The Newsroom

BBC News: Presenters & Rotas

(April 2008)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
WO
Worzel
Jaxford posted:
Stitch08 posted:
ginnyfan posted:
Agree. Sad Not really liking all new sports presenters in Salford. Amanda had and showed personality.


In fairness the new staff seem decent and may just take some time to settle in. Thought Katherine Downes dealt with the breaking Muamba story fairly well on Sportsday.


It's a shame that such a few sports presenters moved up to Salford. But I quite like some of the new ones. Andrew Lindsay and Damian Johnson are great. Jenny Culshaw not quite so.


Didn't Lizzy move up North - I'm sure I've seen her on the News channel Sports Round-ups from Salford.

I hope that the likes of Alison (sorry forgot her surname) will appear as relief from time to time.
DF
DrewF
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/4202316/TV-Anna-Ford-in-swipe-at-Beeb.html

Apparently Julia Somerville only has 24 days a year in her contract. That's pretty rubbish really, and certainly suggests tokenism as Anna Ford says in the article above.

Just had a look on the BBC News Presenters site too - Julia did only 14 days on the News Channel in 2011 and 7 days on the bulletins. In comparison, Fiona Armstrong did 39 days on the News Channel and Carole Walker did 22 days.
JW
JamesWorldNews
Adam Parsons is coming to N8 tonight!
DS
Dan S
BBC WORLD posted:
Adam Parsons is coming to N8 tonight!


Good for you!! I suppose we can just about cope with Clive Myrie in N6, if he is presenting. Don't fancy a swap, do you?
JA
Jaxford
DrewF posted:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/4202316/TV-Anna-Ford-in-swipe-at-Beeb.html

Apparently Julia Somerville only has 24 days a year in her contract. That's pretty rubbish really, and certainly suggests tokenism as Anna Ford says in the article above.

Just had a look on the BBC News Presenters site too - Julia did only 14 days on the News Channel in 2011 and 7 days on the bulletins. In comparison, Fiona Armstrong did 39 days on the News Channel and Carole Walker did 22 days.


Nice to our website in good use.

It's a shame Julia does so little. She's great on the BBC One bulletins, but she could do better on the news channel. Fiona and Carol could also do with some more days. Both really good presenters.
DF
DrewF
Fiona is without a doubt the superior presenter - does the News Channel with ease and would be great on bulletins too I imagine.. Would happily see her in a regular slot on the News Channel although that would never happen (even if Fiona wanted to!)

Julia is okay on the News Channel but I think bulletins are more her thing. Would be nice to see her cover the odd Friday doing the One/Six, or the Six/Ten.
DS
Dan S
Jaxford posted:
DrewF posted:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/4202316/TV-Anna-Ford-in-swipe-at-Beeb.html

Apparently Julia Somerville only has 24 days a year in her contract. That's pretty rubbish really, and certainly suggests tokenism as Anna Ford says in the article above.

Just had a look on the BBC News Presenters site too - Julia did only 14 days on the News Channel in 2011 and 7 days on the bulletins. In comparison, Fiona Armstrong did 39 days on the News Channel and Carole Walker did 22 days.


Nice to our website in good use.

It's a shame Julia does so little. She's great on the BBC One bulletins, but she could do better on the news channel. Fiona and Carol could also do with some more days. Both really good presenters.


Fiona Armstrong should be given a permanent slot on the News Channel, if you ask me, even if it's just the 4-7 shift on a Saturday, and should share the same amount of airtime as younger relief presenters such as Sophie Long and Martine Croxall. She should also be given the opportunity to present BBC1 bulletins every now and again, namely the Weekend News or News at One, as she'd really suit them both IMO.

Carole Walker's alright and is for the most part watchable, but should really just stick to reporting.

Julia Somerville is a bit like Peter Sissons was really, excellent on structured bulletins, but put her on the News Channel and, whilst being good with scripted things, can sometimes become easily flustered with breaking news. However, like I say, excellent on structured bulletins, and should be given the chance to cover for Fiona Bruce on the Ten occasionally.

EDIT I'd like to see Zeinab Badawi back on the News Channel. What happened there? I think she only appeared about four times in 2010 and then was never seen again. I know she has World News commitments but it would be great to see her covering for Huw on the Five occasionally. I reckon she'd be good enough for Newsnight.
Last edited by Dan S on 18 March 2012 6:28pm - 2 times in total
JA
Jaxford
Dan S posted:


Fiona Armstrong should be given a permanent slot on the News Channel, if you ask me, even if it's just the 4-7 shift on a Saturday, and should share the same amount of airtime as younger relief presenters such as Sophie Long and Martine Croxall. She should also be given the opportunity to present BBC1 bulletins every now and again, namely the Weekend News or News at One, as she'd really suit them both IMO.

Carole Walker's alright and is for the most part watchable, but should really just stick to reporting.

Julia Somerville is a bit like Peter Sissons was really, excellent on structured bulletins, but put her on the News Channel and, whilst being good with scripted things, can sometimes become easily flustered with breaking news. However, like I say, excellent on structured bulletins, and should be given the chance to cover for Fiona Bruce on the Ten occasionally.

EDIT I'd like to see Zeinab Badawi back on the News Channel. What happened there? I think she only appeared about four times in 2010 and then was never seen again. I know she has World News commitments but it would be great to see her covering for Huw on the Five occasionally. I reckon she'd be good enough for Newsnight.

I agree with most of what you say. I don't think Julia should present on the Ten thought. I don't think she's quite up to it.

