Is the success of the Beeb's 10.00pm news a sign that we are getting back to a serious news agenda

Is this the beginning of the end for tabloid-style TV news? Let's hope so says Rachel Cooke in this week's new Statesman as she reviews the BBC AND ITV contributions to the news agenda at 10.00pm.

As bad as the BBC bulletin is,

the programme is presented by the sullen-looking Edwards and, thanks to the credit crunch, despite being increasingly hampered by the stretched vowels and mangled consonants of Robert "Smarty-Pants" Peston, the BBC business editor.

Rachel applauds the fact that the corporation have not gone head to head with the new and revamped News at Ten

When ITV reclaimed the 10pm slot three months ago, I worried that, in order to compete, the BBC would go the same route. We started hearing the word "exclusive" more often, and there were more pointless outside broadcasts, featuring Edwards standing white-faced and anoraked beneath an arc light

But all seems well for now

The success of the Ten O'Clock News gives me hope: that we are finally tiring of tabloid values; that the shouting match that is the multimedia age is leading us, slowly, to crave sobriety, to be grateful for considered and judicious editing.

On the return of News at Ten

Guardian media is reporting that

ITV1's resurrected News at Ten lost out in the ratings battle to the 10 O'Clock News last night, January 14, pulling in 3.8 million viewers to BBC1's 4.9 million.
The ITV1 bulletin, which saw the return of Sir Trevor McDonald to presenting duties alongside former Sky News anchor Julie Etchingham, attracted an average audience share of 18% over 35 minutes.
BBC1's programme, fronted by Huw Edwards, had an audience share of 23% over the same period.

I have just caught up with last night's edition,no adverts how interesting is that?

I had already read Mark Lawson's review in the Guardian this morning who reflected on its retro qualities

Reporting got the name "news" because it was supposed to be stuff we hadn't seen or heard before. But for News at Ten, restored to the ITV schedule last night, we need to institute a fresh category of journalism called "olds".
Not only was the bulletin back in the timeslot it had vacated in 1999, with Sir Trevor McDonald to be found, still jutting his jaw to the left for emphasis, sitting in the anchor chair from which he retired two years ago, but the news itself was also retro.

And with this is mind,perhaps I had a different outlook on the programme.Yes,former Sky presenter Julia Etchingham looked out of depth,playing a secondary role to Sir Trevor.

Yes it had an exclusive in its interview with Hasnat Khan and the footage from the middle of nowhere and the live interview from beneath the ice in Antartica.But was this really new news?

It was good to hear the tones of Sir Trevor and the bongs.If nothing else it brings a little competition back into the slot.Perhaps though it should be competing with Newsnight instead.

The news at ten war hots up

Only hours until battle commences as the Bongs return tonight.

I have been amazed that ITV has even gone down the path of bringing back News at Ten.Its only possible motive is ratings as it cannot surely compete with the BBC or the Sky Machines.The Beeb in particular have the public service motive behind their output.Why should ITV need to compete against this?
The glory times of News at Ten return us to the days of 3 channels when the family event was to sit down and watch the news.The BBC had already run their programme at nine and ITN picked up the viewers that had stayed with their channel during the evening.How can that model work today?

Check out Peter Horrocks who describes it as

scary in a good way. Since ITN gave up the News at Ten slot the BBC has consistently outperformed the late evening news on ITN. I don't think it's good for us, or the viewer, to be that dominant - strong competition is good for everyone. Putting the two bulletins head to head will keep all of us on our toes, which is good for both the BBC and ITN, and for audiences.