CI
What they need to do, is take it back to what it was when it was successful. Give it a unique look, not just in terms of opening sequence, but also in terms of studio design. Make it about the reporting, not the anchor. But more importantly, they need an anchor who will not try to outshine the news, but rather be more of a gentle guide through the day's top stories.
I don't know where they go with it, to be honest. They've tried moving the bulletin, they've tried treating it like just another bulletin, they've Americanised it, and the BBC always wins.
What they need to do, is take it back to what it was when it was successful. Give it a unique look, not just in terms of opening sequence, but also in terms of studio design. Make it about the reporting, not the anchor. But more importantly, they need an anchor who will not try to outshine the news, but rather be more of a gentle guide through the day's top stories.
LS
Lou Scannon
It can't possibly be the case that Tom Bradby himself has decided to present NaT in a 'conversational' / 'personality' / 'opinionated' style, against the wishes of ITN.
Clearly, ITN must've decided that they wanted to 'Americanise' the bulletin in this way, and would have asked whichever particular presenter got the gig to do it in this style. It just so happens that it's Tom Bradby.
I despise their decision to do NaT like this. It's bad enough that any part of the world (e.g. the USA) does "news" like this, but it really has absolutely no place on UK television.
Clearly, ITN must've decided that they wanted to 'Americanise' the bulletin in this way, and would have asked whichever particular presenter got the gig to do it in this style. It just so happens that it's Tom Bradby.
I despise their decision to do NaT like this. It's bad enough that any part of the world (e.g. the USA) does "news" like this, but it really has absolutely no place on UK television.
WE
What should happen is that the bbc news should move its bulletin back to 9pm. The bbc doesn’t need to chase ratings in the same way that itv does. This then gives itv a much better chance to offer a bulletin at 10 rather than the ridiculous current situation. Simple.
WO
Hi, John Whittingdale!
In all seriousness, I honestly can't see what that would achieve, nor do I ever see the BBC doing that. Yes, the BBC is ad-free, as you know, and so they aren't quite as reliant on ratings as ITV are; that being said, as I understand it, they are expected to provide a service that viewers will watch, even more so with BBC One. 9pm is the biggest slot in television, and if they were to move the 10pm news back there, it would be a tremendous own goal for them, IMO.
Don't give them ideas!
What should happen is that the bbc news should move its bulletin back to 9pm. The bbc doesn’t need to chase ratings in the same way that itv does. This then gives itv a much better chance to offer a bulletin at 10 rather than the ridiculous current situation. Simple.
Hi, John Whittingdale!
In all seriousness, I honestly can't see what that would achieve, nor do I ever see the BBC doing that. Yes, the BBC is ad-free, as you know, and so they aren't quite as reliant on ratings as ITV are; that being said, as I understand it, they are expected to provide a service that viewers will watch, even more so with BBC One. 9pm is the biggest slot in television, and if they were to move the 10pm news back there, it would be a tremendous own goal for them, IMO.
Poaching Huw Edwards is the only thing left to try really.
Don't give them ideas!
TR
I'd also agree with many of the comments above, the BBC will always win if ITV wants to compete with the News at Ten. I actually think they'd have more chance if they tried to match their late news against Newsnight or the 11pm news hours on the news channels. Somehow, their 'After the News' trial with Emma Barnett/Nick Ferrari beat Newsnight in ratings, I can't remember the last time a Newsnight interview was much of a talking point and paper reviews are only watchable if you tolerate the particular panelists - most of the discussions are speculation or take political angles.
One thing I think hasn't been tried, and just might work, is to revamp the bulletin into a 20 to 30 minute 'straight up news' bulletin, similar to the Soir 3 in France or the RTL Niews late edition in The Netherlands. 1 presenter, 10ish minutes of the day's top stories, with strong supporting graphics and in-studio reports, 5 mins discussion with a guest or head-to-head around one of those stories, a rundown of what to look out for in tomorrow's news, 7 mins insert of regional news, 3 mins look at tomorrow's expected developments (i.e. 11am court verdict, 1pm company earnings, 8pm parliament vote) or Sport on Fri/Sundays and the weather. Ideally, there would be no fixed time slot so that ITV have flexibility for lucrative 9pm hour, and it could avoid clashing with Question Time on Thursdays/allow a fixed time for Peston Wednesdays, but it would be normally at a time between 10.30pm and 12.30am.
