The Newsroom

Worst regional news programme in the UK

(October 2006)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
FN
From Norwich
Reg Shaw posted:
Jez posted:
As for other regions, I occasionally look at The West Tonight, Westcountry Live and London Tonight. The West Tonight is awful, the other 2 not that bad.


I would tend to agree with that assessment. For the presenters that ITV West has they don't seem to do a very good job. Perhaps they spent all their money on Lisa and Steve and forgot to buy in some journalists.



"The West Tonight" is hugely improved on a Friday when Steve Scott is back at ITN. His spot is taken by Jed Pitman, a man who manages to look completely awkward sitting on the set, and yet has huge chemistry with his fellow presenters. The return of Bob Crampton (former occasional anchor) as weather presenter has effectively increased the presentation team further.

I have a number of friends in Glucester and Cheltenham who watch ITV West and Central South, and are counting the days until the ITV West finally gains this territory.
JA
jamej
From Norwich posted:
Reg Shaw posted:
Jez posted:
As for other regions, I occasionally look at The West Tonight, Westcountry Live and London Tonight. The West Tonight is awful, the other 2 not that bad.


I would tend to agree with that assessment. For the presenters that ITV West has they don't seem to do a very good job. Perhaps they spent all their money on Lisa and Steve and forgot to buy in some journalists.



"The West Tonight" is hugely improved on a Friday when Steve Scott is back at ITN. His spot is taken by Jed Pitman, a man who manages to look completely awkward sitting on the set, and yet has huge chemistry with his fellow presenters. The return of Bob Crampton (former occasional anchor) as weather presenter has effectively increased the presentation team further.

I have a number of friends in Glucester and Cheltenham who watch ITV West and Central South, and are counting the days until the ITV West finally gains this territory.


Whats wrong with Central South? As far as regional news programmes go, I wouldn't say it was that bad...
FN
From Norwich
jamej posted:
From Norwich posted:
Reg Shaw posted:
Jez posted:
As for other regions, I occasionally look at The West Tonight, Westcountry Live and London Tonight. The West Tonight is awful, the other 2 not that bad.


I would tend to agree with that assessment. For the presenters that ITV West has they don't seem to do a very good job. Perhaps they spent all their money on Lisa and Steve and forgot to buy in some journalists.



"The West Tonight" is hugely improved on a Friday when Steve Scott is back at ITN. His spot is taken by Jed Pitman, a man who manages to look completely awkward sitting on the set, and yet has huge chemistry with his fellow presenters. The return of Bob Crampton (former occasional anchor) as weather presenter has effectively increased the presentation team further.

I have a number of friends in Glucester and Cheltenham who watch ITV West and Central South, and are counting the days until the ITV West finally gains this territory.


Whats wrong with Central South? As far as regional news programmes go, I wouldn't say it was that bad...



I don't think that Central South is bad at all - But Wesley Smith seems to provoke strong reactions from some of the people that I have spoken to me about the change in regions, but more importantly, in Gloucestershire, the Central South region has created a broadcasting area which shares little in geograpical links.

For example, a viewer in Cheltenham or Gloucester would not associate with the Milton Keynes or Oxford area. They see Bristol and Swindon as nearer, and see more relevance in news from that area.

In reality, HTV West should always have covered all of Gloucestershire, and Central South was only created when viewers campaigned during the 1980s for the transmitters to be swapped. Central created the sub-region to save losing advertising revenue.

The change should have happened 20 years ago.
LO
LONDON
Well London Today can be pretty bad, the other day there was 1 news story, a competition, the weather, and what is coming up in London Tonight, and that was there main lunchtime programme.

London Tonight is normally only 3 or 4 stories, followed by a competion, whats comming up in the itv Evening news, a lifestyle segment, entertainment, the weather, and then emails and then the end of the programme. The only redeeming thing is the use of Live broadcasts during bulletins. Its dumbing down at its best.
JE
Jez Founding member
LONDON posted:
Well London Today can be pretty bad, the other day there was 1 news story, a competition, the weather, and what is coming up in London Tonight, and that was there main lunchtime programme.


Well that is ITV's fault for cutting the lunchtime bulletin time in half.
LL
London Lite Founding member
London Today/Tonight is clearly the worst regional news programme on the ITV Plc regions. ITV might as well rebadge it Showbiz Tonight and go like E!'s ET.
ST
South Today
From Norwich posted:


I don't think that Central South is bad at all - But Wesley Smith seems to provoke strong reactions from some of the people that I have spoken to me about the change in regions, but more importantly, in Gloucestershire, the Central South region has created a broadcasting area which shares little in geograpical links.


What reaction does Wesley provoke?
FE
Felek
StuartPlymouth posted:
I always liked the banter between Richard Bath & Alexis Bowater (as dipsy as she always seemed) on "Westcountry Live", but she seems to have vanished of late.

"BBC Spotlight" is always very good, especially since Victoria Graham arrived as the main co-host with Justin Leigh last year. She was always very warm and genuine when she did the Breakfast bulletins. Alot better than Theresa Driscoll now she's on the main evening programme.


Btw - im a westcountry live viewer, but spotlight is good nonetheless

Westcountry live has to be the funniest regional news programme, richard bath and gemma woodman are A+. And julie fisher's reports are funny -reffering to the one about the drama being filmed in lyme regis and her feelings for 'rupert'. superb! Good presentation overall as well.
TI
tightrope78
UTV Live. Awful!!
LO
Londoner
LONDON posted:
London Tonight is normally only 3 or 4 stories, followed by a competion, whats comming up in the itv Evening news, a lifestyle segment, entertainment, the weather, and then emails and then the end of the programme. The only redeeming thing is the use of Live broadcasts during bulletins. Its dumbing down at its best.

I think London Tonight has found a better balance now than it did in the months immediately after the relaunch.

The absolute all-time low was the night they gave over most of the show to a dreadful it's a knockout-type contest between a load of cab drivers down at the Dome presided over by Glen Goodman.

But more recently I'd say there's been a less jarring news/features balance. There's the odd cringe-worthy moment, but generally I quite like it.
SC
SCBNI
tightrope78 posted:
UTV Live. Awful!!


I would have to disagree with you there. Most people are saying that their regional news programme is bad because they focus too much on lifestyle stories and not real news. Well, UTV Live have a full half hour dedicated to lifestyle stories, leaving the other half hour for real news, some sport and sometimes a light-hearted story at the end. Granted they may not have the best presentation in the world and their branding at the minute is atrocious but I feel they have the balance of news and features just right.
NG
noggin Founding member
Londoner posted:
mike stand posted:
The 'teaser' title sequence is a mess with all the different reporters popping up saying ...."and join me.....

Especially when half of them are recorded on the pavement outside 200 GIR!


Yes - well it would look a bit bad if they appeared saying "and join me" from an edit suite in GIR - which is probably where a lot of them have been stuck "reporting"

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