I agree. I'm all for keeping News At Ten away when all it seemed to do was interrupt movies. But, yeah, the quality of ITV has got even worse over the last year or so, it seems to have taken over BBC 1 as the all-day docusoap/lifestyle/makeover/cheap trash channel.
The Nightly News should be improved as well, it's just too short.
There is also a rumble of a rumour that the BBC 9 o'clock news may shift to Ten o'clock !Management feel that it would suit the schedules better, would provide a better cross over of audiences to Newsnight at 10.30 for more in depth analysis on the major stories, and would also allow for Regional bulletins to have a bit longer at 10.30 on BBC 1
Well, it's a long overdue move. BBC 1 would surely get a better audience share if it could do the big dramas and docs at 9 rather than 9.30.
Meanwhile, what's this about the ITV Evening News moving to 6pm? UTV would go mad!!
Well, it's a long overdue move. BBC 1 would surely get a better audience share if it could do the big dramas and docs at 9 rather than 9.30.
Meanwhile, what's this about the ITV Evening News moving to 6pm? UTV would go mad!!
Where did you hear that Damian? I think Tyne Tees Television might have some things to say as well... how would they squeeze lifestyle, split news bulletins AND Mike Neville into a half-hour show? :) And anyway, that would further squeeze regional programming, the exact opposite of what the ITC wants...
Surely that wouldn't go ahead - 3 out of the 5 channels having thier main evening news at six.
>Surely that wouldn't go ahead - 3 out of the 5 channels having thier main evening news at six.
I remember a radio ad which came out at the time Channel 5 moved its news from 7pm to 6pm. They were having ago at ITV for having its news at 6.30 when Channel 5 and the BBC had theirs at 6.
It just annoyed me at the time because it was such a stupde way to go about making an ad.
It does give ITV a perfect rod to hit C5 with if they move the news back to 5.40 (which I think they should). "We could have a go at C5 for getting their news after us, but that would just be petty..." etc etc.
The business about the ITV Evening news moving to 6 is a big story in this week's Broadcast. I can think of quite a few regions which wouldn't be happy. Imagine if Calendar had to start at 6.30 (although I'm sure they would still say it was 5.55!).
I thought "prime time" was defined by the ITC as 6.30pm-11pm and that ITV had, according to the regulations, to have a half-hour news programme within that time. It's already at the margin. Is that out of date now?
A better time to have the news would be 7pm, with regional news competing head-to-head with BBC.
Or how about 8.30pm? Just before the watershed, before a big film.
Or 9pm? Start films, dramas, etc at 9.30 against the BBC.
6pm would be ideal for ITV, though. It could simply follow BBC1's pattern, which is far more sensible.
Nothing increases news programmes' ratings better than news. On big news days, you want to watch big news first, not have to sit through regional dross while it's on the other side.
How many people got home on the day Jill Dando died, and watched regional news before the ITV Evening News, rather than switch to BBC1? Not many. And it was one of the Six O'Clock News's biggest audiences ever.
>How many people got home on the day Jill Dando died, and watched regional news before the ITV Evening News, rather than switch to BBC1? Not many. And it was one of the Six O'Clock News's biggest audiences ever.
I think it is interesting that ITN have an insert in the regional news at 6.15pm to publicise what is coming up in the Evening News at 6.30. The point is - they could have the trail at about 6. But they don't because if there is a big story, then people would switch to BBC ONE to see it.
I've always thought that 8.30pm would be the best time for the ITN Main News, all its used for now is 'The World Crappiest Better Homes' type show and that would leave 9pm for big films and post-watershead drama..
>Where did you hear that Damian? I think Tyne Tees Television might have some things to say as well... how would they squeeze lifestyle, split news bulletins AND Mike Neville into a half-hour show? :)
Oooh! Now they'd have to split it into two... Now what a good idea that would be. You could have the Mike Neville Lifestyle Show at 5:30 followed by Mike Neville's North East Tonight at 6:30
"And don't forget to join me in 30 minutes time, after this short break for Trevor MacDonald."
Well, London Tonight did do that before.
It used to be an hour long at launch (6-7pm) but then a year or two later in a schedule shake up that brought a vaugely regional show every night (of the likes of London Bridge, Videotech) it went to a half hour slot (possibly at 6:30, maybe 6, can't remember) and all the lifestyle bits went on a 5:10 show called "After 5"
That was when Carlton were actually making a half-arsed effort for a little while, probably to get in the ITC's good books.
>>Where did you hear that Damian? I think Tyne Tees Television might have some things to say as well... how would they squeeze lifestyle, split news bulletins AND Mike Neville into a half-hour show? :)
>
>Oooh! Now they'd have to split it into two... Now what a good idea that would be. You could have the Mike Neville Lifestyle Show at 5:30 followed by Mike Neville's North East Tonight at 6:30
>
>Tyne Tees would never do it in such a logical way. At 5.30 there would be an introduction from Mike then a round up of the local opt-out news followed by some crap Film reviews and some city farm stories...maybe a bit of wallpapering with Denise Welch...then another summary of the regions news with Pam Royle to keep her employed to bide you over till 6.30pm. Then at 6.30 the days main stories followed by some tedious walk round the Yorkshire Dales with Luke Casey...then another recap of the the top story. (with Pam Royle or Dawn Thewlis if you live in the south of the region)
>>>Where did you hear that Damian? I think Tyne Tees Television might have some things to say as well... how would they squeeze lifestyle, split news bulletins AND Mike Neville into a half-hour show? :)
>>
>>Oooh! Now they'd have to split it into two... Now what a good idea that would be. You could have the Mike Neville Lifestyle Show at 5:30 followed by Mike Neville's North East Tonight at 6:30
>>
>>Tyne Tees would never do it in such a logical way. At 5.30 there would be an introduction from Mike then a round up of the local opt-out news followed by some crap Film reviews and some city farm stories...maybe a bit of wallpapering with Denise Welch...then another summary of the regions news with Pam Royle to keep her employed to bide you over till 6.30pm. Then at 6.30 the days main stories followed by some tedious walk round the Yorkshire Dales with Luke Casey...then another recap of the the top story. (with Pam Royle or Dawn Thewlis if you live in the south of the region)
It's all YTV's fault you know. If they hadn't come along Tyne Tees would still be plodding along with a modified version of the 1989 set, with Frosty and Pam and a recorded Middlesbrough opt-out. All this rubbish about walking in the Dales (a ploy to get a co-pro with YTV), film reviews, etc, would be but a twinkle in Gryngell's bloodshot eye. And I bet they'd have a decent logo as well... (decent as in the wonderfully naff Tyne Tees way, not the horrendously boring YTV way!)
>That was when Carlton were actually making a half-arsed effort for a little while, probably to get in the ITC's good books.
Last time I looked, their idea of quality programming at 5:30 was Wheel of Fortune...
Horray to the ITC throwing out ITV's hopeless attempts to keep the status quo. All they promised was more trailers for the News, a total lip service to the ITC- the ITC told them to 'sod off'...good! I'm no fan of News At Ten but ITV News is a disgrace...simply putting Trevor McDonald (who I think is the most over-rated and self important news presenter of all) up to front News is no benchmark of quality. ITV News from ITN has now simply become consumer/health issues dominated (as with the USA networks)..its also boring