The Newsroom

Sky News

Relaunch & beyond (October 2005)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
SC
scottishtv Founding member
Matrix posted:
"Harvesting opinion" Thats possibly the best way I've ever heard that called

It is a good way to describe it. Now we get grainy video as well now. It's a news channel, not a forum for opinion. There's enough outlets for that sort of thing already.

As for the Active polls, they are getting worse. Yesterday's was awful. Following a report about racial tensions littered with phrases like "this really shows how the racial divide in Britain is deepening", Sky ask the question. "Is the racial divide in Britain deepening?".

Not surprisingly the goldfish who managed to press the red button answered 'correctly', with 91% of people saying yes. I think they should all get a Sky news pencil as a prize.
MA
Matrix
roxuk posted:
Matrix posted:
Barney Boo posted:
I've never understood why news channels, most overtly Sky News, are so desperate to harvest opinions.
Is it supposed to help some lost soul who's been sitting on the fence align themselves with one extremist view over another? Personally the opinion of 'Jean from Skegness' is of little interest to me when I turn the TV on looking for a quick snapshot of the news.


"Harvesting opinion" Thats possibly the best way I've ever heard that called.
But yes, quite frankly I couldn't give a toss what Sally from Coventry thinks and I've always been struck by just how much air-time is denoted to Sally from Coventry and her views. As one forumer put it so excellently - I want news not views!


Its like lazy vox pops i suppose....and they arnt exactly the most taxing thing..


Filler. Simply a filler space, where a report could go but would cost money, wheras Reading Sally from Coventry's take on the news adds "a personal dimension" which "connects with the audience". Bollucks. (Thats a deliberate mistake). I hate hearing what everyone else is thinking (I find it rather Big Brotherish, in the Geogre Orwell style not Davina McCall way to be told what others are thinking).
But essentially isn't it about appealing to be "in-touch" and "connected" to your audience, in a very new labour way.

scottishtv posted:
Matrix posted:
"Harvesting opinion" Thats possibly the best way I've ever heard that called

It is a good way to describe it. Now we get grainy video as well now. It's a news channel, not a forum for opinion. There's enough outlets for that sort of thing already.

As for the Active polls, they are getting worse. Yesterday's was awful. Following a report about racial tensions littered with phrases like "this really shows how the racial divide in Britain is deepening", Sky ask the question. "Is the racial divide in Britain deepening?".

Not surprisingly the goldfish who managed to press the red button answered 'correctly', with 91% of people saying yes. I think they should all get a Sky news pencil as a prize.


Well put.
PE
Pete Founding member
there is an awful lot of guff still isn't there.

I do like that vamp they use on their frequntly repeated coming up sequences. Very classy.
BC
Blake Connolly Founding member
Interesting article about the relaunch from BBC News, basically it's saying that Sky now will come under similar pressures and conflicts to the BBC and ITN, and raises an interesting point:

Quote:
Producers from Dimbleby and Newsnight have different skills from those whose job is breaking news. And if they're halfway into a lovingly-crafted eight-minute report - or an exclusive interview with Tony Blair - their first instinct may not be to switch to a breaking news story.


I guess the test will come when there's breaking news during the Sky Report - will we see the same depth and speed of coverage?
MO
Moz
Blake Connolly posted:
Interesting article about the relaunch from BBC News, basically it's saying that Sky now will come under similar pressures and conflicts to the BBC and ITN, and raises an interesting point:

Quote:
Producers from Dimbleby and Newsnight have different skills from those whose job is breaking news. And if they're halfway into a lovingly-crafted eight-minute report - or an exclusive interview with Tony Blair - their first instinct may not be to switch to a breaking news story.


I guess the test will come when there's breaking news during the Sky Report - will we see the same depth and speed of coverage?

Sky News have always been VERY good at using their graphics to flag breaking news (until the shocking underuse of the same by News 24). However, I've yet to see this used to the same extent on the relaunched Sky.
DV
DVB Cornwall
1700/25
Francis Wilson has an animated tie.....

Perhaps someone should talk to him about CSO! and the risks associated with wearing complex patterned neckwear.
KE
Kennedy6969
[quote="BBC London"]Not keen on Live@5 at the moment, I want to be told whats going to be covered rather than ;

'Lets go worldwide now'

It sounds silly. They also have Let's go nationwide. Reminds me of the first guy to read the U.S.news (John Cameron Swayze I think) when he used to say: "Let's go hopscotching the world for headlines"!
KE
Kennedy6969
All New Johnnyboy posted:
Am I the only one who thinks this revamp is a bit of a damp squib?

Sure, it looks nice in widescreen, and the captions are a lot nicer than before, but it's hardly a revolution in news reporting or journalism.

