BBC News and BBC World to merge

[ALV]

So with the proposal of merging the two services together, it seems the weekend simulcasts of NC and WN will become permanent and the WN weekend shift is basically axed I guess?

[DTV]

And where there are breaking domestic stories that warrant an opt-out, piggyback off the existing domestic resources for Breakfast and the bulletins on BBC One. ITV News is able to produce coverage of major breaking news without having a news channel; there are also plenty of examples of overseas broadcasters that do it well (Sweden's SVT often does it, including for online-only coverage; Norway's NRK routinely crosses to its radio studios for TV broadcasts). I can't see why this would be mission impossible for the BBC.

But fundamentally neither ITV nor SVT nor NRK are major news organisations with an international reputation. A big part of BBC World News's reputation is also the fact that it has traditionally only included UK stories when relevant to an international audience, which competitors like CNN haven't always been great at with US news.A fully merged news channel is always going to have these clashes between stories that are must-runs for UK audiences, for whom the channel will be directly accountable, and trivial or irrelevant to global audiences, for whom the channel will likely be financially reliant.

[Kunst]

I see Scandinavian/Nordic public TV states too often compared to BBC, and always people saying how slick, good they are etc...
I mean, we have a lot of xenophilia too in Italy, but BBC is a much bigger company in any possible aspect because of the UK itself having a lot more people living there; even a simple rebrand, takes a much longer time.

SVT doesn't have a proper news channel actually; but would you see it working in the UK?

And any closure of the BBC News channel, is actually to be excluded fundamentally

---

Nah. I reckon the One and weekends will just be News Channel simulcasts from E.

To be honest, wouldn't be that surprised. Which will make it even more fun for World viewers given that the One is generally quite UK-focussed and weekend bulletins regularly contain updates about international news as pressing as who was eliminated from Strictly this week.

I can't see that changing TBH; I think BBC (World) News will just become a "UK" channel, fundamentally, with world news when needed.

Worldwide viewers will get used to it

[harshy]

That don’t work why would someone in Kenya want to watch what Aunt Bessie got up to in Bolton they will want a focus on African stories, it just won’t work.

[jaykhan24]

I always thought that the merger of BBC News Channel and BBC world would be a very good idea. I was away abroad few year ago and I wanted to know what is going on in the UK. Unfortunately BBC World were only covering world news instead of UK News. Sky News covers both UK and World news on one channel. I don't feel why BBC can't do the same.

With regards to World news, BBC already covers local world news in local languages online. World news is now mostly consumed online and moving world news channel on BBC News website / app makes more sense.

I think relaunch of BBC News Channel is overdue. Please bring back BBC News 24 brand. I miss that brand.

Secondly all the national news and breakfast should only be broadcast on BBC one. The format for the new news channel should be continuous news without any discussions, magazine programmes etc. just non stop news.

[DTV]

I always thought that the merger of BBC News Channel and BBC world would be a very good idea. I was away abroad few year ago and I wanted to know what is going on in the UK. Unfortunately BBC World were only covering world news instead of UK News. Sky News covers both UK and World news on one channel. I don't feel why BBC can't do the same.

With regards to World news, BBC already covers local world news in local languages online. World news is now mostly consumed online and moving world news channel on BBC News website / app makes more sense.

It should really go without saying that the overwhelming majority of BBC World News' 80-million-odd weekly viewers are not Englishmen abroad, hence why it is catered to a global audience. While I suspect that the BBC's audience has slightly more interest in UK news than the average person in those countries, I highly doubt that they are interested in things such as yesterday's announcement by the Chancellor.

[Moz]

I think people around the world get that BBC News is based in the UK and would understand that a major breaking news story here - such as the resignation of a cabinet minister - would be covered.

Surely CNN cover breaking news in the US more than the BBC would.

What do France 24 do? Surely there's more of a French focus?

[Radio_man]

How about calling the new service,  
BBC News 24?

---

They usually get past that by saying x hours GMT on World Service
I've noticed on Newsday on BBC R4 (WS simulcast) they say it's 5 o'clock in London - something that could work. But that might be a bit unpopular with a lot of domestic audiences

I don't think I've ever heard a time check on The BBC News Channel?

Apart from at the top of every hour "You're watching BBC News, I'm Martine Croxall, the headlines at 3" and the same at the bottom of the hour, along with maybe at 15 and 45 past the hour when there's a headline recap?

The theory was presenters used to omit the BBC - “You’re watching News 24” - which is difficult to do with just BBC News.

The irony that this rebrand seems to happily call things “iPlayer” and “Sounds”. How times change.

A few nights ago, Shaun Ley said "here on the channel"..........

