I have to wonder if this is another case of announcing the worst case scenario then U turn on certain elements. (See also: closure of 6 Music)
The bit that annoys me is that it seems that Inside Out has been sacrificed for the regional politics shows after an outcry from MPs. Given that these cuts are the result of the government's stitch up over free TV licenses for the over 75s, watering down a programme that gets healthy audience figures and reaches audiences who don't watch other current affairs output to subsidise niche programming watched by relatively small audiences to appease the politicians who collectively caused the problem doesn't sit easily with me.
I wish the BBC had had the balls to resist that and double down by threatening to close BBC Parliament (which would be justifiable as it largely duplicates coverage available on Parliament's own website).
Yes, that’s what I think is disappointing - there’s no allowance for a region to deploy its team of journalists in the way they think best. The double headed regions don’t get extra money for being double headed but have decided that’s how they’ll use their resources. If one does lunch and 6.30 and one does 6.30 and 10 that seems like a sensible use of the team to me and I don’t understand why they can’t have the flexibility to keep doing that.
If regions with double headed presentation don't get additional funding for this at present then it seems unfair if single headed presented regions aren't also facing cuts or are they but less obviously visible on screen?
Yes, that’s what I think is disappointing - there’s no allowance for a region to deploy its team of journalists in the way they think best. The double headed regions don’t get extra money for being double headed but have decided that’s how they’ll use their resources. If one does lunch and 6.30 and one does 6.30 and 10 that seems like a sensible use of the team to me and I don’t understand why they can’t have the flexibility to keep doing that.
If regions with double headed presentation don't get additional funding for this at present then it seems unfair if single headed presented regions aren't also facing cuts or are they but less obviously visible on screen?
These will be less obviously visible on screen. I’m not sure if budgets differ depending on region size?
In regards to Look East is going pan-regional (with local opt) not a viable option or alternative for them? It’s only in past couple of years that the West has had its own dedicated full teatime bulletin. Could they not do what ITV do with part live/pre-recorded?
Back in the day the presenters often used to be out on the road reporting during the day, then come back to the studio to present. Apparently Look North never knew who would present until reporters got back to base.
I wonder if there's an option to have a second presenter who is officially there as a reporter (assigned to the predictable diary stories rather than something that's developing) and who then comes back to the studio to co-present the 6.30, alongside a dedicated presenter who also does the 10.30? (Somebody else would do Breakfast and lunchtime as a shift)
Or is that how some of the dual headed regions manage it already?
A routinely renewed contract though isn't always a get out of jail free card - indeed after 4 years they're considered an employee unless there is a good reason for them not to be and they're entitled to redundancy after 2 years.
I guess it'll vary from region to region but how many on screen talent do we think each region would have?
I’d say Look North Leeds has 8 people you could primarily call presenters, but at least 3 of them are also reporters and 1 also does the weather and works on Inside Out. In the current set up only 5 are appearing on screen in a normal week.
Might not be typical because Look North Leeds doesn’t provide breakfast bulletins (They are dual region done from Hull)
Of course there will be loads of reporters, sports reporters, weather presenters on top of that
They could save at least £70m per year by getting out of Prem League highlights game. Depends what your priorities are as a publicly funded PSB, I guess.
They could save at least £70m per year by getting out of Prem League highlights game. Depends what your priorities are as a publicly funded PSB, I guess.
Is that the cost of the rights or the presenter or both?
They could save at least £70m per year by getting out of Prem League highlights game. Depends what your priorities are as a publicly funded PSB, I guess.
Is that the cost of the rights or the presenter or both?
Just the rights.
He’s on £1.75m I believe. So probs equiv to c10% of the 450 jobs they are cutting. 🤔
Last edited by LondonViewer on 2 July 2020 10:49pm
A routinely renewed contract though isn't always a get out of jail free card - indeed after 4 years they're considered an employee unless there is a good reason for them not to be and they're entitled to redundancy after 2 years.
I guess it'll vary from region to region but how many on screen talent do we think each region would have?
I’d say Look North Leeds has 8 people you could primarily call presenters, but at least 3 of them are also reporters and 1 also does the weather and works on Inside Out. In the current set up only 5 are appearing on screen in a normal week.
