Calling For The Axe Of Local TV News Programmes...

miles19740 · 19/09/10 - 23:27

because they are an absolute waste of half an hour. My own, South Today, is just a total embarrassment...pointless stories, patronising presenters...stand up Sally Taylor and far too long.

Time for the axe broadcasters, especially at a time of cost cutting.

vampirek · 20/09/10 - 00:21

miles19740 wrote: »

because they are an absolute waste of half an hour. My own, South Today, is just a total embarrassment...pointless stories, patronising presenters...stand up Sally Taylor and far too long.

Time for the axe broadcasters, especially at a time of cost cutting.

Well they can axe South Today all they like, however not all of them are pointless and some are better than the news themselves. Perhaps if the news in London focused more away from the south than the content of South Today would improve. In the North they provide an excellent service keeping people up to date with events in their region rather than region they couldn't give a damn about

Martin Phillp · 20/09/10 - 00:24

With the eradication of local programming from ITV, it's important more than ever that the regional news magazines on BBC1 are maintained.

There are many viewers who enjoy these programmes even in an age where you can find local news online, so why remove a programme which if goes, would probably be some inane game/reality show in it's place?

Tourista · 20/09/10 - 00:28

The main problem I have with "local" news, is that many stories are repeated from the national bulletin.

Frankly, if there isnt enough news to cover the time, maybe the BBC, and ITV could cut the size of their respective shows down a bit.

Gutted Girl · 20/09/10 - 00:37

Tourista wrote: »

The main problem I have with "local" news, is that many stories are repeated from the national bulletin.

Frankly, if there isnt enough news to cover the time, maybe the BBC, and ITV could cut the size of their respective shows down a bit.

That only tends to really happen though if you're in the London area doesn't it?

I live in Yorkshire and it's a lot rarer that a story from around where I live makes the national bulletin.

miles19740 · 20/09/10 - 00:48

Tourista wrote: »

The main problem I have with "local" news, is that many stories are repeated from the national bulletin.

Frankly, if there isnt enough news to cover the time, maybe the BBC, and ITV could cut the size of their respective shows down a bit.

Yes, precisely. The bottom line is, anything that doesn't make the national news isn't really worth knowing about.

Tourista · 20/09/10 - 06:14

Gutted Girl wrote: »

That only tends to really happen though if you're in the London area doesn't it?

You may be right.

Tourista · 20/09/10 - 06:15

miles19740 wrote: »

Yes, precisely. The bottom line is, anything that doesn't make the national news isn't really worth knowing about.

Where did I say that?.

I clearly said that DUPLICATION of stories was annoying, not anything else.

ftv · 20/09/10 - 07:14

ITV plc are working hard on the total eradication of local news and should achieve this by 2013 (if not earlier).

[Deleted User] · 20/09/10 - 09:05

we have meridian tonight, it covers the area from the isle of wight.oxford and essex,we live in east kent and not remotley interested in those places.nor probaly do they care what happens in dover.if it was limited to say 50 miles or so then that would be local.

mossy2103 · 20/09/10 - 09:07

miles19740 wrote: »

because they are an absolute waste of half an hour. My own, South Today, is just a total embarrassment...pointless stories, patronising presenters...stand up Sally Taylor and far too long.

Time for the axe broadcasters, especially at a time of cost cutting.

Simple solution then - YOU find that they are an absolute waste of half an hour, so YOU find something more useful to do or watch in that 30 mins. Meanwhile, those who DO find that 30 mins useful can continue to watch their local news programmes. (On a personal level, I find that there are plenty of local stories that never make the national news bulletins, and plenty of local stories that have greater coverage on the local programmes even when featured nationally).

Easy when you think about it.

[Deleted User] · 20/09/10 - 09:08

I get Look East or London News. I Live In North Herts. There is rarely anything with any connection to where I live on either. They concentrate on Luton/Peterborough on LE and obviously London on the other one.

[Deleted User] · 20/09/10 - 09:11

BBC news North West is just cross bewteen Crimewatch & a tribute show to British Leyland overmanning. Upto 10 people to do a 27 minute show reading the news like its the opticians chart, the pun laden stories, biased sports news, the clothes horse that reads the weather who spends more time telling you whats already happened.

They could save a fortune if the cheif constable of GMP just read out the stories or alternate between the coroners office & the law courts.

Just infantile crap thats used as a space filler.

ecco66 · 20/09/10 - 09:14

mossy2103 wrote: »

Simple solution then - YOU find that they are an absolute waste of half an hour, so YOU find something more useful to do or watch in that 30 mins. Meanwhile, those who DO find that 30 mins useful can continue to watch their local news programmes. (On a personal level, I find that there are plenty of local stories that never make the national news bulletins, and plenty of local stories that have greater coverage on the local programmes even when featured nationally).

