[DTV]

As chris says above, it was good that they introduced some camera movement and attempted to differentiate the different bulletins, but I just can't really say that I rate that particular set - it never sat well with either the cream and red look or the darker clamshell identity. While there are some good bits about the set, such as the very seamless use of mirrors to extend the backdrop, there are just too many clear flaws. The side screens have always been a particular issue for me - they somehow manage to be simultaneously too close and too far away from the desk - the standing explainer shots look cramped, while the over the shoulder and down the line shots look too spaced out.

It's also a shame that they decided to ditch the second version of the cream and red set after only 13 months - replacing one of my favourite national sets with one of my least favourite. More broadly, the whole 'light-up' era is also my least favourite generation of BBC News sets - not just was there no real consistency (other than white light-up desks), but no set really got it right anyway.

Also, looking back at the launch day clips there are two things that particularly stick out - the yellow tinge in the internal desk light just makes it look aged from day one. Plus they clearly altered the lightboxes fairly quickly after launch - I don't think I'd ever realised that they were a bit patchy to start with (though weirdly they ended up looking quite similar to that at the end of the set's life after they moved it into TC7).