Reality tv news

In 1974 I spent three months in the BBC tv newsroom at Television Centre, as a trainee sub, largely on bulletins on BBC2. There was an air of spurious dynamism about tv news then - most of the pictures were still on film; the graphics were Letraset on cardboard, with "pull-out" animation; and the presenters were mainly former radio "a-nine-cers". The Editors wished to demonstrate to BBC1 audiences their mighty resources, and decided bulletins would come from the newsroom, rather than a studio. Two robotic cameras were set up, lights installed, and a floor manager attempted to keep the motley crue of subs from sudden, distracting actions, such as standing up. Eric Morecambe described it as "news from a betting shop". Eventually, through colour separation overlay, Richard Baker et al were moved back to a studio - and only the opening and closing shot offered the panorama of empty desks and Adlers, with a bank of eight, yes eight, tv monitors in the far distance. In fact, all of  us subs (as many as 10 at that time of night) were shepherded out of sight by the floor manager - no sneaking back for your coat or fags. The one person trusted to remain in vision was the lead typist - usually head down copy-typing the duty editor's latest novel.

During the bulletin, one of the cameras swung round to focus on venetian blinds in the newsgathering corner (the newsgatherers were long gone). One day the blinds had been left awry, and were then photographed to offer an unchanging background. The newsroom camera fell into disuse, apart from the Saturday news summary during Grandstand, where the presenter would perch jauntily on the newsdesk for the full drama of a two minute written bulletin.

Tomorrow, close to 39 years later, BBC1 and BBC News Channel bulletins and daytime output move to a studio with one big glass wall, overlooking the new "World's Newsroom" on the lower ground floor of Broadcasting House. Already, staff are being asked to keep out of a red-lined area; not to gather in groups; and not to wear reflective jackets etc. Already, correspondents to Newswatch are taking the Eric Morecambe line. Already, a giant 1960s Habitat style lampshade of NEWS has been erected over the heads of subs, to add visual interest. Already, there are more tv lights nailed to the ceiling than imagined in Studio 54's New York hey-day.

Will the BBC hold its nerve and stick with the look ? Or bottle it, and go back to imaginary graphic newsrooms dreamed up on laser discs by Italian graphic artists ?

Stand by for a heated and misdirected debate. The real discussion should be on the quality, reliability and insight of the content. And that is where there IS room for improvement.