ITV wants to axe some regional news services

Why what is the significance of tommorow besides Westcountry? Meridian and Anglia's new programmes launched last week

I would very much doubt a big rebrand in the offing considering they are crying poverty at the moment. However, logic and reality are seperate things. I mean they cannot even afford opening sequences for the nationals - only News at Ten seems to meet the standard.

If the nationals had got a new graphics package I'm sure it would have been tweaked for the regions too, but as they haven't, it'll be the same old and rather tired graphics, which in regional news terms have actually now been around longer than most - since 2006 I think though with a tweak in 2007.

Yeah December 2007, which makes it around 13 months... hardly old and tired? They was more than a tweak, more like new titles based on the old theme, like BBC Regional News between 1999 and 2008.

I like the current regional graphics - much nicer than the previous blue/yellow scheme.

I like them too. But much rather prefer the original current package from January 2006 to the one we have had now since December 2007.

The on-screen graphics are actually better than the nationals, but I preferred the title sequences from 2004, beginning with the map. I guess now with the new super regions we're unlikely to see such a thing in the titles again - it'll just be rather generic images on the whole part, which is why I think the current title sequences look rather tired.

I'm unsure if tonight's edition of North East Tonight is pan-regional. The North edition is using the South studio, with the non regular presenter-reporters presenting the programme.

Lookaround's Helen Pearson filed a report tonight, though I assume she is still presenting the main ITV Border programme tonight?

Edit: And Philippa Tomson doing her first 'Enviorment Corresponent' stint.

Anglia News West was presented by the new team of Becky Jago and Jonathan Wills but most of the news was for the West of the region. The weather was presented just for the West by Amanda Houston. There did not seem to be a pan regional feel about the news although there was a reference to Norwich in brief and a live report from Suffolk.

I would say that tonight's programme was very good.

Yes Helen is still on Lookaround presenting duties. Its a case that they are introducing the new team slightly early so that it isnt too much of a shock for all these new faces when next wednesday or thursday arrives.

I guess if they're doing rehearsals for the new show they are generating material which they might as well use on air on the existing services.

So the split editions of North East Tonight ended on 13th February. South presenters Ian and Pam must be off for a rest before the new services launches. Meaning the end of Kim Inglis (who returned on the North edition for two weeks) after being with TTTV since 1995.

Edit: I've just checked ITVLocal.com and ITV West and ITV Westcountry still have seperate sections and not one merged ITV South West section.. though the content on each sections are the same, strange...