Easy when you think about it.

Indeed mossy.

South East Today rarely repeats national news stories unless they are specifically from a local view point.

Meridian News is dreadful, I am not interested in "local" news from Bournemouth, Oxford, Winchester or Reading and I am sure the good people of those places are not interested in my local news.

Sandgrownun · 20/09/10 - 09:16

The only problem I have with North West Tonight is that it can sometimes focus too much on Manchester and Liverpool and not enough on the rest of the region. But I wouldn't want it cancelling, the stories are generally newsworthy (and usually haven't been on the national news) and the presenters are all very good. I never watch Granada Reports so can't comment on that.

Fayecorgasm · 20/09/10 - 09:24

I really like the ITV local news its the only one that covers Teesside whoever drew up the map for the BBC Northeast news obviously thinks that Cumbria is in the north east the Tees valley rarely gets a look in news wise

JeffG1 · 20/09/10 - 09:56

The problem with local news, BBC or ITV is that it's not local for most people.

The OP lives in Southampton and gets local news for Southampton from South Today.

I live in Newbury and get local news for Southampton from South Today.

Sentenza · 20/09/10 - 10:06

I don't watch it much but a few months ago I saw Sir Fred of Dineage talking about a fire in Basildon - I live in Bournemouth - not very local to me.

[Deleted User] · 20/09/10 - 10:19

I find our local ITV and BBC news programmes Central News/Midlands Today patronising beyond belief..I think most people only watch Midlands Today to see if they can see up Suzanne Virdee's skirt..when they got rid of the desk she nearly gave thousands of male viewers an eye full when she wore a very very short skirt, she must have been told because she tries to keep her legs crossed now..lol..I think local news programmes should be a 10 minute programme tacked on the end of the main news..I just personally don't identify with them at all..waste of time...the strange thing is the 6.30pm BBC local news slot is one of the most watched programmes of the day when they are all added up together.

Camino · 20/09/10 - 11:31

I get BBC London, i have no idea why as im in Bucks and 95% of the news is of course about London and the rest of the home counties get an odd story here and there, its ridiculous and totally irrelevant to me

karapote monkey · 20/09/10 - 11:46

I don't think that region news programes should go at all. I love London tonight, it is much better than th national news. To be fair I can understand why other regions might want to get rid of their news programme. I went to York once and the main news there was some dreary rubbish about a tractor. That is not news! London tonight has interesting and real news. Mainly involving stabbings and shootings and other "real" crime but at least it is watchable.

[Deleted User] · 20/09/10 - 12:52

miles19740 wrote: »

because they are an absolute waste of half an hour. My own, South Today, is just a total embarrassment...pointless stories, patronising presenters...stand up Sally Taylor and far too long.

Time for the axe broadcasters, especially at a time of cost cutting.

The only region where half an hour's local news would be needed used to be NI but even here there's more padding out than anything else these days, and with the patronising by presenters as mentioned is an irritating factor. 15 minutes would be more than enough in most regions in Britain as there's rarely enough going on.

Hound of Love · 20/09/10 - 13:15

karapote monkey wrote: »

I don't think that region news programes should go at all. I love London tonight, it is much better than th national news. To be fair I can understand why other regions might want to get rid of their news programme. I went to York once and the main news there was some dreary rubbish about a tractor. That is not news! London tonight has interesting and real news. Mainly involving stabbings and shootings and other "real" crime but at least it is watchable.

"London Tonight" is not always that good; a recent edition was almost entirely made up of Naomi Campbell giving evidence in the Charles Taylor trial at the Hague..she may be London-born, but was there any need for that?

Color of Night · 20/09/10 - 13:16

I wouldn't like to see our local news taken off. Its informative & gives us up to date news in our region that the main news programmes never cover.

[Deleted User] · 20/09/10 - 13:21

What baffles me is that in the morning we get BBC South, and in the evening we get BBC Oxford. Brackley is a damn sight closer to Oxford so why do we get news about the south coast in the morning? I couldn't give two hoots about Hastings, Southampton, etc...

miles19740 · 20/09/10 - 15:15

SheepdogNo1 wrote: »

BBC news North West is just cross bewteen Crimewatch & a tribute show to British Leyland overmanning. Upto 10 people to do a 27 minute show reading the news like its the opticians chart, the pun laden stories, biased sports news, the clothes horse that reads the weather who spends more time telling you whats already happened.

They could save a fortune if the cheif constable of GMP just read out the stories or alternate between the coroners office & the law courts.

Just infantile crap thats used as a space filler.

Precisely. I couldn't have put it better myself.

Hey there!

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