BBC News 1990s Intros

BBC News intros from the 1990s (1993-97) from when the Beeb had the virtual studio. Which were in various shades of blue depending on what time of day the bulletins were broadcast. There was slight variations on each bulletin as well.
This was the first time the BBC adapted more or less a corporate look on its news bulletins, thus making the BBC News a sub-brand within the Corporation.
The theme tunes all varied on the bulletins, and they continued from what were on the previous ones (e.g. Breakfast and Six O' Clock News). The majority of them were tweaked though. Probably so not to alienate viewers with the new-look studio at the time as well. All bulletins had the spinning globe and the BBC's Coat of Arms.
The clips are in order from AM to PM.
1st. BBC Breakfast News
2nd. One O' Clock News
3rd. Short News Bulletins
4th. Six O'Clock News
5th. Weekend News Bulletins
6th. Nine O' Clock News (also used for late news in the weekends)

[@ratherryan]

I love the unashamed gloriousness of these themes, it's like hearing someone being presented to the king in a royal court.

[@rogerdarthwell5393]

Better than the bumbling noise that we have today

[@d2dar459]

That it is, that it is.

[@betacamsx-dallevhsallehdv11601]

Especially the Nine O'Clock version

[@forthrightgambitia1032]

Serious music for when the world was still mainly full of serious people.

[@sporkfindus4777]

So so so true

[@elbecko7969]

The final intro was the best. Grand as hell!! Big, powerful, confident, formal, classy. 1988 radio mast graphics with nearly the same music were also beautiful.

[@forthrightgambitia1032]

Also remember this was just before the internet became widespread, so this was where people would have first heard of major events in the world, even before reading in the newspapers. Which made it seem far more important than it is now when you hear of things minutes after it happens.

[@robertgoh8261]

I loved the 1993-1999 BBC News because the titles were orchestral/musical and different themes for each bulletin.

[@jacksugden8190]

Top class composer was George Fenton.

[@theancientsancients1769]

The 6 o'clock news was the best but 9om news was good too

[@betacamsx-dallevhsallehdv11601]

​​@@jacksugden8190 for me *the 9 O'Clock News was the pinnacle of the 1993-99 BBC News theme songs*

[@adamh2900]

This definitely brings back memories You have to remember that the 90s is now the halfway point between the 2020s and the 1960s

[@angelacooper2661]

I was in my twenties - half a lifetime ago, as I am now 53!!!

[@Elitist20]

'Nation shall speak peace unto Nation.'

[@PopeCromwell]

If they made it look and sound like this again, I'd happily pay my TV licence again.

[@sporkfindus4777]

I love the way the music climbs and bass pumps when Anna Ford is reading the headlines. It just pulls you in and wraps you into the news; gravitas, seriousness but feelings of hope and optimism.

[@jamesbhx]

That French horn though.

[@angelacooper2661]

Yes, I would notice things like that, being a string player in an amateur orchestra!

[@davidclaytonddc]

The ident at 1:05 is my favourite news ident of all time, it speaks absolute power, integrity and authoritive content. In my opinion it emotes so much more pride as a national broadcaster than the current bumbling noise.

[@ismayb754]

Yeah I really just watch the news to find out anything I might need to know that day. If I need a sense of authoritive national pride I'll join a right wing unionist party, haha. I LOVE this theme for nostalgic reasons (reminds me of my childhood) but objectively, it's really far too over dramatic for a news theme. It's bordering on scary/threatening, and combined with the cold, harsh CGI studio, it's not a welcoming environment at all, especially with that far too large, imposing cutglass coat of arms towering over the studio. Don't get me wrong I don't need my news to be presented on fluffy couches with lovely cushions and cups of tea on the coffee table in front of the presenters. But this is too far in the opposite direction. I do very much appreciate it for what it was though, it was amazing for the time.

[@rogerdarthwell5393]

@@ismayb754 But that's exactly what makes these themes great

[@ismayb754]

@@rogerdarthwell5393 I said several times they are good pieces of music and that I enjoy them. I don't like them as news themes though. Back in the day, nostalgically, yes. In today's world, no.

