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New TV news programme launched
A NEW regional news programme for Oxfordshire, set to replace ITV's Abingdon-based Central News South, goes live tomorrow at 6pm.
Thames Valley Tonight will be co-presented by Wesley Smith and Mary Green, presenter of ITV's Meridian Tonight.
The Central News studios in the Abingdon Business Park will be retained to form the centrepiece of the new service, which covers an area stretching from Witney to Windsor and from Winchester up to Banbury.
Mr Smith, who has presented Central News since 1989, said: "Viewers will get more news relevant to their daily lives.
"Our commitment to cover anything of interest in Oxfordshire will be stronger than ever."
Ms Green said: "I am delighted to be involved in the new programme. It's a wonderful region."
Central News presenter Hannah Shellswell will still be part of the show, co-hosting the Friday programme and taking on a series of challenges called Can I Cut It?
The new service is a fusion of ITV's Central South and Meridian West sub-regions.
Viewers who are tuned to Central's Oxford transmitter will automatically receive Thames Valley Tonight.
Head of news Robin Britton said: "Despite viewers having the choice of sometimes hundreds of channels we are convinced there is a need for a news programme with a strong local identity in tune with local people."
8:00am Sunday 3rd December 2006
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CommentPosted by: Angie on 7:06pm Tue 5 Dec 06
I am very dissapointed with Thames valley tonight .Central news was just perfect as were the presenters. You have lost me as a viewer.
I am very dissapointed with Thames valley tonight .Central news was just perfect as were the presenters. You have lost me as a viewer.
Posted by: David Aston on 3:12am Thu 7 Dec 06
Central News was ideal as a local programme - even if it lacked any real news items, seemed to be laden with trivia and 'phone-in surveys' recently but provided background while waiting for Charley's weather forecast. Thames Valley Tonight doesn't have the same local feel , but at least it doesn't call itself a news bulletin. And where is Charley - have we lost her as well ?
Central News was ideal as a local programme - even if it lacked any real news items, seemed to be laden with trivia and 'phone-in surveys' recently but provided background while waiting for Charley's weather forecast. Thames Valley Tonight doesn't have the same local feel , but at least it doesn't call itself a news bulletin. And where is Charley - have we lost her as well ?
Posted by: David on 2:59pm Wed 13 Dec 06
I don't care about the quality of the news now we've got Gemma Humphries doing the weather! Yippee!
I don't care about the quality of the news now we've got Gemma Humphries doing the weather! Yippee!
Posted by: angie on 10:45pm Wed 13 Dec 06
We used to watch weakest link then imediatly turn over for central,not any more we dont like thames attall,dont like the look of new lady presenter,sorry[bold]bold[/bold]
We used to watch weakest link then imediatly turn over for central,not any more we dont like thames attall,dont like the look of new lady presenter,sorry
Posted by: Julie on 6:23pm Thu 14 Dec 06
What a load of rubbish Thames Valley Tonight is. I live in Bicester and Central News covered our area perfectly, now we're lucky if we get a mention. Why oh Why are these so called 'improvements' made when they blatantly are nothing of the sort! The woman presenter is awful as is the weather person.You've lost us to the BBC, unless of course normal service is ever resumed.
What a load of rubbish Thames Valley Tonight is. I live in Bicester and Central News covered our area perfectly, now we're lucky if we get a mention. Why oh Why are these so called 'improvements' made when they blatantly are nothing of the sort! The woman presenter is awful as is the weather person.You've lost us to the BBC, unless of course normal service is ever resumed.
Posted by: John Stevens on 6:34pm Thu 14 Dec 06
What a dissapointment Thames Valley tonight is.Do not like the female presenter, not friendly enough. Where are Emma & Charley? Sorry but you have lost two more viewers. We keep the radio on till South Today comes on.
What a dissapointment Thames Valley tonight is.Do not like the female presenter, not friendly enough. Where are Emma & Charley? Sorry but you have lost two more viewers. We keep the radio on till South Today comes on.
Posted by: Michael Hunt on 5:12pm Tue 19 Dec 06
You can add the names of my wife and I to the voices of dissent.We live in Bracknell and all you get on TVT is Swindon this and Oxford that. My solution after the demise of Meridian tonight is the BBC main news at 6 then South Today. Does no one rver consider the viewers.
You can add the names of my wife and I to the voices of dissent.We live in Bracknell and all you get on TVT is Swindon this and Oxford that. My solution after the demise of Meridian tonight is the BBC main news at 6 then South Today. Does no one rver consider the viewers.
