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between cameras. However, it also
provides us with the security that
should one channel fail, we can make
the programme with the remaining
channel, without compromising the
output too much. This provides us
with a level of system redundancy
whilst also providing the ability to mix
between cameras. The complete
image is composited using an
‘Ultimatte 9’ keyer; one per camera.
The whole operation - camera
cutting, scene selection and
animation - is controlled through a
Thompson DD35 Xten vision mixer.
The wall can take four video sources
at any one time in an infinite variety
of patterns. To create a system that
was workable we had to go through
many of those options before finally
pinning down particular patterns.
So, a groundbreaking set - the most
technologically advanced in the world.
But to show it to its full potential, our
graphics team working in conjunction
with Bruce Dunlop Associates created
a whole new opening title sequence,
new graphics, titles and stings. We
wanted to keep to the same theme,
so the opening sequence is still based
around the Big Ben clock and its
chimes that have long been
associated with our programmes, but
given a slick new design. Dave
Hewson reworked the original title
music to bring it up to date.
Central to the relaunch was the way
we could enhance our 24 hours news
service, the ITV News Channel. For
too long the channel had been
broadcasting from a set principally
designed for news bulletins, rather
than a rolling format. Head of the ITV
News Channel Dominic Crossley-
Holland wanted a set that was more
flexible, with higher production values
– in short a set that would make the
news channel distinctive and stand
out from its competitors. And the
impact on the channel has been
enormous. The set allows for much
more lively coverage, more effective
use of graphics and a dynamic new
environment for studio guests. As with
the network bulletins, the set is
allowing us to improve the quality of
the service and was developed hand
in hand with new programme formats.
To coincide with the new set, the ITV
News Channel launched a new daily
programme, hosted by Alastair
Stewar t, that focuses on live
interviews with high profile guests.
And Angela Rippon is fronting a new
weekend morning discussion
programme designed to drive the
weekend news agenda.
Two months on and the change is
incredible. We’ve risen to the
challenge of feeding the set with
images around the clock. In fact the
new set has made us more ambitious
in the way we use the wall, both on
the news channel and on ITV1. And
since launch our teams have been
getting used to a different way of
working. It has dramatically changed
the way we produce TV news. The
demands of keeping the set ‘alive’ and
moving require us to keep it provided
with pictures. This means that studio
and technical directors and designers
are involved in the editorial process
much earlier than they used to be.
They need to think about the kind of
images and graphics they will use and
choreograph the presenters’
movements along the wall. A team of
‘wall producers’ works daily on stories
to bring them to life in the new set.
Not only has the wall changed the
look and feel of news, it has changed
the language in news production.With
four video sources and a background
at any one time we have had to come
up with a language to convey what
we want. We now talk about left
halves, right halves, centre spreads,
left threes with boxes.
We are very proud of what the team
at ITN has achieved; genuinely
breaking new ground in the
competitive area of broadcast news.
The reaction from our peers in the
industry around the world has been
immensely encouraging – many,
many people telling us how
impressive the new set is. With the
backing of ITV, we have a unique and
contemporary new look in which to
display our journalistic and
programming skills. Our recent
awards at the RTS have confirmed
that our competitors now also believe
that we are back to our very best. ITV
News is now self-confident,
innovative, bold. Editorially, the ITV
News programmes and the ITV News
Channel are stronger.Technically, we
have created something new that
works extremely well. Inevitably, there
has been the odd hiccup as our team
experiments with the wall and
discovers the capabilities. There are
still challenges ahead, but as we are
discovering with this new set, the only
limits are the limits of our
imaginations. It’s a new, exciting set
and a new exciting time to be working
at ITV News.
Building the wall and feeding the set
ITN
provides news services for
Britain’s commercial television
networks - ITV, Channel 4 and
five, together with ITV’s 24 hour
news channel .
ITN International
delivers
broadcast news consultancy
around the world.
ITN is a Member of the AIB.
