BBC News - General

Even though Sportsround were on OB this week, I would assume that the weekend rotas would only be changed to provide a newsreader at midday if there was real breaking news. BBC One has three bulletins on a Saturday the first at midday and the last around 10pm - a long shift for one newsreader, or a potentially silly shifts for two. Unless someone doing a shift on News 24 or World read the bulletin.

This bulletin I think is partly cost saving exercise, because I think it would be feasible to be presented from the Newsnight etc studio using the CSO and Moria's old Breakfast desk.

And how do you think it actually gets on air???? It still has to use the national studio - do you think it can just suddenly broadcast live to the nation from a football ground without it going through a studio???

Don't forget that during the eighties and most of the nineties, the same newscaster would be on duty all day Saturday and all day Sunday to present the bulletins. It was pioneered by Jan Leeming at the point where the lantern scheme was introduced in 1982. Moira Stuart then took over when Jan left the BBC. (The same shifts were also adopted over at ITN - one newscaster doing the whole weekend shift.)

However, even before that era, BBC Weekend News was also served by one Newscaster for the whole day at weekends for the bulletins on BBC1 and BBC2. There was a 4th programme on either the Saturday or Sunday on BBC2, entitled News Review, which was subtitled. I don't think it was live though, but was still presented by the on-duty Newscaster for the weekend.

It was replaced by a new programme - NewsView somewhere around 83, I think.

So, long weekedn shifts for newscasters are not a new thing.

Long shifts may not be a new thing, but the simulcasts and the use of News 24 presenters who are working that day as well is making efficient use of BBC funds as well as not making people work very long hours. I'm guessing if it was one news reader all weekend, it was probably also the same team behind the camera.

A good example of this is to look at the BBC Radio 1 webcam next time they do an outside broadcast from a beach or somewhere. You will notice that the webcam still shows the studio they are feeding through to get on air. You will also see a desk operator working the studio as all the music etc still comes off the studio servers (not sure if the presenter can operate this remotely or not but i guess it depends what equipment is available on location).

Mishal Hussein was doing the sunday buletins, I didnt realise how wooden she actually is, anyone else agree?

If they didn't want a News 24 simulcast - which though not much of a problem for BBC1 viewers, it does interupt the flow of the News 24 hour, I guess they could just get the Breakfast presenter to stay on a couple of extra hours instead, or otherwise rejig the schedule so the news is on BBC1 when "click" is on News 24 - but can't see them doing that.


Talking of weekend news - it's been quite a few years now, but when - and why - did they drop the Saturday evening news bulletin on BBC2?

The thing with that is (and correct me if I'm wrong) that there is only one feed out of News 24 - so I don't think they could show a programme and do a bulletin like that.

I think they treat programmes like Click etc. just as a long report and play it like that if you get my meaning.

Has Sophie Raworth been raiding Lady Penelope's wardrobe from the Thunderbirds film?
http://www.rp-networkservices.com/tvforum/uploads/ladyp.jpg

(in Parker's 'incredibly drunk' voice) "And now on BBC1, the One O'Clock News with Ms Raworth, m'lady!"

I believe they can only output one at a time. They can use the studio to record but not to output.

I believe the majority BBC staff work a 4 day shift. For example, 7am till 7pm 4 days on 4 days off. Could be wrong though