Thanks mate! I loved Victoria and the News Director was keen to hire me, but the higher-ups said no as they didn’t want to deal with my residency requirement paperwork if i was to move from Australia to Canada.
I also was a CHEK the same time and had a chat with the news director there.
Not only that, but CHEK also has a LIVE 2-hour mid morning sports program, and a handful of political, current affairs and talk show programs aimed at the wider Vancouver-Victoria market, and done out of studios in Vancouver provided by “Oh Boy Productions”. They also have several podcasts and digital shows as well as the CHEK+ streaming service.
CHEK is really doing well for itself and seems to have found a balance between serving viewers on Vancouver Island, programming for the wider Vancouver-Victoria market, and making a space for itself in the digital realm.
CHEK’s fall 2023 sizzle reel
Makes you wonder doesn’t it, how did Australia get to a point where such a quality local service wouldn’t work, yet overseas we see the sort of things servicing relatively small markets and doing it so well.
It’s probably just a case of companies having the desire to provide purely local content such as news that focuses on and caters to community needs/expectations. CHEK IFAIK is one of two independent stations owned by CHEK Media Group. the station itself held affiliations with all major Canadian commercial networks and even broadcasted E! programming in Canada in the past before going independent. CHECK/CHCH/My Network TV/The CW can also access syndication rights to various programs which may be one of many reasons why these stations focus heavily on local news.
Yeah I get that, just imagine if we had companies like that here? I feel like it’s the sort of thing that could have happened years and years ago, but is unlikely now.
I think that the concept would struggle here in Australia simply because if a regional broadcaster like SCA or WIN went independent they would have trouble sourcing content to fill both their main channel and multi-channels. Relying on content deals for archival materials from other broadcasters/production companies would result in a UK-style local tv situation where programming would be used to fill gaps in schedules not to mention the fees either would have to pay Nine/Seven/Paramount for access to their production archives.
That’s what I mean, it simply wouldn’t happen now, it’s the sort of thing that would have needed to have been built on since day one.
After KBS launching its SBS clone set, MBC has moved to a wholly new and larger studio inside their Sangam Digital Media City headquarters.
As part of the move, MBC Newsdesk has adopted new graphics, a new open (emphasizing the Digital Media City building) and a new remix of its Lim Taek-soo theme music used since 1991 (with some exceptions). Additionally, there is no more headline sequence, now straight into in-depth coverage of the top story. The second opening sequence looks very much inspired by VTM Nieuws.
Montage of the Toronto mayoral byelection news specials this past Monday (June 26) from CP24, CityNews, CBC News, and Global News.
Most of them have updated to the new News 9 graphics by now.
KBS News Plaza:
KBS News 12:
KBS News (generic):
KBS News (Special):
KBS News 5:
KBS News 7:
KBS Newsline W (reformatted in May for additional international news focus):
KBS 2 also updated their news titles as well.
KBS Morning Newstime
Captured from this report.
KBS Newstime (afternoon news):
KBS News 6 (evening newscast that’s newly-launched in May):
And first change after the closure: New titles for their morning news programme, Cable Morning. Unfortunately it was subjected to Cable’s bad habit in updating news graphics: Slowing down the animation to adopt to the old track.
Their copyright towards the end has also changed too: From Cable News to Hoy Infotainment.
France 2 newscasts have a new look and set. Smaller and cleaner, and with much more minimalistic and simpler graphics made by Gédéon (which remind of VRT NWS Journaal). The set was built in-house by the France TV Studio scenic shop in Vandergues, and installed at the broadcaster’s HQ in the Paris 15e arrondissement, back to Studio 1 (named after local TV legend Pierre Desgraupes), where for many years JTs were aired (barring 2012-2014, where these moved to the Atrium Studio “Gilles Jacquier”, now used by Franceinfo TV).
The new space, which includes its own vertical screen, will be used by all of France 2’s news and current affairs programming, including Envoyé spécial, Cash Investigation, 13h15/20h30 le samedi/le dimanche, the debate part of the Soirée continue strand, and even election results programmes and special event coverage. It will be also used by Franceinfo TV’s Vrai ou fake.
Other channel to change its look for the new season is BFM TV; well, sort of: from last night, all of their intros have added American-style intro voice-overs; again, sort of… the way these are being done are very similar to its co-owned radio stations BFM Business and RMC. The reasoning of this is that since the 2021 season, BFM TV is now available as an audio simulcast on Digital Radio (DAB+, just like in Australia) as well as from its website.
