Early News Programmes 

29 March 2006 tbs.pm/3505

A tour of the news programmes from the early days of Tyne Tees, from 1959 to 1976.

North East Roundabout

With a name that conjours up images of news readers sat in the middle of a roundabout (fairground or road – your choice) eating candy floss, North East Roundabout was the very first news programme on Tyne Tees Television, launching on 16 January 1959.

Throughout its run it was presented by Tom Coyne (above), the show lasted until Good Friday (27 March) in 1964.

Initially broadcast on Fridays, it was quickly joined by Midweek Roundabout on Wednesdays, before the programme was expanded to be broadcast five nights a week.

The set was pretty minimal, consisting of wooden poles linked together with thick rope, all arranged in a circle. To go with the name, the opening titles featured a carosel with a camera moving closer and closer to the roundabout.

North East Newsview

With the departure of Tom Coyne for BBC Midlands, North East Roundabout was replaced by North East Newsview, starting on 30 March 1964.

Broadcast for 45 minutes on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 55 minutes on Wednesdays and Fridays, it was originally presented by Mike Neville. When Mike left for BBC North East, he was replaced by Bob Langley and Roderick Grittith.

Today At Six

Little is known about Today at Six, bar that it was the first Tyne Tees news programme to be broadcast in colour and that it started in 1969.

Regular presenters included Michael Partington, Earl Bailey, Peter Moth, with the reporters Rodderick Griffith and Charlotte Allen. Bill Steel joined the programme as main presenter in 1971.

Today At Six continued until 1976 when it was replaced by Northern Life.