TalkTV - "from the TalkRadio studio"

Politics aside, TalkTV is incredibly slick with the polish you would expect of News Corp and a masterclass in launching a channel of this nature.

The sets and GFX are impressive (although the LIVE looks like a road sign, it might be a grower and the close-up zoom is too fast). A few viewers have complained of poor quality on Freeview as it’s in SD.

It’s a good step up from the visualisation of talkRADIO over the last couple of years whereby output was simulcast on YouTube and other platforms.

So far, only three hours Mon-Fri comes from bespoke TV studios (and a few weeknight repeats) with the radio output simulcast at all other times and billed as "TalkTV, from the TalkRadio studio".

I don’t understand the confused messaging when the visuals are branded TalkTV and the radio imaging is branded TalkRadio. Each could be seamless. When do you ever hear This Morning presenters declare "you’re watching ITV"?

Some idents say "TalkRadio and TalkTV", some just say "TalkRadio" and some just say "TalkTV". The strapline is "The Home of Common Sense" on radio but on TV it’s "Straight talking starts here". Presenters say "TalkTV" but visuals say "from the TalkRadio studio".

So that’s cleared up any confusion about branding...

It’s possible they’re planning to go with TalkTV on all platforms, given that’s their main focus, in which case I can understand retention of TalkRadio branding until the current RAJAR quarter concludes (for recall - it’s being surveyed as TR).

But why not just use splits? Presenters don’t need to namecheck - let idents do the talking!

Still, they’ve managed split ads (unlike another channel that operates similarly but just fills radio breaks with trails). YouTube doesn’t allow third party ads so online it’s just a promo reel.