New BBC World Service audio identity

Has Newshour changed yet? Seriously, that theme just spoke authoritativeness and what the WS was all about. If anybody has audio of that theme, I'd love it.

Hello, I'm Steve. I wrote the brief for this project and commissioned David to compose our new music.

Living in the UK you only see only one side of the World Service. Around the world our listeners are often young and listening on FM to BBC programmes carried by a local music station. Our sound has to fit that environment.

If you listen carefully you'll hear there are twelve opt points in every hour. It's a huge professional challenge to deliver these modular chunks effectively and still sound like a free-flowing radio station. The new identity helps enormously with this too.

There are more bits of the identity to come, some of which you'll hear in the UK, and I'm sure we'll tweak things as we become accustomed to the the new sound and look at the tracking research.

The comments on TV Forum are very interesting to read too. Like some of you I was fond of the old identity too (it's still my mobile ringtone) but the new identity helps us move ahead and meet the challenges we face in today's increasingly fast-moving media environment.

Someone mentioned amounts of 'authority' in the music. I believe authority is built over time through the strength of our journalism, not from a brass fanfare. You can't tell people to respect you. You have to earn it. So the music welcomes people in and then the hard work begins.

Finally, if there's an appetite for it, I'll try to find a way of making the music (including the old work) available for collectors and historians. It's against BBC tradition to do this so it may take a while but let me know if it would be popular.

ps - glad you liked the montage... not bad for something made on the 0648 from Petersfield to Waterloo!

Exactly like the old identity then...



Five words. It's. A. Bit. Of. Music.

True, the idents are important, but using a 'fast-moving environment' and the 'need to move forward' is not a very good excuse. The old identity was working perfectly well, and while a change is nice, it shouldn't be justified by that.

And anyway, isn't A New Irish Tune in G (otherwise known as Lilliburlero ) still played at TOTH sometimes? I'm surprised (but nonetheless thankful) that that hasn't been axed. Yet.



But you wouldn't introduce Newsnight with Twinkle Twinkle Little Star played on a kazoo. True, that's an extreme example, but it has to sound the part.



That would be incredibly popular amongst the (albeit niche) audience you're targeting it at. It's a very good idea, and it would be interesting for our grandchildren to hear how the television/radio sounded 50 odd years ago.

Just wondering, does anybody have any way to access the clean Newshour music?

I think the new music is very good... I thought the same about much of the previous music... it all seems appropriate. The weirdest change I every recognised is when The World Today went from the more classical to a modern, drum etc. theme in 2002 I think... But, the BBC is the BBC, and although music plays a big part in the delivery of a programme, the strength of journalism shines through.

As for what Steve said about making music avaliable, I think this would be a great idea, things like the origional and second World Today themes, the TOTH beds are bits of music that I'd liek to hear again evn if they are 60/30/15 or even 10 second long...

I notice that you are now, in addition to trying to pass off as a forum elder, trying to be rude in the style of the clique. Once again you are proving what a pathetic little waste of space you are by just annoying everyone and entertaining noone except yourself. the sooner you either realise you're unimportant or preferably, leave, the better.
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I'm really not impressed by this. I can't see how they relate to one another to be honest aside from being rather gentle. Also surely using the triple stab in all of them would have helped tie them together more than some vague resemblance that I'm failing to notice.

I also find the BBC things very poor. I've always had a dislike for the "foreign voices saying words" idea as they often emphasise the accent and talk slowly, which just makes the people sound simple.

Can someone post the previous identity as a comparison?

I like what I heard in that montage. If I can encapsulate it in a word I think it would be "modern".

I'm aware of how nebulous an expression that is but I say it as I feel it.

We now have some tracks from the new BBC World Service identity to share with collectors and enthusiasts. What would be the best way to make them available via this forum please?

With thanks,

Steve.

Upload them and post a link?

I guess by just posting the link?

I tried to upload a couple of mp3 files of some old World Service top of teh hour jingles but it wouldn't let me

Check your PM Inspector.