First Look: China’s New Global 24 Hour English News Channel

[tweetmeme]

China’s New Global English News Channel, CNC World, has launched. Run by China’s State News agency Xinhua, the network hopes expanding foreign language media will help promote China’s image and viewpoint, ultimately “challenging the BBC and CNN”. CNC World preview here:

Unfortunately, based on some initial previews of the new on-air package and branding, they may have some significant way to go. The new CNC World’s new on-air package looks flat and dreary next to its domestic rival CCTV (read our coverage of CCTV’s “Believe in the Power of the Brand” here), let alone CNN or Al Jazeera (read our coverage of Al Jazeera’s latest rebrand here). You can see what CNC World is up against with these two spots:

With reports of over $5 billion (yes with a B) being spent by the government on CNC World, state broadcaster CCTV, and the People’s Daily Newspaper expansion into the global marketplace, expect to see a swift refresh fix of the CNC World package.  Many countries look to their domestic and global news presence as a reflection of their growing economic prowess and position on the world stage.

The Chinese broadcaster plans to build a state of the art newsroom as its New York headquarters at the top of a 44 story skyscraper in Times Square alongside nearby Reuters, Condé Nast, and The New York Times.

Speaking at the launch in Beijing yesterday, channel president, Li Congjun, said CNC would “present an international vision with a China perspective”. I’d say based on what we’ve seen on-air so far, CNC World should give me a call ASAP.

BBC Sport- Winter Olympics 2010 Animated Film

[tweetmeme]

The BBC has released an epic animated commercial (:40) to celebrate the upcoming coverage of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver.

The film was set around a legendary quest, “whereby an Inuit hero has to retrieve a spiritual stone that has been taken by a giant Bear from a mystical totem. In the process of his mission our hero draws on his skills in a series of challenging & physically brutal Olympic style sports to recover the precious ice locked stone, thus restoring light and peace to his dark and troubled world”.

BBC Winter Olympics 2010 film, commissioned by BBC / Red Bee Media, agency: RKCR/Y&R, prod co: Studio AKA

Incidentally, the intricate background shots were based on designs by Jon Klassen, who worked on the movie Coraline.

New ‘Doctor Who’ BBC One Christmas Ident

[tweetmeme]

Just released ‘Doctor Who’ BBC One Christmas Ident, featuring David Tennant. In other breaking news, the Doctor Who star has just landed the lead role in the new NBC comedy drama Rex is Not Your Lawyer. The pilot was greenlit by NBC in August, and will have Tennant moving to Los Angeles to pursue his big US network debut.

Creative was developed and produced by Red Bee Media.

And a couple more cuts including:

BBC One Reindeer and TARDIS Sting

and BBC One Christmas Sting Featuring Doctor Who

Doctor Who 2010: The New Logo Finally Unveiled

Last week, the 11th logo in the 46 year history of the iconic show was finally revealed. For those unfamiliar with the show, Doctor Who is listed in the Guinness World Records as the longest science fiction television show in the world, and the “most successful” sci fi series of all time (based on overall broadcast ratings, dvd sales, book sales, and online downloads).

Doctor Who’s army of faithful (and vocal) fans have shared their impressions of the new look online and throughout the blogosphere. The feedback thus far been largely positive, which can only help build anticipation for the show’s 5th series premiere in Spring 2010.

The creative concept developed (in partnership between BBC One and Red Bee Media) for the identity aims to align the British science fiction television programme with blockbuster sci-fi film emblems, such as Superman, Star Trek and Batman, which have achieved universal public recognition. Part of the identity, the insignia, features the Doctor’s initials, ‘DW’, simply moulded into the shape of the iconic TARDIS, where all The Doctor’s journeys begin.

Sharing properties with the 1950’s police box, the insignia design uses the same base colour and explores light and dimension to depict the adventure and mystery that is synonymous with the alien time-travelling Doctor.

For those interested, short video history of the Dr. Who logo that, after the jump

BBC’s New “Ashes to Ashes” Ident & Menu

For our colleagues in the States…
Series two of ‘Ashes to Ashes’ kicked off on BBC a couple weeks ago.  And with it has bestowed upon it the ultimate accolade – a brand-new ident to mark the occassion.

And in a move to extend the “red stripes” theme, BBC One menus have tied together the visual language in a neat and tidy bow.

New BBC HD Ident

On Tuesday at 4pm, a new BBC Ident was unveiled alongside a redesigned BBC HD website. The idents are “more in keeping with the channel’s tone” according to BBC Head of HD Danielle Nagler and replace the previous BBC HD Ident (the one rising out of swirly CGI waves).

UKTV / Blighty Poster Campaign

Ahh… good old poster advertising. London Ad Agency Watermill (the team behind the Blighty national poster, magazine, and newspaper campaign) sent me over shots of the guerilla poster series promoting the launch of the much talked about new channel. You gotta hand it to ’em, the search engine terms for “Blighty Advertising Poster”, “UKTV Blighty National Poster” and “Loveblighty.co.uk Poster” are up 300% since last week.

Blighty Launch Poster Campaign

Here they are, immortalized for your exclusive viewing. Post no bills? No way! I’m not sure if I’m supposed to show these but…  how else do these things become viral?

It showed up like this, don't ask me!

Blighty National Poster Campaign

I think the last time I posted about an outdoor TV channel campaign was for BBDO’s work for BBC World. Remember these?

New idents hail new year for BBC ALBA

Galsgow-based agency Design is Central has produced a series of idents for new-ish Scottish Gaelic language channel BBC ALBA. The idents based on the North Star are supplemented by a set of menu boards. The menus are based on the concept of lines. Lines form in different locations including tents, swallows and buoys. These represent Gaelic as a line, a thread running through culture, history, place, language and media.

The new idents are a springboard off a Christmas Ident series, all of which were shot in Scotland. The focus of attention on the BBC ALBA idents resolves to the north star of the ALBA logo. There is a mysterious pull to the North in each one. They are always in the evening, the ‘first star awake’, and always with side lighting and an evening vibe.