Evan Davis leaving Newsnight

Apologies if I'm being thick; I can't find a recent Newsnight thread to put this in.

The BBC has confirmed that Evan is off to PM - which, along with the as-yet-unfilled Question Time role, means that most of the BBC's biggest prime time political shows will be getting new hosts.

I wouldn't be surprised if the opportunity is taken to rethink Newsnight more broadly - it doesn't seem like it has been performing particularly well in recent months/years, and considering the cost-saving on the daytime side of political programming, one has to wonder whether Newsnight's current model is sustainable.

I think the Newsnight brand deserves to live.
Maybe not on BBC Two, who knows, but it would be a shame to lose it.

Maybe a rebranded 11 o'clock hour on the BBC News channel, with the Papers incorporated?

They’re more likely than ever to keep it on BBC Two: the majority of the morning schedule is simulcasting.

I suspect Newsnight fills the news quota on BBC Two hence why it's unlikely to be axed.

I can't see how it would be more cost-effective to continue the programme but not on BBC Two!

You're right - the service licence says "BBC Two should provide regular in-depth news analysis and long-form journalism, including news analysis on weekday evenings to complement BBC One’s late news bulletin."

So without a change to the licence, there's going to have to be a Newsnight-esque programme.

Well, there's going to have to be some kind of late night weekday news output, but I suspect that Newsnight as it is, won't be around for much longer. As a programme it is a very damaged brand, and this might be the excuse they need to overhaul it.

Strangely, I forsee some kind of 11pm BBC Two/BBC News Channel simulcast, with a programme produced from Studio B, much like Newsnight itself, but with a totally different name. Probably an hour long programme.

ISTR, though someone please correct me if I'm wrong, that the Ofcom requirement is for the 'big 5' channels to air at least 30 minutes of news between 6pm and 11pm, meaning that there would still have to be some sort of news programme at 10:30?

Although the BBC does now fall under OFCOM's remit that is a very recent development and I don't think there is any requirement for BBC2 to show peak time news. Pretty sure C4 aren't obliged too either.

This seems to suggest otherwise for C4, but not BBC Two?, and details all-day and peak-time news quotas for UK PSBs in 2016

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/90703/PSB-compliance-reporting,-2016.pdf

God there’s some utter tosh being chatted here. I’ve been watching Newsnight since the 80s and to me it’s anything but a damaged brand. It’s delivering the same quality high end news as it’s always done.

Leave it well alone!!!

Emily Maitliss should become the main presenter. She’s excellent. If not, I think Shaun Ley should get a chance.

I wouldn't mind Newnight being on at 23:00 on BBC Two, It will give the channel a chance to take on Channel 4 and Channel 5 for non news audience for a hour at 22:00.