GB News: Launch

[London Lite]

The screen recorded video is also going up on Twitter. It has distorted audio and in SD using it.

https://twitter.com/GBNEWS/status/1405514683524829185

[TVViewer256]

Watched a bit today. It’s not terrible. Live links have worked, sound seems ok, studio looks alright. The range of things being discussed seems quite good with a mix of topical and silly. McCoy and Phillips are bouncing off each other pretty well.

I think some posters could look at things a bit more objectively. No broadcaster has been issue-free when it comes to all the many remote contributions over the past year and a half.

I think McCoy and Phillips are the best duo - they’ve got good chemistry and very good rapport.

[VMPhil]

Is it just me, or does the opening few seconds of GBNews' theme, remind them of the Central ident?

For me it sounds a bit like the UK Gold 1995 music

https://www.tvark.org/?page=media&mediaid=123305

[eyeTV]

Yes credit where it's due, it's a lot better this afternoon.

[jsnbts]

GB News promising to bring you the unheard stories from all around the UK that the mainstream channels don't bother with has two of their regional reporters sat in a pub - one in Essex and one in Stratford (London) - literally covering the same story that's already been covered by the other channels. I just don't get it.

It does seem, however, that the technical issues seem to be getting less, which is a good thing I suppose.

EDIT - spoke to soon (although you could argue it's not really a technical issue)...

https://twitter.com/GBNewsFails/status/1...19392?s=20

[Schwing]

Hello everyone.

When TVForum closed down I thought it was the ideal time to slip quietly away and avoid the dogmatism and rancour that would inevitably come to characterise debate herein. I’ve had - and still do have - larger fights to fight.

The creation and launch of GBNews, however, cannot pass without comment

It is a noble idea. To build something from scratch. To create a channel from nothing. To be an alternative source for news and current affairs rather than a source of alternative news and current affairs. Those connected to the station have impressive credentials; from Andrew Neil and John McAndrew to Discovery and Sir Paul Marshall, there is a wealth of experience, knowledge and talent at play. Yet no amount of experience or knowledge or talent is a guarantor of success. Far from it. When mistakes occur - as they are want to do - they are amplified in no small part due to the calibre of those associated with the station. They accrue a greater significance that may - or may not - be warranted.

As this week has demonstrated, investment and resources are as essential to a station’s success (or failure) as much as experience, knowledge and talent. For all the talk of changing how news is delivered, GBNews lacks the basic operational and technological infrastructure required to stay on air. Access to archives and news wires appears to be limited. Equally, for all the talk of representing the forgotten 99% of the country who live outside of SW1, it lacks a network of experienced correspondents, editors, operators and researches around the country that can service that ambition and give voice to those views.

GBNews was not - by any measure - ready to go on air. There are problems in front of the camera and behind. It matters that the public see these problems manifest. The public are creatures of habit. The public are (largely) rational beings and are conditioned to act in a set way. Thus they turn to recognised sources for news - sources that are at once familiar and largely trusted. They conform to a pattern and a structure such as headlines, important stories, sports news and the weather. On a news channel typically there are headlines every 15 minutes. This means that the public are able to obtain the basic information that they require to make informed or rational decisions in short order. In wishing to set itself apart from the competition, in wishing to change how news is delivered, GBNews has failed to address that most basic function of a news channel: to tell people what has happened. It is less a news channel and more a discussion channel. Would five minutes of headlines at the top and bottom of the hour really undermine its aims?

Of course the real challenge that confronts GBNews is its competition. It doesn’t understand it. It doesn’t know who it is challenging. In the weeks leading up to the launch of GBNews, it made much of the liberal bias and woke culture at the BBC and at ITV and at Sky. It was too London-centric and too dismissive of local issues and the regions. Where? Was it on the BBC News Channel? Was it on Sky News? As the viewing figures for this week have shown, the average viewing figures for the BBC News Channel top out at 140,000 give or take. Is that really the source of malign liberal influence and woke culture in this country? On average, the combined audience for BBC News at Ten and ITV News at Ten is 6 million per night. If it wishes to combat a malign liberal influence and woke culture, surely that is what GBNews should be competing against not a relatively small number of viewers who watch the news channels throughout the day. And the reason that people watch the flagship bulletins is that they are sandwiched between local news bulletins that, for all their faults, do cover local issues and stories (however parochial they may seem). Without the aforementioned investment and resources at a local level, GBNews will be unable to compete.

I cannot help but think that the creation and launch of GBNews displays a lack of self-awareness that is rather stunning in its scope.

For the record, the standout (from what I’ve seen) has been Rosie Wright. Both her camera operator and herself have had the good fortune to be on the road, largely distanced from the problems in the studio. Capable. Engaging. Fluent. I wouldn’t be surprised if she isn’t poached by the likes of the BBC in the fullness of time.

[James2001]

It does seem, however, that the technical issues seem to be getting less, which is a good thing I suppose.

