21-10-2021, 06:24 PM
The Guardian are reporting (as an exclusive) that Laura Kuenssberg is in talks to step down as political editor and became a presenter on the Today programme.
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BBC News (UK): October 2021 onwards
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21-10-2021, 06:43 PM
Newshound47 post_id=49664 time= user_id=1854 Wrote:The Guardian are reporting (as an exclusive) that Laura Kuenssberg is in talks to step down as political editor and became a presenter on the Today programme. With Jon Sopel potentially taking over from her. Also includes details that current Scotland Editor Sarah Smith is tipped to take over from Jon Sopel in the role of North America Editor - she was previously based in D.C. for Channel 4 News. https://www.theguardian.com/media/2021/o...cal-editor
21-10-2021, 07:51 PM
Good. Frankly.
I'm not going to get in to any accusations of bias but Kuenssberg has not performed well as political editor in my opinion. The scrutiny of the government has not been of sufficient standard and she is much too eager to get a soundbite for Twitter with shallow rather than probing questions. Both herself and Peston have allowed themselves to appear too close to government members, and have become too 'Celebrity' in their roles in comparison to Marr and Robinson. Sopel probably feels he has had his fill of American politics due to 2016-20 events (something I think he similarly said of the Major years when he covered that era and just wanted a quieter role afterwards). I doubt he will replace her. Nick Watt is wasted on Newsnight I feel.
21-10-2021, 08:07 PM
I doubt Sopel will be Political Editor - he is 15+ years older than Laura Kuenssberg is. I could also easily see him as part of the Today programme presenting team (although if he or Kuenssberg was to join presumably one of the current 5 would leave - like Naughtie did for Robinson, Montague did for Kearney, Humprhys did for Rajan)
21-10-2021, 08:13 PM
You assume they wouldn’t recruit from outside, such as Beth Rigby or Sam Coates from Sky
We do seem to be in an era of the ‘Celeb’ political editor where they sometimes seem to think they are bigger than the story. Laura K with how she uses Twitter, those two on Sky who hardly hid in the background during the Covid briefings, and that’s before we mention Peston. I couldn’t see Chris Mason ever being political editor, he’s too normal, and I say that in a good way.
21-10-2021, 08:51 PM
bananaman post_id=49702 time= user_id=1481 Wrote:I doubt Sopel will be Political Editor - he is 15+ years older than Laura Kuenssberg is. I could also easily see him as part of the Today programme presenting team (although if he or Kuenssberg was to join presumably one of the current 5 would leave - like Naughtie did for Robinson, Montague did for Kearney, Humprhys did for Rajan)I think FrancisS misinterpreted the article - they mentioned Jon Sopel stepping down as an example of senior reporters moving on, not that he was stepping down to replace Laura. I think Jon would be good on Politics Live and kind of moving into an Andrew Neil type role. Also interesting mentions in that article about Marr signing a new contract and having filmed quite a bit of content to be shown when the Queen dies, as well as confirming (though I suspect just educated speculation) that Huw will lead the coverage when that happens.
@Brekkietweets
21-10-2021, 09:10 PM
Brekkie post_id=49713 time= user_id=976 Wrote:bananaman post_id=49702 time= user_id=1481 Wrote:I doubt Sopel will be Political Editor - he is 15+ years older than Laura Kuenssberg is. I could also easily see him as part of the Today programme presenting team (although if he or Kuenssberg was to join presumably one of the current 5 would leave - like Naughtie did for Robinson, Montague did for Kearney, Humprhys did for Rajan)I think FrancisS misinterpreted the article - they mentioned Jon Sopel stepping down as an example of senior reporters moving on, not that he was stepping down to replace Laura. I think Jon would be good on Politics Live and kind of moving into an Andrew Neil type role. My post was just rehashing the part below - although the quote below from Jim Waterson makes it clearer than I did that Sopel could be possible candidate for the role, rather than 'tipped' to be or a likely successor. Quote:Sopel’s return to the UK also means he is now a candidate to be the new BBC political editor, having been connected to the job back in 2015. At that time the job instead went to Kuenssberg, who became the first woman to hold the position of BBC political editor.
21-10-2021, 11:03 PM
Whether fair or not, Kuenssberg has become something of a distraction to their political coverage. That said, I’m not sure that reputation would do much to help Today.