One thing I think hasn't been tried, and just might work, is to revamp the bulletin into a 20 to 30 minute 'straight up news' bulletin, similar to the Soir 3 in France or the RTL Niews late edition in The Netherlands. 1 presenter, 10ish minutes of the day's top stories, with strong supporting graphics and in-studio reports, 5 mins discussion with a guest or head-to-head around one of those stories, a rundown of what to look out for in tomorrow's news, 7 mins insert of regional news, 3 mins look at tomorrow's expected developments (i.e. 11am court verdict, 1pm company earnings, 8pm parliament vote) or Sport on Fri/Sundays and the weather. Ideally, there would be no fixed time slot so that ITV have flexibility for lucrative 9pm hour, and it could avoid clashing with Question Time on Thursdays/allow a fixed time for Peston Wednesdays, but it would be normally at a time between 10.30pm and 12.30am.
JK
The ITV Nightly News was created by ITV to fulfil their news obligations when they moved the news analysis of News at Ten to 6.30 and rename it Evening News. In effect, the ITV Nightly News was the old 5.40 Early Evening News bulletin moved to 11.00pm, and was a decent news digest, but not what the viewing public wanted in 1999. It is what ITV wanted, not what the viewer wanted, and thus started the chain of events which ruined ITV News from 2001-2008.
Are you too young then to remember the ITV Nightly News, which aired for 20 minutes at 11pm and was very much a straight up news bulletin.
The ITV Nightly News was created by ITV to fulfil their news obligations when they moved the news analysis of News at Ten to 6.30 and rename it Evening News. In effect, the ITV Nightly News was the old 5.40 Early Evening News bulletin moved to 11.00pm, and was a decent news digest, but not what the viewing public wanted in 1999. It is what ITV wanted, not what the viewer wanted, and thus started the chain of events which ruined ITV News from 2001-2008.
NG
The BBC would then not be able to show any post-watershed shows until 2145 at the earliest. Far too late...
noggin
Founding member
What should happen is that the bbc news should move its bulletin back to 9pm. The bbc doesn’t need to chase ratings in the same way that itv does. This then gives itv a much better chance to offer a bulletin at 10 rather than the ridiculous current situation. Simple.
The BBC would then not be able to show any post-watershed shows until 2145 at the earliest. Far too late...
IT
itsrobert
Founding member
Please can we draw more of a distinction between ITN and ITV News? ITN is merely the content provider and producer of their news bulletins. It will be very much ITV’s decision as the client to determine what the look, feel and editorial content of their bulletins will be. If ITV wanted Tom Bradby to drink a mug of Horlicks while he reads the news, ITN would have to make it happen.
Surely it is evident that ITN is capable of producing anything the clients wants, from the high brow Channel 4 News through to The Wright Stuff or a 24-hour sports news channel like they did with Setanta a decade ago. I’m getting a bit fed up of reading how ITN is to blame for all the problems with the programmes they produce. I highly suspect it is the broadcasters themselves who call the shots.
Surely it is evident that ITN is capable of producing anything the clients wants, from the high brow Channel 4 News through to The Wright Stuff or a 24-hour sports news channel like they did with Setanta a decade ago. I’m getting a bit fed up of reading how ITN is to blame for all the problems with the programmes they produce. I highly suspect it is the broadcasters themselves who call the shots.
MA
You’re quite right about the relationship and therefore influence ITV has with ITN.
Ironically ‘news on ITV’s’ golden years was the era when all the ITV companies 100% owned and financed ITN themselves !
Please can we draw more of a distinction between ITN and ITV News? ITN is merely the content provider and producer of their news bulletins. It will be very much ITV’s decision as the client to determine what the look, feel and editorial content of their bulletins will be. If ITV wanted Tom Bradby to drink a mug of Horlicks while he reads the news, ITN would have to make it happen.
Surely it is evident that ITN is capable of producing anything the clients wants, from the high brow Channel 4 News through to The Wright Stuff or a 24-hour sports news channel like they did with Setanta a decade ago. I’m getting a bit fed up of reading how ITN is to blame for all the problems with the programmes they produce. I highly suspect it is the broadcasters themselves who call the shots.
Surely it is evident that ITN is capable of producing anything the clients wants, from the high brow Channel 4 News through to The Wright Stuff or a 24-hour sports news channel like they did with Setanta a decade ago. I’m getting a bit fed up of reading how ITN is to blame for all the problems with the programmes they produce. I highly suspect it is the broadcasters themselves who call the shots.
You’re quite right about the relationship and therefore influence ITV has with ITN.
Ironically ‘news on ITV’s’ golden years was the era when all the ITV companies 100% owned and financed ITN themselves !
SJ
Just a slight reality check: since the Bradby revamp, News at Ten has grown its audience from an average of about 1.5m to an average of about 2m, and has also increased its average share. I've no doubt that ITV would prefer that it performed much better - but it's hard to conclude that Bradby and the conversational style have been an unmitigated disaster or that going back to the preceding style would help matters.