Daybreak - the launch onwards

I think the aim of Daybreak was supposed to be newsier, but it is still a morning entertainment programme rather than a news programme. They need to replicate successes of NBC's Today, 7's Sunrise, and even 90's/early 00's GMTV.

There is no point becoming a full news programme, as they would be putting themselves in the same boat as Breakfast, and sky's sunrise. They need to make Daybreak a Well produced and popular alternative.

I would agree the program would be better without a news presenter. The coverage isn't brilliant anyway and Tamsin really is a bad choice for newsreading, they should at least have someone with some sort of serious voice, or gravitas.

I totally agree about getting rid of the newsreader. The main presenters should do real news for the first 30 minutes or so and then the second half can be used for lighter stuff, entertainment etc. Or maybe first 15 minutes real news, then 15 minutes of press review and then fun stuff.

Current system is a disaster, it has 10 minutes of news update with Tasmin and then rest of the hour about X Factor, I'm a celebrity and Strictly rejects, past contestants etc. It's ridiculous how they treat these people and stories like they are something really important everyone cares about. I can understand covering it later in the hour but for the most of it's existence Daybreak's been like X Factor post show. If you put Sian and make her cover these stupid topics for most of the hour it won't bring Breakfast ratings, that's for sure.

I am not saying a full news programme, but to have a more news based show you need to get rid of the newsreader and make it the presenters job to read the news.

It's always "That's the news for now" at the end of the bulletin implying that in the next news update there will be anything different when it's just the same thing over an over again. The news shouldn't be part of the show it should be the focal point of the show.

And more correspondents as well, it is understandable why there isn't much news, half of them usually appear on in the mix which kind of is a waste of time. After 30 seconds of serious stuff it usually ends up heading down the line of discussing the worlds greasiest hamburger or something like that.

All people who wake up early in the mornings want to know what is going on and whether they'll need a brolley or not. Showbiz and sport are consistent, but when continual parading around the guests and promoting them more then essential items just makes the programme into an early version of This Morning.

You have I'm a Celebrity talk on Daybreak, and on Lorraine, and it's on this Morning. It simply just does not need to be on Daybreak if it is going to be repeated half an hour later on Lorraine.

It was clear in my eyes that Adrian and Christine to go, they just simply weren't used to it and for me it came across as very awkward. Adrian used to mumble as well, another bug bearer.

But to have them leave without adequate replacements just shows the sheer chaos that is happening in the programme. To have the entertainment editor and sports correspondent presenting just degrades the whole Daybreak brand even further. Even this morning Dan attempted to talk about the Turner prize, he then stumbled upon realising he hadn't a clue where he was going with the story. Need I say more.

But worst of all was this from Dr Hilary:
http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/1350/hilaryl.png
I'm no fashion expert but that is cringe worthy.

And a suit and tie may look more formal but I think it would do the show the world of good. It looks so slap dash having random shirts and pullovers spewed about everywhere.

They say they want to be more news driven but unless I'm mistaken they spend more time on light and entertainment stuff then actual news. There is something about Dan Lobb I don't like when he hosts the programme - i wish they would keep him to sports only.

As said many times, TODAY in America manages to get the right balance, why is it so hard to incorporate? It's not like ITV has anything to lose.

Here is what is on the TODAY website for latest show timeline:
7.01 - Latest news on Afghan bombing, Newt Gingrich and Huntsman interview
7.13 - Postal service announce dramatic cuts
7.16 - Singer goes free after hearing
7.19 - FBI hunt bandit
followed by weather, commercials, 7.25 - Local News
7.30 - Injured model story/interview
7.44 - Buying flat screen TV
8.00 - New lead in D.B Cooper hijack case
8.10 - Hangover pill debate
8.20 - Kids as Today presenters
8.25 - Local News

Now when you look at it like that they appear to have a wide variety of things, even if some look misplaced. But the branding, the presenters and overall established NBC News name makes it a success.

Of course Today manage to have the presenters be the faces of the main stories and the news anchor rounds up the other stories, something that daybreak did at launch, and it worked well.
What I like the most about the above schedule is the fact that the 8 o'clock hour has a different opening to the 7.

I still feel it's time that Ofcom scrapped the Breakfast franchise for ITV (as part of an overhaul of all PSB conditions on the channel). This would allow ITV to provide a true alternative to the BBC's Breakfast. However I'm also in the opinion that ITV should continue to provide some News in the morning. I feel an ITV Morning News of 1 hour's length (with 5 mins Regional News) is the best option. As this programme would be providing News/Sport/Weather/Travel information, I think this programme could be shown in a regular slot anytime between 6:30 and 7:30am.

No BIG names, just News from a decent News service is what I (and I think others) want in the morning.

Could something like this work?...

6:00am - 6:30am CITV (a simlucast of the CITV channel)
6:30am - 7:30am ITV Morning News
7:30am - 8:30am The BIG Phone In (a bit like the Wright Stuff, just earlier in the morning).
8:30am - 9:25am Lorraine

Whatever happens with Daybreak now is probably being seen as the last chance, if it fails then ITV will probably go to Ofcom and tell them that a commercial breakfast programme is no longer viable and we will be left with repeats of other daytime trash.

Worth noting between the 26th and the 30th there's no Daybreak and Lorraine at all in the morning, which is unlike last year it was on nearly everyday and got trounced in the ratings. CITV and a film occupies the 6-9.25am slot all week.

I wonder if this is because there are "significant" set changes taking place possibly? There was rumour that this would occur September but was then postponed to the new year.

I read somewhere that Gethin Jones is a contender? Personally I can't see that happening as I think having him and Dan as your two Male anchors isn't a great idea as both are pretty young. In saying that Matt Barbet is relatively pretty young but it's his journalistic skills that make him a strong contender for me.

I would ideally like to see Helen Fospero and Matt Barbet get the gig.

I would also have a Daybreak Newshour - no competitions, no xfactor, no I'm a celeb, just news between 6-7.

I would have Matt and Kate/Helen or even Lucy Watson do the news hour and then between 7-8.30 have the news with human interest stories and then between 8 and 8.30 have x factor, celeb stuff, celeb guests, live performances etc ..

If they went for the old GMTV way for example between 7 and 8.30 it may work:

Mon-Wed - Matt and Helen
Thurs & Fri - Dan and Kate

Just a thought

Probably more because hardly anybody watched and it just gave the press a stick to beat them with 'Daybreak sinks to 300,000' etc.