More Changes Ahead for ITV News

Please read the following article which I have just stumbled accross :

[I]Fears over Granada Reports shake-up

GRANADA Reports is to be re-branded as an offshoot of the main London-based ITV news bulletin.

Executives at the newly-created single ITV network have decided the north west's local commercial TV news bulletin should be updated to fit in with the channel's new "national image".

The changes are expected to be made early next year and will heighten fears over the impact of a single ITV on TV jobs and distinctive programme-making in Manchester.

Campaigners with the viewers' group Voice of the Viewer and Listener say they have "grave concerns" about the implications of the re-branding for regional diversity in British TV.

Granada Reports, hosted by Lucy Meacock and Tony Morris, was given its latest makeover only in September, with a new set, titles and music for the evening bulletins.

Now the programme, with the local news bulletins of all 15 ITV regions, is to be redesigned once more to include ITV logos and graphics.

Clive Jones, managing director of the ITV network, said the changes would coincide with a redesign of the main ITV national news bulletin when it moves to its new nightly slot of 10.30 early next year.

Relatives

He told a conference of TV executives in Salford that the merged ITV channel planned to create a "more coherent look to the news". He added that the intention was for the national and regional news bulletins to "look more like relatives, and not strangers".

Mr Jones insisted the national makeover would not dilute regional identity and said there were no plans to scrap the name Granada Reports. "It won't become ITV News North West, or anything like that," he told the M.E.N.

"The Granada name has a resonance in this region which we want to keep. This certainly does not mean a diminution of regional identity."

Mr Jones, who is set to become chief executive of ITV News, said the changes would involve using common colours and graphics in news bulletins so viewers across the country would know they were watching the ITV channel.

But Jocelyn Hay, who chairs Voice of the Listener and Viewer, said the re-branding was further evidence of a shift towards centralisation in London following ITV's merger.

"I am concerned that regional identity may be lost in the process," she said. "We are already concerned that production business is being cut back in all ITV regions."

Well what do you all think, is it going to be another change in January.?.

Oh no, there goes the great music

I only found this out about twenty minutes ago, I had no idea of any changes like this, although I had funny feelings that something may eventually happen.

Does anybody know anything more about this.?.

Will we still see Tony and Lucy or will someone from The National News present the programme like London Tonight will soon have.?.

I think Granada Reports is brilliant as it is, we don't need any more changes.

I know leave it alone! Lucy has been on it now since 1990 and Tony is doing great too.

This was confirmed some weeks ago and I can I was shocked but not suprised, though apparently this rebrand will be very ITVised they're keeping the Granada Reports name, though it seems silly to rebrand it after a few months, but it isn't the first time as the deep purple look in 1998 only lasted 10 months, infact they changed it on the day IT= changed to [i t v]

But then again a rebrand would be welcomed by many, as the graphics are awful but I like the music. To be honest there is nothing wrong with the programme anyway, they're probably only doing this for the obvious reason that more people watch and myself prefer North West Tonight.

Though like the BBC it'll become something like Granada Reports from ITV News, though as someone on here said this could be happening to many other regions other than Granada, with Granada being the only region which has confirmed this. Though it seems more silly to rebrand and change the set considering they'll be moving out of Quay Street soon, they're better off waiting until they move into the new converted building until a rebranding.

Or do the other thing which many people would prefer is to make use and move back to Liverpool.

There was a discussion about this very article a week or two back, and I think it was agreed that the actual changes will probably be less than you might think. There may be a 'corporate' set of guidelines (quite probably at least colours) to fit with the National News (as with the BBC). Beyond this, the changes will not be so great. The likelihood of the presenters changing is not high (and the article itself says that the name will not change).
In all fairness, there's a bit of hysterical brow-beating from the viewers group mentioned there.

It is daft, but I prefer the news from Manchester than Liverpool, although the old window look of the Albert Dock was good.

Do you think we will see a London based programme with a National Newsreader.?.

To be honest I prefer it coming from Manchester myself as many see as the capital of the North West really, but they should do that thing like they used to in Granada Tonight where they read out the main stories from Manchester but handed over to Andrew Brittain in Liverpool with the day's stories in brief. As Granada currently have an empty set of studios and pratically an empty Newsroom on the Albert Dock. Rather funnily talking about the Albert Dock, the old This Morning studio is now a café.

Though I hope we don't get a national newsreader as Tony Morris and Lucy Meacock are doing a grand job, though I find it annoying when they always have one or two presenters as it is never fixed, poor Tony seems to work a lot more than Lucy. The only person I would hope to come back on the programme is Anthony (The Red F*cking light is still on!) Wilson as he was very good and added his own sense of humour and took the p*ss out of Gordon Burns quite often.

What would be the point? The news still has to be collected and reported on up here, so it will be presented from up here.
I don't think it's *ever* been seriously suggested that all regional news on the BBC or ITV would be presented from London.

I would like to see Trevor Green do more presenting and Ann O'Connor.

I noticed So Rahman on the ITV News Channel Tonight.

Then there is something else Michelle May is moving to Sky, will she be replaced.?.

There definately are more changes on the way.

Maybe they should cross into the Newsroom and join So Rahman each evening, that would vary the presenting.

I agree that they should have two regular presenters, if Lucy is off let Ann stand in or even Anna Thomas and if Tony is off, then Trevor, Ralph Blunsom, Anydy Bonner.

To be honest it would never be allowed, granted Carlton and Granada have had their way about ITV, but they still have to oblige to regional news and programmes done in the region. Plus I was a bit of The Politics Show North West the other week and they had a clip of some director at Carlton / Granada / ITVplc about the move of the studios and he got grilled about it and he had to talk alot about the benefits of moving as he was in the Treasury Committee.

All it is is ITV introducing a corporate look. When North West Tonight went corporate you didn't loose Gordon Burns did you! There's your answer.

Of course this won't stop a load of TV Forum's famous ITV bashing and "knowing ITV that'll be the next step' style talk and predictions!!

The changes at Granada's studios are probably years away also, Granada Reports will probably change their look again by the time they move studios