From what I've heard from a reliable source within ITN, staff don't even know exactly when NAT is returning. AIUI, there have been no official decisions on look, studio or music as yet. In TV news, things are often not decided until the last minute. Obviously, the team are trying things out at the moment but, as I said, AIUI nothing has been finally decided yet.
Four nights a week - that means this second attempt at a return for NAT is flawed from the start.
BBC One managed to have their main bulletin at 10pm 6 nights a week. If an audience is in the habit of catching their news at 10pm they won't want to have to think about whether ITV is offering an alternative to BBC One.
It's not beyond the wit of man (even one that works for ITV) to arrange the schedule around a 10pm news bulletin at least 5 nights a week.
This really is just "News At When" again isn't it?
Four nights a week - that means this second attempt at a return for NAT is flawed from the start.
BBC One managed to have their main bulletin at 10pm 6 nights a week. If an audience is in the habit of catching their news at 10pm they won't want to have to think about whether ITV is offering an alternative to BBC One.
It's not beyond the wit of man (even one that works for ITV) to arrange the schedule around a 10pm news bulletin at least 5 nights a week.
This really is just "News At When" again isn't it?
Not necessarily. ITV have generally been excellent at keeping to 2230 the last few years so I wouldn't mind if the Friday bulletin was a bit later. However, the crucial thing is that whatever time they decide for the Friday bulletin, they must stick to it. It can't be 2230 one week, 2300 the following and 2200 the one after that. If the bulletin is rigid at 2230 or 2300 then people will think 'oh yeah, it's Friday, I can wait until then'. It's the not knowing what time it will come on that would make people switch over.
Incidentally, from what I've heard ITV is trying to make NAT different to the other bulletins, at least that's their plan. So, that's an improvement over 2001 when it was basically identical to the Morning, Lunchtime and Evening bulletins.
It's like OAPs day out at that House of Lords communications committee!
Some interesting stuff in that video clip including one question about whether ITV would put pressure on ITN to downplay less favourable stories about ITV itself to which Grade replied "I think we've had plenty of examples this year of getting a good kicking from our own news organisation, and rightly so!"
Very intriguing this whole "overhaul of the schedule which we've not yet released details of". Considering we know about NAT and 9pm 60 minutes dramas, it makes you wonder what other tricks they've got up their sleeve.
No mention at all if the ITN name coming back i.e. at the start of the bulletin.
Can't imagine it will be - ITV News is now pretty well established as the ITV brand for both regional and national news.
I can't see ITN returning as a major on-screen brand on ITV. Very unlikely to have a "From the studios of ITN" or "The ITN Ten O'Clock News" or even "We cross now to ITN" on-air reference.
I'm not sure ITN would even want their name associated directly with the bulletins anymore - they've spent the last few years building up a pretty successful business away from it's traditional role.
Very intriguing this whole "overhaul of the schedule which we've not yet released details of". Considering we know about NAT and 9pm 60 minutes dramas, it makes you wonder what other tricks they've got up their sleeve.
I wholly agree. I have created a post here which contains ideas which could happen as part of this secret overhaul, like the soaps going out Monday to Friday from 7 to 8pm, and 8pm being overhauled with Tonight in a one-hour format.
Ha! ITV are the kings of spin. You really think they've come up with a revolutionary revamp? Get a grip. You're never going to get what you want anyway.
Ha! ITV are the kings of spin. You really think they've come up with a revolutionary revamp? Get a grip. You're never going to get what you want anyway.
You're the bitter fool who got upset when the ITV.com revamp didn't pander to your every need. I don't think Michael Grade would lie on at least three separate occasions somehow.
I'm having a good little chuckle about people wondering how on earth ITN will fit rehearsals and set changes into the time between now and when NAT relaunches.
The 'rehearsals' will be trying out camera angles, balancing sound, getting graphics lined up etc and testing the gallery. Jobs that could be done in about a week. The set being built - let us remember, the BBC's TC7 set was built over a period of about 2 weeks, wasn't it?
I don't think Michael Grade would lie on at least three separate occasions somehow.