Westcountry Live - The First Edition - 04.01.1993
Presented by David Foster and Katy Haswell.
Westcountry Live, the new hour-long nightly news magazine for South West viewers, hit the airwaves on Monday 4 January. It promised (and delivered) a revolution in regional news, firmly sweeping out TSW Today and everything it stood for. Predictably, viewers were alienated by the new style and lack of familiar faces. David Foster, ex-TV-am and Central took the hot seat with Katy Haswell, previously a fleeting Spotlight newsreader. Mark Tyler continued to do the sports report and Ian Stirling settled into a new soaps feature.
The biggest surprise was the choice of weather presenter - a certain Ron Bendell. Until now Ron was known only to viewers of TSW Farming Week, the Sunday lunchtime agricultural round-up, and he admitted to having no knowledge of weather forecasting. But his new role was a masterstroke for Westcountry and Ron soon became a local legend. Unfortunately, his first forecast was tempered by computer trouble.
Sadly we don't have a recording of the first programme. The following is a selection of stills from opening night, recently seen in Westcountry's ITV50 celebrations.
Westcountry Live23.03.1993 First shown on 4th January 1993, Westcountry Live was Westcountry's replacement for TSW Today. Unlike its predecessor it ran for an hour every night but most of its presenters were unknowns.
Westcountry Latest1993
For the first 15 months, Westcountry named its lunchtime/late bulletins Westcountry Latest. And on Saturday and Sunday the local news service was imaginatively titled - Westcountry Weekend Latest!
Westcountry Live04.05.1993 A relaunch for Westcountry Live after just five months. The original set was unpopular with the presenters - David Foster spoke of how his "heart sank" when he first saw the set, even though producers had talked it up as being something spectacular. So in came a more spacious set with pink backdrop in contrast to the oppressive greyish blue of before.
Westcountry Update1993 The weekly news round-up for deaf viewers continued the format of "The South West Week". Peter Wareham continued to sign the stories, accompanied by a Westcountry reporter.
Westcountry News Promo1993 The presenters and reporters form a human map of the south west. This was used on a poster to promote Westcountry News in the mid-90s.
Westcountry Live14.04.1994 Presented by Alison Johns and David Foster.
Westcountry Live used a simpler design for its titles from April 1994. The new sequence lacked the pizazz of the original.
Westcountry News1994 Possibly in an attempt to be more down-to-earth, bulletins were retitled simply Westcountry News.
Westcountry Live - Diana1997 The death of Diana, Princess of Wales in late 1997 rocked the country and caused an unprecedented outpouring of public grief. Much of Westcountry Live was devoted to the unfolding situation in the week or so which followed. In line with other news programmes, presenters wore black and a special set was introduced. Here is a brief snippet from Westcountry Live that week, linking into the commercial break.
Westcountry Live1997 Presented by Sharon Goble and Richard Bath.
A bold new look for Westcountry Live was introduced in November 1997, with a brand new set. The theme music was again remixed.
Westcountry News - Solar Eclipse11.08.1999 August 1999 and crowds flock to the South West to witness the total eclipse of the sun. James Dagwell presents Westcountry's lunchtime bulletin, the first following the event.
CARLTON NEWS: 06 September 1999-31 January 2004
Westcountry Live02.02.2004 Presented by Richard Bath and Alexis Bowater.
With regional names firmly out the window, local news was one of the few remaining examples of individuality between regions. But not any more. On Monday 2nd February, the newly-merged ITV plc came into being and with it a BBC-style corporate look for the local news programmes. Oh well, at least the sofa remains.
Westcountry Live04.07.2005 Presented by Richard Bath and Jemma Woodman.
Live 8, a big infestation and a pensioner's most unusual wager top the headlines.
Westcountry Live02.02.2004 Julie Fisher reports on the death of TV legend Ian Stirling, who died in France age 64. Ian worked for all four ITV companies in the South West and also worked tirelessly for charity. Complete with archive footage and commentary from Judi Spiers - Ian's co-star and one of his closest friends.
Westcountry Live13.01.2006 Presented by Richard Bath and Alexis Bowater.
The autumn of 2005 and Westcountry Live unveils a new look. Gone is the brown sofa and in its place a more spartan grey couch against a video backdrop of the Tamar Bridge. Was this a bid by Westcountry to inject some last-gasp individuality into its news programmes? Quite the opposite sadly. Standard titles were longer enough for ITV's local news programmes - a generic set was now being rolled out across the country.
Westcountry Live16.01.2006 Presented by Richard Bath and Alexis Bowater.
ITV's identity crisis continues unabated with the fourth rebrand in as many years. This one was more extensive than before, with the ITV logo itself redesigned. For Westcountry Live this meant new titles and a reworked sig tune but, almost eight years after the first 16:9 broadcasts, the programme is still made in 4:3. Can anyone explain?
THE END OF WESTCOUNTRY NEWS
Finally, ITV regional news programmes went widescreen in December 2007. With one exception - Westcountry News, which remained in 4:3 resized to 14:9. The reason for this? ITV plc had submitted plans to Ofcom asking to streamline its regional news services in a cost-cutting measure, reducing the number of news programmes from the current 17 to 9. For Westcountry viewers this would involve merging the Westcountry News and HTV West news operations, resulting in one pan-regional programme from Bristol.
On 25 September 2008. Ofcom, as widely predicted, approved the plans and Westcountry Television will close with the loss of around 75 jobs. This hugely retrograde decision will set the clock back 50 years in terms of local broadcasting, in that for the first time since 1961, Devon and Cornwall will no longer have their own dedicated local news service other than that offered by the BBC.
Westcountry's controller Jane McCloskey made several stage-managed appearances on local news programmes insisting the new arrangements will serve the viewer better, while ITV plc refused to comment. Westcountry News (and the Westcountry franchise) is expected to close early in 2009 - subject to approval, but it's unlikely Ofcom or the DCMS will grow a backbone in the meantime.
Westcountry to close25.09.2008
Presented by Jemma Woodman.
Westcountry has to break the news to viewers that its much-valued service won't be here from early 2009, merging instead with HTV West News and broadcast from Bristol. John Andrews, Westcountry stalwart and NUJ rep, gives his reaction as does BECTU general secretary Gerry Morrisey. Look out for the classic Westcountry idents - particularly the one at the end.
Westcountry Live: Shutting Down01.10.2008
Presented by Richard Bath and Jemma Woodman.
One week later and the job losses and closure are confirmed, so out comes Westcountry boss Jane McCloskey to try and justify the decision. Watch how reporter Jonathan Gibson closes the item.
BBC Spotlight Lunchtime News01.10.2008
And how did Westcountry News' rivals at BBC Spotlight report the closure? Here's Aysha Iqbal with the lunchtime news...
BBC Spotlight: Job losses01.10.2008
Natalie Cornah has a more detailed look at the closure in the main Spotlight programme. Westcountry's Sharon Goble is among the staff seen exiting the building after hearing the news.