Twenty Years of the Thunderclaps

This was a revolutionary revamp not just for the BBC but for the whole news industry IMO. For the first time news had a punchy, dance music with a beat as the backdrop and main theme. I remember feeling strange, at first , whenever I would watch BBC World, wondering is this real news and where is the big dramatic orchestra music that every other news program had.

Even the BBC World studio looked so shiny and modern, with spaceship like elements but also wood and warm colours. What a trip!

I agree - brilliantly simple but executed branding. I wasn’t a huge fan of the “set” but the surrounding look was modern and still looks good today.

BBC LDN looked really good - it’s a shame though that it led to so many really poor imitations in other regions.

The links dead for me.

Don't forget the short lived 2007 version - that was the best of the lot!

Its something I too have been reflecting on as well. It would have been one of the few thing of the elements of the BBC News identity that brought me to enjoy its audible character, almost 12 years ago. The 1999 theme is what stood out to me being a foreigner and not familiar to other news broadcasts. The only exceptions at the time being news broadcasters in Australia.

With the BBC News Channel celebrating its 20 year inception a couple of years ago, I expected the 1999 branding to be the 2nd important celebration due it role of creating an impactful and defining character in establishing the identity and recognition in what the BBC brings to news. Something that grabs the attention of the viewer.

Something I was also reflecting on this morning was this quote earlier

It is something that at the time (I believe) that gave the BBC more impact in wanting to keep the attention of those who want to know the story. It seems that a quick 5 second grab of the headline tells people about what happened, and the story itself when aired explains why.

I could see why that's changed with people possibly wanting a sum up of the days events in a minute or two (with a grab of the key event/statement) being played. Then then explanation goes further in the story, but maybe not as deep as it used to be.

The 4 main thunderclap updates. (with fixed links hopefully)
1999
https://instaud.io/3F74 - had to forfeit Metropol and use this instead, should work now hopefully.
2007
https://up.metropol247.co.uk/theTOTHLad2002/13%20Stab%20A.mp3
2008
https://up.metropol247.co.uk/theTOTHLad2002/Thunderclap.wav
2013
https://up.metropol247.co.uk/theTOTHLad2002/BONG.wav

I think it's the square brackets it doens't like. Although if you change the gold star to a silver star on the uploader it'll give you a 342423432_342423432 style URL which should always work

Also +1 for the wonderfully absurd 2007 music

Ok thanks, will take that into account for next time.

The first time where I had watched the BBC News bulletin in May 1999 was quite a revelation. To see a wholesale change to BBC News back then as a TV viewer was incredible. The music and the graphics of the national bulletins back then were so damn good. To change from a dark look with a blue backdrop was a clever decision. I think the most watched bulletins at that time was the News at 1 & News at 9 (which then later formed into the Ten). It was one of the best makeovers of BBC News within a generation.

Over the next couple of years until this year; the changes to the graphics have been substantial but the music hadn't changed that much. From a younger generation point of view; the music being barely changed hasn't given me much forethought because I think it has made the look of BBC News more solid. I am not so sure what is going to be happen when BBC News get's the full treatment of Reith later on this year. For a modern 21st Century viewer; the music of Afternoon Live on the NC is absolutely the best version of BBC News music to date. I also love seeing the modified titles for BBC World News come up on screen when it comes up for some of the news specials & overnight bulletins on the NC. Other music I liked from the BBC World era of their rebrand would be the 2003-04 countdown, World News America & Beyond 100 Days.

When talking about the BBC's Regional News bulletins. The graphics & music from BBC Newsline from 1999 with their new titles looked pretty solid. But the Belfast backdrop with the single presenter during the lunchtime updates looked poor. I had no option though for seeing other BBC News bulletins from other areas of the UK because I only had BBC One & BBC Two Northern Ireland on Cablelink in the Republic of Ireland.

Still; it was a revolutionary period for the look of BBC News which has still carried a lot of good publicity for having the most famous countdown music on earth up until today. The newsgathering from it has seen some really good hits as well. We saw breaking news stories being covered like Lloyd's Bank heading for it's takeover in 2008, The London Terror Attacks in 2005 & onwards, 9/11, the Iraq War & the news coverage from London 2012 was really good quality as well.

This video compilation could almost pass as authentic.

I believe bail was involved.