BBC News Channel/BBC World News Merger - Printable Version

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+--- Thread: BBC News Channel/BBC World News Merger (/showthread.php?tid=103)

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RE: BBC News Channel/BBC World News Merger - Critique - 13-01-2023

From what people have said on here/TVF, the use of a hand or foot controller for the autocue is quite widespread in UK news. Back on TVF, someone once explained how just after midnight on Sky News they move from having an autocue op to the presenter controlling the autocue themselves, with the handover taking place whilst the first report is running. The Singapore bits of Newsday on BBC World News also used to (not sure if they still do now it’s solely anchored from Singapore) have the presenter do their own autocue, as the handheld controller was quite chunky. I’d be very surprised if the BBC and ITV regions didn’t have the presenter operate their own autocue too, perhaps with the exception of the flagship evening bulletin.

Incidentally, I’ve no idea if it’s true or not but I’ve always assumed that it must be very difficult for a presenter to operate their own autocue if presenting a double headed programme. I seem to remember seeing a clip from GB News doing just that not long after launch, which looked a bit odd on screen as one of the presenters had an autocue controller, meaning that they could basically never look away from the camera. You don’t really think about it, but on double headed shows it’s often natural for the presenter that’s not talking to look at their scripts or turn to look at their fellow presenter (was this referred to as the Elstree triangle back on TVF?), and so when they’re just staring dead ahead it looks quite unnatural!

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RE: BBC News Channel/BBC World News Merger - London Lite - 13-01-2023

Studio D at Broadcasting House has used a foot pedal when BBC London have been in there, it used to be visible on side shots before the recent set revamp. I'm sure it's still there if D is to be used for the UK opt-out of BBC News once it merges with World.

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RE: BBC News Channel/BBC World News Merger - matthieu1221 - 13-01-2023

(13-01-2023, 12:49 AM)Critique Wrote:  From what people have said on here/TVF, the use of a hand or foot controller for the autocue is quite widespread in UK news. Back on TVF, someone once explained how just after midnight on Sky News they move from having an autocue op to the presenter controlling the autocue themselves, with the handover taking place whilst the first report is running. The Singapore bits of Newsday on BBC World News also used to (not sure if they still do now it’s solely anchored from Singapore) have the presenter do their own autocue, as the handheld controller was quite chunky. I’d be very surprised if the BBC and ITV regions didn’t have the presenter operate their own autocue too, perhaps with the exception of the flagship evening bulletin.

Incidentally, I’ve no idea if it’s true or not but I’ve always assumed that it must be very difficult for a presenter to operate their own autocue if presenting a double headed programme. I seem to remember seeing a clip from GB News doing just that not long after launch, which looked a bit odd on screen as one of the presenters had an autocue controller, meaning that they could basically never look away from the camera. You don’t really think about it, but on double headed shows it’s often natural for the presenter that’s not talking to look at their scripts or turn to look at their fellow presenter (was this referred to as the Elstree triangle back on TVF?), and so when they’re just staring dead ahead it looks quite unnatural!

French TV news channels run on presenter-controlled autocue. It's simple, when it's double-headed, have 2 foot-pedals or 2 desk-bound autocue scrollers!

I recall seeing that on GB News and was thinking it was a bit odd. Did they not have the resources to have 2 handheld controllers?

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RE: BBC News Channel/BBC World News Merger - DTV - 14-01-2023

With regard to the presentation of the new channel - the fact that it is going to be soft-launched (as evident from the phasing-in of additional simulcasts and confirmed in one of the above articles), combined with the fact that it took eight months to renovate Studio B and the launch is in April, has made me suspect that any studio or presentation changes will be staggered. I suspect that they'll launch the new channel from Studio C, allowing Studio E to be refitted, and then move to the new studio in the autumn.

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RE: BBC News Channel/BBC World News Merger - NickyBoy - 14-01-2023

Sorry for maybe asking a stupid question, why is that the majority of the domestic BBC News Channel is being dropped in favour for the BBC World News format? Why couldn't the merged channel be based on what the News Channel does, or did?

