Coronavirus: News Coverage

[Newsroom]

With there being a Coronavirus update led by the Prime Minister at 5pm, I wonder if it will be carried on BBC One?

This is all such BS! They leak the contents of these briefings days in advance anyway. Stick it on the News Channel. Would rather watch Emma Raducanu at Wimbledon than that thing telling us what we already know.

They would have to leave the coverage from Wimbledon 90 mins earlier than billed, but of course the coverage continues over on BBC Two

BBC News Coronavirus Update confirmed for BBC 1 at 4.45 pm today.

[Radio_man]

Tomorrow is so-called Freedom Day*...

*Except for viewers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The respective governments of these nations are easing restrictions at a slower pace.

Yes, there won't be any point in viewers in Scotland, Wales or NI watching any London based 'UK' TV news tomorrow - Sky, ITV and BBC news will all be exclusively about England, and probably without much distinction being made to point this out.

[Rob]

I have removed several off-topic posts. Please stick to discussing television coverage of this news story.

Thank you.

[Radio_man]

Can someone please remind me why BBC 1 Wales, Scotland & NI are broadcasting the PM's self-congratulatory 'Freedom day' news conference today, that only applies to England?

BBC 1 Wales & Scotland proved during late March and April in the devolved elections period that they had discretion to drop the PM's Covid briefings that only applied to England. The devolved government's struggle enough as it is to get their messages across in the English dominated media regarding the different speed of easing Covid rules in the devolved nations. BBC 1 Wales & Scotland aren't helping by broadcasting the PM's news conference this afternoon that's solely about England, combined with the fact the PM presents these news conferences as though he's speaking for the entire UK on Covid rules, which he is not.
If it was a major announcement expected today then I could almost see the justification. But it's not.

[Markymark]

Can someone please remind me why BBC 1 Wales, Scotland & NI are broadcasting the PM's self-congratulatory 'Freedom day' news conference today, that only applies to England?

Some might say it's a case of schadenfreude!

In my corner of England things seem to be (sensibly IMHO) carrying on with the same common sense caution of the last 16 months so it's certainly not party time.

Anyway, it's quite something when the audio quality of the PM's audio is greatly surpassed by that of the two public contributors!

[Torpido1]

Did they have access to anything else to show

[Radio_man]

Did they have access to anything else to show

Yes what was meant to be on BBC 1 (Antiques Road Trip and Pointless) that was shifted to BBC 2 as a result. And I'm sure some daytime filler repeats could've been found for BBC 2 had the news conference not been broadcast on 1.

[Brekkie]

The trouble Scotland has of course is they only have control over BBC1 now, so if England move content to BBC2 that Scotland could keep on BBC1 they either have to simulcast it or tweak their BBC1 schedule. Agree though on this occassion there was little justification to airing it - I think it's been a bit different the last couple of weeks when the devolved administrations were expected to announce their own relaxing in the wake of Westminster's announcement and there were other stories which would also likely be tackled at the briefing - i.e. the fall out from the Hancock affair and the fall out from the Euro 2020 final.

[RhysJR]

Deaf woman wins claim over lack of sign language at briefings - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-57998047

[Brekkie]

Interestingly they could only claim on two briefings as the others had signing on the BBC News Channel.

As an aside note have the PIFs now been suspended, possibly since "Freedom Day", if not longer. Feels like weeks since I've last seen one on either the BBC or commercial channels.

[Neil Jones]

Interestingly they could only claim on two briefings as the others had signing on the BBC News Channel.

As an aside note have the PIFs now been suspended, possibly since "Freedom Day", if not longer. Feels like weeks since I've last seen one on either the BBC or commercial channels.

They still run on the radio on occasion, those sort of messages "there is a variant of concern in your area", but even then they're more run of the mill in style, if you're not paying attention its easy to dismiss them as a regular radio advert.

[Mouseboy33]

Sky News Austraila kicked off YouTube for COVID misinformation.
Very interesting article from the Washington Post.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/202...ce=twitter

[Tom]

There is going to be a briefing at 5pm on BBC1, with Final Score moving to BBC2.

[Brekkie]

That can't be good- first one in months.

[JasonB]

Is it me or do the voices from the journalists do not match what they're mouths are saying when asking Boris a question on BBC News at the moment?