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BBC TV News
In 1993, the BBC revamped all its main news programmes on BBC 1. In the past, where there had been seperate studios, or at least sets, for every news programme, it was decided that all programmes would use the same set and similar titles. It was also a departure in terms of technology, as for the first time, the studio was 'virtual' - where much of the picture was computer generated.
The titles were based on the BBC's coat of arms, starting on the central 'globe', zooming out and panning across to show the whole studio. A computer controlled camera moved in time with the graphics so that the 'real' part of the set, including the newsreaders could be added in. Occasionally this didn't happen correctly so that the studio appeared to be empty.
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Above left is the opening shot for some of the programmes. Above right is the updated version for when the new BBC logo was updated in October 1997. Below left shows Chris Lowe reading the news in front of the 'generic' background. In main bulitins, a graphic for a story would usually appear 'behind' the newsreader. The blue background behind the graphic is real, but was removable for different news programmes. Below right is a wide studio shot. Everything you see is fake appart from the newsreader, Moira Stewart and some of the background.
The front of the desk is computer generated as well, though in some closer shots the desk is real. Even the lights in the ceiling aren't real - they fade up and down in time to the real lights.
The BBC News website address was shown at the end of news programmes a few months after this capture was taken. Note also that before the new BBC logo, news programmes were named in full, while afterwards only BBC NEWS was used.
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Below is a shot from the new-look news that was adopted in May 1999. All titled have been created in widescreen although they are not yet used in that way. The shot below comes from News 24 where they used to use the generic BBC News titles instead of their own for periods during the night when they shared coverage with BBC WORLD.
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On 12th February 1996, BBC Northern Ireland's long-running news magazine, Inside Ulster was replaced by Newsline 6.30 and moved from 5.35pm to, er, 6.30pm.
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Above is the title sequence for the short Newsline bullitins. Below is the revamped version used from November 1997 until October 1999
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In 1999, the BBC decided that regional news programmes should be similar in style to the new national ones, so from the period October 1999 - June 2000 each region was gradually changed to adopt the new look. The 'National regions' were first along with Newsroom Southeast, followed by the rest eventually.
The BBC NEWS logo appears on all of the new sets of titles, except in some areas where they include the region name. Newsline, for example, has titles including the caption 'BBC News Northern Ireland' since the programme name itself has no regional identity. The Newline Extra titles from the programme shown at 10pm weekday nights on BBC CHOICE NI are shown below:
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