I've just watched recordings of the first two programmes, and so far the only bit that actually seemed to be worth while was the Big Question segment of Not the One Show.
The audio is awful, very wearing to listen to, sounded to my ears as if it was being done electronically without anyone at the controls. The recorded vox pops recorded next to the traffic didn't work either when edited together.
The level of debate was far below what I'd get in my local pub.
Camera angles with random hands and half a head in shot - that long table doesn't work very well, it makes it look awkward.
Maybe it's not aimed at my age group, and I don't like to knock something that has only just started, but it's aimed too much at LIVE when that requires very careful production, which I doubt this channel can afford.
I was confused when the first programme we were told that we had spoken to Ray Winstone, which I didn't remember, and then we saw the interview several minutes later.
The protesters in shot at South Bank came across as a planned "moment" for some headlines later.
The picture quality is all over the place - apart from the good end of the scale.
I suspect that playing repeats of well loved series will work, but is that enough to make this a channel to watch in what is a very media savvy part of the UK, with many people whose expectations are fairly high.
If Norwich can have a channel which is doing well, and making programmes that are of note, then it's possible to do better than this.
No, although, they will need to reach every potential viewer they possibly can, so yes they could be in HD on satellite, but they'd also need to be in SD there too. I doubt they have the finances for both
They are using Nikon DSLRs running in 25p video mode !
Oh lol they should be running in 50Hz whether thats 25fps and 50 fields or 50fps and then cut all the frames in half so there is 50 fields!
no wonder people have said it has a film look to it!
I just watched the breakfast programme on catch-up and first impressions are very poor.
As the programme started in darkness the studio lights and autocue were reflecting on the studio window.
And the content was so insubstantial. You can forgive technical glitches in the early days of launch but fundamentally the content isn't there. Competition at breakfast is incredibly strong (Today on Radio 4 is the most popular breakfast radio programme in London) and the channel needs an extremely tight and substantial programme to compete.
You would have thought they would have had some good scoops/interviews lined-up for launch but for a TV channel backed up by a newspaper they were curiously absent.
I also find it odd that the live news programming finishes so early in the evening, by which time many Londoners will have only just got in from work.
ESTV bulletin request accepted by Ofcom
Ofcom received a request from ESTV for a change to the programming commitments in its local TV licence to remove its commitment to hourly/half hourly news bulletins. Ofcom does not consider this to be a material change to the licence. It has therefore agreed to modify the licence as this change to news bulletins would not alter the stations’ commitment to provide 5.5 hours of news and current affairs coverage or affect other programming commitments.
Watched for about 20 minutes from 645 this morning and in that short time they went over to Battersea Cats and Dogs home three times for a very bland feature on do you prefer dogs or cats. Gavin seems an enthusiastic and friendly host of the breakfast show, once he relaxes into its conversational style I think he'll do alright. Weather forecast was not done clearly, the graphics seemed to suggest cloud all day but Vanessa (?) said bright sunny and Summery. Happily, it is looking like a sunny day right now.
Not standing out for me as must watch morning TV, but it's got (some) time to settle in.
For me, the news coverage is the weakest part of it. On the breakfast show, the travel and weather presentation is unclear - listen to any of the London radio stations and they will get TfL and road info over much more quickly and effectively without the benefit of graphics. So the breakfast show fails the "am I going to be late for work" test.
Given that London Live is connected to the Standard I'd have expected much more news coverage but it's pretty much lost in London lifestyle features. So far I quite enjoy London Go as an entertainment round-up but I'd like a hard news show in the evenings. The lunchtime show seems to be the best at actually having serious discussion about meaningful topics.
I would say I'm not the target audience because I'm usually an R4 listener in the mornings but I was very open to something that tackled London in a new and vibrant way.
ESTV bulletin request accepted by Ofcom
Ofcom received a request from ESTV for a change to the programming commitments in its local TV licence to remove its commitment to hourly/half hourly news bulletins. Ofcom does not consider this to be a material change to the licence. It has therefore agreed to modify the licence as this change to news bulletins would not alter the stations’ commitment to provide 5.5 hours of news and current affairs coverage or affect other programming commitments.
The question is what do ofcom call news & current affairs. London Live are doing ok as far as who they are serving but they really should be providing a first class news service for London especially considering the owners.
Be interesting to see the news output of up & coming operators as they really need to up there game in this department IMHO.
At about 7.00 they showed two pictures of sunrise two viewers had apparently sent in, but didn't know who or one of them came from. At 8:30 they decide to show 'more' pictures they've been sent, except it was the same two pictures as before.
