to co-host the 6:30 and Ten on Wednesday 16th December. He is also down for tomorrows bulletins at 6:25 and 11:10.