The Newsroom

BBC News nostalgia, including BBC World

Split from BBC News: Presenters, correspondent & rotas (April 2020)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
NW
nwtv2003
Roger Darthwell posted:
What strucks me of these clips is that they have all been recorded in Hungary, I never knew that Hungarian TV aired BBC World. And I wonder how many other countries aired BBC World


Now I don’t know when the practice of showing BBC World on the state broadcaster, MTV (Magyar Televizio) stopped, however it was the case in the late 2000’s that the Hungarian news channel, HírTV ran BBC World News bulletins later on in the evenings, these were dubbed into Hungarian.
JO
johnnyboy Founding member
Bail posted:
johnnyboy posted:
Quote:

It's not just the theme tune of course. The music just before they went to the regions was sublime, melodic, yet authoritative.


I'm not normally one for quoting myself but here is that said music when they went to regional news.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iq9vY4geyGM

Thanks to Mike who posted the video. My only contribution was to write t=739 in the link.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/xetza4etpgj5qye/BBC%20News%20-%20Breakfast%20News%20-%201993%20-%20Opt%20Out.mp3?dl=0


That's brilliant, Bail - thanks very much Smile

It is a superb piece of music and that was the first time in my life that I have ever heard it clean. Thanks again!
AL
AaronLancs
Watching them clips, can I ask how the newsroom shots were done with the studio? Also in the Newsdesk video it mentions X in the studio and Y in the newsroom. Was there a dedicated presentation position in the newsroom itself.
BR
Brekkie
This is gold.


JK
JKDerry
AaronLancs posted:
Watching them clips, can I ask how the newsroom shots were done with the studio? Also in the Newsdesk video it mentions X in the studio and Y in the newsroom. Was there a dedicated presentation position in the newsroom itself.

From what I have read on BBC Television Centre back then, they had a camera set up based at a proper news desk in the BBC newsroom. This camera could be used for a presenter in the actual newsroom, or the shot from the camera could be used in the computer generated backdrop of N1 studio.

In fact there was a "blooper" where during the news bulletin, a cleaner is seen walking past the camera and is seen on screen, and her reaction was fun to watch, as she noticed herself on screen.
GE
thegeek Founding member
Brekkie posted:
itsrobert posted:
TheMike posted:
It's taken years to appear - but we now have an example of the short-lived BBC World branding from Monday 31th March 1997 - Friday 24th October 1997.

You'll already be familiar with parts of the graphics package - perhaps unconsciously - because it was used for the Princess Di Breaking News coverage on 31st August 1997.

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It's extracted from this recently uploaded video, which unfortunately only captures the preview, not the actual opening titles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBlPtxVUn0Q

As you can see it's an iridescent flag, which in the opening titles would 'blow' in from the left. It replaced the original BBC World 1995 branding, which featured a globe, some flags and the programme name in a box.

The branding was used across Newsday (0400 GMT/0600 CET), Newsdesk (1100 GMT/1300 CET), News Hour Asia Pacific (1330 GMT/1530 CET), The World Today (1700 GMT/1900 CET), World Report (2100 GMT/2300 CET) and Newsroom (0000 GMT/0200 CET).

While you're watching the video, look out for the science World Living end-sting and a trailer for BBC One's 'docusoap' Airport (which was no longer shown on BBC World after 1997). The video starts with the end of an episode of Tomorrow's World Time Machine. (Tomorrow's World was also removed from BBC World after 1997).

BBC World was given an extensive makeover at the end of October 1997, with new idents, logo, graphics and schedule from Sunday 26th October 1997.

And finally, here are the March 1997 Newsdesk titles in all their glory!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opFwfEgYYR8

Assume that with shot with the newsroom supposedly behind the news desk was done in the virtual studio.

I know it's only on screen briefly, but the wide shot with the edge of the blue backdrop 'in front' of the newsroom looks so odd. I can see what they were trying to achieve - I'm not really sure it works though.
AndrewPSSP, Alfie Mulcahy and bilky asko gave kudos
NG
noggin Founding member
JKDerry posted:
AaronLancs posted:
Watching them clips, can I ask how the newsroom shots were done with the studio? Also in the Newsdesk video it mentions X in the studio and Y in the newsroom. Was there a dedicated presentation position in the newsroom itself.

From what I have read on BBC Television Centre back then, they had a camera set up based at a proper news desk in the BBC newsroom. This camera could be used for a presenter in the actual newsroom, or the shot from the camera could be used in the computer generated backdrop of N1 studio.

In fact there was a "blooper" where during the news bulletin, a cleaner is seen walking past the camera and is seen on screen, and her reaction was fun to watch, as she noticed herself on screen.


Sort of - though that camera was usually used just as a straight CSO backdrop behind a mid-shot - directly replicating the shot you'd have achieved were you to be sitting in front of the newsroom camera, but without the presenter needing to be in the newsroom. I don't think there was much integration into the other 'faux virtual' elements, though there may have been a faked wideshot that was recorded to laser disc. I think the 'presenter in studio with newsroom backdrop' option was preferred over 'presenter in newsroom' for lots of reasons - better sound, better lighting etc.

(It's important to remember that the only 'computer generated' elements of that era of BBC One/Two/World news presentation were the virtual wide shots, including moving shots, that were pre-rendered and recorded to Sony CRV analogue laser disc, and then replayed from that laser disc, alongside timecode slaved Charisma DVE moves to embed live camera shots into these pre-rendered elements. If you saw a live shot incorporated into a rendered virtual element - it was just a simple DVE keyed into the scene.)

22 days later

GE
thegeek Founding member
I found this CD in my garage, which I think I must have rescued from a bin in TV Centre before it closed, and I'd entirely forgotten about it until now.

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(shonky logo alert!)

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Weekend 24 was on for an hour on Saturday mornings on BBC Two. I'm not sure when either versions of these title music were used, but it would only have lasted up until October when the bleeps and pips were introduced. I've had a quick look and can't easily see any captures of the bulletins on the web, but perhaps someone else can.

Anyhow, I thought I'd be nice in the forum's dying days and share them - they're too big for Metropol in one file, but here are two seperate zip files with Version 1 and Version 2.
BB
BBC WORLD 24
Wow thanks for sharing!
JI
Jimmyson
thegeek posted:

Weekend 24 was on for an hour on Saturday mornings on BBC Two. I'm not sure when either versions of these title music were used, but it would only have lasted up until October when the bleeps and pips were introduced. I've had a quick look and can't easily see any captures of the bulletins on the web, but perhaps someone else can.


Not much of a full program, just a reference, weather and the closing titles to Weekend 24. Seems to show the program from 08:54am onwards at the 4:11 mark...
Last edited by Jimmyson on 11 March 2021 7:05am
Richard, AndrewPSSP and Roger Darthwell gave kudos
IT
itsrobert Founding member
Many thanks, thegeek - well done for saving that CD. It makes you wonder just how many CDs and tapes weren't so lucky. Just how much history was thrown out during the move from TVC? That's quite a sad thought.
JL
J. Lyric
I expected the CD to be David's work - it wasn't - but that's okay

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