TV Live Forum

deejay post_id=33260 time= user_id=880 Wrote:To describe someone as appalling at their job crosses the line as far as I’m concerned. It’s also no-one’s business but Rory’s as to what kind of payoff he might be getting, redundancy or otherwise.

I concur. That kind of discussion is not appropriate for the forum.

Please do remember everyone that people from the BBC (like deejay) read this forum, and I'm sure they wouldn't be happy if members were slagging them off for no particular reason.

Yes - I think it's fair to say that BBC News is lacking a bit of star quality behind it's core network presenting team but nobody is so bad that I'd call them appalling, even if they're not to your personal choice.


Ben Mundy is an interesting one as he's long been a fixture at Newsbeat where he is a natural. Some will find it easier than others to transfer to TV but at the moment BBC wise there aren't really any options other than sticking young talent on short network bulletins or news channel shifts to try and develop them further. We've not heard anything about a possible return for 60 Seconds should BBC3 return, but that really is little more than a radio bulletin on TV.

Rob post_id=33307 time= user_id=2 Wrote:

deejay post_id=33260 time= user_id=880 Wrote:To describe someone as appalling at their job crosses the line as far as I’m concerned. It’s also no-one’s business but Rory’s as to what kind of payoff he might be getting, redundancy or otherwise.

I concur. That kind of discussion is not appropriate for the forum.

Please do remember everyone that people from the BBC (like deejay) read this forum, and I'm sure they wouldn't be happy if members were slagging them off for no particular reason.

Agreed [mention]Rob[/mention] and more than happy to apologise for the use of the word 'appalling' - my bad. Apologies to anyone offended.

Whilst not agreeing with [mention]Newsroom[/mention]'s use of the word 'appalling', I do agree with the sentiment that some of the BBC News Channel presenters are lacking a certain something. It's quite hard to define what they are missing; they just seem a bit 'vanilla' to me.

Think back to the old days and you had some real characters like Chris Eakin, Bill Turnbull, Peter Dobbie, Adrian Finighan, Simon McCoy, Maxine Mawhinney and Peter Sissons as well as other more serious presenters with considerable experience such as Philip Hayton or Gavin Esler. A lot of the presenters then had a 'hook' for the viewer and were just very likeable and/or commanded authority and respect.

I think that maybe too many senior/experienced presenters have left in a relatively short space of time and the channel has become pretty young and/or inexperienced. That's not necessarily bad - but you need quite a few experienced hands to hold it all together. Granted, you've still got people like Jane Hill and Martine Croxall who fit the bill, but it's not enough. Coupled with the drop to single headed presentation and all the simulcasts with BBC World News, it feels a shadow of its former self to a long-time viewer like myself. It's not as appealing as it once was. Most of the time when I tune in, it's a simulcast being presented by one or another young unknown person from BBC World News. It's not as familiar as it once was.

Outside Source are back on the balcony this evening.

Go to the naughty step at once, Newsroom! Lukwesa Burak is absolutely fabulous!



Every time I’ve switched-on BBC News/World News lately (be it weekend simulcast, 5am hour weekdays, overnight, world business report), its been Ben Boulos in the seat! Ben is the new Tim.

My thoughts are that the news channel has over the years lost some of it's essence. It's the little things that have gone - thinks like time checks on the headlines, or a laugh with the sports presenter.

I think a lot of the newer presenters on the channel just tend to read the autocue word for word rather than showing a bit of themselves. Remember back in the day most presenters had their little catchphrases like Jane Hill "let's turn now to the situation in..." or who could forget "with me Tim Willcox" .

Even the simple things like timechecking the headlines - most of the older presenters do it but very few of the newer presenters - particularly on the quarter and half heads. I found it ironic that Tim Willcox had a 5 year absence from the NC yet when he returned he was the only presenter on the channel who consistently timechecked the half heads - rather than just reading the autocue word for word. Some of the newer presenters seem too robotic as if they're just paid to sit there and read rather than actually be a journalist and the quality of interviewing on the channel overall has gone down.

The bit I don't understand is they've brought a lot of junior presenters onto the news channel at the same time as taking senior presenters off it? Tim Willcox and Geeta Guru Murthy have both disappeared back to world again - and Ben Mundy seems to have skipped the overnights and world and gone straight to the News Channel. Just #176 of things I don't understand why the BBC does.

Believe it or not they’re currently recruiting for a Scheduler which will involve co-ordinating rotas. Maybe one or a dozen of us should apply for it.

I have removed a couple of posts. Please be civil towards other users.

I think the issue with bringing in newer talent is it is far more difficult for them to bring out their personality in a single headed role.

Previously alongside perhaps a few overnight or weekend shifts newcomers to the channels main schedule would usually be paired up with an established newsreader and naturally with someone with experience alongside them along with their confidence increasing their on screen personna could also develop. Now I've never quite subscribed to the notion that TV news should be about the banter between two co-hosts but it certainly does help in developing newer talent on screen rather than them having to come in and try and establish themselves on their own.

I also think it’s a shame presenters don’t have regular slots anymore. I know most people don’t tune in for who’s presenting and they’ve had to make cutbacks, meaning all presenters are now Rota’d across a 7 day week, but i do miss the days of Simon & Carrie in the mornings, Jon & Emily in the afternoons, Maxine at weekends etc.

Rolling News post_id=33524 time= user_id=1254 Wrote:I also think it’s a shame presenters don’t have regular slots anymore. I know most people don’t tune in for who’s presenting and they’ve had to make cutbacks, meaning all presenters are now Rota’d across a 7 day week, but i do miss the days of Simon & Carrie in the mornings, Jon & Emily in the afternoons, Maxine at weekends etc.

I think that’s partly down to Covid. Afternoon Live and Newsroom Live seemed in some way an attempt to create appointment to view programmes with regular presenters. They’re in a bit of flux at the moment so perhaps we should be patient to see what happens with the new corporate look and as the world gets back to normal.

This happened today mid sport bulletin that followed the BBC News at One. Screen went black and then this appeared for around 15 secs.

No clue what happened.

Newsroom post_id=33676 time= user_id=1342 Wrote:This happened today mid sport bulletin that followed the BBC News at One. Screen went black and then this appeared for around 15 secs.

No clue what happened.

Here’s the video of it, seems Victoria was unaware of it.
https://mobile.twitter.com/FlorenceWaedo...6245280775

Universal_r post_id=33678 time=1628690671 user_id=1052 Wrote:

Newsroom post_id=33676 time= user_id=1342 Wrote:This happened today mid sport bulletin that followed the BBC News at One. Screen went black and then this appeared for around 15 secs.

No clue what happened.

Here’s the video of it, seems Victoria was unaware of it.
https://mobile.twitter.com/FlorenceWaedo...6245280775

Seemingly a CBeebies programme. Would be interested to know how that happened?