BBC News and BBC World to merge

[NewsGuy]

Katie Razzall's article on the BBC News website mentions closing the roles of '14 Chief Presenters' - how many 'Chief Presenters' are there in total and who are they?

You don't close 70 roles including the posts of 14 chief presenters and ask an entire workforce to apply for a smaller number of new jobs (as BBC sources have confirmed to me is the situation) if you don't believe that radical change is needed.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-62161868

Chief presenter in BBC speak seems to be a senior news presenter. I believe Philippa Thomas, Tim Willcox and Maryam Moshiri have all used the term in their Twitter bios at some point, so one could imagine that it includes most news presenters on world and news who are not freelance.

[headliner101]

Slightly surprised by the notion that employing people in Washington DC will be cheaper. U.K. salaries are generally a fair bit lower than those in the US, especially in a city like Washington.

I think they're not required to provide fringe benefits to the scale that need to be given to UK-based staff. For example, US employers are not required to provide maternal leave.

Yep, for all the catastrophising from some, the changes are not especially radical and much better for both sets of viewers than I had feared. BBC World News is basically staying as is, except being renamed BBC News with longer presenting shifts - including extended shifts from Washington and Singapore. 

Exactly what I've been saying.  For World viewers, the changes are quite minor, certainly compared to News 24.  And frankly as far as they are concerned, the most significant changes are pretty internal - branding, manpower.  But the types of stories seen on the channel are pretty much going to be what they are on World nowadays.  

I've said for a while they should simulcast some radio content but I was thinking Today and PM, not a 5 Live Phone In.   

I guess this relaunch should be when news finally gets new visuals and the new news channel should get it's own studio.

I wouldn't be surprised if the phone-in element of Nicky Campbell is scaled back, with a greater rolling news focus as part of the new set-up. They won't want to be seen as going down the televised talk-in route as that would be too similar to commercial competitors on TV and visual radio.

For a studio, it's got to be E. If you had a choice of three basement studios and one with that backdrop, you'd be insane not to pick it. Either way, I imagine we'll be seeing decampments start in the Autumn. As none of the other studios are as big as B and there will be less new tech to test, I imagine the installation won't take as long.

The trouble with radio simulcasts is although it features news more, for some reason I do not know of any radio programmes - by any network that have a rolling news format.  Radio 5 live features specialist (often pre-recorded or replay) programming all day and programmes there are more tightly-formatted than one thinks despite call-in elements.  

I just can't see this new channel being popular in the UK. I would imagine most British people are interested in UK affairs with an occasional overseas story if it is dramatic (such as a terrorist attack, school shooting, war etc.) or impacts on the UK - and even then, most probably from Western democracies. I mean we wouldn't have had Brexit if the UK was an outward looking country.

To think that most casual, non-news junkie, viewers are going to be interested in this channel is pretty much nonsense unless the UK focused opt outs are significant in duration and happen every hour at the top of the hour and again at the bottom.

Like I said earlier - and maybe it was overly dramatic - but I think Sky News will be the natural choice for anyone who wants to guarantee a mostly UK-focused agenda. And to be honest, it is much more watchable than BBC News and has been for some time. It pains me to say that as I have always loved the BBC but the Corporation is appealing to me less and less.

I have a sense that in-depth UK reporting could be relegated to the half-back hour of what is otherwise time reserved for non-general news programmes on World as well as the simulcasts with One.  And even then I'm guessing that is where Radio 5 simulcasts enter.  

Well Im sure SkyNews and the newslets (GBN & TalkTv) will be licking their chops when the merger happens. If I was at SkyNews in their PR dept. I would hammer home that SkyNews is the UKs only 24hr dedicated news channel. I mean you'd have to take a punt at least. (LOL) Even though we know there is going to be Breaking News opt out. But SkyNews could really capitalise on this merger in their favour. Just make good business sense. After all thats what GBN is trying to do calling themselves Britain's News Channel. Im not advocating wrapping themselves in the flag ala'FoxNews, but SkyNews could actually use this their advantage.

One advantage of SkyNews and GBN (yup, I can't believe I'm praising them) is you do not need to be in the UK to watch them.  So if you need UK-focused stories whilst outside, they are available with the full lineup and you do not have to jump hoops to access.  And they're free (no need to feel guilty about licence fee payments for these).  

