ITV Regional News - General

:-(

A former member 3 February 2004 9:27am

I notice there isn't a forum for ITV Regional news in general, especially now we have the changes.

Not having access to all the channels, have the channels become the equivalent to BBC Regional News or have they still kept some kind of individuality.

If the news is to be corporate, should that mean a strict generic identity or should regions still have a say in interpreting how the new look should look?

I saw Granada News last night and I can say it is nothing like the screen grabs I have seen from TTTV for example.

The similarities are of course the colours - blue and yellow and the squares. But it seems that the each area has used the theme in their own way. Good or bad?

The other theme seems to be the blocky map thing! Any comments? Seems to be 50:50 so far in reaction.

It reminds me slightly of the 60minutes theme in the mid 80's where they went from national to regional during the programe. The map sweeps onto the screen in bit (the regions) and then the region you are watching is highlighted, musical fanfare.......and then a story about duck on a skateboard :-/

Mike xxx

RO

rob Founding member 3 February 2004 9:37am

mikeprz posted:

I notice there isn't a forum for ITV Regional news in general, especially now we have the changes.

Not having access to all the channels, have the channels become the equivalent to BBC Regional News or have they still kept some kind of individuality.

If the news is to be corporate, should that mean a strict generic identity or should regions still have a say in interpreting how the new look should look?

I saw Granada News last night and I can say it is nothing like the screen grabs I have seen from TTTV for example.

The similarities are of course the colours - blue and yellow and the squares. But it seems that the each area has used the theme in their own way. Good or bad?

The other theme seems to be the blocky map thing! Any comments? Seems to be 50:50 so far in reaction.

It reminds me slightly of the 60minutes theme in the mid 80's where they went from national to regional during the programe. The map sweeps onto the screen in bit (the regions) and then the region you are watching is highlighted, musical fanfare.......and then a story about duck on a skateboard :-/

Mike xxx

I do like the map, it gives the programme a sense of regional identity. It's also nice to see some local images on the titles (Here in Meridian Newbury, we got some nice shots of Reading supporters and Heathrow Airport). I'm also pleased to know that some elements of the old set are still in use (ie the desk) - it's still good to notice that the Meridian logo features on the set.

BE

Ben Founding member 3 February 2004 9:48am

rob posted:

mikeprz posted:

I notice there isn't a forum for ITV Regional news in general, especially now we have the changes.

Not having access to all the channels, have the channels become the equivalent to BBC Regional News or have they still kept some kind of individuality.

If the news is to be corporate, should that mean a strict generic identity or should regions still have a say in interpreting how the new look should look?

I saw Granada News last night and I can say it is nothing like the screen grabs I have seen from TTTV for example.

The similarities are of course the colours - blue and yellow and the squares. But it seems that the each area has used the theme in their own way. Good or bad?

The other theme seems to be the blocky map thing! Any comments? Seems to be 50:50 so far in reaction.

It reminds me slightly of the 60minutes theme in the mid 80's where they went from national to regional during the programe. The map sweeps onto the screen in bit (the regions) and then the region you are watching is highlighted, musical fanfare.......and then a story about duck on a skateboard :-/

Mike xxx

I do like the map, it gives the programme a sense of regional identity. It's also nice to see some local images on the titles (Here in Meridian Newbury, we got some nice shots of Reading supporters and Heathrow Airport). I'm also pleased to know that some elements of the old set are still in use (ie the desk) - it's still good to notice that the Meridian logo features on the set.

Not too sure about the local images myself but thats just a personal preferance, nice however to see they did create different titles for each sub-region and not just one generic batch to cover them all. They've got rid of the Meridian logo in the newsroom and replaced it with four squares too. But how long will that Meridian logo survive on the desk I wonder.

JV

James Vertigan Founding member 3 February 2004 9:52am

Well I still want to see what the new look is like for Westcountry News, I've seen a couple of captures on TVArk but the Realvideo file doesn't seem to want to work... it saying "Can not play this type of file" - even though its an RM file!

And as I said yesterday in another thread, when i tried to watch Westcountry News on the Westcountry website it didn't work either (can't remember what it said though)...

