BBC News thread

Media Guardian (page 9 of today's Guardian) reporting that Mark Popescu (currently editor of the BBC Ten O'Clock News) is to head the relaunch of BBC News 24. They are quoting a BBC memo saying that the channel will have a "fresh look and a sharper channel identity". The Guardian is reporting that the relaunch will take place in the Autumn. They also have a quote from what they call a BBC source as saying "lots of chrome and flashy screens".
They also say there will be fewer two-ways and will be more analytical than its competitors. But big changes to the presenter line up as unlikely. I'm sure you'll all have something to say.

Full article now on Guardian website
http://media.guardian.co.uk/bbc/story/0,7521,1036099,00.html

All interesting stuff. Slightly off topic, but media guardian also saying that Nick Higham is giving up his job as Media correspondent. Thats a shame, he really knows his stuff in that area. His daily updates on Breakfast about the Hutton inquiry have all been pretty good. His certainly better at it than Katie Derham or Nina Nannar at ITV. Still, he's been doing it for 15 years and so I suppose its only natural he wants to move on. Plus he looks like Harry Potter.

I'm sorry - they could broadcast from a hot air balloon for all I care, it's the CULTURE at BBC News that's at fault, a flashy studio and new graphics won't change that.

Unless they make serious changes to the presenters, the channel cannot move forward. It's the presenters that make a 24 hour news channel, as Sky (and tragically Fox) have proved.

And the bullsh-t about them not defining themselves by Sky... christ, it's a clear attempt to directly take on Sky. Their "walking about" concept sounds like a Sky News Today rip off (shock horror - although not sure how that'll compare to Sky's revamped look coming very soon) and I remain highly sceptical about the BBC's talent and commitment to rolling news.

Even the format sounds wrong - walking around and analysing. Walking around to be snappy and lively, yes; walking around to analyse, no.

That said... at least they are trying to do something.

It won't work, and i'll bet that there will be only a very marginal pick up in viewers (mostly from new audiences, rather than taking Sky's), but I'd be absolutely amazed if they could do anything significant enough to get this "victory" they so desperately crave.

But the BBC prides itself not being "Tabloid Television" like Sky News.

But there are fundamental problems at News 24, lying with the lack of self-awareness. Everyone (even if they haven't got it) has heard of Sky News. Not many people have heard of News 24.

It's shown overnight on BBC ONE - well the amount of N24 branding overnight is almost non-existent. It's all branded 'BBC NEWS'.

My family by their own choice have started watching News 24 in the evenings (about 9pm). They only used to watch Sky, but when I asked them why they changed to the BBC, my mother replied with "Because I trust the BBC more".

It's a good point I guess. At least BBC News 24 hasn't been accused of faking reports from nuclear submarines!

No, but then it hasn't done ANY reporting of note in its entire history either.

I do not believe there is a great deal of evidence to suggest that "everyone has heard of Sky News, knows what it is, does and where they can get it". I imagine that BBC News 24/Sky News recognition factors are pretty similar.

I do find this entire tabloid-broadsheet debate utterly tedious. If you are suggesting that the agenda of Sky News is in any way similar to the Sun or the Daily Mail, well, I am sorry, but you're wrong.

Yesterday the Sun led on the "FAT JAB". Did Sky? No. It hardly registered.

Yesterday the Daily Mail led on the missing teenagers. Did Sky? No. They had a live report about 30 minutes into the programme because they have the time to do a live report - they have plenty of time to fill.

Are the Sun leading on the Columbian drug bust? No. Are Sky? Yes.

The Daily Mail are leading on a Spanish organ theft from a British child. Are Sky? No.

Is Sky following the blind "the BBC were wrong, the government were right" approach of The Sun and the Times (i.e. News Corp)? No, it is not.

If you are stupid enough to want to compare the dynamic 24 hour television news gathering process to the static and limited approach of a newspaper, fine.

The big difference is this: I can CHOOSE what I want to read in my newspaper. On a television people have to make the decisions for me. Sky - nine times out of ten - make the right decisions for the vast majority of the people out there; BBC News 24 do not.

Surely in the long-term, Sky will start to drift into being a more "opinionated" service, though?

Murdoch has certainly said he wants Sky News to be more "hard hitting", and has voiced his displeasure at how neutral the channel *has* to be.

Give it five years, and I think Sky News will probably end up with a much more newspaper-oriented outlook to its editorial output.

I would agree with you, though, C@t in saying that it won't be tabloid.

Sky have always been very good at mixing the light and shade - hard news up with the celeb tittle-tattle.

Back on-topic, I'll be very interested to see what News 24 comes up with - and I reckon you should reserve judgement until we've seen what they do.

There's not much point saying "it won't work" until we actually know and SEE exactly what they are going to do.

Part of it is that the BBC is well used to doing stuff like the Ten O'Clock News', Newsnights and Today programmes on the radio. All analytical, and in their own way pretty damm good, which can be headline making and generate controversy and make themselves "heard" (just take a look at the Hutton thing), while Sky does breaking news very well - thats what its been doing for over a decade and it doesnt do analysis too well, thats why its introducing Littlejohn/Boulton shows to try to combat this. Part of it maybe a snobbish thing as well - Today/Ten/Newnight are all well established programmes with long running relatively successful formats with generations of BBC journalists working on them. Compare that to News 24 which is quite new and an untested area for the BBC, with a lower audience reach than the others. With all that its not hard to see why News 24 is perhaps falling behind. Sky are great for breaking news, but sometimes they do go a little OTT, while the BBC are better for analysis but sometimes go a little OTT. Its all give or take, and like I've said above, should be interesting watching the results. Wow, thats a lot there. Sorry.

I have always thought that BBC News 24 is a bit of a cr*ppy name.

Why not just call it BBC News - After all that is what it is.

g.

If News 24 is being relaunched graphics and all, what would happen with the overnight service, would it come from the world newsroom, and would the titles be the BBC News titles used now?

Just a thought

The World service was praised in the DCMS report. It's style is different from N24 so it's not a problem there.

Anyway - I've just read that MG report and there is something so glaringly obvious staring at me from that report. The little quotes they are using just highlight my point. It's going to look more like Sky News.



I can just vision a massive Video Wall.



So the presenters will be walking about a bit more.... probably they'll get one of those White light desks and told to move to the video wall now and then.

I can just see this set already in my head.

This made me laugh though.


To add to the BBC v Sky arguement I think BBC News 24 is similar to Sky in terms of look and feel but I often think that the reporting is different. N24 does seem to analyse the story more than Sky. But that's my personal opinion as I do favour N24 to Sky, but yes Sky is always first for breaking news.

I'm hopeful that Aston now realises the full reason as to why I made this poll, knowing a few things in advance

A very good article in MediaGuardian. I'm looking forward to a more vibrant News 24. I feel dirty watching Sky but I am drawn to it by it's presentation and pase!

So, would it be better if the two channels merged to create a Rolling News Giant or be better off staying as they are now? Have the seriousness and widescreen capabilities of the BBC with the fresh look and decent graphics from sky and it would probably be amazing!