[@rogerdarthwell5393]

@@ismayb754 All right no worries

[@forthrightgambitia1032]

I was 11 when the moved to the new format in May 1999 so this is one of those things that I didn't know I remembered, as it were. But hearing it I think it's the kind of thing that sticks in your subconscious.

[@angelacooper2661]

In May 1999 I was a month away from my 29th birthday, so much older than you. I remember the News theme tunes in the 80s very well and some of the late 70s too!

[@mango4606]

2:38 Just where all themes get put together. Even more epic than 1:56.

[@jacksugden8190]

1:05 and the Six Opening Title was pre recorded on the Silicon Graphics computer, the Headlines was on a DAT tape, the Front Title Sting was on the Silicon computer. The News Summery before that with Andrew used a Silicon computer with the image lasting 59sec, they used a DAT tape for the open/close titles. Due to space restrictions in the gallery, the Silicon computer and laser disks for each broadcast, 4 titles were produced, two laser disks were used for titles and the glob on the BBC Coat of Arms, along with all the music on DAT tapes, came from the 4th floor.

[@AndrewHsieh96]

Jack Sugden Fascinating! Where'd you learn all this?

[@jacksugden8190]

Hi Andrew, I saw an article online, can’t find it now, some years ago, 1997/8, made a visit to the 6th floor and saw some live broadcasts from N2, there was no room in the gallery on the main desk, so the touch screen computer with presets for screen shots, joy stick along with the camera positions were marked on a bit of paper showing the panels behind the presenter, the five robotic cameras were linked to barcodes on the studio wall, adjacent to N1, they took to information from the remote camera desk in the gallery.

[@TransmissionEpicts]

Nice info! Cool. The iconic BBC 1 and 2 idents of the 90s were also played out on modified laser disc players as well. Each region having a couple of players.

[@jacksugden8190]

@@TransmissionEpicts Wonder who’s got those disks that were used in N2 for all the main bulletins from 1993, and did they contain any music + what about the audio tracks?.

[@southpawboxing4265]

British hopes are dashed at Wimbledon....Henman and Rusedski are out. Ah, the memories.

[@MarkPentler]

The best part about these themes is how they had the melodies from the previous themes at each bulletin time within them.

[@mickyfinn4466]

The 90s idents show the influence of John Birt, the new Director General at the time, who was keen on branding everything. Prior to Birt, all the news bulletins had their own individual intros and graphics but Birt wanted a standard intro throughout all the output, but particularly in the main bulletins - the 1, the 6 and the 9. They therefore created a BBC News brand using the BBC coat-of-arms etched into the 'ice block'. The remnants of the individual news bulletin themes can however still be heard interpolated into each of the various openings. The idea of the BBC News 'brand' continues to this day with the beep, beep, beep theme and graphics opening all BBC news programmes.

[@jacksugden8190]

Yes Burt was DG at the BBC between 1992-2001, trade unions called the BBC Birt Broadcating Corporation due to jobs cuts, strikes taking place due to news staff loosing jobs.

[@TfL1901]

This is so interesting!!! Like Frank Pick and the London Underground!

[@DuncanMcA]

Love all these. They signify a corporation that was still confident and authoritative without fustiness. Detached, formal and genuinely balanced yet would ultimately present the British side and its institutions more favourably if attacked from outside. That’s what these themes and whole ‘look’ say to me. I cannot imagine the Queen’s death being covered with the same gravitas under the current look compared to Diana’s in 1997 under this one.

[@rogerdarthwell5393]

Couldn't have said it better myself! I just dread to think of the Queen's death being covered by today's bumbling noise, they were refreshing back in 1999, but they have been flogged to death now

[@theredraven]

@@rogerdarthwell5393 So a year on from this comment, how would you rate the BBC's performance over the last 24 hours?

[@rogerdarthwell5393]

@@theredraven They are doing a good and dignified performance, but I still think that with the old look it would have been more authoritative

[@visionist7]

@@theredraven there's a sombre version of the current beep beep theme which works quite well, although it's telling that no sombre version of the 1990s theme was required, that I know of.

[@sporkfindus4777]

I want to buy George Fenton a drink, just to say well done

[@angelacooper2661]

I would have been in my twenties at the time and remember these theme tunes!

