The Newsroom

BBC Network news - no longer relevant for the nations?

BBC Network news now seems to be the English news in all but name (June 2020)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
MK
Mr Kite
You're making the assumption that the typical person in England would find the county cricket story more important than the significant events in Northern Ireland you cite.

At the risk of being memory-holed again: England isn't just "another country". Even if certain people got their way and the UK was dismantled as a state, the geographic and cultural situation would remain.

We have tons of stuff about the United States on the network news; much of it not immediately applicable to anyone this side of the Atlantic. But of course we do. It's a much larger country which we share a lot with in terms of language and culture. Whenever a larger US state such as California passes a law on things like gay marriage or cannabis, it gets covered here.

I have to wonder why that's less controversial to certain people.
AndrewPSSP, welshkid and LondonViewer gave kudos
NL
Ne1L C
The BBC have in my opinion been very slow in the uptake when it comes to broadcasting to what is essentially a semi-federal UK. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland/Ulster have had their own assemblies /parliaments since 1999 and the response has been piecemeal. There have been some small efforts over the years. BBC Choice had 4 regional variations. 3 of which were for the nations and they had a news bulletin at 10 PM. Yes there is "The Nine" but as someone noted early its probably a political move.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_TE5q9E4BA
Last edited by Ne1L C on 17 June 2020 4:24pm
DE
denton
You're making the assumption that the typical person in England would find the county cricket story more important than the significant events in Northern Ireland you cite.


I'm not making that assumption. I'm pointing out that those who edit the News apps are making that assumption.
PE
peterrocket Founding member
You're making the assumption that the typical person in England would find the county cricket story more important than the significant events in Northern Ireland you cite.


I'm not making that assumption. I'm pointing out that those who edit the News apps are making that assumption.


I've long been a believer that any push alerts to do with sport should come from the Sport app.

The next incarnation of the news app should hopefully answer a few of those questions Wink
SP
Steve in Pudsey
You're making the assumption that the typical person in England would find the county cricket story more important than the significant events in Northern Ireland you cite.

At the risk of being memory-holed again: England isn't just "another country". Even if certain people got their way and the UK was dismantled as a state, the geographic and cultural situation would remain.

We have tons of stuff about the United States on the network news; much of it not immediately applicable to anyone this side of the Atlantic. But of course we do. It's a much larger country which we share a lot with in terms of language and culture. Whenever a larger US state such as California passes a law on things like gay marriage or cannabis, it gets covered here.

I have to wonder why that's less controversial to certain people.

But that's presented in the context of international news.

Presenting the English COVID situation in a national bulletin with only a brief mention in passing that it doesn't apply to Scotland, Wales and NI is not the same thing.

Are Breakfast doing a better job of this as there are no regional opts following them to clear up the confusion?
tightrope78 and denton gave kudos
CA
Cardiffian
You're making the assumption that the typical person in England would find the county cricket story more important than the significant events in Northern Ireland you cite.

At the risk of being memory-holed again: England isn't just "another country". Even if certain people got their way and the UK was dismantled as a state, the geographic and cultural situation would remain.

We have tons of stuff about the United States on the network news; much of it not immediately applicable to anyone this side of the Atlantic. But of course we do. It's a much larger country which we share a lot with in terms of language and culture. Whenever a larger US state such as California passes a law on things like gay marriage or cannabis, it gets covered here.

I have to wonder why that's less controversial to certain people.

But that's presented in the context of international news.

Presenting the English COVID situation in a national bulletin with only a brief mention in passing that it doesn't apply to Scotland, Wales and NI is not the same thing.


As a student of Politics, having studied devolution, there are so many times when I am screaming at the TV because all a reporter/newsreader needs to do is insert "in England" into a report about an issue that only applies to England to make it clearer. The free school meals story this week has been a prime example. But too often reporters are ignorant of devolved issue.

And then there's things they do that muddy the waters without even realising.
"The NHS" - which NHS? The English, Welsh, Scottish or Northern Irish NHS?
And the way ministers are introduced. "The Health secretary, The Education secretary, The Transport minister...." Of course on the national news they are always talking about the English Health secretary, or the English Education secretary. But this is rarely pointed out. It's no wonder your average viewer in the nations are confused over who they are voting for in devolved elections.
BK
bkman1990
The two things that I can remember being the top political stories in NI from BBC Network news would be The Good Friday Agreement in 1998 & the cash for ash scandal which had collapsed the NI Assembly a few years ago. When dealing with Scotland; the only top story that I have seen on the BBC main news in London are the debates & the public vote on Scottish Independence or about launching the BBC Scotland Channel. When it relates to Wales; their highly successful Euro 2016 campaign would be a big story when reporting about sport. But the rate of when these bits of news stories occurring as the top story is very small. It is mostly England that gets covered on BBC News on BBC One. The stories that feature the nations on their main news bulletins do get covered rather well when they are at a point somewhere around the middle of the bulletin which may suggest on how it's important it is in the running order.

The Network bulletins do cover international stories outside of the UK along with stories from the nations. But I would say those types of stories are being covered a lot more, even in these times, when compared to the matters that occur in the nations. This has happened a lot when BBC News was covering the lockdowns from the Covid-19 pandemic. The Network bulletins had featured brief stories from countries outside of the UK on their Coronavirus arrangements which have been featured on the Six & the Ten.

I would assume that the BBC editors of the national bulletins would find it to be a difficult job in what type of story it has to cover as a priority & which one can be confined to being on the NC or World or on their website. And that is not a bad thing in itself by the way. ITV News & Channel 4 News are a lot more tougher environments to work because they would have to cover stories within the remit of their own bulletins which are shown everyday at the times they air for broadcast & either leave the other stores not being covered in the bulletins to ODN so that people view them online or have them covered on ITV Regional news bulletins for their local areas of the UK or the ITV News/Channel 4 website.
CH
chris

And the way ministers are introduced. "The Health secretary, The Education secretary, The Transport minister...." Of course on the national news they are always talking about the English Health secretary, or the English Education secretary. But this is rarely pointed out. It's no wonder your average viewer in the nations are confused over who they are voting for in devolved elections.


But they’re not the “English Health Secretary” or “English Education Secretary”? They don’t sit in an English parliament and their decision-making has an indirect impact on the nations’ policies.

It’s not quite as simple as you’re making out.
MA
Markyboy81
chris posted:

And the way ministers are introduced. "The Health secretary, The Education secretary, The Transport minister...." Of course on the national news they are always talking about the English Health secretary, or the English Education secretary. But this is rarely pointed out. It's no wonder your average viewer in the nations are confused over who they are voting for in devolved elections.


But they’re not the “English Health Secretary” or “English Education Secretary”? They don’t sit in an English parliament and their decision-making has an indirect impact on the nations’ policies.

It’s not quite as simple as you’re making out.



I agrsee it is not the English Parliament. However, the Health Secretary and Education secretaries in Westminister are only reponsible for Health and Education in England. Is it not about time that this addressed and they are referred to as the English Secretary of state?
JO
Joe
If the UK health secretary decided to make everyone pay £10 to see their GP, do you not think there would be an implication for the health services outside of England? They are not acting in isolation.

And by the way, I'm writing as somebody who has a lot of time for the argument that the national news could do better on this issue.
GH
Ghost
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_TE5q9E4BA
I can’t believe that this was seven months that Emily Wood started to become a primary school teacher! Rolling Eyes
Last edited by Ghost on 18 June 2020 5:14pm
SW
Steve Williams
Are Breakfast doing a better job of this as there are no regional opts following them to clear up the confusion?


Just to say, the top story on Breakfast this morning was regarding changes in Scotland - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-53083995

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