The 'Victoria Derbyshire' Programme

Are they spending more money than BBC2 and the NC combined did previously though?

I don't know the retransmission costs for something like Bargain Hunt and Flog It, but it doesn't seem to be saving money. On the News Channel end though I assume Victoria Derbyshire, being as it were a 'personality', is being paid more than the average News Channel newsreader, and there is still a duty presenter in. I also assume that Studio B is being fully manned for several extra hours and set strikers are now needed in week whereas previously the Newsnight set could be left for the following days BBC World News programmes. Also VD has its own team of correspondents and editor, plus there are the one time costs such as the huge amount of furniture, the touchscreen, that pointless bit of glass on the main desk, graphics, music. Also most of the reports done for VD are non-recyclable in that they can't then be used for other bulletins - unlike reports for the NC which can be used again and again, shared with Nationals and sometimes World. So I assume it is costing more than the previous slots.

But it certainly isn't good value for money, reports from both the Mail and Guardian indicate that it is the least watched programme on the main 5 channels in that timeslot, losing even to Channel 5. (http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/apr/24/victoria-derbyshire-bbc2-show-viewers-bbc-news)

Having time on my hands this evening I skimmed through the programme via the iPlayer and made note of rough timings of it's content (in minutes)...
* 0-3: Intro
* 3-7: Film - benefits
* 7-12: Interview down the line (from Salford newsroom) with someone on benefits
* 12-14: News headlines (it was apparently 9:30am)
* 14-17: Extract of a film previously shown about 'Gay & married'
* 17-28: Interview with 3 guests on sofa about 'the other side' of previously shown film
* 28-30: Some 'opinions'/comment from viewers via twitter
* 30-33: Greek debt - footage from of greek president speech 'a few minutes ago'
* 33-36: Greek debt - reaction from correspondent (down the line?)
* 36-39: Barclays - correspondent in studio
* 39-40: Coming up
* 40-42: Murder trial - correspondent on location
* 42-45: Weather (with a short chat first)
* 45-47: Coming up
* 47-49: News headlines
* 49-50: Sports headlines - on location
* 50-52: Opinions from viewers via twitter etc.
* 52-58: Benefits - piece with correspondent in Downing Street (+ light hearted piece regarding MP in TV ad)
* 58-72: Interview/debate with a (different) MP down the line + 2 guests in studio
* 72-73: Breaking news regarding a supreme court decision
* 73-81: Film - migrants in Lesbos
* 81-83: News headlines
* 83-87: Legal aid protest - reporter on location
* 87-92: Sport - on location + clips (apparently later than normal due to tech problems)
* 92-94: Afghan interpretors - reporter in studio
* 94-98: Jersey sports minister error - minister interviewed via (handheld?) skype
* 98-100: Young people in care - pre-recorded(?) interview down the line
* 100-104: Reaction to interview with a guest in studio + guest via skype
* 104: Programme quickly wrapped up

NC viewers were 'treated' to a long clip from ITV's Coronation Street and a discussion on the death of character Deirdre Barlow.

Ref the timings breakdown I posted last night I think I can see where some of the savings may be being made. I would assume that down the line interviews involving guests in newsroom/radio studios cost less and require fewer staff than on location interviews, which presumable require a satellite van or similar and the relevant staffing. By having a lot of the programme's schedule prepared in advance it in theory means they know where crews & reporters will be required, rather than potentially paying people to be on standby around the country. Also by mainly having news headlines mostly read by Victoria it allows NC reporters more time to file/edit reports, possibly meaning some staff start their day later. (It's probably worth noting that a few of the correspondents on VDL are probably also reporters on the news channel.)

As for the show in general there do seem to have been a few tweaks since I first watched it (during the opening week). Compared to the first week they didn't reshow the same film/report during the programme, whereas in the first week a shortened version appeared later on. They've also got rid of having half dozen audience members present for the purpose of getting opinions. Unfortunately instead they're using comments from twitter for 'opinions', which I'm not overly fond of.

I'm still not overly keen on the programme being named after the main presenter, as surely a news channel programme should revolve around the news and not the presenter. (I believe today Joanna Gosling was presenting instead.) Personally I'd prefer it was called something like 'Morning Live with...' if they insist on having a feature news programme between 9:15 and 11am.

I've worked for companies where one department spent X just so another department to make Y, and that Y was always much less than what the X was in cash and in time.

But who always got the letters from the Chief Executive telling them how great they were? Yep, that department that made Y....

Because she's a brand, apparently.

Having a logo with the obvious letters V D is asking for trouble.

I've seen promos where it ends with the show's logo on screen and a big turquoise dot flashes on and off twice in the O of Victoria.

It looks incredibly amateurish, if it's meant to be some sort of design element. It doesn't even flash in time to the end sting of her music - which I can only assume it was meant to. Just looks weird.

It's a shame the show is so built around her name and personality, because she's been put on a pedestal, and I think Derbyshire has the potential to grow into the role. If she had simply been slotted into the existing schedules and given a chance to develop, I don't think there would be as many people complaining...

Renaming the programme 'BBC News' and popping her into Studio E, a sort of hybrid of her show and the standard rolling news format could work, in my opinion...

On the topic of the show's name, why is this thread called 'VictoriaLIVE' - not a name that the show has ever been given?

I believe it was referred to as that before it launched, changed now.

There was an early promo filmed with the hashtag #VictoriaLIVE.