Newsround

Newsround

Newsround logo as of 2014
Created by Edward Barnes & John Craven
Presented by Leah Boleto (2009-present)
Ricky Boleto (2008-present)
Martin Dougan (2013-present)
Hayley Hassall (2009-present)
Jenny Lawrence (2013-present)
Ayshah Tull (2013-present)
(See full list)
Country of origin United Kingdom
Original language(s) English
Production
Editor(s) Lewis James
Location(s) MediaCityUK (2011—)
BBC TV Centre (1972–2011)
Running time 5 - 15 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel BBC One (1972–2012)
BBC Two
CBBC Channel
Picture format 576i (16:9 SDTV)
1080i (HDTV)
Original run 4 April 1972 – present
Chronology
Preceded by BBC Television Children's Newsreel
Related shows Newsround Specials
Sportsround
Ffeil
External links
Website

Newsround (originally called John Craven's Newsround, before his departure in 1989) is a BBC children's news programme, which has run continuously since 4 April 1972. It was one of the world's first television news magazines aimed specifically at children. Initially commissioned as a short series by BBC Children's Department, who held editorial control, its facilities were provided by BBC News. The programme is aimed at 6 to 12-year-olds.

History

Originally known as John Craven's Newsround, it was mostly presented by John Craven between 4 April 1972 and 22 June 1989. Originally, stand-in presenters such as Richard Whitmore came from main BBC News bulletins. The programme's reporter was Lucy Mathen. By the 1980s, the programme had developed its own presentation team including Roger Finn and Helen Rollason with Craven in the dual role of chief presenter and programme editor.

Shortly before Craven's departure, the show was renamed Newsround, and was then presented by a rotating team including David Bull, Juliet Morris, Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Julie Etchingham, Chris Rogers, Kate Sanderson, Matthew Price and Becky Jago. Regular reporters on the programme, who have also presented it, include Paul McDowell, Paul Welsh, Lizo Mzimba and Terry Baddoo.

The distinctive opening theme used for the first fifteen years of the programme was not composed especially for it, but is instead the opening eight bars of a 1968 cover of Johnny One Note by Ted Heath and his Music. The closing sting used the last couple of bars of New Worlds by John Baker, recorded by the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.

Throughout Newsround's time on air, it has been updated nine times with new branding and a further four times with refreshed branding. These changes took place in 1986, 1988 (shortly before Craven's departure), 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, January and October 2014.

Newsround was the first British television programme to break the news of the loss of the Space Shuttle Challenger on 28 January 1986. This edition was presented by Roger Finn, who had only recently joined the programme. The programme was also first in Britain to report an assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II in Vatican City in 1981 and provided the first reports from the Windsor Castle fire of November 1992.

In February 2002, Newsround expanded from a sole ten-minute programme on weeknights to through-the-day bulletins seven days a week to tie-in with the launch of the CBBC Channel. With this included a new theme, titles and presenting team. In 2009, a small bureau for the programme was opened at the BBC's former Manchester studios. As part of the relocation of the BBC Children's Department, Newsround began broadcasting from new studios at MediaCityUK in Salford Quays on Monday 21 November 2011.

Broadcasts

On weekdays, five minute bulletins are broadcast on the CBBC Channel at 7.40, 8.15am and 4.20pm. At weekends, bulletins are broadcast on the CBBC Channel at 8.55, 11.55am and 12.55pm.

The programme was traditionally broadcast as a fifteen-minute programme on BBC One at 5:00pm. The final BBC One edition was broadcast on 20 December 2012.

Former presenters

Years Presenter
1972–89 John Craven (and Editor)
1976–80 Lucy Mathen
1984 Howard Stableford
1985–91 Roger Finn
1986–90 Helen Rollason
1990–94 Juliet Morris
1991–94 Krishnan Guru-Murthy
1994–97 Julie Etchingham
1994–99 Chris Rogers
1997–2001 Kate Sanderson
1998–2008 Lizo Mzimba
1999–2002 Matthew Price
2001–03 Becky Jago
2001–08 Lizzie Greenwood-Hughes
2002–06 Rachel Horne
2002–08 Laura Jones
2002–09 Adam Fleming
2003–07 Thalia Pellegrini
2003–08 Ellie Crisell
2005–08 Jake Humphrey
2006–11 Sonali Shah
2007–08 Helen Skelton
2007–09 Gavin Ramjaun
2009 Barney Harwood (Newsround Specials only)
2010–14 Nel Hedayat

Editors

Spin-offs

Newsround Specials

A variation on the regular format of Newsround is a series of short (typically 15-minute) documentary films, previously broadcast under the title Newsround Extra but now called "specials",[1] which have been a regular feature since the late 1970s. Two or three series of these documentaries air during the year, which replace the regular bulletins on one day of the week (for Extras it was usually Monday, although sometimes on Fridays, particularly during the 1980s).

Newsround Specials in recent years have included:

Newsround Showbiz

Main article: Newsround Showbiz

A light-hearted entertainment news round-up, originally known as Newsround Lite and introduced as part of the CBBC Channel's launch in February 2002. The latter version of the show was hosted by regular Newsround presenters/reporters Lizzie Greenwood-Hughes, Adam Fleming, Rachel Horne and Thalia Pellegrini, and produced by Sinéad Rocks. The programme was axed in 2005.

Sportsround

Main article: Sportsround

A Saturday morning sports magazine show introduced in September 2005, it was cancelled in December 2010 and replaced by Match of the Day Kickabout. In 2010 it was presented by Ore Oduba with reporters Des Clarke and Jon Franks.

Newsround Review of the Year

Until 2006, a half-hour review of the year special was produced for broadcast during the Christmas/New Year period. The last review aired in 2009, and since then the final bulletin of the year is hosted by all presenters who discuss their most memorable news stories.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Newsround Specials

External links