MG
MikeG
Mine's Look North - Yorkshire's news programme. The on screen banter is brilliant!
JS
jay sdo
I voted local!! East Midlands Today covers stories
much
more local than Central News (ITV), but I prefer both to UK Today. It's pants.
BB
BBC Choice
I think that UK Today really needs a face lift - and its own studio too, rather than a chroma-key of N8 at the other end of N6.
I don't like the presenters either (apart from Gwenen!) because they are TV 'nobodies' - they should have a better-known presenter (perhaps the presenter of the national bulletin before hand - ie Huw could say his 'Bye for now', then toddle across to the ck screen for UKtoday. Then he wouldn't have to do a painting of Isobel Lang (thank you DAS_TVHome!), nor flick through the Radio Times for half an hour!
I don't like the presenters either (apart from Gwenen!) because they are TV 'nobodies' - they should have a better-known presenter (perhaps the presenter of the national bulletin before hand - ie Huw could say his 'Bye for now', then toddle across to the ck screen for UKtoday. Then he wouldn't have to do a painting of Isobel Lang (thank you DAS_TVHome!), nor flick through the Radio Times for half an hour!
SO
SittingOvation
I prefer UK Today because Midlands Today looks so cheap! When BBC Midlands finally relocates (allegedly in October 2001), things may improve, as they're promising a bigger version of the generic set - with a separate 'soft' area (like on East Midlands Today, South Today, Look North (Newcastle) etc).
Also, I find that on regional news (irrespective of whether it's BBC or ITV, or which region you're in) most of the content is time-filling durge. The opening story is something big/important/dramatic and the closing story is something cute/silly (e.g. skateboarding duck/birth of cute baby animals at local zoo etc)
These stories interest me, but everything inbetween is boring rubbish! With UK Today, you only get the 'top' stories plus one or two of the 'cute/silly' stories. My personal feeling is that I'd rather hear about something INTERESTING that's happening NOT near me than something UNINTERESTING that IS near me.
(Edited by SittingOvation at 6:01 pm on Aug. 7, 2001)
Also, I find that on regional news (irrespective of whether it's BBC or ITV, or which region you're in) most of the content is time-filling durge. The opening story is something big/important/dramatic and the closing story is something cute/silly (e.g. skateboarding duck/birth of cute baby animals at local zoo etc)
These stories interest me, but everything inbetween is boring rubbish! With UK Today, you only get the 'top' stories plus one or two of the 'cute/silly' stories. My personal feeling is that I'd rather hear about something INTERESTING that's happening NOT near me than something UNINTERESTING that IS near me.
(Edited by SittingOvation at 6:01 pm on Aug. 7, 2001)
IT
itsrobert
Founding member
Talking about regional news, tonight the combination of presenters has not been used before, so they had to do a live announcement over the BBC ONE Clock. You could clearly hera it was live as there was a click followed by a man with a strong Lancashire accent who said 'This is BBC ONE in the North West. Now at six o'clock the BBC News with Fiona Bruce and Tony Morris'. I could hardly undertand what he said! Unfortunately I'd didn't capture it!
SN
SkyNews
Isn't the issue not whether you like the UK Today studio or not BUT the mixture of news it provides. It's not meant to be an expensive programme. Why does it need an expensive set (wasting the license fee when hardly anyone watches it probably) when there is only ever ONE person in the studio - the presenter & there's no need for links to anyone.
[b]These are some standard lines from Granada Tonight/BBC NW Tonight:
'A man from the Wirral is being questioned by police tonight following yesterday's fatal shooting . . .'
'Police are searching for a Bootle man after a stabbing last night . . .'
'100 jobs are under threat at the Marconi plant on Merseyside . . .'
[b]These are some standard lines from Granada Tonight/BBC NW Tonight:
'A man from the Wirral is being questioned by police tonight following yesterday's fatal shooting . . .'
'Police are searching for a Bootle man after a stabbing last night . . .'
'100 jobs are under threat at the Marconi plant on Merseyside . . .'
IT
Thats strange that, as I thought that Midlands Today was a major important region, what with it getting the best programme of the year 2000. Gordon Burns (from North West Today) got best regional presenter I think. Nigel Jay or Peter Levy should have got 'most hard working'! From what I've heard Midlands Today is quite good, yet we all have different opinions. Personally I like the regional news, its a bit more entertainment than the national news, whereas my friend can't stand it.
itsrobert
Founding member
SittingOvation posted:
I prefer UK Today because Midlands Today looks so cheap! When BBC Midlands finally relocates (allegedly in October 2001), things may improve, as they're promising a bigger version of the generic set - with a separate 'soft' area (like on East Midlands Today, South Today, Look North (Newcastle) etc).