I don't see what would be wrong with a global news service called BBC News 24. Every time zone in the world consists of 24 hours, and it would differentiate the BBC's linear TV news channel from the domestic bulletins.

[Mr Q]

But fundamentally neither ITV nor SVT nor NRK are major news organisations with an international reputation. A big part of BBC World News's reputation is also the fact that it has traditionally only included UK stories when relevant to an international audience, which competitors like CNN haven't always been great at with US news.A fully merged news channel is always going to have these clashes between stories that are must-runs for UK audiences, for whom the channel will be directly accountable, and trivial or irrelevant to global audiences, for whom the channel will likely be financially reliant.

(Emphasis added) I don't see that changing. Reading the tea leaves here: the channel will first and foremost be a global news channel, with domestic opt-outs as needed for covering major UK events.

That was the point of my comparison with ITV, SVT, NRK etc.: it is perfectly possible to cover domestic breaking news without a rolling news channel dedicated to the task. When significant news breaks, you cut in with a special broadcast. The principle works just as well for opting out of a global news channel as it does for breaking into regular programming on a general TV channel.

That said, if you're someone who wants to watch every press conference out of Downing Street, and see lots of live crosses to random politicians at Westminster, then the consolidated (global) BBC News probably isn't for you. Happily, there are other news channels out there which can cater to that audience.

I think the proposed approach is a good balance, which isn't a million miles off what viewers currently face given the extent of simulcasting between BBC News (channel) and BBC World News.

[DTV]

That was the point of my comparison with ITV, SVT, NRK etc.: it is perfectly possible to cover domestic breaking news without a rolling news channel dedicated to the task. When significant news breaks, you cut in with a special broadcast. The principle works just as well for opting out of a global news channel as it does for breaking into regular programming on a general TV channel.

But, as bbctvtechop pointed out, for them to be able to opt-out for non-planned breaking news, they will have to have multiple teams on stand-by for that event - at which point you might as well just make the opt permanent. My understand of what has been announced is that the only time there will be two gallery teams in the building is during the evening, with the second team there for the Six and Ten. ITV, by comparison, do have a national gallery and presenting team ready all day. The only way that a semi-regular opt could reasonably work is if you seperate the One from the News Channel - they could also serve as a standby-team for the late-mornings and early afternoons - but that would be contrary to what has been announced.

I'm sorry that I can't see your optimism about the new channel, I just feel this is all leading to an unappealing fudge that doesn't really work for either audience.

[AndrewP]

I perhaps wonder if the merged channel had a 'news in Britain' feature solely focussing on domestic stories
I'm sure World Service English used to do something along those lines years ago

Realistically, a lot of people aren't be interested in continuous rolling coverage except when something major's happening and are probably going to feel just as well served with the curated One, Six and Ten.

Having a dedicated "News in Britain" segment perhaps every other back half-hour with the proper 'World' bulletin remaining on the TOTH could hush the people who might complain that 'the British Broadcasting Corporation is ignoring Britain' and be of interest to those who might actually be interested in what's affecting the people in the country

That and the separate tickers for World and N24 already suggested upthread

[Moz]

All of this is surely just temporary anyway.

Rolling news is a strange beast which we managed without for a very long time before.

When you analyse it a huge proportion of hours are 90% the same as the hour which preceded it. It's very inefficient.

How long before they work out a way for a presenter to record a story just once and then replay it each hour, only updating when necessary.

Breaking news could perhaps be handled by reporters who are on standby anyway either from the scene or from local studios.

[Newshound47]

All of this is surely just temporary anyway.

Rolling news is a strange beast which we managed without for a very long time before.

When you analyse it a huge proportion of hours are 90% the same as the hour which preceded it. It's very inefficient.

How long before they work out a way for a presenter to record a story just once and then replay it each hour, only updating when necessary.

Breaking news could perhaps be handled by reporters who are on standby anyway either from the scene or from local studios.

The thing is stories often do change so it will only be a few type of stories that can be announced once and that announcement reused.

[Brekkie]

As long as they don’t get rid of the branded programmes like Impact, Global maybe re-mod it with a Uk news emphasis then that would be great, it will be terrible if it’s plain old bbc news like it is on the news channel presently,

I think they'll be the first shows to go, especially with the supposed focus on rolling news.   I think most of the day it'll just be plain BBC News as it was during covid (that'll largely be the model), but I would imagine the evening line up of Outside Source and perhaps Context survive, with one of the UK/World opts just being the 10pm news and World News America.

[natashajacobs]

Just a thought and don’t know if it would be possible or how successful it would be, but maybe a BBC News radio simulcast could provide some savings during daytimes on 5 Live?