I think they’d be wise to appoint a capable, if a little boring or lower profile, next political editor. Someone like Chris Mason or Adam Fleming would be fantastic. I wonder if Nick Robinson could be moving on from Today. He’s never felt like a good fit, unfortunately, and I’ve listened a lot less since he and Kearney joined. A Webb-Husain-Kearney-Rajan-Kuenssberg group wouldn’t be bad. Jon Sopel would be a fantastic addition, however. I also suspect there’s an opening on Newsnight, given how rarely Emma Barnett has presented since taking over Woman’s Hour.
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21-10-2021, 11:35 PM
Andrew post_id=49703 time= user_id=791 Wrote:You assume they wouldn’t recruit from outside, such as Beth Rigby or Sam Coates from Sky I'd like to see Adam Fleming get Political Editor or if they wanted an outsider, perhaps Paul Brand from ITV although I think he's unlikely as he recently got the UK Editor job and I suspect he's primed to replace Peston as Political Editor when the time comes.
22-10-2021, 07:15 AM
With all due respect, Adam Fleming barely gets a slot outside of Breakfast and mornings much like Norman Smith before him.
Jon Sooel was a political correspondent and even Chief Political Correspondent before he went into the studio. It’s a role he’d slip into like a new pair of sneakers. I’m a big fan of LauraK and am disappointed she’s considering moving on. She was battered since day one of taking up the job. I’d love to see someone like Katy Adler as much as Jon Spoel take up the role.
22-10-2021, 09:15 AM
Politico's London Playbook has listed potential candidates:
https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/londo...-the-mogg/ Jon Sopel Vicki Young James Landale Amol Rajan Beth Rigby Adam Fleming Chris Mason Nick Watt Sam Coates Alex Forsyth Faisal Islam Sarah Smith Riz Lateef Lewis Goodall I think Faisal Islam or Nick Watt are good potential candidates. There are a lot of very creditable political reporters at the BBC but I guess the question is whether they would break stories.
22-10-2021, 09:34 AM
Newsroom post_id=49800 time= user_id=1342 Wrote:With all due respect, Adam Fleming barely gets a slot outside of Breakfast and mornings much like Norman Smith before him. Which is actually more of a national presence than Kuenssberg got on the BBC. For all she was omnipresent as Chief Political Correspondent, she was rarely seen outside of the News Channel (and Twitter), and then was on Newsnight full time upon her return to the BBC. Fleming is the third-most senior political correspondent, and has regular slots on both Breakfast and Today, the NC in the morning and the Newscast podcast in the afternoon. I don’t see that working against him, personally. I think someone like Nick Watt, Faisal Islam or even Simon Jack would be a great choice. Norman Smith would probably have been my choice, had he not left the BBC.
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22-10-2021, 10:01 AM
Omnipresent post_id=49811 time= user_id=858 Wrote:Politico's London Playbook has listed potential candidates: Well, James Landale would be a fantastic choice. He was vocally peeved when he didn't get it last time around and moved to the Diplomatic Dept. They won't draft in from outside, I just can't see it. Nick Watt can't leave Newsnight, it would be unbearable to watch. Unless they pair up Maitlis and Sopel but then that might dumb down Newsnight with their unbeatable chemistry. All the above names are great candidates, but the majority I'd deem as junior other than Landale and Young. I doubt they have the contacts LauraK has and Jon Sopel will almost certainly have. How exciting!
22-10-2021, 11:49 AM
It's a tricky role where you do need that close contact with the people you are reporting on to get those exclusives, but it does compromise the viewers view of impartiality. The appointment will be scrutinised far more than it has been in the past.
Speculation is just that but there is a history of reporters leaving the BBC to do the role at ITN before returning to take the senior role at the BBC.
@Brekkietweets
22-10-2021, 02:01 PM
Newsroom post_id=49821 time= user_id=1342 Wrote:Omnipresent post_id=49811 time= user_id=858 Wrote:Politico's London Playbook has listed potential candidates: Is Nick Watt’s role at Newsnight continuing long term? Today and Newsnight were both meant to be losing their dedicated specialist correspondents, so I assumed Watt’s role is included in that? Other people, like Katie Razzall, have already moved onto bigger roles within the Beeb.
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