Posted by: johnhanby on 7:41pm Tue 19 Dec 06
you can add my names to the comments made by John from Bracknell
i live in Woodley and am not interested in Swindon or Wilts news i live in the Thames Valley and that does not include Swindom but Maidenhead and Henley as well as Reading.there is no rappore bewteeen Wesley and Mary so where is Ian ? and where did you get that awlful weather man from ,bring back Gemma Humphries.What ever happened to the travel news this is an important item of early evening news.I am lucky to be able to select between TVT and BBC South so get back to old format or bye bye.
you can add my names to the comments made by John from Bracknell
i live in Woodley and am not interested in Swindon or Wilts news i live in the Thames Valley and that does not include Swindom but Maidenhead and Henley as well as Reading.there is no rappore bewteeen Wesley and Mary so where is Ian ? and where did you get that awlful weather man from ,bring back Gemma Humphries.What ever happened to the travel news this is an important item of early evening news.I am lucky to be able to select between TVT and BBC South so get back to old format or bye bye.
Posted by: Jenny Tatman on 6:16pm Tue 9 Jan 07
I must agree with some other comments, HOW I WISH the old Central News was still on the TV.
I do not like the new version at all, plus missing the old team that we were used to.
I much preferred the old team too.
Well I suppose we have no choice!!
I must agree with some other comments, HOW I WISH the old Central News was still on the TV.
I do not like the new version at all, plus missing the old team that we were used to.
I much preferred the old team too.
Well I suppose we have no choice!!
Posted by: D Tatman on 6:22pm Tue 9 Jan 07
Please bring back Central News and the cheerful faces of the old team, what has happened to them all? Not keen on this new News programme at all
Please bring back Central News and the cheerful faces of the old team, what has happened to them all? Not keen on this new News programme at all
Posted by: d gorman on 12:15pm Wed 17 Jan 07
Bring Back Central News. What has happened, poor Wesley does not look happy, bring back Wesley and Hannah and our local news. You have lost another two views
Bring Back Central News. What has happened, poor Wesley does not look happy, bring back Wesley and Hannah and our local news. You have lost another two views
Posted by: j mackernan on 7:10pm Sun 4 Feb 07
can we have central news back please i dont like the t vally news i liked it when wesley and hannah done it thay were all ways happie and i like that on my tv new i dont like the new vally news sorry and we want to see ur whether girl back
can we have central news back please i dont like the t vally news i liked it when wesley and hannah done it thay were all ways happie and i like that on my tv new i dont like the new vally news sorry and we want to see ur whether girl back
Posted by: g. stevens, woodley on 6:22pm Tue 13 Mar 07
what a load of rubbish thames valley tonight is. i live in the reading area, i don't want to know what's going on in oxfordshire. as for wesley, he is a waste of time. christopher peacock, why does he he have to put on a smypathy voice, while covering certain news items, get rid of him. bring back the old team from 'meridian tonight'. you have lost more viewers from this household.
what a load of rubbish thames valley tonight is. i live in the reading area, i don't want to know what's going on in oxfordshire. as for wesley, he is a waste of time. christopher peacock, why does he he have to put on a smypathy voice, while covering certain news items, get rid of him. bring back the old team from 'meridian tonight'. you have lost more viewers from this household.
Posted by: J H, Oxford on 6:07pm Tue 15 May 07
There has been no improvement in this new show. Since when has Winchester been in the Thames Valley Eh? eh?
There has been no improvement in this new show. Since when has Winchester been in the Thames Valley Eh? eh?
Posted by: JOHN WATT, SOUTHAMPTON on 11:42am Fri 22 Jun 07
WE HAVE GOT GEMMA HUMPHRIES, AS POSTED BY DAVID !!!YIPPEE!!!
WE HAVE GOT GEMMA HUMPHRIES, AS POSTED BY DAVID !!!YIPPEE!!!
Posted by: JOHN, SOUTHAMPTON on 12:13pm Fri 22 Jun 07
IS THERE A FAN CLUB 4 GEMMA HUMPHRIES
IS THERE A FAN CLUB 4 GEMMA HUMPHRIES
Posted by: JOHN, SOUTHAMPTON on 6:02pm Fri 20 Jul 07
IS THERE ANYBODY THERE
Posted by: JOHN, SOUTHAMPTON on 8:01pm Wed 1 Aug 07
HELLO HELLO HELLO
Posted by: JOHN, SUNNY SOUTHAMPTON on 7:37am Wed 8 Aug 07
HI DE HI
Posted by: LV, Abingdon on 2:24pm Sat 25 Aug 07
Loved our old Central with Wesley & Hannah. Now even get parts of Kent with the Thames Valley!!!! What is going on with these decision makers. Kick them out and get some with real logic!
BBC South, oxon, is my fav watch now.
Also this has confused the tv listings ... few seem to show us the same!
Loved our old Central with Wesley & Hannah. Now even get parts of Kent with the Thames Valley!!!! What is going on with these decision makers. Kick them out and get some with real logic!
