ITV National Continuity

This is a most excellent suggestion because of the following points.

1) It seems to be generally held that most viewers totally disregard presentation and are only interested in the programs, eg Coronation Street is on at 19:30h and that is all that is important. In fact surveys are supposed to show that most people do not even know which tv station they are watching and that is why they need a large prominent ITV bug in the corner of the screen to reassure themselves that they watching the right station.

And even more importantly -

2) Letting the announcers go, would save even more in labor costs, eliminate all those awkward regional announcements which no longer serve a purpose, and thus increase profits and lead to bigger dividend cheques for the stockholders.

You know it makes sense!

PS And with the time gained by eliminating speech announcements, OFCOM should allow them to put on some more TV commercials to fill the gaps!

Well, if people don't know what station they are watching (and I don't believe this 'research' for a minute) then why not take this to its logical conclusion and have a massive great DOG across the top of the screen, stating: "Yes, You Are Watching Coronation Street".

Do you honestly believe that viewers care that there is someone there "guiding you through the schedule"? Without wanting to sound all modern and trendy, we live in a world of DVDs, the Internet, and the like. Viewers don't need or want to be spoon fed their television. They just drop in on a channel to watch a programme, and drop out again. If the programmes on a particular channel, that creates brand loyalty.




So. as nearly all of the channels on the multi-channel platforms have continuity announcers, surely it would be more distinctive for a channel NOT to have them.

Whether they 'care' or not is completely irrelevant.

Good marketing and branding is subliminal - it informs and influences consumer (or in this case viewer choice) almost subconsciously.

If you ask most people if they 'care' what design is on a can of Coca-Cola, you can bet that almost 100% will say they don't. That doesn't mean that the design, look and feel of a can of coke isn't absolutely vital.

The same is true of television stations - the choice of continuity announcer and the style of presentation - the look and feel of that station -will inform and influence viewer choice. Okay, it may not affect a decision about whether or not to watch Coronation Street - a well known brand in its own right - but it will affect general perception of the channel and whether or not a viewer will try that channel's other programming offerings.

My view is that announcer-free continuity is dull and bland and will not positively influence viewer choice in favour of that channel.

But using that analogy, the role of the TV channel is not the can of Coke, it's the drinks machine. The can of Coke is the programme branding and the Coke itself is the programme. If I need a drink, I go to the nearest drinks machine. When I get to the machine, I key in the buttons and get my drink. I don't need or get a voice telling me "This is a CocaCola drinks machine and here is a can of coke."

Let's take an announcement on ITV1 today:

"Now on ITV1, it's time to join Phillip and Fern on This Morning."

How useful is this statement? The ITV1 logo is on screen, and the viewer is fully aware that they are on that channel. The opening titles of This Morning make the identity of the its name and the presenters.

Announcing on TV and radio was intended as a way to inform the viewers watch they were watching. I don't believe this is needed anymore, and I certainly don't believe that the announcements does anything to help the brand of a channel.

[quote="Steve Hyden"]
Sasha last night delivered as I think announcers should, good links with personality and the view that she was watching with you.


She's on again tonight! I think that is four out of five Saturdays now. Do you think someone's listening to you?

She's a breath of fresh air isn't she!

Even when she is the regional recorded announcer she delivers!

She is the Jewel in the Booth

Well she disappointed earlier on this afternoon maybe she needs an hour to get warmed up. But someone who was a breath of fresh air today was the announcer who was on the daytime shift today, a bit like Glen Thompsett really

Well I reckon the style has changed since Sacha Twining joined - everyone is less like a voiceover and more 'natural' which they weren't before. So I guess she gets my vote.

I think it was Roger (LWT and Hallmark Channel) Tilling on the daytime today, he does seem to add personality to the announcements, but it's not the first time he has done the continuity for ITV1 (England)

So who on earth could that have been then?

As the above says it was Roger Tilling. The comparison was based on the fact that he is a mad with a deepish voice and isn't scottish, plus the sort of stuff he was saying was a bit like the stuff Glen says. Nothing much more sensible than that really!

Didn't Roger Tilling once do YTV, which means there's still a little bit of YTV in national ITV1 just a tiny bit!.