ITV National Continuity

Interesting opinions here - although I think one should differentiate between personal taste and competence at the job.

The ex LWT girl ("Trish") sounds different on Five for instance so a question of clever adjusting of style to station - and LWT was always upbeat, in yer face and smiley - so any sort of down beat style wouldn't have suited - if there was ever a station that 'grinned ' at you it was LWT ! I miss it at the weekends - you always knew the weekend was here when it came on all razzamatazz .

I realise the fashion seems to be for 'cool' these days - but I prefer a bit of enthusiasm - the Scottish lad on ITV is always enthusiastic which is great.

I suppose if 'LWT-Trish' had anything to be smug about its that she's been around for years and years on all sorts of stations outlasting quite a few along the way ! No mean achievement . ( how old is she???)

anyway ,one person's 'smug' is another person's great announcing . Just like the posts here- one persons considered opinion is another person's pompous ramble .....its all subjective in the end.

I think all the ITV lot are doing well - it must be a hard time for them with all the merger stuff going on . but thats just my subjective opinion!

How come nobody's commented on Scottish Paul's performance tonight, he sounds in a right state!

In that case, you might just be interested in this blatent plug!


I simply wouldn't DREAM; but I reckon you've picked up a brownie point or two with "girl"!

Just been having a look at the LWT tribute web site. Wow.
For my money both Trish and Glen take a lot of beating when I hear them on my telly. Long may they continue to 'banter' between the programmes!
As for Scottish Paul, well, all I can say is for God's sake 'SLOW DOWN' my Grandmother can never understand what he says!

Unusual - he's one of the only staffers who sounds interested in the programmes, and has a sense of humour!

That is a joke is it not?

Sasha sounded very interested in the NTA Awards last night! At least she reacts to the programmes off the back if she can and its live - she at least gives u the impression she's enjoyed that show ith you - but then being ex BBC I would expect that!
Scottish Paul did a live vo on sat night off Pop Idol and could have easily picked up on what Ant and Dec said - but no - just plodded on with his messages from the script!!!! And with most of them - you just NEVER get the feeling that they are watching the programme with you!

It's not necessarily what you say though, Media Boy, it's the way you say it.

I've been in the bar at LWT with a certain individual, so been certain that they've NOT watched the programme; yet they've gone back to the gob box, sorry, booth, and delivered a voice over end credits that sounds like they've watched every minute.

If you've got the nack, you've got the nack. If you haven't, then hard luck.

I COULD say it's in the basic training, but I'm not in that much of a trumpet blowing mood tonight!

At the end of the day do you realy think that the general public care what they sound like or even know what a continuity announcer is ?.
I know we all do as we are interested in TV but most of my mates don't even know about the ITV regions they do identify with Anglia and the knight on the horse etc from childhood memories but that's it i'm afraid .

For the most part, no they don't care. Truth be known, most people in TV really know nothing and care less.

While working at HTV in Bristol an editor came into my booth along with a producer who was looking for a voice over.

"I just assumed you were a voice in London" In saying that he said a mouthful.

In October 1999 I was told along with my colleague that HTV West continuity was closing, the press had a field day. Suddenly everyone in the area knew my name and I received some very nice letters, emails and phone calls. By February 2000 all continuity for HTV West came from Meridian, m'lovely colleague Fiona moving to Southampton to add that much needed "Gosh I'm curvy and foxy" sound. Now the interesting bit, also by February 2000 HTV West viewers would have probably said "Philip who?"

Yes, but I don't think it really matters if viewers know the announcers or not.

The important thing is what local continuity does for a regional station.

Local announcers give the station its own personality and viewers feel that the channel is, to a degree, part of their local community. I think this was particularly the case with in-vision announcers on the smaller, regional stations. At the other end of the scale, this also worked a treat for LWT. From 5.15pm on Fridays, ITV noticeably changed with an upbeat razzmatazz approach which marked the start of LWT.

Regional announcers also had far more scope to plug local programming in among their schedule announcements, adding to the feeling that you were watching *your* local ITV station. (It's no wonder viewing figures for all regional programming on ITV is falling - the shows are hardly promoted).

This was all part of ITV's charm and appeal and it has now been totally frittered away.

To be fair to him.. I think last Saturday it was Paul Seed on ITV1, cause I remember hearing Paul J on ITV2.

His voice did sound terrible, but hes back to normal today though.