Might not be typical because Look North Leeds doesn’t provide breakfast bulletins (They are dual region done from Hull)
Of course there will be loads of reporters, sports reporters, weather presenters on top of that
Midlands Today has 2 people who could primarily be considered presenters (or 3 if you include the one day a week the breakfast and lunch bulletins are presented by Joanne Malin). Everything else is done (including breakfast and lunch bulletins 4 days a week and weekends) is done by a mix of reporters, the weather team, and BBC radio Coventry presenters (or during the current situation occasional appearances from politics midlands presenter Elizabeth Glinka).
A routinely renewed contract though isn't always a get out of jail free card - indeed after 4 years they're considered an employee unless there is a good reason for them not to be and they're entitled to redundancy after 2 years.
I guess it'll vary from region to region but how many on screen talent do we think each region would have?
I’d say Look North Leeds has 8 people you could primarily call presenters, but at least 3 of them are also reporters and 1 also does the weather and works on Inside Out. In the current set up only 5 are appearing on screen in a normal week.
Might not be typical because Look North Leeds doesn’t provide breakfast bulletins (They are dual region done from Hull)
Of course there will be loads of reporters, sports reporters, weather presenters on top of that
Midlands Today has 2 people who could primarily be considered presenters (or 3 if you include the one day a week the breakfast and lunch bulletins are presented by Joanne Malin). Everything else is done (including breakfast and lunch bulletins 4 days a week and weekends) is done by a mix of reporters, the weather team, and BBC radio Coventry presenters (or during the current situation occasional appearances from politics midlands presenter Elizabeth Glinka).
Nick Owen and Mary Rodes job share with a relief presenter of Jo Malin who is part time also I think? So they’ve already made cuts, but I suspect the older contracts will be first out the door...
I’d say Look North Leeds has 8 people you could primarily call presenters, but at least 3 of them are also reporters and 1 also does the weather and works on Inside Out. In the current set up only 5 are appearing on screen in a normal week.
Might not be typical because Look North Leeds doesn’t provide breakfast bulletins (They are dual region done from Hull)
Of course there will be loads of reporters, sports reporters, weather presenters on top of that
Midlands Today has 2 people who could primarily be considered presenters (or 3 if you include the one day a week the breakfast and lunch bulletins are presented by Joanne Malin). Everything else is done (including breakfast and lunch bulletins 4 days a week and weekends) is done by a mix of reporters, the weather team, and BBC radio Coventry presenters (or during the current situation occasional appearances from politics midlands presenter Elizabeth Glinka).
Nick Owen and Mary Rodes job share with a relief presenter of Jo Malin who is part time also I think? So they’ve already made cuts, but I suspect the older contracts will be first out the door...
In normal times Nick Owen and Mary Rhodes job share the 18:30 and 22:28 bulletins, and usually cover the vast majority of each others holidays on the 18:30 but not always the 22:28. The breakfast and lunch time bulletins are usually presented by Joanne Malin (who I believe is freelance rather than part time) on Mondays, and one of Ben Godfrey, Nicola Beckford, Giles Latcham or Amy Cole Tuesday-Friday, who are all mostly reporters and may well file for the 18:30 on the same day. Weekends are typically Trish Adudu from BBC CWR on Saturdays and Shefali Oza (the main weather presenter) on Sundays. Relief presenters on the late and weekend bulletins include Rebecca Wood (weather), David Gregory-Kumar (reporter) and Joanna Tidman (CWR) and bank holidays are typically presented by some combination of Michael Collie whose main job I do not know and Joanne Malin. On the very infrequent occasion that Nick and Mary are both unavailable the 18:30 has been presented by all of Rebecca Wood, Nicola Beckford, Giles Latcham, Amy Cole and Elizabeth Glinka with no seeming preference.
During the current situation, while Nick Owen was away on age grounds, Mary was the main presenter Monday-Thursday on the lunchtime and 18:30 bulletins with Giles Latcham covering the majority of Fridays and Elizabeth Glinka covering. Now that Nick is back he and Mary are sharing the lunch and 18:30 bulletins with just about anyone appearing on the late with little consistency (tonight for example was Elizabeth Glinka).
What happens with the older veteran presenters will be a minefield. They will be on the highest salaries so it would be a big saving, but it’ll cost a fortune to make them redundant, and many will be retiring before long anyway. But there will be lots of bad press if they make someone so popular in the region redundant.
It’ll cost them more to keep employing them than it will to make them redundant...