When Wales opted out for Wales at Eleven they only did so for something like 8 minutes, screening the headlines and a report while Newsnight did their summary of the days news, with Wales then screening the remainder of the programme on a few minutes delay - which I think was made up for by dropping the weather at the end or something.
Does Newsnight Scotland air on Fridays when Newsnight Review is on?
The Network version of Newsnight after 11pm is rarely about
"English/Welsh/Northern Irish-only"
items.
If anything, BBC Scotland miss out on some good reports by opting out.
I suppose that the main reason why Newsnight Scotland exists is because of Scottish devolution?
If there's a major Hollyrood story or something, the BBC national news from London are unlikely to give it any/much coverage, as there's a far greater proportion of the UK population for whom it
won't
be relevant.
As
Reporting Scotland
is a "regional (!) news magazine"-style programme, it's not going to do indepth political analysis etc. Yes, it might mention a Hollyrood story in the broadest sense, but not go "in-depth" like Newsnight etc might.
This means that something like Newsnight Scotland needs to exist, as it solves the problem of having something in the BBC Scotland evening schedule where indepth coverage of Scottish politics can happen.
I think the only downside is that Newsnight Scotland *IS* on four night a week, regardless of whether anything worthwhile has happened in Scottish politics etc that day. Pehaps BBC Two Scotland should stick with the main Newsnight as its default, and only bother with the sub-opt when the day's news really warrants it? Or something?
Just give Scotland and Wales their own 6 and 10 bulletins, where they can share reports with the national, and leave Newsnight to its World Wide agenda
Just give Scotland and Wales their own 6 and 10 bulletins, where they can share reports with the national, and leave Newsnight to its World Wide agenda
They could merge their regional bulletin into one long bulletin, with a mix of national packages, News 24 packages, and regional in depth packages. It can't cost much more to just keep the existing studio running another 60mins longer a day...
They could merge their regional bulletin into one long bulletin, with a mix of national packages, News 24 packages, and regional in depth packages. It can't cost much more to just keep the existing studio running another 60mins longer a day...
You're doing that "..." trailing off thing again.
I wish it were as simple (and cheap) as your post makes out.
However it isn't - otherwise this argument wouldn't be rumbling on after so many years.
But BBC Scotland wants their own six, and eventually they may get their way. If they do, then this is surely a preferable option compared to the status quo - in respect of Newsnight anyway!
I quite often watch the network Newsnight if the Scottish one is covering something yawnworthy - but I'm sick fed up of Paxo's disdain at the opt situation.
He really needs to realise that he's not the beginning and end of late night serious news.
I quite often watch the network Newsnight if the Scottish one is covering something yawnworthy - but I'm sick fed up of Paxo's disdain at the opt situation.
He really needs to realise that he's not the beginning and end of late night serious news.
I agree.
It's really very childish and unprofessional how he shows his dislike for the opt, on-screen.
I remember once, he'd finished an interview with a studio guest at about 11pm, and he said "thank you" to the guest in such an abrupt and super-fast way, barely a-zillionth-of-a-second after she'd finished talking. He then launced into his speel for the next item another barely-a-zillionth-of-a-second after that, when the camera shot had barely had chance to cut from the guest shot to the Paxo shot.
It was so blatanly obvious that this was his way of trying to sabotage the chances of a smooth opt-out for Scotland. Presumably Scotland saw/heard the first syllable or so of his next speel, making the cut to the Newsnight Scotland titles look sloppy?
If I worked at BBC Scotland, I'd be inclined to out-sabotage Paxo - by best-guessing that the interviewee is coming to the end of their passage, and therefore opting out early (i.e. slightly cliping their final syllable).
If I worked at BBC Scotland, I'd be inclined to out-sabotage Paxo - by best-guessing that the interviewee is coming to the end of their passage, and therefore opting out early (i.e. slightly cliping their final syllable).
They do do that sometimes. It makes me smile!
Well bloody good on them!
I assume that other Newsnight presenters don't have a bee-in-their-bonnet about the opt, and therefore don't try to sabotage the opt-out point, and allow a proper pause-to-draw-breath etc, to give BBC Scotland a chance?
Why does Paxo disapprove of the opt anyway? Pleb.
The only people who have any business judging whether the opt is worthwhile or not are Scottish viewers. Paxo's perfectly entitled to his (crummy) opinion, but he should learn to be more professional than being crappy about the opt, on air.
