Nationwide to return claims The Times

Below from The Times at the bottom of the following page: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,174-1916888,00.html

Nationwide , the popular BBC One current affairs programme, is to be revived in a new form. It will be an hour of national and local news, starting at 6.30pm.

I think The Times have got it from Broadcast who had the story. Basically the BBC One Controller wants to keep the audience for the 1830 regional shows which drops off at 1900. Broadcast suggested a Natasha Kaplinsky type presenter to link it with the big thing each night at around 7 to stop people switching over to Emmerdale. Would imagine the regions would love to get on to Network again ... all those lovely regional studios

When the Six relaunched in 1998 (think that was the year), and the double-headed presentation with the blue cut-glass "virtual" (which wasn't really virtual) look was replaced by Huw and the beige set, there was much discussion as to the format of the 1800-1900 news hour.

One suggestion then was a return to 20/20/20, which was a rough model of Nationwide. This was 20 mins national news, 20 mins regional news, 20 mins national current affairs (but incorporating regional contributions)

I suspect Emmerdales ratings would then go through the roof!

It really would show off the BBC's regional network, and conversely rub ITV's noses into it.

Not keen on this idea, why fix something that aint broke

you're saying the six o'clock news is fine are you?

oh god the

varying regional sets
/
generic regional sets
/
varying regional sets

cycle goes around again. lets hope the idea dies a death because it'd be a shame for regional programmes to lose their identities again so soon after the shackles of corporatism had begun to slowly ebb away.

Oh dear lord.... not another look at us bbc production. Six is fine the way it was in 2004.

No, im saying the format isnt broke,

Obviously i do recognise the set, graphics and presenters should be binned!

Would be an excellent vehicle for the much under-used Sue Lawley.

I can't really see anything wrong with the current format of 30mins National then 25mins Regional from 6-7pm.

Under this proposal I presume they would start with National at 6.30, but that is too late (as no doubt ITV's viewing figures will show).

Finishing the "news hour" at 7.30 is also a recipe for disaster. I doubt they will tempt many viewers away from Emmerdale with a regional news programme. Incidentally, is that not why ITV bury their obligated locally produced drivel against EastEnders on Tuesdays rather than in any other primetime slot.