1950s
BBC News1954
A very early bulletin read by a young Richard Baker, featuring the famous transmitter mast titles.1960s & 1970s
BBC News1960s
The generic titles used before the advent of colour. The music would continue until late 1981 when it was finally replaced.
These images below show how news graphics were originally made by hand using cardboard and celluloid for maps and charts. An embossing machine was used to print the type for captions. The graphics would like a decorators workshop, as these images illustrate...
BBC News1974
The regular look for BBC bulletins in 1974, which lives on in certain Monty Python editions. A senior Labour politician has defected from the party - Richard Baker has all the details.1976 - 1981
BBC News16.12.1979 In 1979 the twin orange circles look was updated to blue.
Late news bulletin from Christmas 1979 with Peter Woods
BBC News Late Headlines1979
Almost time for bed, but not before Peter Woods updates us on the condition of Yugoslavia's President Tito.
BBC News Headlines1981
Richard Baker with a quick look at some of the other stories making news on this day.Examples of content graphics
1981 - 1985
BBC News1981
Shortly after Moira Stuart joined BBC TV news, she presents the 1981 Christmas Eve bulletin. The clip includes the full junction ahead of the bulletin in which David Allan provides a rundown of the rest of BBC1's Christmas Eve programmes.
BBC News27.12.1981 In September 1981, another cross bulletin branding came into effect for all BBC News output. Nick-named 'the chinese lantern' it would have variants of the stripes for each programme. A new theme tune was introduced for the opening and closing of programmes.
BBC News - Richard Baker's last bulletin1982
After 28 years Richard leaves the BBC Newsroom on New Year's Eve 1982. A dignified exit with no real fuss made apart from a glass of wine and some streamers. After all, Richard would continue to be on our screens in other guises for a few more years.
BBC News Report1984
Straight after "Only Fools And Horses", Nicholas Witchell butts in with news of a fatal train crash. The term "newsflash" went out of vogue in the period between the Iranian embassy siege and this item.
BBC News1984 BBC News 1984 (the clip is form 23 Sept 1984) BBC2's Sunday news bulletin lasted five minutes and this is one of the final editions as later in 1984 the Sunday bulletin was scrapped.
some examples of the handmade paper graphics that were produced, a far cry from computer graphics these days!
Some images of other newsreaders including Nicholas Witchell and Julia Somerville, plus more of Jan Leeming's fashion sense.
1985 - 1988
BBC News25.12.1986
Presented by Jan Leeming.
The evening bulletin on Christmas Day. A tanker runs into difficulties off Iceland, and the Queen calls for peace in her Christmas message.
BBC News Report1987
Just before closedown, Nicholas Witchell has an update on the unfolding Zeebrugge ferry tragedy. The Herald of Free Enterprise has capsized; rescue efforts are continuing.
News Report8.5.1987
Andrew Harvey introduces a news report about a gun battle in Northern Ireland. The News Report was broadcast at closedown so Andrew Harvey points viewers to Radio 2's overnight hourly news bulletins for further updates.
BBC News1988
Moira Stuart and David Icke present the Saturday evening news and sport on the day that the Crazy Gang upset all the odds at the FA Cup Final.
BBC News1987
Richard Whitmore and Moira Stuart were the main presenters of the BBC's daytime headlines service. The strapline for these news bulletins was "from the newsroom the main stories at..." This clip comes from May 1987 and on this day the main parties launched the manifestoes for the forthcoming general election. These manifestoes were likely to be the main topic of the programme which followed the bulletins, 'Election Call,' which the BBC Wales announcer mentions in her introduction to the bulletin.
BBC News Summary1987
A major plank of the BBC's new daytime service in 1986 was the provision of hourly news summaries, including weather and regional headlines. The summaries were shown on BBC1 until lunchtime, after which they moved to BBC2. Sadly, the summaries disintegrated during the 1990s and are now superfluous in this era of BBC News 24.
Moira Stewart presents this morning summary, with graphics based on Breakfast News.
BBC News Summary1987
Moira Stewart presents this afternoon summary, with graphics based on the One O'Clock News.
BBC News Summary1988
With Laurie Mayer. Another example of the 9am news summary using the Breakfast Time graphics. All other summaries used the One O'Clock News graphics, minus the 1.
