Pre-Launch BBC News: Studio B Refit

[Renap]

Hopefully the new studio includes a complete rebrand of the titles - getting confused if it is happening now or is it still later on?

The whole April changes were outright disappointing and I was tempted to sign up then to post about it but decided to hold on in case anything changed.

The titles have overstayed their welcome, and let's not forget the music too. It's been in general use since 1999, it's had its time, time to retire it and move onto something new, even doing variations for the One/Six/Ten would be good, rather than a general remix of the same music and beeps people have heard for years. Want someone to turn their head and watch the show? Do something different, not the same.

If there's supposed to be a radical shakeup of BBC News (especially since the news channels are merging), they should do the same like they did in 1999, rather than just a new lick of paint that lasts for over ten years or longer. No doubt presenter changes will have to be looked at over the next year or so too. People weren't a fan of that in 1999 but the fact is it is going to happen sooner rather than later.

Sadly I don't expect much, especially with the state the BBC is in, it's not looking so good. Sorry if it's in the wrong thread.

[AaronLancs]

The titles have overstayed their welcome, and let's not forget the music too. It's been in general use since 1999, it's had its time, time to retire it and move onto something new, even doing variations for the One/Six/Ten would be good, rather than a general remix of the same music and beeps people have heard for years. Want someone to turn their head and watch the show? Do something different, not the same.

As I keep on saying, the music of David Lowe doesn't need to go anywhere. This argument against the music - that has had variations on a theme since 1999 - is tiring, ridiculous and has been in my viewpoint the most overplayed broken record on this place and in the blue place previously when arguments are made.

As I say in all posts that attack the music. Lowe's themes have become an Awakening of sorts for BBC News. ITN and the modern ITV News have had the same theme - and variations thereof - since the sixties. The original theme, The Awakening was composed by Johnny Pearson and the modern themes have been done by Dave Hewson - who did coincidentally the 2008 BBC Arabic relaunch package - and Bill Baylis.

So when people make basic arguments for the Beeb to turf out Lowe because the music is 'tired' and 'has outlived its welcome'. One could easily make the argument for ITV News to get rid of Hewson & Baylis because those bongs have outlived their usefulness too. Each service needs a distinct set the themes to distinguish it from the rivals and in the twenty three years since Lowe has took on the mantle, my view would be the following:

That there needs to be more orchestral elements brought in and the synths and drums being used as audio "seasoning" of sorts, there to punctuate, not to dominate. The pips are to be kept, they are iconic and say in a musical sense 'This is the BBC', heck other broadcasters around the world have imitated them in various forms in their themes.

I hope this is enough to put any future argument to rest. 'Nuff said.

[AndrewP]

I personally don't understand why the 2007 music got replaced, I personally prefer them to the 2008 one. It was such a minor change that I doubt most viewers noticed
Punchy bass for the win!

[mdta]

I personally don't understand why the 2007 music got replaced, I personally prefer them to the 2008 one. It was such a minor change that I doubt most viewers noticed
Punchy bass for the win!

Something about moving from dark blacks and slower moving on-screen elements with the titles, compared to the lighter, brighter, 2008 titles with more cuts and faster paced visuals.

[jaykhan24]

https://rxtvinfo.com/2022/new-look-bbc-n...oming-soon

Think its getting official about studio B.

[Renap]

As I keep on saying, the music of David Lowe doesn't need to go anywhere. This argument against the music - that has had variations on a theme since 1999 - is tiring, ridiculous and has been in my viewpoint the most overplayed broken record on this place and in the blue place previously when arguments are made.

As I say in all posts that attack the music. Lowe's themes have become an Awakening of sorts for BBC News. ITN and the modern ITV News have had the same theme - and variations thereof - since the sixties. The original theme, The Awakening was composed by Johnny Pearson and the modern themes have been done by Dave Hewson - who did coincidentally the 2008 BBC Arabic relaunch package - and Bill Baylis.

So when people make basic arguments for the Beeb to turf out Lowe because the music is 'tired' and 'has outlived its welcome'. One could easily make the argument for ITV News to get rid of Hewson & Baylis because those bongs have outlived their usefulness too. Each service needs a distinct set the themes to distinguish it from the rivals and in the twenty three years since Lowe has took on the mantle, my view would be the following:

That there needs to be more orchestral elements brought in and the synths and drums being used as audio "seasoning" of sorts, there to punctuate, not to dominate. The pips are to be kept, they are iconic and say in a musical sense 'This is the BBC', heck other broadcasters around the world have imitated them in various forms in their themes.

