BBC News: Presenters & Rotas

Good! Good to see him in a prominent role. I wonder who'll replace him on Radio 4 and as Acting Chief Economics Correspondent.

Has the BBC retained the role of Chief Economics Correspondent? I think they changed it to Economics Correspondent and Andrew Verity took the role on.

Pretty sure that's correct.

As for Simon's successor at Today, Tanya Beckett, Joe Lynam or Justin Rowlatt would all be possibilities, having all filled in for Simon numerous times over the last couple of years, and it wouldn't surprise me if a woman was appointed (as Today continues to seek a gender balanced lineup). Though it wouldn't surprise me if more than one person was used - like with the sport, where Sonali Shah, Rob Bonnett, Gary Richards, Allison Mitchell and Karthi Gnanasegaram are all presenters.

I think Simon's a great choice for business editor, but I feel his departure from Today will weaken the programme further. It still has a strong lineup, but overall not as strong as it was a few years ago, when Evan and Jim were still main presenters and Sonali Shah wasn't the regular sports correspondent.

Unless part of Simon's brief is as the new Business Editor, is to provide the business news on Today.
I heard Robert Peston loads of times on Today, when he was business editor - granted not doing the 'rip and read' business news, but, that maybe something Simon may want to keep on doing.

Justin Rowlatt, is now a general news correspondent based in Mumbai, isn't he?

Simon has said on Twitter he is looking forward to the alarm not going off at some silly time in the morning and strolling into the Today studio at a more leisurely time. I can't see those two roles being combined as it would restrict their ability for the Business Editor to appear on BBC News at Ten.

Justin Rowlatt is the South Asia correspondent based in Delhi - basically covering the entire region apart from Pakistan, so I wouldn't see him taking up a role on Today, given he only started in Delhi in 2015.

Wouldn't it be easier if Geeta continues to present the simulcast to both World and NC, since she is already there in the studio an hour ago? Otherwise what might she do during that hour, sipping coffee? I don't really see the need to have Anita being 'prepped' into C and having to switch background graphics and all that just for the next hour to go back to normal again.

It won't be for much longer anyway as Victoria Derbyshire will be starting at 9am on the NC in the coming weeks.

Clive Myrie presenting the Ten and the News channel bulletins tonight, don't think we've seen the weekend Ten presenter also cover the late news channel shift as well for a while.

Not for a while - I think the last occasion was on 16th August 2014, when Rajesh Mirchandani (remember him?) presented but he did longer on air - both before and after the late evening BBC ONE bulletin which he also presented. However, that was a Saturday. Clive Myrie did do 5pm-7pm on a Sunday, after Carole Walker when I was probably last on here. However that was not the late shift. Where is Martine Croxall?

Btw, I don't think there is any evidence that the 2pm-7pm shift on Saturdays and possibly Sundays as well is 2-7pm. I reckon it ends just after the 6.30/6.33pm headlines summary (unless that is displaced by the BBC ONE news - if so, then the presenter on the 2pm onwards shift - usually Maxine Mawhinney - ends on air early or may still stay until about 6.30). The period between 6.33 and five to seven is covered by the BBC ONE news presenter, if BBC ONE news is on. Otherwise, it is covered by the Sportsday presenters - witness the fact that links to other programmes at 6.45, or the weather at 6.55, depending on how the timings work out, are done by the Sportsday presenter from Salford. I have yet to see the 2pm-allegedly 7pm News Channel newsreader presenter come in and link to them. It's done by the BBC ONE newsreader - if the news ends around 10 or 5 to 7 - otherwise they may be on air covering from 6.55pm-7.15pm if that is the timing of the BBC ONE bulletin that night and thus covers until the 7pm presenter has come in - Sportsday covers from 6.30 until the BBC ONE bulletin. Otherwise, if BBC ONE news is on earlier, but between 6.30 and 7, the BBC ONE presenter covers. If BBC ONE news was earlier in the evening or even afternoon then there is a full Sportsday from 6.33pm to the weather before 7. Occasionally BBC ONE news ends just short of that time - in which case the BBC ONE presenter continues until the weather before 7pm.

The 7pm News Channel presenter generally does not start before 7pm, except that, if it is Chris Rogers, he seems to be available and has started on air at about 6.53pm on a couple of occasions (immediately after BBC ONE news finishing short of 7pm). Martine Croxall came onto air that few minutes early on one occasion - but this does not generally happen - BBC ONE news covers or otherwise it's recorded Meet The Author - and I think this demonstrates more that the 2pm presenter (whoever it is) does not stay until 7pm. They are not there to come back in if the BBC ONE news ends ten minutes or so short of 7pm. Unless it is Chris Rogers - or on one occasion Martine did start on air early (probably came in early) but I think that that would have to be pre-arranged - as a matter of fact, she does not generally do so - they will not have anyone until 7pm (except Sportsday presenters and the BBC ONE news presenter) so have to do with recorded programming. As regards Clive Myrie later tonight, I think it's like my old workplace - where the rotas are set but people can mutually agree among themselves to switch and cover things on the day (as long as everything's covered) and, like Carole Walker going off air early, Clive Myrie probably just offered to cover. I look forward to BBC News Fix altering the entire website to say 6.30pm for the 2-7pm shift for the last many months - not really .

600 words and I'm not sure of the point.....

Sorry - I was going to add "sorry for the long post..." to the end of my last post, but then I figured that that would lengthen it even more. I think my attempts to perfect the post just lengthen it every time. Rambling on without a point... I think that sums up Asperger's syndrome sometimes (which I am fortunate to have). But apologies - I have probably said everything twice over and didn't need to. I was explaining every detail again doh!

Basic point was, except if it's a few news channel presenters that come in before 7pm (I'm catering for every eventuality and every last detail sorry), there is no News Channel presenter available between about 6.33 until 7pm on a weekend. IMO.