Don't get me wrong - I do like Sky News - but from everything I've seen today, I doubt audiences are more likely to stick with the channel through the non-breaking-news periods than they were before.

Relaunch - 5/10.


Completely agree JOhnny Boy - I don't think they've got enough value for their money.
BN
Breakfast News
Dont like the use of phrases on Live at Five -Nationwide/Worldwide et all, but especially don't like 'Out top 3' Our top 3 what? You soon realise its headlines, but it could be anything - out top 3 fav. Kylie tracks, or anything - whats wrong with saying our top headlines?

And IMO the headlines weren't exactly comprehensive - Fat people less likely to get promotion, or something like that? Come on - Iraq has just voted in favour of their constitution, George Galloway has been accused of liying, yet they don't even get a mention in the headlines? Rolling Eyes

Shame, as Live at Five used to be a really good evening news round - up.

And on Sunrise - there is a lack of news, but I do like the idea of the old Sky News Today format of running through the top stories, without reports immediately - but the problem is that there arn't many news stories covered!
LU
Luke
Quote:
Sky News revamp sees modest ratings rise

Tara Conlan
Tuesday October 25, 2005

Sky News's relaunch yesterday saw a rise in ratings at breakfast time and in the early evening. However, despite the new streamlined look and new talent, BBC News 24 still beat Sky across the day, with little change in the gap between the two.

Sky claimed that two-thirds of its output between 6am and midnight had been boosted by the expensive revamp.

In the morning, new signing Eamonn Holmes and Lorna Dunkley on Sunrise were 6,000 viewers up on their predecessor.

Sunrise averaged 48,000 viewers and a 2% share of viewing, compared with an average of 42,000 and 1.55% for that slot over the previous four weeks.

At 7pm, The Sky Report with Julie Etchingham increased share by 15% and averaged 31,000 viewers.

Then at 8pm James Rubin's World News Tonight increased share by 145% with 49,000 tuning in.

Overall, the pattern was the same as before the re-launch, with Sky beating News 24 in the morning, then the BBC's station pulling away in the afternoon.

The gap between the two in terms of share remained about the same. BBC News 24 won 0.58%, compared with Sky's 0.53% - not a dramatic change for either.

According to BBC figures, the reach for News 24 yesterday was 1.6 million - 200,000 more viewers than Sky News, which won 1.4 million.

It remains to be seen what impact the inclusion of more "appointment to view" shows, as opposed to rolling news, will have long-term.

Prior to the relaunch, Sky News's weekly reach figures for October have peaked at 4.4% or 1.7 million, compared with BBC News 24's 4.7% or 1.9 million.

Nick Pollard, head of Sky News, said: "We're delighted to be on air from our new centre and have seen a terrific start to our new schedule. The feedback has been fantastic and the programmes are delivering strong content."

Compared with last Monday, Sky was up slightly yesterday. Last Monday, Sky News's reach was 1 million and its share was 0.56%.


(from MG)
BR
Brekkie
Watched quite a big chunk of Lunchtime Live today and was rather impressed - they seem to get the balance right somewhere in between the ITV Lunchtime News and BBC News at 1.

I think the direction Sky News is taking is quite correct. To new digital viewers like myself, the problem I've always found with it is that you don't know the newsreaders, so building programmes around some of their biggest stars makes sense.

I also don't think breaking news will be a problem at all - if it's a major story it'll be broken as normal. Hopefully it'll end the overuse of the term Breaking News as it should only be used for major developments, not for things such as celebrities arriving at an award ceremony!


Finally, any details on the weekend schedule?
BB
BBC London
Is/Has anybody been watching L@5,

Some breaking news came thorugh a couple of minutes ago, towards the end of they're section looking at his web blog.

Jeremy just stared at his screen for about 20 seconds whithout saying anything and then said really slowly, still looking at the computer screen

'reminding... viewers ...its...www....sky............com/news'

Then after another 10 seconds or so gave us the breaking news. I can understand that it is difficult, but for me sitting at home it was very unnerving and just made him look incompetent which for somebody who Sky describe as being;

'...the best at telling the news...'

I haven't been watching it (SN) all day, but i did watch a bit of Sky news Today (Afternoon) and Ginny kept saying Good Morning, which is fine but when some of your guests suddenly look very confused it doesn't exactly bode well.

Another problem they do seem to be experimenting with where they are putting the live hook up screen on the news wall, I've seen a couple of instances over the past couple of days where the presenters look a bit baffled when the turn round and find that the screen isn't where they would expect.

Today, as I'm sure you'll agree has been much better, they seem to be settling down and from what I saw this morning Sunrise is no longer looking so much like a weather channel. It will be interesting to see Rubin this evening, to see whether he has settled in any more.

Newer posts