BBC News Channel General Discussion

Ta da! Here, you see BBC One cutting out of the current tv show into a 'serious ident' before cutting into the News channel

Here's an example when they waited for the next junction:

And here's how it was handled on the News Channel:



To explain what has happened here, Martine Croxall has interrupted the discussion she was having with her guests, to explain they were expcting the announcement. She then handed over to BBC World News presenters as they interrupted whatever programme was going out on BBC World News to do the same. BBC One joined at a later point as the earlier video shows.

This is how the presenter had to pause and wait as well as for all graphics needed to be removed, for viewers from BBC One to join the NC.

Sorry if I missed that thread. The breaking into network programming seems kind of underwhelming for a major story. Also on an unrelated note why did the BBC simulcast Nelson Mandela's funeral on BBC One (with news gfx) , BBC Two and BBC News Channel? I'm sure it was already discussed but I wasn't here for it.

There's not the necessity for a countdown to the special report here, which makes things simpler. The words spoken by the newsreader give enough impact to make a fanfare a bit redundant, or even disrespectful if the news is powerful enough.

When George Entwistle resigned, the ident was played out old-school with no soundtrack, whether on purpose or not.

Probably because you're used to seeing the dramatic introductions of breaking news on American networks, which to a British audience would come across as unnecessary.

Can't answer why Mandela's funeral was simulcast across three channels. It seems unlikely to me that it would be on BBC2 as well as BBC1.

Simulcasts with 1 for major events (outside of breaking news) are common as they reach a bigger audience than on the NC alone. Sometimes that's BBC1 taking a NC programme (eg the David Bowie special on Monday) , and other times its the other way around with the NC dipping into the event that's being covered in full on BBC1 (such as sport - an example I can think of is when Andy Murray won Wimbledon the NC took it live too).

I still think that's one of the most appalling pieces of continuity.

Indeed it is, in fact just about all BBC 'Newsflashes', have been gravitas free zones this century. Whether that's because they are normally a handover to the News Channel, or because BBC Network pres is now outsourced I don't know, probably both !

Everything about that clip is appalling, should be used to teach future broadcasters how not to do breaking news.

As well as the continuity, you shouldn't learn breaking news from a graphic and crash halfway into a statement from a relatively unknown person.

The royal baby one above was also an occasion where the breaking news graphics spoiled the news which is bad practice in my opinion.

Yes, they had plenty of warning that a statement was coming and good idea of what it was going to be.

However, had it turned out to not be the death of Mandela, BBC One would have been criticised for breaking into a programme for a relatively unimportant story.

Better would have been a news flash with Martine in vision on BBC One only, while NC continued with the statement.