BTW, do any other regions have DOGs apart from London? I saw a Westcountry DOG in one of the captures on TVArk but I think someone said on here that Westcountry news didn't have a DOG.

:-(

A former member 3 February 2004 9:59am

James Vertigan posted:

Well I still want to see what the new look is like for Westcountry News, I've seen a couple of captures on TVArk but the Realvideo file doesn't seem to want to work... it saying "Can not play this type of file" - even though its an RM file!

And as I said yesterday in another thread, when i tried to watch Westcountry News on the Westcountry website it didn't work either (can't remember what it said though)...

BTW, do any other regions have DOGs apart from London? I saw a Westcountry DOG in one of the captures on TVArk but I think someone said on here that Westcountry news didn't have a DOG.

Tyne Tees have a dog bottom left with the four squares and North East Tonight above in white lettering

RO

rob Founding member 3 February 2004 10:00am

Reporter posted:

James Vertigan posted:

Well I still want to see what the new look is like for Westcountry News, I've seen a couple of captures on TVArk but the Realvideo file doesn't seem to want to work... it saying "Can not play this type of file" - even though its an RM file!

And as I said yesterday in another thread, when i tried to watch Westcountry News on the Westcountry website it didn't work either (can't remember what it said though)...

BTW, do any other regions have DOGs apart from London? I saw a Westcountry DOG in one of the captures on TVArk but I think someone said on here that Westcountry news didn't have a DOG.

Tyne Tees have a dog bottom left with the four squares and North East Tonight above in white lettering

Same here with Meridian Tonight and the four squares.

:-(

A former member 3 February 2004 10:54am

London Tonight has a dog throughout ALL their bulletins, as did ITV West News.

ITV Wales News did feature a dog for the first few bulletins but it became intermittent for the 18:00 only appearing on all non-studio based shots. It had totally disappeared for the late bulletin and so the name astons looked a bit stupid without any news name or four squares!

Westcountry only have the dog on name astons and graphics and isnt continuous either - also it only says Westcountry and NOT Westcountry News!

NG

noggin Founding member 3 February 2004 11:03am

Anglia West have the 4 blocks and Anglia News as a dog. (They previously had a dog so technically it is unlikely to be a problem)

I think the regional titles are one of the best bits of the revamp. Moving to common music and regionally versioned titles - as the BBC discovered (originally with 60 Minutes?) - ties in the local and national news nicely.

I think the ITV News titles are one of the nicest designed bit of the relaunch - and the use of the block images throughout is a very nice design theme. The blocky regional maps are very reminiscent of Nationwide!

BTW Anglia are also ending with an ITV Production endcap. I think this means that the ITV plc Newsrooms are now all part of the ITV News division?

CW

cwathen Founding member 3 February 2004 11:16am

Quote:

Well I still want to see what the new look is like for Westcountry News, I've seen a couple of captures on TVArk but the Realvideo file doesn't seem to want to work... it saying "Can not play this type of file" - even though its an RM file!

It's improved it no end. I still think the programme was crippled when they lost their hour long format, crippled again with the lunchtime half hour programme become identical to the evening programme, and crippled yet again when that crappy new look was introduced in 2002 (which saw some editorial changes too). And tbh, so far the content is identical to how it was before, but it looks so much better. A strong theme tune, no stupid pink titles, nice Westcountry branded astons, I like it.

Quote:

BTW, do any other regions have DOGs apart from London? I saw a Westcountry DOG in one of the captures on TVArk but I think someone said on here that Westcountry news didn't have a DOG.

Westcountry don't have a DOG, just branding on the astons in the same place where other regions have put a DOG.

RA

Rangdo 3 February 2004 12:18pm

RE

Reuben 3 February 2004 12:33pm

Westcountry News looks foul. Granada News looks nice and bright. Pretty much what I expected from Border News.

:-(

A former member 3 February 2004 12:47pm

You can see the running theme, but all the sets are very different

Looking at that lot, they seemed to have but their best looking guys (and gals) for the opening role-out!

Not too keen on Granada's now that I have seen the rest. The map is growing on me.

Not as strict as the BBC are, are they? Still left the overall idea to the regions....unless this is just a stepping stone until the regions have enough money to fully change their set!

ITV Regional News - General

(February 2004)