[@seannyboy1987]

1.09 my Dad told me this fanfare meant it was time for all children to go to bed. I completely believed this 😂

[@Greenpoloboy3]

1:05 so slick and emotes power. 1:56 is great and 2:39 also. Brilliant

[@IvanAtYT]

1:05- 1:16 will make a perfect PC start up music. It sounds so intense

[@SB-gw7cc]

77PhoenixFire77 For Windows BBC News?

[@MythicSuns]

if you're gonna die from an orgasm this is the music you want to hear

[@jacksugden8190]

Six O’Clock News music was a clever arrangement indeed, every note carefully worked out when conducted over a blue screen in 1993 at Abbey Road Studios using the BBC Concert Orchestra.

[@AndrewHsieh96]

The first ever BBC News theme music from my early childhood. Oh, how do I miss the dramatic orchestra!

[@william-uk]

I think it would sound much better when switching it off...

[@tjc89]

1:10-1;15mins is the best, takes me back to when i was a kid

[@LittleRichard1988]

It's such a shame the BBC ditched George Fentom's music in favor of the bleep bleep music that David Lowe introduced in 1999. I think David Lowe's music will still be used in 2031, and probably forever.

[@TransmissionEpicts]

I adore these strident orchestral themes of the 90s, and the classy set design. But I also feel the "blips" theme by Lowe is equally as iconic. When they're used in the montages on News24 to bridge the gaps between bulletins and programs those really feel powerful and trusted too. Both approaches to the theme seem equally impactful and iconic. There's a place for both. Like a classical building next to a brutalist one - if they're both well designed. Yeah the blips aren't going away anytime soon!

[@fattypark]

1:05 gets me pumped up like I'm ready to face the first charge at Helm's Deep or Agincourt!

[@paulblight8919]

Awesome Collection. Thank you for sharing

[@emotivepiano]

This was when BBC news themes were orchestrally and technically accomplished, and also unashamedly severe: the music said "sit up and listen NOW and be as scared as HELL", in contrast to the casual "ah well it's only news, watch if you want to in the background" beep-beeps of the current wimpy themes.

[@neptune8thplanet]

My favorite will be the one for Breakfast News. It's so goddamn catchy like jeez Fenton.

[@rich_rich90]

The 1990s was peak BBC & British society. After the Millennium things started to decline.

[@angelacooper2661]

Half a lifetime ago for me, as in the 90s, I was in my twenties. Now in my early fifties!

[@Johnno9989]

2:07 those was the days. Good old Moira Stuart. In fact, it's nine years since her demotion and I am still disgusted with how unfair the BBC was on Moira. "you can't do TV news no more, you're too old". I wouldn't care how old my newsreaders was. In fact, I'd be more appalled if the demotion was anything to do with the skin colour.

[@patmcgroin1418]

Johnno9989 She's still going strong on radio 2 but yes the way the BBC treat their senior presenters is appaling!

[@snoozinghipo]

Moira was the best!!

[@tubzy2001]

I miss Moira

[@raflaughter3474]

Moira Stuart and Trevor McDonald were the equivalent to what Walter Cronkite was to the Americans.

[@jacksugden8190]

RAF laughter OR DIANA MADILL WAS TO ANNA FORD TO TREVOR MCDONALD

[@netako]

This is so impressive for 1993.

[@jacksugden8190]

Glory days never to be repeated

[@jacksugden8190]

I have added some interesting comparisons of the durations for the various openings for news output as follows for those Silicon Graphics spinning globes: Buisness Breakfast: 0.22sec to fade in Breakfast Time: 0.25sec to Opt In One news: 0.09src to Opt In Six news: 0.25sec Front Titles Nine news: 0.17sec Opening Titles Weekend: 0.15sec Opening Titles Summary: 0.06sec to fade in Summaries: A continuation of the spinning globe could be held on screen for 0.54seconds, and held if need be for same duration for the One O’Clock News.

[@RJRC_105]

I liked these so much. The big glass wall and the themes which have gravitas and grandeur. Also, it's actually news, not the comment heavy "tune in later to find out what to think" that the BBC News is in current year. I remember that they'd cover all four of the top stories at the Six O'clock News before half time and go into quite a bit of depth as well. Nowadays al-Beeb just fills its website with clickbait.

