ITN: The facts behind the news 

1 August 2017 tbs.pm/13137

From the TVTimes London edition for 18-24 August 1963

National and international news programmes are provided by Independent Television News Ltd. (ITN) — a subsidiary of the six oldest programme contractors, supplying news to all parts of the ITV network.

  • The main offices and studios are on the seventh and eighth floors of Television House in London’s Kingsway.
  • ITN employs 14 full-time cameramen, who have flown more than 2,000,000 miles and exposed over 4,000,000ft. of film.
  • Besides its own news staff, ITN has 100 correspondents throughout the world and can call on 50 freelance cameramen in Britain and 250 more overseas.
  • In an average full news bulletin, 250ft. of 16mm. film will be used — some 182,000ft. per year.
  • As aids to gathering news and interviews ITN has 150 telephone extensions and 33 lines, 12 cars and five motor cycles.
  • The programme’s signature tune is Non-Stop by John Malcolm. A mood music record, it is not available commercially.
  • Present resident newscasters are Huw Thomas, Reginald Bosanquet, Andrew Gardner and Peter Snow. Editor is Geoffrey Cox.
  • ITN reckon their most interesting assignment in the last year was bringing the first news bulletin from the United States by Telstar; their most significant, the exclusive interview in which Mr. Macmillan announced his intention to remain as Prime Minister.

You Say

2 responses to this article

Paul Mason 1 August 2017 at 11:11 pm

The ITN theme tune was in use until 1976 on weekdays, perhaps later at weekends. News at Ten, First Report or News at One had their own themes, the News at 5.45 starting in 1976 had a synthesizer job. “Non-Stop”, as I have just discovered thanks to this article, was used by Stanley Baxter on his recent BBC Radio 4 comedy drama series.

Kif Bowden-Smith 29 August 2017 at 1:10 pm

In fact Paul ‘Non Stop’ was used until 1982 at weekends. It was last heard during the Falklands conflict.

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