1988 - 1993
BBC News1988
Martin Lambie-Nairn worked his magic on BBC News from 31 October 1988, introducing a common look and the transmitter mast icon across BBC's evening and late bulletins. The aim was to redefine the BBC's news image. However, the new look was panned by viewers, who likened it to a Nazi symbol, and BBC unions, who sought assurances such a major rebranding project would never again be outsourced. How times change... Breakfast News and the One would retain their own identities for the time being.
BBC News Report1989
Shock horror - Chancellor Nigel Lawson has resigned! And the Government has just identified his replacement; Andrew Harvey reveals who that is.
BBC News1989
The Sunday late news from the night of the Kegworth air crash. The announcer does not give the time of the next programmes we presume that the length of the news bulletin had not been finalised as the bulletin began.
BBC News1989
It was a rarity for the main evening news bulletin on BBC1 to be introduced without the clock in 1989. Maybe it was because of the extra and extended news bulletins broadcast on this day, the day of the Hillsborough football disaster.
BBC News1991
Michael Buerk presents the news midway through the annual "See For Yourself" programme.
1993 - 1999
BBC News Summary1993
A brand new look was unveiled on the 13th April 1993, here's the very first news bulletin shown on BBC 1 with Moira Stewart.
BBC News Summary1997
With the introduction of the new BBC logo, all the BBC News titles were suitably amended. Here is the very first showing of the new look bulletin on 4th October 1997, with the first early morning news bulletin with Moria Stewart.
The super-size BBC logo which appears behind Moira was amended after about a week, and made much smaller.
1999 - 2008
BBC News1999
On 10th May 1999, a whole new corporate look was introduced across all BBC News tv output. This is the first showing of the new look on the morning news bulletin presented by Anna Ford.
Left clip - opening, Right clip - close
BBC News2000
The start and finish of the BBC's 6pm news programme, presented by Matthew Amroliwala.
BBC News - Power Cut2000
On June 20, a power cut in West London played havok with the BBC's output. It didn't help that the BBC's back-up generator caught fire and Television Centre was evacuated. Therefore, the late night bulletin had to be presented from the BBC's Westminster studios. Quite an evening, as Michael Buerk says, as England were also in action at Euro 2000.
BBC News Report30.03.2002
It was the news we'd been waiting a long time to hear - but when the death was announced of the Queen Mother, it was still a major story. Peter Sissons broke the news on both channels, breaking into "Auntie's Bloomers" on BBC1 and leaving BBC2 on hold for five minutes.
Peter's choice of a burgundy tie has gone down in broadcasting infamy, and while on air he didn't seem to know whether he was coming or going!
BBC News - Afternoon Edition2002 Huw Edwards here with an afternoon bulletin. By late 2002, the drab beige set had been warmed up with panels of red, plus additional red walls to the newsroom background.
BBC News Summary2003
A more informal look to the morning summaries on BBC1. Anna Ford stands before a keyed shot of the newsroom, and the weather maps have new "flypast" graphics. Complete bulletin.
2004 - 2006
BBC Evening News - Death Pope John Paul II2005 Presented by Darren Jordan.
After a long illness, Pope John Paul died on 02 April 2005. The days which followed saw extensive coverage from the Vatican and extra news coverage on BBC1. This is one such additional bulletin, slotted in after Songs Of Praise on Sunday night.
2006 - 2007
BBC News2006 A refresh of the clam shell titles was given - 2nd May 2006 - These are bully titles from December 2006
BBC News2006
A news bulletin from December 2006 with Darren Jordan, he later left the BBC for the Al Jazeera English news channel.2007 - 2008
BBC News2007 A weekend edition from 2007. The revampled clam shell look was updated with streams of light and introduced on 22nd January 2007.
BBC News 8pm Summary2008
In December 2007, an evening news updated was introduced on BBC One at 8pm, designed to be very short and appeal to a younger audience, not so familiar with BBC News.2008 - Present
BBC News2008 On 21st April 2008, back to basics look on white designed by Lambie-Nairn.
A Saturday night late bulletin presented by Nicholas Owen., with the globe devoid of any hour. Where possible, the late bulletin now starts at 10pm seven days a week on BBC1, though this is not always possible due to fluctuating schedule commitments.
