The NEW Central West and BBC Midlands thread

I've just purchased Nick Owen's autobiography: "In The Time of Nick" (£15:95).

I'm hoping it'll include a good "b*tch" about the axeing of Good Morning with Anne & Nick!

He's doing a signing session at Ottakar's bookstore in Coventry on Saturday 30th October (12:00 - 14:00), so I'll be there nice and early for that!

The cashier who served me today said that if I couldn't attend the signing, I could leave my purchased book there today, and have it signed in my absence, then come and collect it, post-signing.

Sod that! I wan't to see/meet the man himself! (also, I wouldn't be able to read any of it between now and Saturday if I did that!)

Don't tell Katherine, she might get jealous! (actually, I've a feeling she's probably already met Nick...)

Came from Central News West.

I wouldnt call her a good presenter, bring back Sue!

It's a very nice set indeed, and it's nice to see the newsroom, instead of the ' window on the world '. The only disappointment is the graphics - they look like they were hastily put together for the first programme.

How impressive is this view!!!? As someone said, the most impressive news set on the BBC at the moment. News 24 is excellent, but this is better. Hopefully we'll be treated to similarly impressive sets when News moves to BH in 2008.

http://thetvroom.com/area-b/images-bbc-midlands/images-2004-b/titles-1j.jpg

Love the way they have the red background behind the screen. Makes it look really big.

(pic courtesey of The TV Room)

I agree completely. It also looks really good on screen as well - big and impressive, but with warmth too. The only problem is that it'll make the national set look even worse!

Also I liked the funky colours on Kay's Breakfast System this morning - a bit retro! Nice.

EDIT: Just been looking at the TV Room's captures, and I just wanted to say how much I love this shot of the Malvern Hills in the titles...

http://www.thetvroom.com/area-b/images-bbc-midlands/images-2004-b/titles-1c.jpg

Made me feel a bit nostalgic from when I used to live near there.

kay's system was ... interesting

reminds me of the early days when she had her pink system - i love it. then she went corporate - and now shes gone grey and "swooshy" FAB!!

excuse the "camera infront of telly" technique ...
http://www.rp-networkservices.com/tvforum/uploads/image018.jpg

I liked the shot of the Malverns too - but did it disappear tonight - were the titles slightly different?

It was different, the shot of the mailbox at the start of tonights titles wasn't there last night either.

Midlands Today revamp :

A minor gripe though.

Turn down those bl**dy bleeps !

Anyone done any local radio surfing online yet?

Currently listening to Boyden on Hereford & Worcester.

Have noted live footy commentaries on WM & Stoke tonight have been replaced by the Sue Beardsmore rolling message, telling you this prog is unavailable.

(I guess brief reports progs like H&W's show aren't affected by the rights issues!)

forgot to mention earlier - at the end of kay's first lunchtime bulletin from the mailbox - after her goodbye, instead of the wideshot they mixed to (what i presume was a live) shot of birmingham. cant immediately put my finger on where it was. not the view from the front of the mailbox, not the view from the back - so possibly the view from the side?

and nice that they're still using the

"now on bbc one, with a NEW look from our NEW home, midlands today with nick owen and suzanne virdee"

although the ident music was seriously too loud this evening.

Is the newsroom backgdrop real (ie. is it a glass window) or is it a picture fed from a video like the old one on the national news was?

Looks quite impressive, but I think covering the 2 plasma screens in the colour of the walls is a bit of a faux pas - looks a bit tacky if you ask me.

Oh, and tsk at the BBC's lack of use of apostrophes on their website ...

http://tvforum.ath.cx:8080/tvftemp/bbc.png

On a separate note, is there not a rule saying you have to place the BBC logo a certain way?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/england/midlandstoday/images/mailbox/front_of_bbc_170x66.gif