BBC South, oxon, is my fav watch now.
Also this has confused the tv listings ... few seem to show us the same!
Posted by: VR on 4:57pm Tue 4 Sep 07
[quote][bold]Michael Hunt[/bold] wrote:
You can add the names of my wife and I to the voices of dissent.We live in Bracknell and all you get on TVT is Swindon this and Oxford that. My solution after the demise of Meridian tonight is the BBC main news at 6 then South Today. Does no one rver consider the viewers. [/quote] I live in Swindon and I hate Thames Valley Tonight with a passion! I get it on Sky and Terrestrial. It covers such a HUGE area it isn't local at all. I have never considered Swindon to be in the Thames Valley. I SHOULD be receiving ITV West! I don't care about Milton Keynes or Northampton and don't know why they're included in TVT. I think of Thames Valley as Berks and parts of Oxon. At least with BBC I receive Points West, only on Sky though. With freeview/terrestrial I get BBC South which I also think is a bit of a huge region but it will do. There's also a BBC Oxford which is a bit more local but I don't understand is it part of BBC South or what? :-)
Michael Hunt wrote:
You can add the names of my wife and I to the voices of dissent.We live in Bracknell and all you get on TVT is Swindon this and Oxford that. My solution after the demise of Meridian tonight is the BBC main news at 6 then South Today. Does no one rver consider the viewers.
I live in Swindon and I hate Thames Valley Tonight with a passion! I get it on Sky and Terrestrial. It covers such a HUGE area it isn't local at all. I have never considered Swindon to be in the Thames Valley. I SHOULD be receiving ITV West! I don't care about Milton Keynes or Northampton and don't know why they're included in TVT. I think of Thames Valley as Berks and parts of Oxon. At least with BBC I receive Points West, only on Sky though. With freeview/terrestrial I get BBC South which I also think is a bit of a huge region but it will do. There's also a BBC Oxford which is a bit more local but I don't understand is it part of BBC South or what? :-)
Posted by: JOHN, SOUTHAMPTON on 5:20pm Tue 25 Dec 07
HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL
HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL
Posted by: James Cresswell, Cheltenham on 12:53pm Mon 7 Jan 08
ITV has got so big now, it doesnt care about the viewers. First our ident went, then our local programs, finally Central News bit the dust. I refuse to watch Thames Valley or ITV West Tonight, as they are all a pale imitation. Makes me laugh, ITV wonder why they are losing viewers. Try listening for a change.
ITV has got so big now, it doesnt care about the viewers. First our ident went, then our local programs, finally Central News bit the dust. I refuse to watch Thames Valley or ITV West Tonight, as they are all a pale imitation. Makes me laugh, ITV wonder why they are losing viewers. Try listening for a change.
Posted by: jay, Swindon on 9:29pm Thu 24 Jan 08
what area did central south used to cover? what did the weather map look like. i don't remember
what area did central south used to cover? what did the weather map look like. i don't remember
Posted by: Gillie Coghlan, Burford on 3:37pm Wed 6 Feb 08
To all viewers and readers! Please get along to Lakeside Country Club, Frimley Green, Surrey, on Saturday 15 March to see John Coghlan's Quo - the brilliant original drummer from Status Quo, with his own band .....
To all viewers and readers! Please get along to Lakeside Country Club, Frimley Green, Surrey, on Saturday 15 March to see John Coghlan's Quo - the brilliant original drummer from Status Quo, with his own band .....
Posted by: gerard, milton keynes on 10:50pm Tue 22 Jul 08
I've complained to TVT about the lack of news coverage that central news south used to cover, i said there news was bias towards it old meridian north region which covered as far north as oxford, central news south had a good local coverage oxfordshire, bucks, parts of northants as well as south warwicks the coverage of the beckley transmitter north of oxford. I emailed them and the response was now they say they have 3 core counties which are oxfordshire, berkshire and hampshire - when the hell was hampshire and surrey and heathrow airport in the thames valley? milton keynes according to them is no longer in their patch even though on the itv local page (which comes up as meridian milton keynes is there?) This is clearly showing itv doesnt care about regional programming or content and purely money - shame on you michael grade
I've complained to TVT about the lack of news coverage that central news south used to cover, i said there news was bias towards it old meridian north region which covered as far north as oxford, central news south had a good local coverage oxfordshire, bucks, parts of northants as well as south warwicks the coverage of the beckley transmitter north of oxford. I emailed them and the response was now they say they have 3 core counties which are oxfordshire, berkshire and hampshire - when the hell was hampshire and surrey and heathrow airport in the thames valley? milton keynes according to them is no longer in their patch even though on the itv local page (which comes up as meridian milton keynes is there?) This is clearly showing itv doesnt care about regional programming or content and purely money - shame on you michael grade
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