The inaugural episode with the new format received mixed reviews ; John Doyle wrote in '' The Globe and Mail '' that the show was no longer a newscast , but a " chatty , visually bewildering assessment of some news stories of the day " that felt " disjointed , surreal and sadly lacking in coherence " . Although acknowledging that its hosts were " superb " journalists , he argued that its opening story on the Sutherland Springs church shooting featured " a reporter , skilled at doing traditional TV reportage , suddenly doing deep feelings and expected to be personally raw . That , with respect , is what the '' Dr. Phil '' show is for – exposed feelings and some kind of half-baked social context . " Johanna Schneller wrote for the '' Toronto Star '' that the new format was likely an admission by the CBC that " you know the news , but we 're the experts . Not the stentorian experts-on-high the way we used to be ; we 're chatty experts . Your four friends who always make you go , ' Huh . ' " The show 's name was shortened to '' The National '' in 1969 . The broadcast 's original opening , used from 1969 through 1982 , was known as " the Bloops " and featured the title of the program in a " space-age " font in green on the bottom of the screen , superimposed over a wide shot of the set . Sometimes the program title appeared in the centre of the screen , with a black background . Accompanied by synthesized beeps that resembled an old computer , different letters rapidly cycled from left to right until they spelled " The National "
Sutherland Springs church shooting
Sutherland Springs church shooting
The National (TV program)