Sky News

I think the CCNi changes are misguided as I cannot see them having significant increases in audience figures to justify investment in such wholesale changes. CNN's new schedule has many of the hallmarks of the 2005 SN relaunch and while I may be wrong,I do not see it working. The only way SN are going to get significant prime time figures is by heading in the Fox News direction which I would hate to see. Programmes like World News Tonight and The Sky Report show that just repackaging the same news into different formats does not work.

Jeff Randall Live is a good show but I would be concerned that an hour would be overkill and that there simply is not enough business content available to Sky to have 60 mins of quality tv.

But that is the very thing that Fox and others do. Just look at Beck, O'Reilly and Hannity, they will all share the same talking points based upon the news of the day. In much the same way on msnbc Hardball, Ed Show, Countdown and Maddow can and do share stories and styles. Countdown's 'Worst Persons' shares a remarkable similarity to The Ed Show's 'Psycho Talk'.

EDIT: On HLN Jane Velez Mitchell's hour, 'Issues', often covers the same cases as Nancy Grace too.

I know what your saying but there is a big difference between say Bill O Reilly's show in prime time and The Fox Report or one of the more news orientated daytime shows. Im not saying I think they should look to an FNC approach should the Conservatives change impartiality laws but I do believe that having someone opinionated and controversial in prime time,such as say Kelvin McKenzie(who is on SN frequently anyway) would bring in better figures than just having Martin Stanford or someone presenting a show with a different name and studio set up but that is the same content wise to every other bulletin.

But it could also backfire as people who go to SN to get the news at say 8pm could be greeted by say Jeff Randall doing business news rather than a wrap up of the days top stories which is what most people turn to Sky for. And if I am not mistaken the management at SN claim that the 15 mins NSW bulletins rate quite well and are popular.

I think there could be some truth in the rumours of a schedule change, afterall we havn't seen a new schedule for quite some time, its coming up to 4 years since the major 2005 relauch, and maybe it backs up the other rumours that sky are trying to poach fiona bruce from the bbc, as a new schedule may allow a slot to become available for her to present.

Another cycle ride
http://www.skypressoffice.co.uk/SkyNews/Resources/showarticle.asp?id=2803&year=2009

Hmmm, so, double headed if this schedule is to be true? And also, why would they edit their news centre, changing the island when it's not that old, the whole place has only been around since Feb, so why change it again?

Sadly I don't have access to Sky News anymore but these changes sound good, back to double anchoring in the morning and afternoon is a good move.

BTW, is there some stream to watch Sky News on line, all I could find is that stream for the headlines.

The main Sky News Centre will be undergoing a revamp later this year / early next getting it ready for when it starts broadcasting in HD. Does this mean they are changing the studio totally... or just tweaking here and there?

What schedule changes and news centre changes are you guys talking about?

I've seen no confirmation or stories.

Well, somebody's been going on about a proposed schedule which seems to bring back double heading and stupid show names, and then apparently the island's getting replaced, but apart from that...

Not much, and the Sky Centre's refurb is coming up again, to soon.

I think the HD upgrade will be more from a technical point of view than a presentational one. The only major change,that has yet to be decided,is whether to replace or upgrade the newswall.

I have not heard anything to suggest a revamp of the Sky News Centre before HD. Sure things are being looked at, like you have said the newswall. The planned 'island' change is just an installation of a small round desk, because the current setup is not working. This area is looking to be used as the headline desk for the new primetime programmes and for Lunchtime Live.

They want Dermot to be part of the evening line up, but are looking at ways to fit him in at the moment, that's why he is still listed in his current slot.