I hope this is enough to put any future argument to rest. 'Nuff said.

I accept your points made, yes The Awakening has been around since forever, but the BBC did often replace the themes once in a while.

The music is obviously a touchy subject as you have brought up its frequency on people supporting it or the complete opposite. 

You can only do so many changes before people expect something else. It's had a good run, but as News gets revamped over the next few years, it may be worth changing things up more.

Either way as long as the titles get replaced and the overall graphics it should at least be some improvement. They have been in use since 2008 after all, should have been replaced when they went to NBH.

Surely we can get something different going on at this point? That's all people are trying to ask for. Better than the sloppy changes made in April anyway.

[MFTJA]

https://rxtvinfo.com/2022/new-look-bbc-n...oming-soon

Think its getting official about studio B.

It’s been official to the public since this thread started and no doubt BBC staff have been planning this for a while. That article doesn’t tell us anything that we don’t already know and I think (though I may be wrong) that there has been no reports that it will be similar to the Wales Today studio other than speculation on here and other similar forums.

For what it’s worth, we’ll see this new studio in the coming weeks and then we’ll actually know what it looks like

[cybercd]

Expectations are in danger of getting carried away.

The new set is great, with lots of kit you've not seen before.

But AFAIK the music isn't changing and the graphics are pretty much the same as now.

I'm sure you haven't got too long to wait, but if you're expecting everything to change you're going to be disappointed.

[MFTJA]

[/quote]
I accept your points made, yes The Awakening has been around since forever, but the BBC did often replace the themes once in a while.

The music is obviously a touchy subject as you have brought up its frequency on people supporting it or the complete opposite. 

You can only do so many changes before people expect something else. It's had a good run, but as News gets revamped over the next few years, it may be worth changing things up more.

Either way as long as the titles get replaced and the overall graphics it should at least be some improvement. They have been in use since 2008 after all, should have been replaced when they went to NBH.

Surely we can get something different going on at this point? That's all people are trying to ask for. Better than the sloppy changes made in April anyway.
[/quote]

News music is some of the most iconic music on TV. In Britain alone we have the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, & SKY who have all used versions of the same music for 20 years or more. Across the world, ARD's Tagesschau has had the same music since the 1950s. News programmes are often on multiple times a day, or even on all day in the case of rolling news channels. Why keep changing a theme tune that instantly tells viewers what channel they're watching? It just loses recognisability. 

Onto the titles, it's extremely impressive that Lambie-Nairn were able to create these titles all the way back in 2008 and they still look perfectly fine today. Compare these to other titles from 2008 and you'll see just how dated some now look. There is no need for the BBC to rebrand its news output so often. It is expensive to do and with the BBC on such a tight budget it makes much more sense to put this money in to more necessary things i.e programme making.

[AxiosBrit67]

Because of Andrew Neil's concern about how dated BBC News branding look like than other broadcasters, I'll not surprised that new look BBC News are tied to address the Neil's concern and 2008 BBC News look was longest ever for the history of BBC News and still iconic today for anyone watching BBC News worldwide, surpassing Six o'clock news look (1984-1993). Especially, this rebrand coincides with wider corporate BBC rebrand in time of its centennary celebration.

[deejay]

The music ITN originally used was possibly some of the least “newsy” music ever. Bill Bailey has even mocked this in some of his orchestral shows.

https://youtu.be/swMDE4K3Iwc

[Moz]

Just watched Newyddion for the first time in ages and as it’s from a studio which by all accounts B will be like, I wondered if any of rhe elements - particularly the AR screen - will be used for the Six and Ten?

[Brekkie]

Never understood investing thousands in the wraparound screen in the studio then using a fairly cheap looking AR screen to illustrate stories instead.

[cybercd]

Just watched Newyddion for the first time in ages and as it’s from a studio which by all accounts B will be like, I wondered if any of rhe elements - particularly the AR screen - will be used for the Six and Ten?

I think enough people have hinted that this is not what Studio B will be like.

[Moz]

Just watched Newyddion for the first time in ages and as it’s from a studio which by all accounts B will be like, I wondered if any of rhe elements - particularly the AR screen - will be used for the Six and Ten?

I think enough people have hinted that this is not what Studio B will be like.

I thought everyone was saying it’s going to be very close to the Cardiff set. That’s what I’ve read on here so far.

---

Never understood investing thousands in the wraparound screen in the studio then using a fairly cheap looking AR screen to illustrate stories instead.

Newsnight frequently used additional screens on trollies when they were in B - and they were surrounded by screens then!