BBC News Presenters

When a newsreader presents two programmes say Bill Turnbull (Breakfast & the 6 O Clock News), Which programme gets priority. Im not sure how the system works so I was wondering if the editor of either programme 'fights' for use of the presenter or if it is the presenters choice or even if there is one person who decides overall.

Hope someone can shed some light

PM

Hopefully someone can clarify, but I'm pretty sure there's a person, or team, who draws up the rotas for the bulletins. I know that's how it's done for N24 and World, so I presume that also how network do things. It must be quite a stressful job, as some staff presenters require a set amount of shifts per week, plus they also have to negotiate with freelancers to fit them into the rota.

Which presenters are freelance? does anyone know?

Interesting question - in this example, it seems that generally when George is away from the 6, Bill presents that and someone else does Breakfast. Although he does sometimes present both as we know.

Both he and Sian regularly miss their regular stints on Breakfast on Saturday and Sunday when they have other things on during the week, so these seem to have the lowest "priority" as it were.

I wonder if there is an official priority.

Oh come on, it's pretty obvious that the 6 takes priority over Breakfast.

I'd have thought it's News 24, Weekends, Breakfast, 1, 6.

10 has it's own presenters, but Sissons does it sometimes, but this wouldn't conflict with his News 24 role.

The only presenter I know is freelance is Maxine Mawhinney

With regards to presenters, are specific presenters chosen to present BBC News Specials. This week there are three specials on N24: about the Oscars, the Asian Tsunami and Auschwitz. I think that Maxine Mawhinney presented the Oscars Nominations (correct me if I'm wrong) but more high profile presenters, e.g. George Alagiah, normally present the special programmes - is there a rota for these as well?

You're correct it was Maxine Mawhinney. The Tsunami-special will be presented by George Alagiah and the Auschwitz-special by Stephen Sackur AFAIK.

It depends what you mean by freelance ... there are very very few BBC staff news presenters - I can only think of two off the top of my head. The rest are all on contracts for either a period of time or a certain number of shifts per year.