News Channel Launch (Sort Of)

From London, another new entrant into the crowded and possibly of dwindling financial attraction, world of rolling broadcast news.

Trying to tackle the divisive giant of the market - the tax funded BBC - is indeed laudable.

In this case, the latest challenger is a radio station morphing into a televisual player.

Well, for a few hours a night, at any rate. Much of the output - as worldclass as the likes of Julia Hartley-Brewer can be - remains radio-on-tv.

Still, I thought it worthy of a post to look at a trio of presentation guiders.

Firstly, as I've noted with many a youtube 'premier', especially from song promo 'official video' release, there was a countdown. Slightly animated, here's a pair of static screenshot samples;

I suppose such a template may help us craft a slide with a single number on. Perhaps mainly for internal consumption. Even a countdown to a fresh product launch of our own in x-days time. Or simply a digit of immediate note.

A second item useful to consider, is the zoomscape of their very first contributor.

With evening news digest host Tom Newton Dunn (who previously excelled on analysis slots elsewhere) in-studio, we dialled in to a journalist on Middle East affairs for big dog London broadsheet, The Sunday Times, at her Istanbul digs.

Quite the semi-pro approach, and bookcasing to boot. Good for telly, we can do better for sales calls though. Inject a touch of personality, especially traits related to the customers we serve. Add-in whiteboard style aids. And lift the webcam height a teeny smidge.

And thirdly, the flagpole around which the launch night danced. An exclusive interview with Donald Trump.

The noteworthy nugget here, being the prompt cards the interviewer holds.

We don't see enough of these in our arena. Pre-prepared, neatly produced, branded notes.

Those little ol' record cards, also known as Flash Cards, have long been allowable for a podium presentation. They can suit many other situations too. If you're going to prep - and you must - then why not show it. A pitch, discovery session or business case workshop can touch on numbers and concepts and diagrams the accurate recall of which would test any Einstein. Having a note to hand can give the prospect comfort you are thinking, not winging.