[@MrQuijibo]

I miss my grandad

[@deeditmane]

Happiest hostage ive ever seen 😂

[@AkiraMidori]

I like the contrast between the themes for the One O' clock News, Six O’ Clock News and Nine O' Clock News, which sounds formal and bold, and the BBC Breakfast News theme which has an Symphonic Rock version of the BBC Breakfast Time theme from 1986.

[@thepandabrothers6534]

I love the sound of 2:02

[@jacksugden8190]

Weekend News Opening was very cleaver indeed.

[@Tgoo89]

BRING THESE BACK!!!

[@jacksugden8190]

Doubt it Tim as the BBC was hard of hearing even my comments, have to except it and move on.

[@jonescrusher1]

'Gravitas' is an understatement. 1:06 is almost too much, especially on a quiet news day.

[@jonescrusher1]

@roger darthwell Indeed, hit them hard from the word go, if the news turns out to be a little lightweight then everyone's a winner.

[@NewRepublicMapper]

Hope that they will revive the music in their refresh this 2022

[@endrightwinglunacy]

1:05 is a wonderful piece of music and extremely intense., but a tad over the top for a news theme. You expect Genghis Khan to burst onto the set, horses rearing on their hind legs.....The best one, for me, is the 9 o'clock at 2:38 because it just seems to tie all the themes together, and has a great stateliness about it.

[@indigopath2598]

Our villain looks to the horizon at 1:06, as an epic cavarly charge crashes over a hilltop and draw swords at 1:09 :P

[@jacksugden8190]

There were a number of 6 o’clock News openings never heard, as below: A: Front Titles with Headlines B: Alt Front Title with Hangover C: Front Title with Tail There versions heard on live bulletins at 1:05 were: A: Alt Front Title B: Headlines C: Front Title Sting There were 16 takes for the 6 News at Abbey Road Studios in 1993 with the BBC Concert Orchestra.

[@stitcha123]

Jack Sugden how you know this big man?

[@jacksugden8190]

Hans Ruedi Giger - Someone gave me the info many years ago.

[@SeanMaccaUK]

1:05-1:17 - Fucking EPIC!

[@javiergomez9970]

The one o clock news intro is from August 1993. There is a BBC1 junction into that bulletin

[@clarissamcpigeon7857]

I prefer this to how the BBC News now looks.

[@jane1975]

Me.K The pulse sound is the Greenwich Mean Time pulse.

[@jacksugden8190]

Fenton used sounds to capture the thoughts and emotions of the viewers insights into the news, he was a true professor of BBC News themes.

[@jamestoyn9755]

i remember all old intros of the news in the 1990s

[@MichaelOKeefe2009]

There was also variations featuring the now current BBC blocks logo for sometime.

[@jacksugden8190]

All by David Lowe, the versions heard here were by George Fenton

[@netako]

@@jacksugden8190 No, they used the exact same intros with the current BBC logo for 2 years.

[@MichaelOKeefe2009]

@@netako Exactly.

[@videonut1988]

@@jacksugden8190, the David Lowe opens and set didn’t come to be until the Virtual Sets got dismantled and deactivated in the Fall of ‘99.

[@betacamsx-dallevhsallehdv11601]

1:00 This is short, due to a short bulletin 2:39 The News at 9 are the best... Only 4 the intro music!!!

[@michaeljohnson-ho2yw]

What is he doing with the ball! u would think people would think twice

[@ndulmillenium]

Before those "bips"

[@karlpeart1752]

0min 36 sec and 1min 05sec are my faves

[@Adam_81]

2:39 love it

[@robertgoh8261]

It also shows the beginning of BBC News at 6 from 1997.

[@jamezpipe]

BBC News 1990s Intros

[@Hddnnsj]

This was an epic theme! But I'll conceed the new one is better. But this one reminds me of being young... In the glory 90s days

[@visionist7]

The new ones are all a farce

[@robertbilling6266]

Yes, definitely a flat QuesTech Charisma doing the digital video effects. I suspect that the globe was done on CLEO, we certainly sold one to NACA about then. Could have been the same machine, if you simply didn't turn on the curved surface engine CLEO handled exactly like flat Charisma.

