GB News: Launch

[swaggyboi128]

Location for the NI reporter is.... Northern Ireland.

[samdarleyeditor]

ooh, he's in a classroom... i thought he was in an underpass

[AxG]

It never sounds good when you have to clarify that you're unbiased.

[william]

Are there definitely 2 galleries?

I've seen two different control room pictures with different views outside, so I'm pretty sure there are two (not including the newsroom monitor stacks.

The screen in one of the galleries refers to 'CR1' .

ok - here's another theory… these two are back to back on opposite sides of the same wall (note the aircon controls on opposite sides), vision mixing and playout in the top one, (additional?) sound and PTZ controls at bottom, screens in the second room just duplicates of the first.

Thoughts?

[bbctvtechop]

Apparently the manager at the New Maldon cafe told the reporter that he has had "lots of abuse" when they announced on Facebook that GB News would be visiting them. Third hand information, obviously, as per everything else on the channel.

But when the cafe is identifiable from the shot, and their social media page is publicly accessible, then it can be called out as simple lies and propoganda:

[img][/img]



(Although normally when Facebook comment counts don't match the actual number of comments, it means the comments have been deleted. Maybe the cafe owner isn't so keen on free speech as GB News say they are?)

[AJ]

It is refreshing to see a new news channel on the airwaves, but there are so many issues with it that it is not really a credible nor practical alternative to BBC or Sky News right now.

Let's be honest, this isn't news. It's comment - and repetitive comment at that. Two days on taking the knee is a bit much, and there doesn't seem to be much variation during the day too.

The lack of B-roll doesn't help either. It's not particularly visually engaging to have two presenters sat on a sofa for hours on end. It's almost student-like in the presentation, but that's possibly an affront to media students!

Certain presenters need to be reigned in. Spreading mistruths isn't acceptable, regardless of political viewpoint. It's also a little absurd to see presenters bickering between themselves and giving snide comments about it being a training show. Are they trying to be professional, or are they trying to be self-deprecating? It doesn't come across well at all.

On the advertisers pulling out - whilst the reality is that those brands wouldn't normally care, there's risk of reputational damage which brands need to be very aware of by association with the channel. Increasingly customers are voting with their wallets and moving away from brands which can be perceived as less ethical. It might seem trivial to some, but brands are becoming more aware of this.

The next 3 months will be interesting. There will likely be changes and tweaks to technology, line-ups etc - but unless it can actually deliver some news as the name of the channel suggests, it'll struggle to have any credibility whatsoever.

[bbctvtechop]

Are there definitely 2 galleries?

I've seen two different control room pictures with different views outside, so I'm pretty sure there are two (not including the newsroom monitor stacks.

The screen in one of the galleries refers to 'CR1' .

ok - here's another theory… these two are back to back on opposite sides of the same wall (note the aircon controls on opposite sides), vision mixing and playout in the top one, (additional?) sound and PTZ controls at bottom, screens in the second room just duplicates of the first.

Thoughts?

Hmm. Both of these say CR1 ("Control Room 1"?) on the MOSart timing screens. I think it's more likely they were taken at different stages of the installation, and that one image has been flipped horizontally.

[scottishtv]

The "Nationwide" segment is not great. A story of the gravity reported by the NI reporter (the NI government on the brink, and new elections potentially being called) should not follow on from a light-hearted piece about shoes/bunions.

I also think the Welsh reporter let the side down, referencing a pub closing down (presumably due to Covid?) and stating she was shown round earlier by the landlord. (Normally, you'd expect that to be an intro to some footage. There was none.) The landlord told her he was off to work on cruise ships, but we didn't get to see or hear directly from him. I think this reporter yesterday said she met a lady called Mary in a park celebrating and having a glass of fizz or something. She didn't think to film that either. She's not just walking around towns looking for news and anecdote, is she?

As I say, that lets the side down as there are obviously capable people within the group of regional reporters.

[bbctvtechop]

The "Nationwide" segment is not great. A story of the gravity reported by the NI reporter (the NI government on the brink, and new elections potentially being called) should not follow on from a light-hearted piece about shoes/bunions.

I also think the Welsh reporter let the side down, referencing a pub closing down (presumably due to Covid?) and stating she was shown round earlier by the landlord. (Normally, you'd expect that to be an intro to some footage. There was none.) The landlord told her he was off to work on cruise ships, but we didn't get to see or hear directly from him. I think this reporter yesterday said she met a lady called Mary in a park celebrating and having a glass of fizz or something. She didn't think to film that either. She's not just walking around towns looking for news and anecdote, is she?

As I say, that lets the side down as there are obviously capable people within the group of regional reporters.

But that requires someone* to film (I presume these correspondents are self operating?), someone* to edit, someone* to ingest, and someone else in London to insert into the running order.

*Could be the same person for all of these tasks.

I presume this is the same reason why packages aren't made (which require more editing, potentially voiceovers adding, etc).

[bbctvtechop]

ok - here's another theory… these two are back to back on opposite sides of the same wall (note the aircon controls on opposite sides), vision mixing and playout in the top one, (additional?) sound and PTZ controls at bottom, screens in the second room just duplicates of the first.

Thoughts?

Hmm. Both of these say CR1 ("Control Room 1"?) on the MOSart timing screens. I think it's more likely they were taken at different stages of the installation, and that one image has been flipped horizontally.

That doesn't seem likely as the text is the correct way round in both images.

Ah, yeah, good point, well made.

[RDJ]

Alex has disappeared from the desk as her mic was broken. So all we’re getting is Simon on his own with cameras going everywhere and Simon’s voice getting muffled by scuffles with Alex’s old and new mic.

And now multiple live links with guests are down and even Simon appears to be struggling to cope with everything going wrong. So they’ve had to get a correspondent out to join Simon to talk to him.

Technically, this is woeful and amateurish at best. I don’t think there’s been a technically adequate hour since it started. It’ll get better I’m sure but it should be much better than this from the off.

[Matrix]

I have to say, I've watched a little this afternoon and so much of this has a 'RI:SE' feel to it albeit with none of the technical skill.

Simon and Alex, for me, has been quite a difficult watch. The main feature appears to be a rehashed version of Nationwide, again plagued by tech problems. That said, some of the very basics (like the co-presenter twiddling her chair) really do stand out as needing work.

There's an interesting Guardian podcast (Today in Focus, as you ask) on the pre-launch of GB News. Like the Guardian though, I find myself agreeing. GB News in three words: 'A Damp Squid'.

[Cassia Tuna]

A Damp Squid

I think you mean A Damp Squib?

[Worzel]

Alex has disappeared from the desk as her mic was broken. So all we’re getting is Simon on his own with cameras going everywhere and Simon’s voice getting muffled by scuffles with Alex’s old and new mic.

And now multiple live links with guests are down and even Simon appears to be struggling with everything going wrong. So they’ve had to get a correspondent out to join Simon to talk to him.

The channel should be used to teach university students on how not to run a news channel.

I understand this is day 2, but it's getting a bit embarrassing now. Hats off to Simon for handling the 5pm cock up fest.

[Meridian MR]

I have to say, I've watched a little this afternoon and so much of this has a 'RI:SE' feel to it albeit with none of the technical skill.

Simon and Alex, for me, has been quite a difficult watch. The main feature appears to be a rehashed version of Nationwide, again plagued by tech problems. That said, some of the very basics (like the co-presenter twiddling her chair) really do stand out as needing work.

There's an interesting Guardian podcast (Today in Focus, as you ask) on the pre-launch of GB News. Like the Guardian though, I find myself agreeing. GB News in three words: 'A Damp Squid'.

A squid or a squib?