Category: News
Date: 12.12.2005
Printable version
The 91Èȱ¬ received a record-breaking number of eye-witness accounts and pictures from viewers who experienced first hand the dramatic explosions at the Buncefield oil depot in Hertfordshire on Sunday morning, 11 December 2005.
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The morning's events also generated an increase in viewing figures as audiences turned to the 91Èȱ¬ for news on the blasts.
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Across Sunday 91Èȱ¬ News 24 achieved its highest daily reach of the year with 4.7 million individuals, a 2.1 per cent share. In comparison Sky reached 4.1 million viewers, a 1.8% share.
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News coverage on 91Èȱ¬ ONE also achieved high audiences. In multi-channel homes Breakfast peaked with 1.2 million at 8.45am (Sky News 189,000).
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In all homes News 24's Breakfast simulcast on 91Èȱ¬ ONE peaked at two million viewers.
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91Èȱ¬ ONE achieved an average viewing figure of 1.0 million (40 per cent share) while GMTV averaged 108,000 (6% share).
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Later in the day the main bulletins showed an increase in viewing figures - the early evening bulletin was watched by 5.6 million and the Ten O'Clock News achieved six million.
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Peter Horrocks, Head of 91Èȱ¬ TV News, says: "Audience support for 91Èȱ¬ News on News 24 and 91Èȱ¬ ONE yesterday establishes the 91Èȱ¬ channels as Britain's leading two news channels.
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"Since Sky News' relaunch Sky News has been trailing News 24 in audience share and reach.
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"The oil fire depot is the first major domestic breaking news story since that relaunch. In this significant test, the audience turned to News 24 significantly ahead of Sky News.
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"On the main channels the performance of the special Breakfast coverage and the 91Èȱ¬ ONE evening bulletins confirmed 91Èȱ¬ ONE as the channel that everyone turns to in times of crisis."
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91Èȱ¬ Breakfast reporter Colin Campbell referred to a blast as it happened live on air at 6.03am while reporting from outside the Foreign Office.
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The first picture came into the 91Èȱ¬ at 6.19am, minutes after the initial explosion, with the first mobile phone video footage sent in at 6.23am.
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91Èȱ¬ News received more than 6,500 emails to yourpics@bbc.co.uk - many with multiple images and video clips from mobile phones and digital cameras of the blaze at the oil depot.
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On the day of the London bombings on 7 July the 91Èȱ¬'s yourpics received around 1,000 images and mobile clips from the public.
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Half a million unique users (525,808) accessed the News Player - the 91Èȱ¬'s online news video service - for clips and footage on Sunday (second only to requests on 7 July).
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The largest number of requests was for live footage streamed online and a news package by Gavin Hewitt.
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In all, there were more than a quarter of a million requests for user generated material.
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Pete Clifton, Head of 91Èȱ¬ News Interactive, says: "The range of material we received from our readers was absolutely extraordinary.
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"Video, still pictures and emails poured in from the moment the blast happened, and it played a central part in the way we reported the unfolding events."
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On the 91Èȱ¬ News website an index of user generated content (UGC) was made available in broadband.
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On interactive television, digital satellite and cable users had a dedicated loop of UGC material while all digital television platforms, including Freeview, were able to see material as part of packaged coverage.
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Rail travellers also got the opportunity to see user generated content via Maiden's multimedia marketing billboards in train stations across the UK.
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Notes to Editors
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During simulcasts BARB currently reports DSat viewing as viewing to News 24; excluding cable and Freeview.
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The viewing in DCab, ACAB and DTT homes that should be attributed to News 24 is currently being attributed to 91Èȱ¬ ONE.
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In terms of requests for footage, the News Player figures referred to do not describe actual media usage and therefore do not represent the number of users who watched/listened to the media. They reflect the most requested media links on the site or from within the console which give an indication of user interest.
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SS/NL
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