BBC One Loses the Globe

DMC

A Sad, sad day indeed.

I'd complain, if I was a licence fee payer

BBC 1 changes its idents from Friday.

Offical Press Release

More pics

And the old look.

Charles Slane

Yes, it is a sad day. I always loved the globe.

I understand their argument about inclusivity and diversity, but what's more inclusive and diverse than the globe (apart from the rest of the universe).

I'm sure it'll be brought back in a few years and praised for it's enduring appeal.

DMC

I actually feel more strongly about the Globe than any matter about Sky Digital. I love it to bits.

On the TV Idents forums, they have been set on fire.

As much as the Brigid's Cross is the RTÉ symbol, so is the Globe on BBC 1.

I contributed to another board with the following....

The Haka, the Salsa, dare I say the Hip Hop, there is still a "global" theme in the idents. If that esoteric link convinces me that these are an adequate replacement to the globe, frankly, fails to wash with me.

What the head of BBC One said about the globe is mind-boggling!

"Ms Heggessey said the globe was no longer "what it once was" to the BBC. "I think the globe was a fantastic symbol," she said, "but if you talk to people today they go to the
States all the time and go on holiday in Goa." "

I've never been to the States, nor have I plans to go to Goa!!!
Wonderful, self-convincing, proactive bollocks. I would like the globe to represent "The world's first". After all, BBC One is the oldest channel of them all. That's what it still is.

At the moment, I think it is flawed, but I will wait and see them before my final judgement.

ShaneOC

I have to say that I think it is a mistake to remove the globe. I'm sure they could have worked it into the new idents quite easily.

Charles Slane

Originally posted by DamoDMC
"Ms Heggessey said the globe was no longer "what it once was" to the BBC. "I think the globe was a fantastic symbol," she said, "but if you talk to people today they go to the
States all the time and go on holiday in Goa." "

To say that the globe is not what it once was is patently stupid - has it changed into a square ???

And secondly the fact that people go to the States and holiday in Goa, only makes the globe symbol more relevant, not less.

Ms Heggessey is desperately trying to justify the change on aesthetic and social grounds, when it's obviously just change for change's sake.

I'm sure it'll be back. Does Classic Coke ring any bells ?

NorthDown

So much for the national regions in the first batch - I note they're all filmed in England bar one.

DMC

Interesting to note that the BBC haven't opened a debate on News Online, but they have for ITV Digital. The Times, on the other hand, has.

From: http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0,,2-249045,00.html

The design gurus' verdict

Stephen Bayley, design consultant: The globe was about as sensible, and indeed inclusive, a symbol you could find for a broadcaster with international status. Like all great graphics it was unambiguous and represented nations speaking unto nations. But what was good enough for the white, middle-class professionals so despised by the BBC's Chairman is not good enough for the exciting, new,trash-peddling, ratings-chasing Beeb, whose motto is not firm standards but diversity.

With the decline of the BBC's prestige and competence we have multicultural interest groups speaking unto multicultural interest groups. You get meretricious, catchpenny imagery that will be exhausted this time next year.

Ben Wolstenholme, creative director of Moving Brands: These idents have the aesthetics of British Airways' in-flight entertainment. They have that diluted, out-of-touch, European feel. The balloon had great longevity, it had mood and stature. I feel these will wear out on the viewers quickly.

On the positive side it is a really bold idea for the BBC to try to "own" the colour red. It should give it a robust identity but it has not been creative enough, it is plonking more red on red in different environments. You can tell its feedback was it had to be more multicultural, but it's a shame it had to go so far in that direction. It is very shallow.

Bruce Dunlop of Bruce Dunlop & Associates: The balloon was a stroke of genius, it said the BBC was as big as Britain. These idents say the BBC is now confined to small, segmented groups of people. There are some brands that are worth holding on to. These idents are likely to challenge the audience and may not sit easily with some viewers.

You can add to a debate online at debate@thetimes.co.uk

DMC

Well, Mike Selby, Continuity Announcer for BBC 1 NI (on Dsat anyway, didn't see it on analogue) was in good form at 2:52am, asking us to take a good long look at the clock, and then into a montage of balloon idents, starting with carnival, and using that idents track.

A great end to the balloon.

What has appeared this morning, at 9am, was a complete let down, which is what I was expecting anyway.

Our man in Havana

Slightly OT:

Does anyone remember a sketch on Channel 4 where someone shot down the balloon with a shotgun?

Mossy Monk

Originally posted by DamoDMC
What has appeared this morning, at 9am, was a complete let down

a disaster even. they are terrible

Elmo

The saint bridgets cross keeps on coming back on rte one

I think that eventual BBC One will have the Balloon Flying in the background with the dancers in front????????

DMC

Originally posted by Bond-James Bond
Slightly OT:

Does anyone remember a sketch on Channel 4 where someone shot down the balloon with a shotgun?

Ben Elton, when he was on BBC 1 , his last series, used to do silly things with the balloon at the start of his programme....

icdg

Originally posted by DamoDMC
Well, Mike Selby, Continuity Announcer for BBC 1 NI (on Dsat anyway, didn't see it on analogue) was in good form at 2:52am, asking us to take a good long look at the clock, and then into a montage of balloon idents, starting with carnival, and using that idents track.

A great end to the balloon.

What has appeared this morning, at 9am, was a complete let down, which is what I was expecting anyway.

We had the same ending on analogue. Agreed, it was a great way to go out - unfortunately over in England (and Scotland) all they saw was "Through the night now with BBC NEWS 24". Wales at least got a clock.

The new idents aren't great, though the other pieces of presentation (stills, trailers) have been sharpened up and are better than before.

DMC

2 days in, and the Queen Mother dies....

None of the idents are appropriate for this occasion. And expect mourning to go on for upto 10 days. Are wheelchair bound hip-hop dancing basketball players the done thing?

Charles Slane

Good point !

The globe was appropriate in any circumstance.

medja

I do not wish to be disrespectful but... The Funeral March is a form of Dance.

I was a fan of the real old BBC one globe-I remember fiddling with the tuning knobs when I was a kid and finding the globe with Southwest under it-some of the rich kids at school had colour tellys and told me that the writing was in yellow...
A sad day Beeb:(
mm

Clintons Cat

The Haka, the Salsa, dare I say the Hip Hop, there is still a "global" theme in the idents

the moaris will get the Haka one withdrawn they hate people stealing their culture.They got the Barcardi Breezer Ad withdrawn because it was their special dance.I would love to see a team give the all blacks a bruce grobblar knee wobble the next time those fat showoffs start hogging the pre kick off preparations.
It would make for one hell of a match

oops ranting
edit...i liked the globe too.
`

DMC

OT: (I'll allow this!)

But there is nothing like expericening the haka first hand.....

Last November, on the North Terrace in Lansdowne Road, in the middle of a bunch of NZers, doing the haka with a certain amount of venom. Granted, there was no room to swing a cat, but boy, were they vocal.