Appontment To View - A mistake?

squareeyes · Post by **squareeyes** » Tue Nov 08, 2005 8:16 pm

Well...it seems to me Sky News may have made a bit of a blunder with the relaunch.

Speaking personally, I often used to flick on Sky News at the top of the hour to see what the top stories are...now most of the time you get THREE presenters standing round a plastic podium "chatting" about the top stories before getting to the "meat" of a bulletin. So, instead I have been watching News24 at the top of the hour.

It seems I am not alone, with NEWS24 claiming to have gained 300 thousand viewers since Sky's relaunch....I expect some major changes at Sky to get them back on top!

Please discuss.

dustymoo · Post by **dustymoo** » Wed Nov 09, 2005 2:36 am

I kind of like the informality of it all. Although, I completely agree with you. Take the Sport for instance. They will have a two minute conversation before actually getting to the sports news itself.

I think where Sky News has been lacking for a while, compared to BBC, is world news. It seems very focused on UK and American home affairs. For instance, President Chavez of Venezuela has endured attempted coups, and attempts on his life at the hands of Americans for the past five years or so. The BBC has followed this story from the start, but on Sky it goes virtually unreported. Except for the website. The same goes for the plight of Tibet against Chinese forces.

I must say I?m a little shallow, because Sky News has better looking female presenters. But I get my news from the BBC.

Is it me? But do Sky lean a little to the right?

dirkyt · Post by **dirkyt** » Wed Nov 09, 2005 8:46 am

I am sure that Sky News will be aware of this, and will ensure that they do not haemorrhage when it comes to loosing viewers (as Michael Howard would say)

I actually like this idea of appointment to view, and I think that it is inevitable that viewers will move about channels. Ultimately breaking news, accuracy and presenters (in that order) will be Sky's acid test. If they remain top of table when it comes to getting accurate stories out, and report breaking news first - the Beeb will not beat them.

I hope that things do stabilise for Sky - and after such a much anticipated relaunch it would be a great shame for them to become second in the ratings. I am trying to get into World News Tonight - and "in my humble opionion" this would be the slot that drags them down. I also think that fairly or unfairly - many compare Sky with FOX News now. A lot of my friends do this (which I argue with them about - I should add)

dustymoo · Post by **dustymoo** » Wed Nov 09, 2005 9:49 am

I dont think Sky is as Right Wing as Fox News yet? I hope it doesnt. Have you seen Hannity & Colmes (probably misspelt)? If that was as Far Left as it is Far Right, you would never see it on TV!

dirkyt · Post by **dirkyt** » Wed Nov 09, 2005 10:58 am

dirkyt+Nov 8 2005, 08:37 PM(dirkyt @ Nov 8 2005, 08:37 PM)

I also think that fairly or unfairly - many compare Sky with FOX News now. A lot of my friends do this (which I argue with them about - I should add)

Just comments I have heard - this in no way reflects my opinion - as I wouldn't watch the channel if it was FOX like.

txwharfrat · Post by **txwharfrat** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 7:41 am

i actually sat through bits of the Sky Report and World News Tonight last night and was quite impressed. Both have clearly got high production values and some good journalism, but unfortunately if they aren't getting the ratings then there will have to be some rethinking.

sammy · Post by **sammy** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 1:21 pm

what i wanna know is why jeremy thompson is standing at the top of the stairs

when it shud be the lovely anjali or helen in a mini skirt lol

joking aside

nice 2 see a different angle on news presenting

and if it doesnt work

well its not the end of the world

remember good news is no news !

sky.dub · Post by **sky.dub** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 2:24 pm

I think if the programmes were on at half past the hour, rather than taking up a full hour, they might have more success. Plus putting two issue type programmes, side by side (7p.m & 8p.m) is a bit much and a fundamental mistake.

sky_news_nut · Post by **sky_news_nut** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 1:49 pm

Thought I would add my own views to the Sky re-launch now I've had time to get used to it.

The good things:

1. The Opening titles. Fantastic. The camera flying around the newsroom is really good and it shows really well all the work that is going on in the studio with the VT editors, journalists, etc. The music has also got a crisper, sharper sound to it.

2. The studio. Again fantastic. The new newswall is great as it is so big and allows the presenter to walk along side it to show up to three stories that are coming up. Also the fact that it is so big means as the presenter moves around, you as the viewer feel so much more involved in the programme.

3. More live debate and more live/studio guests which means you don't keep seeing the same report or piece of footage every hour as so much of the stuff is live.

The bad things:

1. Too much pointless chat and too much emphasis on "your views". We know the email address and text numbers by now so they don't need to keep telling us all the time! Also even if you do send it stuff they hardly ever read it out.

2. Further to the above, the headlines at the top of the hour now take about 2minutes. Too much chat with all the "welcome/please send us your views/etc"

3. THREE PRESENTERS! this has to be the worst part of all. It can actually be quite hard to follow who exactly is speaking soetimes with all the jumping between the different presenters and the fact that they only seem to say about one sentence each!

In summary, great studio, but a bit too much chat and too much emphasis on "your views" when you just want to grab the headlines.

sky.dub · Post by **sky.dub** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 10:06 pm

yeah 3 presenters is too many..but we might get used to it.

caseymorris · Post by **caseymorris** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 10:19 pm

I was sooooo looking forward to the relaunch and it has only just occured to me taht I have stopped watching Sky news.

