ITV News Channel

Infobox TV channel
name = ITV News Channel
logofile = Itvnews_2006.png logosize = 200px| launch = August 1, 2000
closed date = December 23 2005
share = 0.1%
share as of = Final figures from
December '05
share source = [http://www.barb.co.uk/viewingsummary/monthreports.cfm?RequestTimeout=500&report=monthgmulti]
owner = ITN and NTL (ITN News Channel); ITV plc (ITV News Channel)
former names = ITN News Channel
(until September, 2002)
timeshift names =
web = [http://www.itv.com/news www.itv.com/news]
|The ITV News Channel was a 24 hour television news channel in the United Kingdom which broadcast from 2000 to 2005. It was available on Sky Digital, , Freeview (latterly only between 6am and 6pm) and Analogue Cable presenting the latest national and international news stories plus regular business, sport, entertainment and weather summaries. Priority was usually given to the latest breaking news stories. There was also an added focus on UK stories, by drawing on the resources of the ITV network's regional newsrooms.

The channel launched on 1 August 2000 as a joint venture between ITN and NTL as the "ITN News Channel". In June 2002, Carlton Television and Granada Television - the predecessors of ITV plc - bought out ITN's 65 per cent stake. This led to a rebrand as the ITV News Channel in September 2002. In April 2004, the newly created ITV plc bought NTL's 35 per cent stake to assume full control of the channel.

As the ITN News Channel, the channel was broadcast from a small studio with accommodation for only one presenter at a time. When relaunched as the ITV News Channel, they initially used the standard ITV News studio of the time, which was built for fixed length bulletins only so the style of presentation was always much more basic than that of its competitors.

From February 2004, the channel came into its own and relaunched. Along with the rest of ITV News, the channel was presented from the so-called 'theatre of news' set (below, left), with logo above, which is a vast virtual studio. The studio allowed presentation from either behind a desk or from presenters walking around the studio, using the newswall to fully explain a story with the use of graphics. For the first time 2 presenters could present the channel together which lead to a much improved service.

Due to the channel sharing facilities with ITV News bulletins on the ITV Network (which were also simulcast on the news channel), the channel had to move to other studios for around an hour before each ITV bulletin to allow for rehearsals. Initially a single locked off camera studio was used at these times which was very basic. Later the channel used a virtual reality studio at these times or following ITN's takeover of the production of "London Tonight", that studio

News content and programming for the channel was provided by ITN.

On 15 June, 2007 ITN chief executive Mark Wood has said the company wouldn't rule out launching another 24-hour TV news channel.

During 2007 there was some speculation that cable group Virgin Media was considering launching its own news channel to rival Sky News and BBC News, with some reports suggesting it may look to partner with ITN, though this has not occurred. [cite news
url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/broadcasting/a61184/itn-news-channel-still-a-possibility.html
title=ITN news channel still a possibility?
publisher=Digital Spy
first=Joanne
last=Oatts
date=15 June, 2007]

The channel used to broadcast live UEFA Champions League games whenever two English teams are playing simultaneously, with the other game being shown on ITV1, if ITV2 (ITV's former secondary channel to show Champions League games) had a full schedule. As being a news channel, when a breaking news bulletin is being reported, the news report will take full screen whilst the game will be shown in an inset in the corner.

Presenters

During the period as the ITN News Channel its pool of presenters were from across the ITN programme portfolio of ITV, Channel 4 and Five News along with occasional freelancers. Its presenters were John Suchet, Leyla Daybelge, Alison Bell, Andrew Harvey, Sharon Grey, Owen Thomas, Kirsty Lang, Simon Vigar, Lloyd Bracey, Sasha Herriman, Rachel McTavish along with others

When the channel became the ITV News Channel, presenters from ITV News began presenting on the news channel. For the first month or so before any regular appearances occurred many reporters also presented on the News Channel including Ros Childs who presented after John Suchet on the first day as the ITV News Channel. During the Iraq war the well-known British newscaster Angela Rippon presented on the channel and then went on to host a regular weekend programme in 2004 and 2005.

Following the February 2004 relaunch, presenters included ITN veteran Alastair Stewart who hosted the flagship "Live with Alastair Stewart" programme every weekday morning. Other presenters included Steve Scott, Andrew Harvey, Lynda Bryans, Lucy Alexander, Leyla Daybelge, Chris Rogers, Phil Gayle, Owen Thomas, and Sasha Herriman. All of ITV's network news presenters, except Sir Trevor McDonald, also appeared on the channel. Presenters from ITV's regional news programmes and freelancers regularly appeared on the channel at weekends and holiday periods.

In December 2005 Scott Chisholm - part of the original 1989 Sky News team - joined the channel to present the breakfast programme.

References

External links

*itv.com|id=news|title=ITV News
* [http://www.itn.co.uk ITN.co.uk]
* [http://www.newschannel.org.uk ITV News Channel unofficial website]