The channel is also debuting a new set, designed by Olivier Illouz, bringing to an end years of clinical, white-laden studio sets. Since May, all BFM TV shows have been aired from Studio 1, where already Première édition (the morning news) airs. The new set will launch next Monday.
Bell Media’s French-speaking network Noovo made some big changes in its news service with the start of the new Quebec TV season. Its news programming has been renamed under the division’s brand, Noovo Info, with the opening titles and graphics being tweaked accordingly, and the 5pm newscast’s rundown has been rearranged, beginning with 5 minutes of top stories, followed by the regional news at 5:06, and continuing at 5:30 with more national news and features, which will now include more CTV News content and a sports segment produced by sister sports network RDS. This comes after TVA Nouvelles executive editor Maxime Landry has been hired as division director.
More changes involve anchors: Michel Bherer will now anchor the late edition at 10pm from Monday to Thursday, with Sabrina Rivet presenting on Fridays. Additionally, Jean-Simon Bui, who reports from the Noovo Quebec City newsroom, will replace Lise-Marie Blais as presenter of the regional bulletins outside of Quebec City; Blais remains as anchor for the Quebec City bulletin. Worth noting the regional bulletins are produced and recorded out of Quebec City (except the Montreal edition, which airs from CFCF’s studios at Papineau Avenue), due to Bell’s familiar cost cutting.
The news programmes were originally known as Le Fil, and was a condition of Bell buying the network (formerly known as V) from Maxime Rémillard, involving the rebuilding of an in-house news service from scratch. It was initially designed as a magazine-style news program with more long-form reports and interviews, plus a strong emphasis on viewer interaction.
However, during the last two seasons, citing low ratings and the mixed reviews of the original format (criticism targeted on the recycling of segments and lack of resource sharing with CTV News and RDS, thanks to Bell’s familiar cost cutting), the format had begun shifting back towards a traditional format of “chasing fire trucks and standard urban crime” long done by arch-rival TVA. This was further cemented by the hiring of TVA presenter Marie-Christine Bergeron in May 2022, replacing original presenter Noémi Mercier, who signed a deal with Bell to produce long-form documentaries for the network, plus the quiet dropping of the weekend morning summary edition (hosted by RDS presenter Meeker Guerrier) last April.
Last Friday, Monaco got back a proper local broadcaster with the launch of TVMonaco, a new FTA “global and local” TV channel which is being designed as a Monegasque window to the world. A long-delayed project on the works for three years, it was initially known as Monte-Carlo Riviera TV. It is a state-owned broadcaster, but it is operated through an independently administrated corporation, allowing them to receive not only state funds, but also allow them to be financed by ads.
Monte-Carlo Riviera had been producing a weekly lifestyle magazine for external consumption, produced by Monaco Live Productions, a privately-owned indie overseen by veteran French presenter Cyril Viguier, whose last work was with Public Sénat, creating the successful Le Grand JT des Territoires, using resources from the French local press. It was relaunched in the summer 2020 in the wake of the pandemic, broadcasting on TV5 Monde and produced by Bruno Ledoux’s viàGroupe (whose channels, the former TV Sud channels, also broadcast the show in a repeat basis), using these resources along with the now-defunct vià network of local channels, other independently owned channels, the network of Les Indés Radios, and the 20 Minutes network of local papers, but it was dropped by the end of the year after viàGroupe entered administration (resulting on the vià network being disbanded). It was relaunched in March 2021 (shortly before the pandemic) after Viguier created the production company and partnered with the state in preparation for the launch; it also resumed its broadcast by TV5Monde after a MoU which led to the channel entering the consortium.
TVMonaco eventually replaces de jure TMC, which has lost its Monegasque identity and has become more French, but… As part of compliants made by the Principality to TF1 and former owners Pathé and AB about how they were handling the channel after it launched on the TNT (like adding lots of repeats and old American TV series from its owners’ archives), most of the playout is done from Monaco, and the channel must retain some programming related to the Principality. It is still valid even if TF1 now fully owns the channel.
That’s where Monacoscope enters. The short 5-minute long show is produced by the other PSB channel of the Principality, Monaco Info, which is directly operated by the Principality Palace press office; and its content uses information from it. Monaco Info also airs the show on its own channel in translated versions in Italian, German and English, as well as a version featuring real-time translation in French Sign Language.
