STV News

On a different note, I think that the new look "STV News" does look great! I am glad they kept the music as I think it works well and its prob the only thing that's left from the old cowcaddens and Shereen Nanjiani days.

STV News looks, feels and has better material than any other Regional News output wheather it be a ITV Region or BBC Region.

IMO BBC Scotland is so false and dumb its unreal. The presenters except for Sally Magnuson are fake and the Reporters are weird.

I am sad that the "Im John MacKay and this is Scotland Today" has gone but I think the whole broadcast is great, fresh and a good mix.

Reporting Scotland is attrocious, though.
Today there was a piece on Simple Minds reforming followed by something about the Battle of Culloden. The whole thing *reaks* of un-newsyness, and it's so unlocal it's unreal.
I don't care what happens anywhere North of Stirling just like they don't much care what happens down here unless it affects them. And BBC have at least one story from the Borders, one from Aberdeen, several from Glasgow and two from Edinburgh - with Shetland and Harris also getting a minor look in sometimes. Thus the real news stories often take a back seat to meet quotas....
The new look STVNews is good, I love the purples and the blacktop desk is very smart. Does look a tad cramped though sometimes - especially Aberdeen's.

Five Thirty Show ending at the end of the month.

Its to be replaced with a brand show same kinda format but will be on air from 5pm to 6pm. Another STV opt out from the main ITV.

"The Hour", hosted by Kaye Adams and Stephen Jardine will launch at 5pm on Tuesday 26 May.
Rachel McTavish presented her last Five Thirty Show last night.

Will Rachel be integrated into the main newscasting team, or moving on? Kaye Adams back at stv after all those years - it's only a matter of time before she relaunches Scottish Women again!

Rachel has now left stv.

Just saw an advert airing on stv for "The Hour"

I thought Rachel was great on the five thirty show. It's a shame she has left STV.

STV broke the news of Michael Martin's resignation - from this clip, it looks like they had a newsflash at 10.30, just before This Morning:

http://news.stv.tv/home/97177-michael-martin-will-stand-down-today-stv-news-has-learned/

..a clip of which was used on PM this evening, duly credited to STV.

Interesting. I assume this was broadcast by John Mackay in the former Grampian region as well? Going by the text on the story it states the story was broken at 10.15am, but if John is saying over to This Morning that contradicts it a bit.

Good coup for STV anyway, as they continue in their quest to show why they're needed after switchover. You wonder what they could do if they were totally independent at times.

I'll never understand though why the BBC feels the need to point out that it didn't have the story first - there's surely no organisation better at giving itself a kicking. Unless it was a dig at Sky?

EDIT: ITV Evening News also recognised STV (or Scottish Television, as they called it at one point) by crossing over to Bernard Ponsonby for an interview, introducing him to the UK audience as the person who broke the story. Can see a few awards on the way for Bernard in the coming year.

STV broke the news online at 10.15, but couldn't get on the air until 10.30.

Harry Smith has joined STV