It wasn't intentional.

I click on the website at work.

I get home, feed the kids and then..... it's half six

Sportsline. Sky report (my god curing homosexuals - scrapping the barrel already) and then World News.

Have I got that right? No proper news from 6.30pm til 9pm?

davedave99 · Post by **davedave99** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 11:30 pm

actually I think the Sky Report is terrific. They always have the main news stories in it...Anthony Walker this week for example, sometimes done more in depth than normal sky bulletins. but also really really classy pieces of original journalism. Something so rare on Sky News.

That Gay Cure piece was fascinating, gay reporter Robert Nisbet investigating a disturbing trend in America, really high production values and like the other pieces i have seen, like their Church of hate, of a quality i have not seen on Sky before. Long may it continue. They really have raised the bar. Sky should be able to come up with their own stories, not just follow others.

World News is a bit hard to watch, Rubin is rather...slow speaking but glad to see on Friday when a big news story happens they werent too precious to ditch everything... Sky Report and World News.

I understand change can throw people but i think on the whole there are so many improvements. Sure, three headers are a bit odd, too many presenters and as I have said World News is a bit of a chore (Shame, because it has the potential to be a great showcase, I guess they need more resources and perhaps a co presenter for James?)

C'mon guys, let things settle in, it still feels like Sky, just a bit different! It will take some getting used to, it took me a few days. Now i love it!

xxx · Post by **xxx** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 1:40 am

It just shows how full of S*** (pardon mon francais) those anti-gay establishments are, as you said Robert Nisbet is a homosexual and was interviewing the leader of this "establishment."

It just shows how little that bigot knows, as he was talking right to one.

An excellent report from the Sky Report, MUST WATCH for anybody who loves current affairs and is so superior to its counterparts at the 7pm hour on ANY station.

mickey · Post by **mickey** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 10:53 am

I've also stopped watching the Sunrise programme. Switching-on, this morning (Monday) it came on automatically and is was dreadful with Eammon H twittering on & on.

To get a real news digest I brought-up the News Active pages and then changed over to BBC News 24.

Please Sky get back to a proper hard news reporting format and cut the cackle

Thanks Mickey

guvnorgaz · Post by **guvnorgaz** » Tue Dec 06, 2005 8:08 pm

I find Sky news watchable up until 5pm and then the 'stars' of Sky News get their own shows and it all goes down hill,and Jimmy Rubin,is he a robot?Or does he just talk like one?Its a mistake trying to make stars out of particular presenters,it was tried with Kirst Young and failed,its not the presenter that makes the show,its the shows format thats the success and when you take the presenter out of a liked format things go downhill

squareeyes · Post by **squareeyes** » Tue Dec 06, 2005 8:52 pm

jonn0boy+Nov 20 2005, 11:50 PM(jonn0boy @ Nov 20 2005, 11:50 PM)

is so superior to its counterparts at the 7pm hour on ANY station.

Erm...I don't think so! Channel 4 News is consistently the highest quality news programme on British Television.

I must say, I am finding Sky News increasingly difficult to watch, the relaunch seems to be a backward step, they are trying to be too "middle brow" but there are other outlets who do that much better....I am turning to News24 more than ever and it's looking stronger and stronger.

So...Sky....get back to your roots...rolling news...that's what you're best at!!!

guvnorgaz · Post by **guvnorgaz** » Tue Dec 06, 2005 9:07 pm

One minute they need 3 presenters to bring you the news and then they go to one,I switch off at 5 and come back at 10 when normality resumes.

sirius · Post by **sirius** » Tue Dec 06, 2005 11:52 pm

I've been a fan of Sky News almost from day one but I consider this latest revamp to be nothing short of a disaster. Having three presenters just looks silly and I'm certain that they will abandon it in the very near future. Sunrise is now unwatchable because Eamon Holmes is keen to dumb everything down. Don't misunderstand me, he's an excellent presenter but just unsuitable for a rolling news channel. I'm also totally fed up with all the football related stories which seem to escape from the already over generous allocated sports slots. Last week they even curtailed PMQ's for a live update on George Best's condition. I will watch it on BBC2 in future. I have also returned to watching BBC's Breakfast which in my opinion is a better programme. Perhaps Sky will eventually see sense and give us back our News. :rolleyes:

Musey · Post by **Musey** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 8:15 pm

've been a fan of Sky News almost from day one but I consider this latest revamp to be nothing short of a disaster. Having three presenters just looks silly and I'm certain that they will abandon it in the very near future. Sunrise is now unwatchable because Eamon Holmes is keen to dumb everything down. Don't misunderstand me, he's an excellent presenter but just unsuitable for a rolling news channel. I'm also totally fed up with all the football related stories which seem to escape from the already over generous allocated sports slots. Last week they even curtailed PMQ's for a live update on George Best's condition. I will watch it on BBC2 in future. I have also returned to watching BBC's Breakfast which in my opinion is a better programme. Perhaps Sky will eventually see sense and give us back our News.

u make many good points, however i disagree with it being such a terrible decision to abandon pmq's for bestie's condition, surely the right thing to do?