Alongside the Monacoscope show, Monaco Info manage successfully to produce the channel and its programmes in a shoestring budget: at 19h00, there’s a half-hour newscast (15 minute on weekends and holidays) which is pre-recorded in advance, afterwards, there is a succession of magazines centered on diverse topics related to the principality: lifestyle, luxury, sport, Formula 1, cooking, cinema, music… That hour is then repeated during the rest of the day and most of the day after, until new programming takes over at 19h00. When special events happen in the Principality (such as the National Day, the Saint Devotion celebrations, or big sporting events), the wheel can be broken for extended live coverage. Monaco Info will co-exist with the new channel going forward, with Monaco Info continuing its schedule of strict local offerings, whilst TVMonaco will be more broad in style.
In the midst of this, the launch of the channel was heavily delayed, due to pandemic and budget-related issues. Eventually, during the traditional MIPTV conference at the start of the year, the TVMonaco name was formally announced, as well as its first look at its brand identity, designed by French agency Gédéon, and its launch was formally set for last Friday.
The ad-supported state-owned channel finally launched on September 1 shortly after 19:15 (due to some technical issues), with a star-studded event at the Louis II Stadium, attended by Monaco royalty; the launch protocol was formally executed by Prince Albert and Princess Charlene.
The channel launches with a full schedule, mixing documentaries and non-fiction content (particularly focusing on royal events, lifestyle and luxury, and environmental issues) with daily local news and sports programming; most non-news programming, mostly original, is being sourced from independent producers, some international production companies, and from special partnerships to create branded content. Given the network also integrates the TV5Monde consortium (and has a small stake in it), it will also have access to content and the combined resources from France Télévisions, France 24, Arte France, the INA, RTBF, RTS, Ici Radio-Canada Télé, Télé-Québec, and six French African broadcasters.
From the first day it has two news programmes, from Monday to Friday: one at 8am (Ça marche !) and another at 19:15 (L’Actu). On weekends, it will air a sport highlights show (Sport ça Matche !) at 18:15. Its weather forecast lacks an in-house forecaster, instead using a CGI seagull; it is presented in a very irreverent way, but uses data from Météo France.
Its entertainment schedule is also very unique, given its initial focus on unscripted shows, but it deliberately brings a broader scope of Monaco affairs (instead of limiting to simply sport, luxury and lifestyle): programming starts at 7am with music videos filmed at concerts in and around the Principality. After the morning show, at 9am, the first of five documentary slots airs, focusing on educational and special interest topics related to Monaco and its lifestyle. After an encore of the evening news, late mornings will feature slow TV filler, before switching to the second doco strand, focused on Monaco and universal history. At 12:45pm, the strand will feature cooking programming, before another series of history docos, followed by an encore of “Ça marche” on the afternoon.
After the encore, another general interest documentary strand airs, followed by a sport documentary strand featuring both local and international docos, followed by the evening news. Prime time begins with a general interest documentary, followed by thematic strands on Mondays and Wednesdays, dedicated to science and nature. Tuesdays will focus on true crime, whilst Thursday and Fridays are focused on Monaco living (Thursdays for sport events and profiles, and Fridays for royals, luxury, fashion and entertainment).
The channel is distributed to local audiences through the Principality-wide cable TV relay, on the pay TV offering of monopolist Monaco Telecom, and through TNT overspill from the Mont Agel FTA transmitter, which will also allow for regional coverage in and around the French Riviera (including Nice and the northern part of Corse); in mainland France, it is also available nationwide on the broadband “box” operators and streaming service Molotov. It is also being distributed via satellite into North America and East Asia, and will be available as an internal AVOD offering globally (with some geoblocked content) in a still not disclosed partnership with a well-known tech company.
Many of the channel’s shows will be available globally through TV5Monde, and through distribution to other channels; it plans also to produce its own scripted shows within the next two years. The channel is headquartered on the Fontvieille Bay district, in a repurposed canteen building.
Another Slovak commercial channel, TV Markíza, debuted a renovated set back in mid-July. The current graphics, in use since 2017 (and updated with the new corporate logo in 2022), remained:
Note: This isn’t the July bulletin - I wanted to add a video capture to the post, but realized their website doesn’t have the catchup for it anymore…
Some more captures from the first broadcast:
Some VTs still used the old temp set then:
Sports and weather also made the move:
Meanwhile, Hakka TV in Taiwan debuted new graphics for their newscasts back in July, as part of their 20th celebration.
Before (afternoon news):
After:
Before (evening news):
After:
International news:
Started in 2003, the station was the island’s public broadcaster to the Hakka group of citizens, speaking their various dialects. Initially independent of the overarching TBS system (which governs Taiwan’s main PSBs, PTS and CTS), they were ‘technically’ part of it since 2007, as PTS operated the station via an annual bidding system.