I agree on the issue with Zeinab. It would be nice to see her a bit more often and she would be an ideal candidate for Newsnight.
IT
itsrobert Founding member
Jaxford posted:
Dan S posted:


Fiona Armstrong should be given a permanent slot on the News Channel, if you ask me, even if it's just the 4-7 shift on a Saturday, and should share the same amount of airtime as younger relief presenters such as Sophie Long and Martine Croxall. She should also be given the opportunity to present BBC1 bulletins every now and again, namely the Weekend News or News at One, as she'd really suit them both IMO.

Carole Walker's alright and is for the most part watchable, but should really just stick to reporting.

Julia Somerville is a bit like Peter Sissons was really, excellent on structured bulletins, but put her on the News Channel and, whilst being good with scripted things, can sometimes become easily flustered with breaking news. However, like I say, excellent on structured bulletins, and should be given the chance to cover for Fiona Bruce on the Ten occasionally.

EDIT I'd like to see Zeinab Badawi back on the News Channel. What happened there? I think she only appeared about four times in 2010 and then was never seen again. I know she has World News commitments but it would be great to see her covering for Huw on the Five occasionally. I reckon she'd be good enough for Newsnight.

I agree with most of what you say. I don't think Julia should present on the Ten thought. I don't think she's quite up to it.


You do realise that Julia Somerville was one of the main presenters of the BBC's Nine O'Clock News and ITN's News at Ten for most of the 1980s and 1990s? You're talking about her as though she's just out of university. She coulkd do the Ten O'Clock News in her sleep. After all, she was reading flagship bulletins to millions of people (and many more millions than the network bulletins get now) when Fiona Bruce was still in nappies.
JA
Jaxford
itsrobert posted:

You do realise that Julia Somerville was one of the main presenters of the BBC's Nine O'Clock News and ITN's News at Ten for most of the 1980s and 1990s? You're talking about her as though she's just out of university. She coulkd do the Ten O'Clock News in her sleep. After all, she was reading flagship bulletins to millions of people (and many more millions than the network bulletins get now) when Fiona Bruce was still in nappies.


I understand your point. However, like you said, Julia presented the (BBC) Nine O'Clock News and the (ITN) News at Ten. She did this in the eighties and nineties. Back then she was great, but now we have the likes of Huw, Fiona, George, Sophie, Sian and Mishal. She had her time and now its time for others to come through the ranks. Why should she prevent somebody up and coming from presenting?

I know lots of you may dislike what I say, but this is just my opinion.
IT
itsrobert Founding member
Jaxford posted:
itsrobert posted:

You do realise that Julia Somerville was one of the main presenters of the BBC's Nine O'Clock News and ITN's News at Ten for most of the 1980s and 1990s? You're talking about her as though she's just out of university. She coulkd do the Ten O'Clock News in her sleep. After all, she was reading flagship bulletins to millions of people (and many more millions than the network bulletins get now) when Fiona Bruce was still in nappies.


I understand your point. However, like you said, Julia presented the (BBC) Nine O'Clock News and the (ITN) News at Ten. She did this in the eighties and nineties. Back then she was great, but now we have the likes of Huw, Fiona, George, Sophie, Sian and Mishal. She had her time and now its time for others to come through the ranks. Why should she prevent somebody up and coming from presenting?

I know lots of you may dislike what I say, but this is just my opinion.


I don't think anyone would advocate fresh talent being held back in favour of keeping older presenters on air. However, these days news presenters are almost exclusively under 50 years old. The only network newsreaders I can think of who are over 50 are Huw Edwards (just), Mark Austin, Alastair Stewart and Jon Snow. Notice a pattern? All men. The experienced females have all long since been sidelined yet this doesn't seem to apply to blokes. Just because someone is older doesn't mean they're now incapable of doing their job, in fact they bring experience and authority. Your argument that keeping older presenters prevents young talent from emerging doesn't ring true when you look at the situation in the 1980s and 90s. Experienced newsreaders like Alastair Burnett and Sandy Gall stayed on network news into their 60s, yet young presenters (like Julia) still managed to emerge. Why can't there be a mix? Some old and some young? Wouldn't that be the best scenario?
BA
bilky asko
itsrobert posted:
Jaxford posted:
itsrobert posted:

You do realise that Julia Somerville was one of the main presenters of the BBC's Nine O'Clock News and ITN's News at Ten for most of the 1980s and 1990s? You're talking about her as though she's just out of university. She coulkd do the Ten O'Clock News in her sleep. After all, she was reading flagship bulletins to millions of people (and many more millions than the network bulletins get now) when Fiona Bruce was still in nappies.


I understand your point. However, like you said, Julia presented the (BBC) Nine O'Clock News and the (ITN) News at Ten. She did this in the eighties and nineties. Back then she was great, but now we have the likes of Huw, Fiona, George, Sophie, Sian and Mishal. She had her time and now its time for others to come through the ranks. Why should she prevent somebody up and coming from presenting?

I know lots of you may dislike what I say, but this is just my opinion.


I don't think anyone would advocate fresh talent being held back in favour of keeping older presenters on air. However, these days news presenters are almost exclusively under 50 years old. The only network newsreaders I can think of who are over 50 are Huw Edwards (just), Mark Austin, Alastair Stewart and Jon Snow. Notice a pattern? All men. The experienced females have all long since been sidelined yet this doesn't seem to apply to blokes. Just because someone is older doesn't mean they're now incapable of doing their job, in fact they bring experience and authority. Your argument that keeping older presenters prevents young talent from emerging doesn't ring true when you look at the situation in the 1980s and 90s. Experienced newsreaders like Alastair Burnett and Sandy Gall stayed on network news into their 60s, yet young presenters (like Julia) still managed to emerge. Why can't there be a mix? Some old and some young? Wouldn't that be the best scenario?


Could the correlation be down to the fact that there were a far greater number of male journalists 30-40 years ago that have become newsreaders, due to the general requirement of journalistic experience along with presenting experience?

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