BBC News: Presenters & Rotas

Matthew Price does have presenting experience, albeit on Newsround. Despite targeting children, it does involve reading an autocue in a TV studio environment.

As for Mishal Husain - doubt it. She was the Washington-based presenter back in 2002/3 when she used to co-present the BBC World News with Adrian Finighan (who was in London). She's moved on to bigger and better things now, including a fairly high profile on BBC1.

My money is that it won't be Katty Kay (should be, but won't). Katty's quite known by the American broadcasters and I reckon she'll become an NBC News political analyst before too long.

A long shot might be Jon Sopel. I think it would be a mistake and a huge shame, but he's covered the US elections without fault, guest hosted WNA a year or two back for a fortnight and has experience as both a political and a foreign correspondent. The Politics Show could (won't, but could) be axed in spending cuts if the Tabloids are to be believed, and for all we know Jon might be looking for a challenge after so long on the news channel. I can't see a space opening up for him on Newsnight or a national bulletin any time soon, and while I think he could make a fine political editor I think the BBC will look elsewhere.

I wonder what some of the other correspondents, including Adam Brookes, are like in a studio? I doubt they'd have Frei's presence. Philippa Thomas could make a good host, but I'm not convinced Michelle Fleury and Laura Trevelyan can make more than fill-in presenters any time soon (they're not bad, but much better correspondents).

I would agree it will be trick considering her popularity and also her other commitments, Also she does not really have experience covering international events like Matt does as you refer to in your suggestion of her future her strength does lie in Politics.

As for Jon, I think he will soon be leading BBC’s political team from the front whether it be replacing David Dimbleby or in a correspondents role and I think it would be a massive mistake for their long term future to send him out there. He is probably the best presenter on the news channel and I see big things for him..
While we are on the subject of experienced Journalists taking the chair. Lyse Doucet (apologies if that is spelt wrong) is excellent and has a big experience of covering foreign affairs



I did not realize that Robert apologies, as much as Newsround is not Newsnight it is as you say at the end of the day presenting experience which is needed for this role. Combine this with his reporting experience having been based in New York but also having spells in the Middle East and Europe. I don’t think he’ll get it because the BBC tend to opt for someone more well known and there is a long list of other candidates which seem to be more obvious choices.

I would not say Mishal’s current role is all that excellent, yes she does cover the 6 +10 together with weekend and BBC World presenting duties it’s not the best job on BBC News and I can’t see her progressing anytime soon. I would argue this role is just as good targeting a worldwide audience, anchoring international events with an impact on the world and sending home well crafted exclusives.

The problem is Jon has, in my opinion, been waiting for 'the next thing' for some time, as have many of the news channel presenters. I fear if the BBC doesn't offer Jon another challenge soon, he could be headed for the same scenario as Dermot Murnaghan who quite publicly said he would have stayed at the Beeb had there been a post available on the nationals instead, but that he needed a new challenge. There are many others who will replace Dimbleby before Sopel does, and my suspicion is he won't be returning to an active correspondent/editor role at BBC Politics.



Mishal on the other hand doesn't have as senior role right now as she could, but I think it's fair to say she's next in line for a national bulletin/ newsnight. I suspect they'll choose Mishal over a whole host of other newsreaders, including Kate Silverton, to replace someone on the six, ten or newsnight, and I suspect such a change will happen over the coming few years...


On another note, what about Sian Williams for WNA? I don't see there being any problems there...

Mishal recently made the newspapers due to a run-in with a fellow shopper in a supermarket (something about the behaviour of her children, if I recall correctly). When was the last time you saw Matt Frei make the newspapers? Or Nik Gowing? Although BBC World reaches many more viewers, it's not as high profile - or as well paid - as BBC1 can be. She regularly presents Sunday's main news bulletins, which often get lots of viewers. Going back to Washington for BBC World would be a huge step backwards in career terms. For a kick off, she was there doing that exact job 10 years ago and if she bases herself in Washington again that precludes any appearances on BBC1. At the moment, she has the best of both worlds - she has her own programming strand on BBC World as well as frequent appearances on BBC1. She'd be mad to give that up.

If she couldn't move to Salford with Breakfast because of her family, I sincerely doubt she'd be happy going to Washington!! Besides, personally I think she's destined for Radio 4.

My sarcasm may not be as obvious as some on here, but still Rob.

What about someone like Ben Brown?

Ah. An emoticon would have aided clarity

I would again throw Mike Embley's name into the fray. As noted, he is adored by US viewers. Additionally, I now recall Mike saying on Twitter about six weeks ago that "more changes were imminent" for the America slots. (PBS viewers cried foul when Mike was removed from his slot, and those viewers instead got another edition of WNA plus extra hours of Babita Sharma and Adnan Nawaz, although they have also subsequently warmed to Babita in a big way.......)

Furthermore, it is quite strange to state that Mishal Husain doesn't occupy a "senior" role in BBC News. Whilst in a parochial sense, BBC UK (1 / 6 10) may be considered high profile, it is nowhere near as far-reaching as BBC World is. Put simply, there are far more people in the world who would recognise Mishal ahead of Huw Edwards, save perhaps in Leeds or Cardiff or Glasgow. So, who would viewers of WNA prefer to have as a replacement for Frei? Edwards, Husain or Williams? Of course, the answer is Husain, because they don't have a clue who the others are.

Apart from Embley, other possible contenders could be Alagiah, Willcox or even Edwards himself.

I agree Mishal has a great position, best of both worlds as itsrobert said. She started on World and is after all an international presenter, familiar with politics and all stories she covered through the years but at the same time she got her break on domestic BBC and is slowely but surely rising her profile there.

My mistake