Then again I question how does Sky and GBN make money by making its news channel FTA (probably covered in the relevant threads).

[AlfieMulcahy]

The trouble with radio simulcasts is although it features news more, for some reason I do not know of any radio programmes - by any network that have a rolling news format.  Radio 5 live features specialist (often pre-recorded or replay) programming all day and programmes there are more tightly-formatted than one thinks despite call-in elements.  

Radio 5Live is almost always Live, I don't know what these specialist pre-recorded programmes are, and the live programmes are never replayed.

[valley]

I'm not surprised to see the BBC making this decision based on the funding situation they are currently in. It certainly sounds like there will eventually be a significant reduction in staff which will be sad for many, and I hope that they get suitable alternate employment without delay.

One advantage of SkyNews and GBN (yup, I can't believe I'm praising them) is you do not need to be in the UK to watch them.  So if you need UK-focused stories whilst outside, they are available with the full lineup and you do not have to jump hoops to access.  And they're free (no need to feel guilty about licence fee payments for these).  

Then again I question how does Sky and GBN make money by making its news channel FTA (probably covered in the relevant threads).

Sky News makes money through selling advertisements in the UK and Ireland, and through element sponsorship - currently weather by Qatar Airways, sport by Vitality and stocks by Interactive Investor - there are also occasional international ads too for multinational companies like DHL. International broadcasters also pay Sky to carry the channel on their own network - hence why the YouTube live stream is blocked in some regions.

[Moz]

Is it ANY wonder then that the new channel is launching in Spring 2023, a time we suspect that the new branding for BBC News will be unveiled?

Spring 2023?. That long?. I would’ve preferred January. I know you can’t change BBC News overnight but it seems like a long wait

I'm sure the 50 people who are losing their jobs - and those of us who actually like having a proper UK focused 24 hour rolling news channel - would prefer if it was never and would be appalled by your excitement.

[DTV]

Is it ANY wonder then that the new channel is launching in Spring 2023, a time we suspect that the new branding for BBC News will be unveiled?

Spring 2023?. That long?. I would’ve preferred January. I know you can’t change BBC News overnight but it seems like a long wait

Well they've got to do consultations, finalise plans and decide which staff to keep. Plus they'll probably be building a new set - which will likely also have the same technical upgrade work that happened to Studio B and its gallery. This will also involve a lot of logistical planning to decide what gets decamped to where in the mean time. Then, once the set is built, they'll need to train staff how to use any new equipment and they'll want to do several weeks of rehearsals before launch to make sure everything works well - I imagine this will also involve seeing whether Singapore and Washington can handle an extended period free from London.

[TheJarv]

A report on the News Channel about the future of the News Channels said pilots will start in the Autumn, wonder if we will see a gradual evolution rather than a completely new service starting on a given date?

[BBCMeridian]

Spring 2023?. That long?. I would’ve preferred January. I know you can’t change BBC News overnight but it seems like a long wait

I'm sure the 50 people who are losing their jobs - and those of us who actually like having a proper UK focused 24 hour rolling news channel - would prefer if it was never and would be appalled by your excitement.

Yes, merging the News and World Channels, is the biggest mistake the BBC is making, and I wouldn't be surprised if many people switched off because they don't get the UK News stories that they need.

I just hope that Ofcom, the staff and trade unions who are in charge of the consultation will reject the BBC's plans and not allow for it to go ahead, the fact of the matter is, a merged News and World News Channel is never going to work.

[Roger Darthwell]

I'm sure the 50 people who are losing their jobs - and those of us who actually like having a proper UK focused 24 hour rolling news channel - would prefer if it was never and would be appalled by your excitement.

Yes, merging the News and World Channels, is the biggest mistake the BBC is making, and I wouldn't be surprised if many people switched off because they don't get the UK News stories that they need.

I just hope that Ofcom, the staff and trade unions who are in charge of the consultation will reject the BBC's plans and not allow for it to go ahead, the fact of the matter is, a merged News and World News Channel is never going to work.

I agree with you but I just don't think that Ofcom and tne unions have any power to stop this, I mean let's face it every time that the BBC wanted to close or launch new channels, Ofcom has always given the go ahead

[ALV]

Martine Croxall started off the 11AM newscast with "Good morning, and welcome to the BBC News Channel". I kinda love that subtle nod haha! She's the union rep after all~
https://twitter.com/NathanEChard/status/...mXh5jrnoqg

[Internationalman]

Spring 2023?. That long?. I would’ve preferred January. I know you can’t change BBC News overnight but it seems like a long wait

I'm sure the 50 people who are losing their jobs - and those of us who actually like having a proper UK focused 24 hour rolling news channel - would prefer if it was never and would be appalled by your excitement.

