Don't want to sound nagging or patronising, guys, but people on here can have different opinions on TV presentation, so please don't flame other people for having a point of view you might not agree with.
Mind you, I did come here to moan that the consistency in UTV's new package has already been shattered - I've spotted two trailers using sodding Arial on the end board instead of AvantGarde
Seriously?! Say what you like about their programming decisions of late, the STV branding is miles better than that of UTV and in some cases better than ITV1. The whole package fits well together and can be adapted well to integrate with their news and weather output, amongst other things. Bland it is not, especially when their Christmas idents were far superior to UTV's lackluster attempts and a little more cheery than the awfully dark looking ITV1 ones.
I did not make any comment about UTV's christmas package -- for the record I wasn't all that impressed. I have never really got on with STV's branding -- far too corporate and stiff for my liking, and it's been that way for many years -- even in the 1980s it came across as stuffy to my eyes. I have no problem with the way the company's scheduling department has gone its own way though -- it's the kind of thing I like to see.
I've just always seen STV as the "YTV of the North", and I don't see anything to change that view in the current set.
Now Grampian on the other hand... that station I'd have back in a heartbeat.
Quote:
Starting to think you might just have something against STV now. How a channel that has effectively stuck its own logo over the ITV1 package for years and has a dull, basic boxed logo can be more distinctive is very questionable. And like it or loathe it, STV's schedule and overall branding is much more distinctive than the rest of the ITV Network. You are right about one thing though, UTV's does look a little cheap.
I think you've misinterpreted this as a go at STV. It isn't. I keep the majority of my bile for ITV1 itself. As far as the schedule goes, totally agree -- but as I said I couldn't disagree more when it comes to the branding.
Some sad news announced this evening - Bill Smyth, UTV newsreader and announcer of the 1970s and 1980s, and more recently, a newsreader on CityBeat and U105, has died.
According to his colleague Marc Mallett, who has paid tribute on his Twitter account, he was 83.
Different endcaps were shown at the end of "Born Fighting", the STV/UTV co-produced documentary shown tonight on both stations.
UTV viewers saw this:
While STV viewers saw this:
UTV viewers didn't get end credits at the end, STV viewers did. You'd have though Michael Wilson would have let the viewers of the channel he runs at least see his Executive Producer credit!
So it would seem UTV have run out of ideas for their idents (or Udents as they're calling them!). They're now looking for members of the public to film some footage and send it to them so they can make new ones! They've set up a website to explain:
What do you do in your everyday life? Whether it’s a sport, hobby or a day out with the family, UTV would like YOU to contribute to our on-screen station idents. We will edit your images and may use them on UTV as station idents. Contributions are welcome from individuals as well as schools and budding directors! We want to reflect real life in Northern Ireland and are handing the stage over to our viewers for this unique opportunity.
I saw one of the current UTV idents on YouTube today that had "U flock" with a flock of birds; yet the idents are supposed to be about what people do everyday... I'm pretty sure "flock" is not something people do, then again I've never been to Northern Ireland so wouldn't know.
Edit: Actually it was on The Ident Gallery, on the front page in fact.
