The Newsroom

BBC News: Presenters & Rotas

(March 2013)

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GM
Gary McEwan
Critique posted:
Rotas aren't my bag, but where has Reeta Chakrabarti appeared from? I had previously never seen nor heard of her (although research has shown that she did exist previously), but now she is presenting the main network news bulletins? It seems a very quick progression through the ranks for someone relatively unknown?


She was or still is the UK Affairs Contributing Editor, although since she is appearing more and more on the NC and Network i'm not if she has rescinded that post.
BP
Bob Paisley
Critique posted:
Rotas aren't my bag, but where has Reeta Chakrabarti appeared from? I had previously never seen nor heard of her (although research has shown that she did exist previously), but now she is presenting the main network news bulletins? It seems a very quick progression through the ranks for someone relatively unknown?

I wouldn't exactly call her 'unknown'. She's been a correspondent for BBC News for many a year - although she's fairly new to news reading. Her promotion has prompted quite a discussion.
CR
Critique
Bob Paisley posted:
Critique posted:
Rotas aren't my bag, but where has Reeta Chakrabarti appeared from? I had previously never seen nor heard of her (although research has shown that she did exist previously), but now she is presenting the main network news bulletins? It seems a very quick progression through the ranks for someone relatively unknown?

I wouldn't exactly call her 'unknown'. She's been a correspondent for BBC News for many a year - although she's fairly new to news reading. Her promotion has prompted quite a discussion.

Unknown to me at least! However, as you say she looks to have been a correspondent for quite a few years before making the jump to newsreading. This jump is what I find a bit odd, as she appears to have even presented the Ten a few times, which used to be reserved, from the looks of it, for Huw Edwards, Fiona Bruce or another well-known presenter.
MO
Moz
Shaun Ley has been excellent tonight - the first time I've seen him on TV. Handling the breaking news of Robin Williams brilliantly, but was also good doing the papers before that too.
Last edited by Moz on 12 August 2014 1:09am
ST
Stitch08
Critique posted:
Bob Paisley posted:
Critique posted:
Rotas aren't my bag, but where has Reeta Chakrabarti appeared from? I had previously never seen nor heard of her (although research has shown that she did exist previously), but now she is presenting the main network news bulletins? It seems a very quick progression through the ranks for someone relatively unknown?

I wouldn't exactly call her 'unknown'. She's been a correspondent for BBC News for many a year - although she's fairly new to news reading. Her promotion has prompted quite a discussion.

Unknown to me at least! However, as you say she looks to have been a correspondent for quite a few years before making the jump to newsreading. This jump is what I find a bit odd, as she appears to have even presented the Ten a few times, which used to be reserved, from the looks of it, for Huw Edwards, Fiona Bruce or another well-known presenter.


She was a fairly long standing political correspondent and quite often reporting on the network bulletins, probably of a similar profile to someone like Carole Walker. Then a few years back she switched to Education, which reduced her appearances on the main bulletins a bit. Her switch to uk affairs and presenting coincided with Penny Marshalls arrival as Education Editor, but I suspect the fact George and Kate are both absent partly explains the prominent appearances.
MA
Markymark
DrewF posted:
Gary McEwan posted:
Well he's certainly having trouble with reports not playing...that's 2/3 reports that have gone haywire and have had no sound or bits of sound...


He is, but he's a surprisingly polished presenter (not flustered by technical issues or breaking news for example) - considering TV news is not his usual stomping ground.


Shaun Ley started off in the mid 90s as a political correspondent at Millbank, I think he was a reporter
on the then Newsroom South East, but in recent years has been on R4, The World at One predominately I think ?
MC
mccanmat
Yes Shaun Ley is a very good newscaster- he seems much better than a lot of people who are on bbc news...perhaps at some point a move towards network bulletins??
EX
excel99
Markymark posted:
but in recent years has been on R4, The World at One predominately I think ?

Friday The World at One and the The World This Weekend wasn't it? Been replaced by Mark Mardell?
SK
Skygeek
excel99 posted:
Markymark posted:
but in recent years has been on R4, The World at One predominately I think ?

Friday The World at One and the The World This Weekend wasn't it? Been replaced by Mark Mardell?

That's correct, and I have to say that when I worked on those programmes, Shaun was one of my favouite colleagues, both as a broadcaster and a human being. He always had time for a total newbie like me, and his political interviewing style - incisive but entirely un-showy - is still among my favourites.
BB
BBC WORLD 24
Shaun Ley is brilliant and strikes the right balance of being professional yet warm to watch. Rita is not bad either... still a bit wooden at times... but she'll soon settle in and I can see her presenting the main bulletins for a while to come!
BA
bazinga
BBC WORLD 24 posted:
Shaun Ley is brilliant and strikes the right balance of being professional yet warm to watch. Rita is not bad either... still a bit wooden at times... but she'll soon settle in and I can see her presenting the main bulletins for a while to come!

Reeta is truly awful, constant slip up of words and mispronunciation. Her tone doesn't seem to be quite right either. IMO.
Last edited by bazinga on 13 August 2014 9:52pm
JW
JamesWorldNews
Reeta, even.

Never mind that! They had Spiderman presenting the BBC News at BBC Scotland this morning during Breakfast.

I kid you not!

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