Also, I find that on regional news (irrespective of whether it's BBC or ITV, or which region you're in) most of the content is time-filling durge. The opening story is something big/important/dramatic and the closing story is something cute/silly (e.g. skateboarding duck/birth of cute baby animals at local zoo etc)
These stories interest me, but everything inbetween is boring rubbish! With UK Today, you only get the 'top' stories plus one or two of the 'cute/silly' stories. My personal feeling is that I'd rather hear about something INTERESTING that's happening NOT near me than something UNINTERESTING that IS near me.
(Edited by SittingOvation at 6:01 pm on Aug. 7, 2001)
Also, I find that on regional news (irrespective of whether it's BBC or ITV, or which region you're in) most of the content is time-filling durge. The opening story is something big/important/dramatic and the closing story is something cute/silly (e.g. skateboarding duck/birth of cute baby animals at local zoo etc)
These stories interest me, but everything inbetween is boring rubbish! With UK Today, you only get the 'top' stories plus one or two of the 'cute/silly' stories. My personal feeling is that I'd rather hear about something INTERESTING that's happening NOT near me than something UNINTERESTING that IS near me.
(Edited by SittingOvation at 6:01 pm on Aug. 7, 2001)
Thats strange that, as I thought that Midlands Today was a major important region, what with it getting the best programme of the year 2000. Gordon Burns (from North West Today) got best regional presenter I think. Nigel Jay or Peter Levy should have got 'most hard working'! From what I've heard Midlands Today is quite good, yet we all have different opinions. Personally I like the regional news, its a bit more entertainment than the national news, whereas my friend can't stand it.
TP
Techy Peep
Founding member
I've never understood how Midlands Today won that award. It's worse than N24 for cock-ups! Considering they are only on air for 1.5hrs a day MAX, it's a shambles! And their presentation style has an awful lot to be desired! Urgh!! 
I hasten to add that that's my own personal view!! (Hello Mr Lawyer!! )
I still think that Manchester (before Media360) was the best BBC regional News bulletin. It had everything
As SkyNews says, it's not really a case of 'which do you prefer', it's a case of Does UK Today provide what it is intended to? It's a very difficult job to try to bring 'regional news' to the whole of the BBC Domestic network. UK Today is a compromise until transponders come down in price for the Beeb to provide regional telly to all regions on Satellite.
Another thing you have to bear in mind about UK Today... If for any reason your region cannot broadcast, UK Today will be shown by default as it is on Network Out from TV Centre and the regions opt-out from the network feed to provide their own programming, so it's a good fail safe also.
(Edited by techy peep at 6:22 pm on Aug. 7, 2001)
I hasten to add that that's my own personal view!! (Hello Mr Lawyer!! )
I still think that Manchester (before Media360) was the best BBC regional News bulletin. It had everything
As SkyNews says, it's not really a case of 'which do you prefer', it's a case of Does UK Today provide what it is intended to? It's a very difficult job to try to bring 'regional news' to the whole of the BBC Domestic network. UK Today is a compromise until transponders come down in price for the Beeb to provide regional telly to all regions on Satellite.
Another thing you have to bear in mind about UK Today... If for any reason your region cannot broadcast, UK Today will be shown by default as it is on Network Out from TV Centre and the regions opt-out from the network feed to provide their own programming, so it's a good fail safe also.
(Edited by techy peep at 6:22 pm on Aug. 7, 2001)
IT
itsrobert
Founding member
Personally I still think North West Today is the best news programme. There isn't too much banter so that its not over the top, but they manage to keep an aura of seriousness about it.
For example North West Today at lunchtime, there was a story about a cat that someone put in a microwave, and after the report, Tony Morris said 'Well that cat can join the Atomic Kittens!'. The best thing that keeps the banter down is that it only has one presenter, so they only joke about while crossing to the weather or sport presenters. Its true that Gordon Burns flirts with both! However, he is a great presenter, and a nice person as well, I got a nice letter from him when I wrote to him about the programme about a year ago.
For example North West Today at lunchtime, there was a story about a cat that someone put in a microwave, and after the report, Tony Morris said 'Well that cat can join the Atomic Kittens!'. The best thing that keeps the banter down is that it only has one presenter, so they only joke about while crossing to the weather or sport presenters. Its true that Gordon Burns flirts with both! However, he is a great presenter, and a nice person as well, I got a nice letter from him when I wrote to him about the programme about a year ago.