He’s just talking about the design for the BBC News service. Not the channel. Yes, it’s going to take a while to replace the old White look, which has been representing BBC News for as long as I can remember. Quite literally.

---

Yes, merging the News and World Channels, is the biggest mistake the BBC is making, and I wouldn't be surprised if many people switched off because they don't get the UK News stories that they need.

I just hope that Ofcom, the staff and trade unions who are in charge of the consultation will reject the BBC's plans and not allow for it to go ahead, the fact of the matter is, a merged News and World News Channel is never going to work.

I agree with you but I just don't think that Ofcom and tne unions have any power to stop this, I mean let's face it every time that the BBC wanted to close or launch new channels, Ofcom has always given the go ahead

Also, isn’t BBC oversight the BBC Board’s job?

[natashajacobs]

I personally don’t see the need for rolling news in the age of social media and think what has been suggested is a reasonable compromise with the CSO studio for breaking news. Most of the times I’ve tuned into bbc news they have some pointless commentator on rather than actually speaking with correspondents etc.

[Brekkie]

Yes, merging the News and World Channels, is the biggest mistake the BBC is making, and I wouldn't be surprised if many people switched off because they don't get the UK News stories that they need.

I just hope that Ofcom, the staff and trade unions who are in charge of the consultation will reject the BBC's plans and not allow for it to go ahead, the fact of the matter is, a merged News and World News Channel is never going to work.

I agree with you but I just don't think that Ofcom and tne unions have any power to stop this, I mean let's face it every time that the BBC wanted to close or launch new channels, Ofcom has always given the go ahead

Not without conditions or delays though, and they (or was it the BBC Trust?) rejected BBC1+1.

[DTV]

Yes, merging the News and World Channels, is the biggest mistake the BBC is making, and I wouldn't be surprised if many people switched off because they don't get the UK News stories that they need.

I just hope that Ofcom, the staff and trade unions who are in charge of the consultation will reject the BBC's plans and not allow for it to go ahead, the fact of the matter is, a merged News and World News Channel is never going to work.

Well it's fine to think it's a mistake, but then what's your alternative. BBC News may have been in a near-continuous state of cutbacks since around 2005, but things are now reaching a critical mass where you've only got the big building blocks left - what are you prepared to lose, because the cuts are happening, like them or not.

- You could save the BBC News channel, but what services are you prepared to cut instead? Newsnight? Regional News?
- Or do favour saving services but cutting journalist numbers - that route you're looking at way more job losses and will only have bare bones services left.
- Or do you merge the news channels, but favour the UK route. Fine, but you're imperilling BBC World News's advertising revenue - if that £8-10m profit goes, you're looking at more budget cuts and, if it becomes unprofitable, you are looking at losing the service altogether as licence payers can't subsidise the service. If you lose BBC World News, you also lose a significant chunk of the News channel's output and you are likely left with no news channels (as well as leaving millions of international viewers without a trustworthy TV news provider). 

This plan leaves World News largely unscathed and, when additional radio simulcasts are added, doesn't lead to much reduction in the number of 'UK-only' hours on the News channel (even with just Nicky Campbell, the loss in exclusive content hours is roughly the same as the 2015 cuts). It's pretty much the best plan available given the circumstances that BBC News is in. These changes aren't being made maliciously, but reluctantly. I'm sure that the people making these cuts don't want to lose good staff or be in this position at all, but the position they are in necessitates difficult choices like these.

[Keith]

A report on the News Channel about the future of the News Channels said pilots will start in the Autumn, wonder if we will see a gradual evolution rather than a completely new service starting on a given date?

It wouldn't surprise me if the 'overnight' 12am to 6am programming change first. As far as I'm aware both channels simulcast during this time, so there's minimal worries about UK opt-out, apart from a couple UK specific items during ad breaks. In addition 12-2am already comes live from Singapore (from 11pm on World News), with Newsday in the front half hours. If 2-6am also came from Singapore I doubt many people in the UK would notice the difference, especially if the content of that timeslot was the same (at least for now).