Over the years, there had been proposals to group the Hakka-language TV and radio stations to an independent broadcaster, but the public foundation formed in 2019 didn’t include the former. It was until 2023, when the public television laws were amended, that Hakka TV officially became part of PTS.
A month after the amendement, the station launched a new visual identity, to celebrate their 2 decades on the air:
Denmark’s DR has unveiled a new, simpler look for its TV Avisen broadcasts, coinciding with the broadcast’s 60th anniversary and the relaunch of its digital news streaming service as TVA Live, with more live bulletins (in the style of now-defunct headline service DR Update) updated constantly during daytime, whilst retaining extended breaking news coverage and simulcasts of radio news and current affairs programming. The service airs on its DR TV platform, and some hours are simulcast with DR1 and DR2.
The main newscast has also adopted the simpler branding employed by TVA Live, but without L-bar. The Steffen Breum music has been also heavily updated to include the new DR sound logo by Unmute, introduced during the 2021 corporate rebrand. However, the studio from Martin Saelan and Claus Zier (dated from 2018) remains untouched.
And half year later, the Chilean public broadcaster had another refresh in its news department. This coincides with the debut of their new set, plus an overhaul to the department’s branding, dropping the ring (that has been used since 2015, and previously from 1990-2002) for a rounded box. As a side note, most of the new look, bar 24 Central, were launched on the 50th anniversary of the 1973 coup, where the democratically-elected president was overturned with military dictatorship. This has the scoop on the new set, plus new faces coming to the newscasts.
Anyways, here’s how they looked…
24 Central (primetime):
24 AM (morning):
24 Tarde (lunchtime):
24 Noche (originally Medianoche, now unified under the 24 Horas brand):
Pretty TVNZ on the rounded lower thirds, while the main symbol looks VRT-like.
Meanwhile, Prva TV in Serbia has refreshed their newscasts graphics, as the channel underwent a rebrand.
This is how Vesti, their news bulletins, look like at 6:
For completeness, this is the graphic reel of the new package, uploaded by presumably the station’s lead graphic designer. In a darker shade of red and gold plus flying 3D cubes, I think it looks a bit too flashy for the new flat symbol, but would’ve suited the old one well:
In comparison, this was the old one, in use since 2019:
And this is Jutro, their morning programme (and whose symbol looks a lot like one show you guys are familiar with!):
The titles were very long - I had to compress it to get it through Metropol!
And the before, which was used at least since 2018:
Posting this here because you might recognize the theme https://youtu.be/T5fTmKUeU2I?si=-N8z8StDPA8Hs2cr
Big changes for TV 2 Denmark’s news service: from today, the newsrooms servicing the network (TV 2 Nyhederne, based in Odense) and its news channel (operating from Copenhagen) have been unified into a single operation named TV 2 News; all news bulletins on TV 2 and the TV 2 News channel will carry the name, as well as its digital platforms.
The changes mean the TV 2 bulletins, “18 Nyhederne”, “19 Nyhederne” and “21.30 Nyhederne” get renamed “18 News”, “19 News” and “21.30 News”. Additionally, TV 2 News will now simulcast the network bulletins from Odense in the evening, whilst continuing to broadcast from Copenhagen for the rest of the day (and for news magazine shows for both networks).
Another change is the relaunch of the 10pm news bulletin as “Newsroom”, which is taking on an in-depth hour-long format; it will air from Mondays to Thursdays, starting on TV 2 News around 10pm local time, and then the main TV 2 channel will join in at 10.20pm after the regional news.
The changes also mean the news programming designs have been changed to unify them with the new TV 2 brand from Kontrapunkt; however, unlike Kontrapunkt’s more Danish-style, ubersimplistic design and presentation, TV 2 News has a much stronger design, made by Stupid Studio, taking the design language and colouring in a new way, with lots of cues to the BBC (the red and cream colour palette, the 2008 globe, the current ring animation…). Music was done in-house TV 2 Lyd. The sets (from Mads Hage Thomsen, dated from 2016 and 2019, respectively) have been retained.
A montage of some elements used so far (with a big teething problem: the old news ticker, aired and generated at MCR-level, hasn’t been changed).
The change was teased earlier in mid-August, when its weekly analysis show Presselogen (a sort of a mix of Media Watch with the American political talk shows) got a new intro with the new TV 2 Sans typeface now used by the brand.