[@johnking5174]

A very cold looking set was the 1993 look. The music was great for each programme, but very limiting for the programmes with just a change in the colour scheme behind them. I think Breakfast News should not have been lumped in with the other news. It should have had its own distinct look. I stopped watching Breakfast News around 1993, and came back in 1997 when they introduced a great new separate look.

[@eIucidate]

John King They obviously realised it was wrong to genericise the Breakfast News. Mind you, though, the breakfast show was actually very much news-oriented. I mean, for goodness' sake, Jeremy Paxman was one of the hosts! After 97, they started to VERY gradually make it into the casual show we see nowadays, a throwback to how the show was when it was launched.

[@johnking5174]

The old Breakfast Time dumped the casual format in November 1986 and for 11 years they had a very news driven programme as TV AM on ITV copied the BBC and they "out sofa" them as it was put so BBC reverted to what they know best, hard news. They called it "Newsnight at Breakfast". I liked the 1997-2000 look which was a nice blend for the show, which was brought forward to BBC Breakfast in 2000. The 1993-1997 set was very cold and just did not suit a Breakfast programme. Jeremy only stayed with Breakfast Time until 1989 when Nicholas Witchel and Jill Dando launched Breakfast News.

[@jacksugden8190]

I liked very much that Nine News, those dark blue background panels with the vertical Earth on the 1 metre panels, and that theme tune was first class.

[@Joyousmicor]

These intros is from 1993 to 1999. (except BBC Breakfast News)

[@jacksugden8190]

Joyousmicor they were all scored for April 1993 in one session at Abbey Road studios.

[@rogerdarthwell5393]

They have been introduced 30 years ago today

[@jamezpipe]

Uploaded on 6 Apr 2016

[@Scripture-Man]

I remember these tunes so well, especially 0:50 1:05 1:56 2:39 - But where's the one with the graphic of a radio transmitter and lightning bolts going through it and "radio waves" coming out of it? That's the intro I remember the most.

[@stitcha123]

It’s all over youtube

[@Scripture-Man]

@@stitcha123 Yeah, I found it in the end. But strange that it's not in this compilation! :-)

[@theebloxinator]

@@Scripture-Man It’s not, did you even read the description or the title?

[@VermyScrubs]

@@Scripture-Man It’s not in because it wasn’t part of the set. The 1988 Nine O’Clock News set was replaced by 2:38 . (You could actually hear that the theme is similar to what it replaced.) This compilation is only of the Virtual Studio set.

[@noradosmith]

The day today.

[@mango4606]

1:58 EPIC.

[@mango4606]

@roger darthwell THEY MASHUP THE 80S THEME AND THE OTHER THEME

[@mango4606]

1:05 So intense.

[@jacksugden8190]

Missing were Business Breakfast (1993-1997) and Breakfast News (1997-2000). At least those presenters didn't wave their hands around presenting the news from that studio, something today's news presenters do was all the rage.

[@stickytapenrust6869]

The video description says that the uploader was concentrating on only the virtual BBC News studio intros. Even though it used the same studio, Business Breakfast didn't use the virtual set. Breakfast News dropped the virtual look when the BBC corporate rebrand came into effect in October 97.

[@Joyousmicor]

Ferguson Videostar Breakfast News dropped virtual look earlier, in June '97.

[@jacksugden8190]

Joyousmicor [STOP MAKING FAKES] never heard of Furguson Videostar, checked your comment, nothing found on search engine. And I have seen that stop making fake comments before, who was this aimed at me or you?.

[@thepandabrothers6534]

I am from the uk and I watch bbc news

[@jacksugden8190]

Lucky you

[@jennyrosemutia8466]

Similar To Donkey Kong Country And Ken Griffey Jr.'s Winning Run Has Same 3D Action .

[@Al.Diamond]

What does the motto read on the coat of arms?

[@QwertyScream]

Nation shall speak peace unto nation

[@turgut104]

Nice but is it possible to get in AE?

[@jamezpipe]

i know isn't it great the bbc 1990's this is a stablised or whatever and the programme is the videotape versions at

[@itz_Lwazi]

Mmmm

[@Joyousmicor]

James Pipe BBC in 1993-1999 used SGI PowerSeries computers and LaserDisc recorders.