It's very west/north London centric, as displayed by the their weather map, Which chops off south & east London and has a black for that area when it comes to tempertures.
They had a live link last night from a venue in Islington but we weren't told who was performing just someone called 'Jack' and it was great because it was within walking distance of the reporter's home.
Comments
I've just seen the 'News update' and it was so unspecific it could have been filmed weeks ago.^_^
I know we're always quick to judge on here but this channel needs to 'up its game' as a matter of urgency.
The audio is awful, very wearing to listen to, sounded to my ears as if it was being done electronically without anyone at the controls. The recorded vox pops recorded next to the traffic didn't work either when edited together.
The level of debate was far below what I'd get in my local pub.
Camera angles with random hands and half a head in shot - that long table doesn't work very well, it makes it look awkward.
Maybe it's not aimed at my age group, and I don't like to knock something that has only just started, but it's aimed too much at LIVE when that requires very careful production, which I doubt this channel can afford.
I was confused when the first programme we were told that we had spoken to Ray Winstone, which I didn't remember, and then we saw the interview several minutes later.
The protesters in shot at South Bank came across as a planned "moment" for some headlines later.
The picture quality is all over the place - apart from the good end of the scale.
I suspect that playing repeats of well loved series will work, but is that enough to make this a channel to watch in what is a very media savvy part of the UK, with many people whose expectations are fairly high.
If Norwich can have a channel which is doing well, and making programmes that are of note, then it's possible to do better than this.
No, although, they will need to reach every potential viewer they possibly can, so yes they could be in HD on satellite, but they'd also need to be in SD there too. I doubt they have the finances for both
The Breakfast show was also terrible. Really poor effort.
Agreed didn't seem professional at all.
They are using Nikon DSLRs running in 25p video mode !
Oh lol they should be running in 50Hz whether thats 25fps and 50 fields or 50fps and then cut all the frames in half so there is 50 fields!
no wonder people have said it has a film look to it!
As the programme started in darkness the studio lights and autocue were reflecting on the studio window.
And the content was so insubstantial. You can forgive technical glitches in the early days of launch but fundamentally the content isn't there. Competition at breakfast is incredibly strong (Today on Radio 4 is the most popular breakfast radio programme in London) and the channel needs an extremely tight and substantial programme to compete.
You would have thought they would have had some good scoops/interviews lined-up for launch but for a TV channel backed up by a newspaper they were curiously absent.
I also find it odd that the live news programming finishes so early in the evening, by which time many Londoners will have only just got in from work.
ESTV bulletin request accepted by Ofcom
Ofcom received a request from ESTV for a change to the programming commitments in its local TV licence to remove its commitment to hourly/half hourly news bulletins. Ofcom does not consider this to be a material change to the licence. It has therefore agreed to modify the licence as this change to news bulletins would not alter the stations’ commitment to provide 5.5 hours of news and current affairs coverage or affect other programming commitments.
the Owners also run the Standard newspaper which heavily publicises it each day
Not standing out for me as must watch morning TV, but it's got (some) time to settle in.
I'm sure The Tube was an ITV programme?
No definitely BBC. The other "The Tube" was on Channel 4.
Yes The tube doc was first shown on ITV London.
Given that London Live is connected to the Standard I'd have expected much more news coverage but it's pretty much lost in London lifestyle features. So far I quite enjoy London Go as an entertainment round-up but I'd like a hard news show in the evenings. The lunchtime show seems to be the best at actually having serious discussion about meaningful topics.
I would say I'm not the target audience because I'm usually an R4 listener in the mornings but I was very open to something that tackled London in a new and vibrant way.
The Tube is a 2012 documentary television series produced by Blast! Films for the BBC according to Wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tube_(2012_TV_series)
The question is what do ofcom call news & current affairs. London Live are doing ok as far as who they are serving but they really should be providing a first class news service for London especially considering the owners.
Be interesting to see the news output of up & coming operators as they really need to up there game in this department IMHO.
There have been two documentary series about The Tube, called ‘The Tube’ in fairly recent years.
A 2012 BBC series, and 2003-2006 ITV series (which was repeated on Sky3).
I don’t know which one London Live are showing though (hopefully the 2012 BBC series as the other one will probably look a bit dated now).
Had a look on their demand site & yes it is the BBC one & not ITV as I said.
It's very west/north London centric, as displayed by the their weather map, Which chops off south & east London and has a black for that area when it comes to tempertures.
They had a live link last night from a venue in Islington but we weren't told who was performing just someone called 'Jack' and it was great because it was within walking distance of the reporter's home.