The Newsroom

London 2012: THE FINAL GOODBYE

(July 2012)

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IS
Inspector Sands
chris posted:
From a presentation point of view I agree the makeshift sets were nice, but from an editorial decision, I think it was a very bad one. Too much news dedicated to the Olympics, particularly on national bulletins.

I agree that the news coverage was too Olympic-centric, however the editorial decision as to what led the bulletins didn't have anything to do with where the studio was.

It did improve towards the end, but that was mainly due to the news from New Addington which couldn't be ignored
IS
Inspector Sands
ginnyfan posted:
Anyway, here are 2 more opening from World at the Olympic site, firs one with George Alagiah from a few days ago.


I thought the whole 'London Live' thing was excellent (despite it reminding me of the not-missed radio station of the same name). Not only was it good way of making it feel like it was the Olympic channel despite not being able to show any of it, it was also a good way of doing a lot of features about London and the UK.

However, although I watched it lots in the week leading up to the Olympics, but once they started I don't think I saw it once during... though I had the choice of World and the domestic BBC
GE
thegeek Founding member
Gavin Scott posted:
I suppose, aside from duplication of shifts, there's no real reason why they didn't rehearse for an extra couple of days - so I will concede on that point.
There is a reason: the build over-ran. It happens. Despite all the time available for planning, BBC News don't have infinite resources, and a lot of them were tied up with Jubilee coverage until shortly before the the start of the games.

As for the lighting issues - I'm not sure if there really were any bright sunny days between the glass boxes going up, and them going on air, so I think they can be excused not having got things fine-tuned by the time of the first transmission.

Yes, it was a bit haphazard, but they did a damn fine job. That's how News OBs generally work, isn't it? Smile

(Incidentally, it's not all being de-rigged just yet: you'll be seeing some more from there during the Paralympics.)
CH
chris
Inspector Sands posted:
chris posted:
From a presentation point of view I agree the makeshift sets were nice, but from an editorial decision, I think it was a very bad one. Too much news dedicated to the Olympics, particularly on national bulletins.

I agree that the news coverage was too Olympic-centric, however the editorial decision as to what led the bulletins didn't have anything to do with where the studio was.

It did improve towards the end, but that was mainly due to the news from New Addington which couldn't be ignored


But I think moving the whole national bulletin to the Olympic Park meant the Olympics was always going to take precedence. I think they should have kept the nationals in TVC, passing over to Ben Brown or equivalent for the Olympics news, similar to what News 24 was doing.
IS
Inspector Sands
chris posted:
But I think moving the whole national bulletin to the Olympic Park meant the Olympics was always going to take precedence. I think they should have kept the nationals in TVC, passing over to Ben Brown or equivalent for the Olympics news, similar to what News 24 was doing.

But again, the location of the person reading the news doesn't change the editorial decision of what leads.
AN
Andrew Founding member
thegeek posted:
Gavin Scott posted:
I suppose, aside from duplication of shifts, there's no real reason why they didn't rehearse for an extra couple of days - so I will concede on that point.
There is a reason: the build over-ran. It happens. Despite all the time available for planning, BBC News don't have infinite resources, and a lot of them were tied up with Jubilee coverage until shortly before the the start of the games.

As for the lighting issues - I'm not sure if there really were any bright sunny days between the glass boxes going up, and them going on air, so I think they can be excused not having got things fine-tuned by the time of the first transmission.

Yes, it was a bit haphazard, but they did a damn fine job. That's how News OBs generally work, isn't it? Smile

(Incidentally, it's not all being de-rigged just yet: you'll be seeing some more from there during the Paralympics.)


I did wonder if they were going to go back for the Paralympics, I know the BBC don't have rights, and in normal circumstances the Paralympics has a much lower profile, but if the BBC just treat it as a sports story with a few minutes at the end of the bulletin there would be criticism from some quarters.
MA
Marcus Founding member
Inspector Sands posted:
chris posted:
But I think moving the whole national bulletin to the Olympic Park meant the Olympics was always going to take precedence. I think they should have kept the nationals in TVC, passing over to Ben Brown or equivalent for the Olympics news, similar to what News 24 was doing.

But again, the location of the person reading the news doesn't change the editorial decision of what leads.


It shouldn't, but it does

13 days later

NE
Newsroom
Not quite goodbye... Sport is back at Stratford on Breakfast this morning.
LL
London Lite Founding member
London Tonight are using their Westfield studio again.
AP
aprilj
George Alagiah presenting from the Olympic Park for BBC News at Six, Kate Silverton back at TVC.
CR
Critique
Ah, nice to see the Olympic park studio again on the 6 tonight - the view is lovely, and they've sorted out the sound issues on day 1!
JO
Jon
It's a nice decision to tell viewers where viewers can find coverage of the games, from BBC News.

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