STV News

I've spoken to STV today in regards to the propose news hour mentioned above, here is what they had to say. http://t.co/dWzVFfD

That short URL seems to be impossibly slow. Could you just put the real URL?

(I get cautious about clicking those mystery links to be honest)

http://www.atvtoday.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=611:stv-to-pilot-new-local-news-scheme&catid=1:tv-media&Itemid=3&sms_ss=twitter&at_xt=4d372151c7bbaadb,0
We're not exactly Twitter.

I agree to an extent. The thing that strikes me about STV News now compared to say 10 years ago is that it is no longer a news programme just concerned with that ITV region. A certain amount of the content is Scotland-wide for both North (Grampian) and Central (Scottish).

For example, during the snow Ross Govans was doing live two-ways from a snowy layby oustide Aberdeen as the weather was worst there on that day. He was first on STV North at Six, then as 2nd story on STV Central at Six. It worked well, and the output is professional. How would that be handled under the new arrangement? 1st on North, 2nd on Central West, 3rd on Central East?

The Tommy Sheridan court case was another of interest nationally and was reported on both regions with live two-ways. This happens quite a lot (esp on political stories as they apply countrywide), and I like the mix they have at the moment. I even get the feeling they struggle a bit with the East opt sometimes. There is usually a 'funny' story in there somewhere that isn't really of much interest.

I just hope that this is resourced properly and doesn't become like what Talk 107 was - ie. the Edinburgh Evening News paper read out on the radio. The programme is professional at the moment in terms of content and presentation and puts ITV south of the border to shame. I hope this won't dilute that.

.......and I doubt STV will ever bother to get Tayside on the satellite platform (which is a shame) as there is no doubt anything North of Stirling does not matter. What has happened to the Highland opt at Inverness??? Why are North viewers subjected to STV Central news on the STV HD channel??

Well its pretty clear from the press release that the technology and newsgathering techniques will be changing. Does this mean self-op and self-edit and piped back to the centres over broadband? 2-ways over Skype?

If the journalism is sound and the stories engaging and appropriate, then I'm happy to see them experiment with the delivery.

That's a fairly pessimistic view and one not really grounded in any fact. It would have been easy for STV to get rid of the STV North news programme years ago if they had wanted to.



It was on the cards a couple of years ago. Maybe if the Edinburgh pilot proves successful it will still happen.



Presumably for the same reason that BBC One HD viewers see London presentation. These are all new developments and it will take a while for everything to be as the broadcasters want them to be.

Yes as you say - the Highland output was on the cards over TWO YEARS ago! STV should maybe have looked at commitments it made years ago before setting out new plans for the central belt? How would the Edinburgh pilots success make any difference as to whether the Highland op goes ahead or not.......we all know the ops work!?!?

The whole TV landscape has changed considerably in two years. I imagine the Highland opt was put on hold while the future of news on ITV in general was in danger. There would have been little point in investing in something which might have had such a short shelf life.

I'm hoping that the Edinburgh pilot will be a success and will lead to a similar arrangement in the north. It has to be tested somewhere so why not in the central belt? That's where their main HQ is located so it makes sense.

It will be interesting to see how the pilot does when it starts in April.

I would imagine it will do well..........I also think if there were any plans to change the Highlands opt then they would have mentioned this in the press release? I can not see any development in that area any time soon if at all.

Time will tell.

That said.....I am delighted they are leaving the Aberdeen newsroom as is and I know a lot of folks there that will be happy with that outcome.