Though you can argue the technical issues are what's keeping many watching the channel. They go and much of the already small audience they have will evaporate.

[Worzel]

So its been a lot better this afternoon. Alex looks like she's been reigned in a bit and the channel looks more polished. From the occasional wide shot when you can see the gallery there are what looks like senior people standing over it seemingly directing the output, much like last night when the standard of output improved.

Alex's moaning slot was done via a mixture of the 2 presenter shot and upper top body shots of Simon and Alex separately which was much better.

There seems less gossiping about stories and much more information being delivered to the viewer - fantastic.

We did see a clip from the wires with a spokesperson giving a line to the press from The Manchester Arena inquiry (I would assume from Reuters) which I don't think I've seen before. The range of stories and how they flow from one item to the next is also better.

They still need to look at what the regional reporters are covering but the handovers and backs are much better.

I suggested quite a few pages back that they needed to scrap the silly presenter handovers and run an advert break/promos or weather up to the hour when the host changeovers happen and they've added an extra break which is good. I think personally they should go up to every hour with ads as the GB News sting acting as a short break is a bit jarring.

Last night when I was watching Dewbs and Co I did witness a transition to go from the studio shot to the split screen which I'd never seen before (an animated GB News flag) which I hope we'll see more of.

Hopefully they'll add some fade transitions when coming off the titles and cut to the studio shots and sort out the graphics alignment issues.

But hats off to them, much better and what anyone would class as an acceptable standard.

[swaggyboi128]

Alex's moaning slot was done via a mixture of the 2 presenter shot and upper torso shots of Simon and Alex separately which was much better.

I really hope that's autocorrect...

[Worzel]

Alex's moaning slot was done via a mixture of the 2 presenter shot and upper torso shots of Simon and Alex separately which was much better.

I really hope that's autocorrect...

Typo, using a GB News spellchecker!

[London Lite]

For the record, the standout (from what I’ve seen) has been Rosie Wright. Both her camera operator and herself have had the good fortune to be on the road, largely distanced from the problems in the studio. Capable. Engaging. Fluent. I wouldn’t be surprised if she isn’t poached by the likes of the BBC in the fullness of time.

I couldn't agree more. Rosie's road trip has stood out among the generic topics that the channel has been broadcasting this week which has allowed her to be disconnected from the issues they've had in Paddington. I'll actually be disappointed when she's wheeled in to do a studio pres shift.

I'd add that Conchúr Dowds has also been exceptional this week. Maybe it's down to NI having their own issues, but he hasn't had to resort to doing lives in pubs every day this week, but he's clearly their best VJ.

As others have mentioned, the output is becoming a lot more professional this afternoon. Alex today is starting to deliver like a newsreader rather than a commentator reading autocue. Since 8pm last night, they've started to turn the corner. They haven't quite got there yet, but if you can watch it for the editorial rather than the clangers, they're heading in the right direction slowly.

[Worzel]

Looks like GB News are recruiting some more producers: https://gbnews.livevacancies.co.uk/#/

[Jon]

Phillips and McCoy are by far the best of the pairings in daytime and the bits I’ve seen today I couldn’t fault or notice many technical problems.

The Colin and Mercy pairing just doesn’t work. There is bound to be place for Mercy on the channel, but maybe as a commentator she’d be better, she seems out of her comfort zone at the moment. I think a show like Dan’s would work in daytime, after all does for Channel 5 and she could be a regular panelist and also help to fill gaps on others shows.

My changes to daytime would be.
10am: Colin Brazier, similar format to now with mainly interviews and debates along with a discussion panel throughout to plug any gaps.
Noon: Gloria De Piero, a more panel based show akin to Jeremy Vine.
2pm-5pm Simon and Alex.

I would have a newsreader do a full news round up akin to what GMB have in the first few minutes of each hour, this can help set the agenda for that hours content, so there isn’t the randomness of different stories popping up.

I also still think the the local reporters should be producing some packages, to go out the next day when they go also be utilised for live OB.

The lighting seems much better now, but the sets need to be brighter.

Fornat wise the evenings are ok at the moment.

[Matt]

If we’re talking schedule, I would suggest Dan Wootton’s show would be better suited to the Friday and Saturday Tonight Live slot as his show often seems to contain a lot of entertainment/showbiz topics (mainly the latest on Meghan).

There have certainly been fewer technical issues today which I’m sure will be a relief for them. The thing that’s struck me most is how unhappy Simon McCoy looks, even when discussing the lighter segments - not like him.

[thecorrector]

Phillips and McCoy are by far the best of the pairings in daytime and the bits I’ve seen today I couldn’t fault or notice many technical problems.

Aside from Toby Young's line going down during an interview and Simon doing his entire Good News segment focused on viewers' amusing pets without being able to show any of them, you mean?

https://twitter.com/GBNewsFails/status/1...81319?s=20