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RE: BBC News Channel/BBC World News Merger - JayCasey - 14-01-2023

On the autocue point, it's been presenter controlled via a foot pedal at CNBC Europe since at least the early 2000's.

When I was there, I just assumed that it was industry standard, but I've since come to learn that it's probably around half and half.

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RE: BBC News Channel/BBC World News Merger - Technologist - 14-01-2023

Back in the 1980s there was foot pedal operated Autocue -it controlled tractor feed system 
(imagine inverted model tank with pressure pads) using "bog roll" paper as was the custom of the time
...... cue one Political corespondent  at Norman Shaw North - he pressed the pedal down
- it was going too fast  he paniced  & pressed pedal to the floor
(its default  used by operator was as accelerator)
- paper went flying across the studio  - the Tractor feed without paper had a very loud whine
and the expression on his face was a picture ...
Not really appreciated  by the Folks at TC... or the viewers!!

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RE: BBC News Channel/BBC World News Merger - DTV - 14-01-2023

(14-01-2023, 01:09 PM)NickyBoy Wrote:  Sorry for maybe asking a stupid question, why is that the majority of the domestic BBC News Channel is being dropped in favour for the BBC World News format? Why couldn't the merged channel be based on what the News Channel does, or did?

Because BBC World News makes money and the BBC News channel doesn't. Making that money is dependent on the channel being relevant to international audiences, with the profits the channel makes being used to subsidise the BBC's domestic news operation (also, even without the profits, the channel pays for a certain fraction of the BBC's newsgathering costs). Should BBC World News cease to make a profit, it cannot be sustained as the BBC cannot use licence money to subsidise its commercial operations. If BBC World News goes, the BBC News channel loses roughly half of its output anyway and would be unlikely to be able to survive.

I know there are loads of parochial 'the BBC should be British news for British people' concerns, but pretty much every function that the current BBC News channel does is also done by another BBC service or will still be done by the new BBC News channel. By losing the BBC News channel in its current form, you aren't losing a lot and are saving money. While losing BBC World News would a) take away a key revenue stream (at a time of budget shortages), b) put a massive dent in the BBC's international presence (key to both BBC finances and network news) and c) mean you probably lose the BBC News channel anyway.

As I've said before, it isn't ideal, but it is the better option. Though, to be quite honest, I feel like I've said a lot of this stuff before.

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chris - chris - 14-01-2023

(14-01-2023, 02:10 PM)DTV Wrote:  

(14-01-2023, 01:09 PM)NickyBoy Wrote:  Sorry for maybe asking a stupid question, why is that the majority of the domestic BBC News Channel is being dropped in favour for the BBC World News format? Why couldn't the merged channel be based on what the News Channel does, or did?

Because BBC World News makes money and the BBC News channel doesn't. Making that money is dependent on the channel being relevant to international audiences, with the profits the channel makes being used to subsidise the BBC's domestic news operation (also, even without the profits, the channel pays for a certain fraction of the BBC's newsgathering costs). Should BBC World News cease to make a profit, it cannot be sustained as the BBC cannot use licence money to subsidise its commercial operations. If BBC World News goes, the BBC News channel loses roughly half of its output anyway and would be unlikely to be able to survive.

I know there are loads of parochial 'the BBC should be British news for British people' concerns, but pretty much every function that the current BBC News channel does is also done by another BBC service or will still be done by the new BBC News channel. By losing the BBC News channel in its current form, you aren't losing a lot and are saving money. While losing BBC World News would a) take away a key revenue stream (at a time of budget shortages), b) put a massive dent in the BBC's international presence (key to both BBC finances and network news) and c) mean you probably lose the BBC News channel anyway.

As I've said before, it isn't ideal, but it is the better option. Though, to be quite honest, I feel like I've said a lot of this stuff before.

The best summary I’ve read. Here’s hoping we can end all the exaggerated posts about the death of the BBC.

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RE: BBC News Channel/BBC World News Merger - Newsroom - 14-01-2023

Sadly there has been a shooting near Euston Station in London. Both Sky and BBC news sent push alerts out at just after 16.30.

I find it worrying that the already 'merged' weekend service hasn't touched on it at the top of the hour.

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