[@belravengaming5073]

Bbc news 1993

[@wesleycracknell1623]

i remeber every studio to bbc news

[@jeffreymutia2573]

in Midlands

[@wesleycracknell1623]

manliy in wales

[@jacksugden8190]

This video was the old N2 on the 6th floor at TVC.

[@wesleycracknell1623]

@@jacksugden8190 i remeber the studio

[@martynbarrett64]

Let's hope that Charles Moore brings these timeless intros back!

[@martynbarrett64]

@roger darthwell bugger!

[@martynbarrett64]

Certainly beats that drum-beat shit by a mile!

[@Phippsta]

The BBC Seriously needs to change its Intro/ Music soon...

[@jacksugden8190]

All the current stuff is naff, been hanging around in one form or another since 1999, the music here was introduced in 1993 and rebranded from George Fenton to David Lowe who has the current branding to this day.

[@eIucidate]

Which bulletin is 1:56?

[@ashwan350]

BBC Weekend News

[@eIucidate]

1:53 Windows logo !!!

[@rezlynxium7400]

Well spotted - it does indeed look like the current Windows logo.

[@jacksugden8190]

Good observation, the Windows logo was on the right on the desktop.

[@Scripture-Man]

Hmmm, I find that a bit of a stretch, just because there are 4 squares? One could argue that the BBC logo at 1:56 looks more like the Windows logo - its squares are slanted to the right, and it has primary colours. It's all pretty tenuous though.

[@eIucidate]

@@Scripture-Man You must have been talking about the colourful Windows logo which was last used in Windows 7. The four squares at 1:53 are identical to the Windows 10 logo (albeit inversed), which was the latest version of Windows at the time of writing my comment.

[@ricwilki6254]

Oh Athers....

[@NationTV-fv4fn]

BBC เสียงจาก VOICE TV ปี 2556

[@judgementravijudgementravi9930]

Aangila padam 👌👈

[@roff1opiola366]

Back when we were a country instead of a dumping ground

[@visionist7]

90s music: grim faced, steely jawed, frowning Modern "music": a bunch of farting clowns falling over each other

[@Petrolosis]

No love for the late 90s I see

[@f_gameiro]

What he was doing? 2:34

[@ashwan350]

Maybe he was using the ball to scratch his private part?

[@NationTV-fv4fn]

Voice TV เสียงมาจาก BBC

[@bongseo6227]

영상자료]부산경남대표방송knn방송종료영상2007년12월08일)박소영나레이션멘트

[@Sheena1234ization]

1:05- 1:17

[@mango4606]

So epic.

[@NationTV-fv4fn]

BBC เปลี่ยนโลโก้เหลี่ยมแบบใหม่

[@tonycen9607]

2:14 1:57 2:47 2:49

[@andrewdocherty73]

who is the presenter at 01:18

[@fuzzynutter8344]

+andrew docherty Anna Ford

[@jamezpipe]

ok then give it a try now

[@kennyryan625]

1:56

[@kennyryan625]

02:39

[@NationTV-fv4fn]

BBC เปลี่ยนโลโก้สี่เหลี่ยมแบบใหม่ในปัจจุบัน

[@Foebane72]

I always liked this CGI intro, compared to the Nazi News predecessor: it's like CGI glass with a nice coat-of-arms with a rotating solid glass globe in the middle.

[@chrisdawson6156]

I miss these BBC intros they are crap now

[@tonycen9607]

0:35 0:59

[@tonycen9607]

0:05 0:23

[@RadioNul]

Rumpledum

[@amerykanskiprezervatuvu]

Коментар Піска Жопа Дупа

[@NationTV-fv4fn]

BBC BBreakfast (L)

[@finenebula]

All you get now is some stupid "beep beep beep this is the news". Is there no talent in creation anymore? No new composers? LAZY!!!!

[@jacksugden8190]

None, George Fenton was one of the best when he started in 1985/6 writing for BBC News, his remaining works are Newsnight and The Daily Politics.

[@subwaygaragemusic]

What about bringing in David Dundas?

[@monthunoro1797]

V need reality &nw ideas to improve tecnology

[@jacksugden8190]

Only if they repitch

[@Scottygthreethousand]

Sounds like a Trump twitter rant. Haha