The Newsroom

Kay Burley off air for 6 months

Split from Sky News

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
JO
Jonwo
Hatton Cross posted:
'Agreed' is a terrible word to be used here. What is it a case of?

KB - I'll agree to be off air for 6 months and lie low for a while..

or

Sky News - We agree that it'll be better if you are not on air for the next 6 months..

Plus, 6 months in a possible nice window to return to. Vaccinee should be starting to be seen in the positive infection/death rates, it'll be summer so co-vid cases will be lower. Smuggle her back on during a quieter news period.


For a journalist, to return to work when things are looking positive and potentially quieter must be a killer and the same applies to Beth.
DW
DavidWhitfield
New, from the lady herself:





Interestingly much vaguer than the information on the Sky website and that which was delivered by Sarah Hewson at 4:15pm, with Kay's post stating simply "a period of reflection" and "when I return" with no mention of "six months" anywhere to be found.
OM
Omnipresent
When it comes to employment related matters "agreed to" usually means "told".

Agree the length of suspension seems to be driven by how long COVID-19 will be in the headlines.
JO
Jonwo
JKDerry posted:
Jonwo posted:
The punishment is very similar to what happened to Jonathan Ross after the Andrew Sachs incident, he was suspended rather than sacked.

The BBC should have used the same tactic with Jeremy Clarkson in 2015 - instead they caved in and never renewed his contract, thus ending his time on Top Gear.

The BBC would never have allowed Jeremy to go scot free for assault.
MA
Markymark
Meridian AM posted:
Surely they can't keep the "Kay Burley" name on the morning programme until the summer??


How many series of Taggart were there without Mark McManus Wink
HC
Hatton Cross
And, Danny Cohen also wanted Clarkson off the BBC..

But anyway, back to half a year free Kay Burley-less Sky News.
MA
Meridian AM
Markymark posted:
Meridian AM posted:
Surely they can't keep the "Kay Burley" name on the morning programme until the summer??


How many series of Taggart were there without Mark McManus Wink


No idea, never watched it.

Presumably Niall will be the main "Kay Burley" programme presenter now then.
RD
RDJ
Doesn’t seem much of a punishment to be taken off air for a ‘period of time’. Depends if it’s paid or unpaid.... though it wouldn’t be appropriate to know that.

I would assume the breakfast show will go back to being known as ‘Sunrise’ rather than the name of someone who has been suspended from the company. I can’t see it being called ‘Kay Burley’ again.... that’s probably a crushing blow enough for her.
JO
Jonwo
RDJ posted:
Doesn’t seem much of a punishment to be taken off air for a ‘period of time’. Depends if it’s paid or unpaid.... though it wouldn’t be appropriate to know that.

I would assume the breakfast show will go back to being known as ‘Sunrise’ rather than the name of someone who has been suspended from the company. I can’t see it being called ‘Kay Burley’ again.... that’s probably a crushing blow enough for her.

It'd have to be unpaid otherwise that's just gardening leave.
HO
House
RDJ posted:
Doesn’t seem much of a punishment to be taken off air for a ‘period of time’. Depends if it’s paid or unpaid.... though it wouldn’t be appropriate to know that.

I would assume the breakfast show will go back to being known as ‘Sunrise’ rather than the name of someone who has been suspended from the company. I can’t see it being called ‘Kay Burley’ again.... that’s probably a crushing blow enough for her.


Indeed, it may not be accurate to describe this as a 'suspension'. The wording regarding all of them has been they will be 'off air' during that time – there's a good chance they will continue to be paid, and perhaps have other duties that aren't public-facing to attend to.

It might seem pedantic, but a suspension would be a clear statement of wrongdoing by the staff member that was in some way in conflict with their contractual obligations. This seems more akin to saying both sides agree these journalists cannot appear impartial and credible in reporting on COVID-19 and the law around its restrictions given recent events. Notably, six months from now there is a hope the nature of COVID restrictions will have changed considerably (for the better).
BF
BFGArmy
Are we allowed to debate who may be likely to replace Kay for the next 6 months? It is fairly significant the presenter of Sky’s flagship show being away for 6 months so a more substantive discussion than the inane/stalkerish ‘who presented at 2pm last Tuesday’ chat.
MA
Meridian AM
BFGArmy posted:
Are we allowed to debate who may be likely to replace Kay for the next 6 months? It is fairly significant the presenter of Sky’s flagship show being away for 6 months so a more substantive discussion than the inane/stalkerish ‘who presented at 2pm and what did they have for tea’ chat.


Probably Niall mostly, I'd guess.
Maybe Sarah Hewson at times, if she leaves the 2pm shift, if Sarah Jane Mee ever returns to 2pm after her very long maternity leave?

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