SC
scottishtv
Founding member
So, time for my comments.
I like it all very much. Looks very professional and John really has authority being behind the desk. He used to look very cramped and awkward on the wee sofa they had in the last studio. Feels like he's a real 'anchor' to the show now.
Like the camera angles, interesting opening - very refreshing and quite dramatic. I do have to say I really like this whole look, seems a lot more thought through and well structured.
Minor niggles:
Most of these are personal views and not the fault of the presentation at all. I think the reason I seldom really watch Scotland Today is the fact that John, Louise and Dave Cowan are the only very good presenters/reporters.
I don't want to start a rant on Stephen Jardine but I think he is terrible. His report tonight was full of bias and he uses such emotive language all the time. He messed up the link by not answering the question John asked him at the top of the show, and just went into some pre-prepared link he had made up, repeating again that he was "live" - 3rd time within the minute we were told this. Plus, he's so full of opinions, and frankly looks a bit weird - he's just not got the calibre for presenting national news.
Talking of bizarre guys, Raman isn't much better. He'll chat away on the handover to the sport then begin shouting as soon as he starts presenting. He also talks so slowly and puts so much false emphasis into his voice it's like he's talking to a 3 year old, VERY LOUDLY. And as for Bernard Ponsonby, well, he's very shouty and condescending too - full of clichés, and frankly dead wood.
That all sounds very harsh, but the other presenters (and most reporters) are excellent, with some of the younger ones coming along well. It's no longer the technical standards, but I think it's some of the team that are letting the show down a bit now.
Also, at the end it feels quite disjointed as John hands to the unknown weather girl (?), who we see in shot for about 15 seconds, then it cuts to the weather sting, the ad promo, the weather, the ad promo, the sting, back to John for goodbye, then the 'stv.tv' slide and v/o, then back to a closing shot of the studio, then stv endcap, then a sponsor message, then the pollen news, then the sponsor message, then 'Talking Scotland' segment - you get the drift. Needs to be a bit more joined up I think - I thought the weather girl was perhaps going to do the weather in-vision, but no such luck. Could Louise not perhaps do the weather?
These are minor niggles really, and looking at stv now I think the channel looks in the best shape it has for a long time (pres-wise at least). Just sort out the dodgy aspect ratios guys!
I like it all very much. Looks very professional and John really has authority being behind the desk. He used to look very cramped and awkward on the wee sofa they had in the last studio. Feels like he's a real 'anchor' to the show now.
Like the camera angles, interesting opening - very refreshing and quite dramatic. I do have to say I really like this whole look, seems a lot more thought through and well structured.
Minor niggles:
Most of these are personal views and not the fault of the presentation at all. I think the reason I seldom really watch Scotland Today is the fact that John, Louise and Dave Cowan are the only very good presenters/reporters.
I don't want to start a rant on Stephen Jardine but I think he is terrible. His report tonight was full of bias and he uses such emotive language all the time. He messed up the link by not answering the question John asked him at the top of the show, and just went into some pre-prepared link he had made up, repeating again that he was "live" - 3rd time within the minute we were told this. Plus, he's so full of opinions, and frankly looks a bit weird - he's just not got the calibre for presenting national news.
Talking of bizarre guys, Raman isn't much better. He'll chat away on the handover to the sport then begin shouting as soon as he starts presenting. He also talks so slowly and puts so much false emphasis into his voice it's like he's talking to a 3 year old, VERY LOUDLY. And as for Bernard Ponsonby, well, he's very shouty and condescending too - full of clichés, and frankly dead wood.
That all sounds very harsh, but the other presenters (and most reporters) are excellent, with some of the younger ones coming along well. It's no longer the technical standards, but I think it's some of the team that are letting the show down a bit now.
Also, at the end it feels quite disjointed as John hands to the unknown weather girl (?), who we see in shot for about 15 seconds, then it cuts to the weather sting, the ad promo, the weather, the ad promo, the sting, back to John for goodbye, then the 'stv.tv' slide and v/o, then back to a closing shot of the studio, then stv endcap, then a sponsor message, then the pollen news, then the sponsor message, then 'Talking Scotland' segment - you get the drift. Needs to be a bit more joined up I think - I thought the weather girl was perhaps going to do the weather in-vision, but no such luck. Could Louise not perhaps do the weather?
These are minor niggles really, and looking at stv now I think the channel looks in the best shape it has for a long time (pres-wise at least). Just sort out the dodgy aspect ratios guys!
I've never liked them at all myself, because they just don't look or sound the part. 
Thank god for John and Louise - the new King and Queen of Scotland Today? 
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