News at Ten - Weeknights on ITV1

Who watches the news on Friday evenings anyway. I wouldn't be critical of that move. It means they could show an uninterrupted film at 9.

Does anyone else think Mark Austin constantly looks cross when he's presenting? He barely cracks a smile.

Well you can read that in two ways, News at Ten is coming back for four nights a week, or Sir Trev is doing it for four nights a week.

"Sir Trevor McDonald has been lured back to front a resurrected ITV1 News at Ten - it is thought for four nights a week."

It then says :

"Mark Austin will continue to be one of the key ITV anchors, fronting News at Ten with Julie Etchingham, who is joining the broadcaster from Sky News, when Sir Trevor is away."

I think it means that Sir Trev will only be doing it for four nights, but hopefully the programme is going out for five nights. Who knows when there is no official word from ITV.

News at Ten was the best thing about ITN for decades, frankly. I welcome the return of the bulletin. But, one hopes that it is a bulletin presented by two anchors "anchored" behind a desk in the seated position!!!

Despite reports to the contrary, I really don't think the GBP actually likes watching the news, presented by people awkwardly standing up!

I am not a big fan or Julie Etchingham (or Trevor, for that matter), but will be interesting to see how the programme looks and feels.

If it is brought-on as a regularly styled bulletin (i.e. no standing / no mad gimmicks), I think it may well find a niche market.

Huw Edwards and Trevor McDonald head-to-head...........interesting!!

An interesting new article on reactions to the News at Ten's return: http://media.guardian.co.uk/broadcast/story/0,,2197548,00.html

"It is a calculated risk, and evidence of Michael Grade trying to re-imbue ITV with the stature it ought to have with the gravitas of News at Ten," said the head of broadcast at Media Planning Group, Jim McDonald.

"The practical problem is it becomes difficult to maintain and grow audience post-10.30pm. Ten-thirty is a natural break as people see it as time to go to bed or go elsewhere. The downside of bringing back News at Ten is the potential loss of audience post 10.30pm. The question is, what will ITV run from 10.30pm to 11.30pm?"

According to Teletext, Media Guardian states Trevor is only returning for about a year with Julie covering (even though it states she is also co host).

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=hcFLFpmc4Pg

Ok, I suppose he does say.. "..brings to an end my association with the News at 10:30.."

The only benefit I can see with News at Ten coming back is that it gets rid of the annoying 10 to 10:30 cheap programme filler slot. And when you think the BBC already has that slot now, its all silly. Michael Grade is thinking purely of the past and not of practicality...especially bringing Sir Trev back.

Just watching that video, its great the way the music seems in sync with everything on the newswall etc, if they remixed that slightly, it would be great for the ITV News bulletins.

I don't think it will work. Too much time has passed and too much has changed for it to be like the "good old days" of Big Ben and Sandy Gall. They've tried to revive it once already and failed, I really don't think Sir Trevor (Who I think is the most overrated newsreader in history) will make that much difference, and Julie Etchingham just doesn't do it for me at all.

I certainly agree. What concerns me is the fact that if it didn't work last time they tried to bring it back then what makes this time any different. Ok, so for the first few months it may be ok but then what happens when 6 - 12 months down the line ITV/ITN decide it isn't working and it gets scrapped AGAIN!? I understand that ITV have been in the middle of the phone-in scandal and need to gain viewers support and trust once again but i really don't think that reviving a programme that is clearly past it and an anchor that has retired is going to do any good. They should be looking to the future of ITV rather than the past. I think that Mark Austin is an excellent presenter/anchor and for him to be replaced by the very same person he took over from is OUTRAGEOUS!!!

More here: http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=39215&c=1

For a start, and as already stated, Trevor McDonald has not retired! He only retired from presenting ITV News and has continued to do Tonight as well as News Knight earlier this year. And, even if it was the case, Five News have succesfully brought John Suchet out of retirement to present their programmes.

Secondly, I don't think Mark Austin is doing too badly. He is anchoring the Evening News, after all. And, let's face it, it seems as though James Mates actually anchors the News at 10.30 more than Austin - whenever I tune in it is always Mates. I think having one presenter doing two bulletins a day is too much - there needs to be some variety. And, whilst I accept that Trevor is not the most versatile presenter in the world, I do think Austin is over-rated as well. There's nothing that sparkling about him. In fact, I think he is far better out of the studio, as demonstrated by his week in Zimbabwe.

Interesting link, thanks
(and I completely agree with the quoted ITN source).