Discussion: Robert Peston and the BBC/ ITV

Surely, Dermot Murnaghan's Sunday morning programme on Sky News is bound to be successful due to the fact that he's a household name because of his time at ITN and the BBC.

Quite a surprise to hear there will be a new Sunday ITV Political programme (good, nice to see Politics being taken seriously by ITV). Wonder if this will be a ITV styled mix of both the BBC's 'Andrew Marr' and National/Regional Sunday Politics programmes? Anyway although I'm no huge fan, good luck to Robert in his new role and bringing a new rival to the table...I wonder whether he'll get 'The Agenda' given to him at some point too? Hmm...

Murnaghan - In closeted 'news circles' maybe, but this new Peston vehicle needs to be something of a much bigger order, with an aim to bring in many more casual viewers and become agenda setting and opinion forming rather than simply reporting. It's that that makes me doubt ITV's capability and resources to produce such a successful programme.

Not sure this is ITV taking politics seriously, its throwing everything at Peston to get him to sign to them. The problem with this whole thing is that they seem to have made it up on the spot and probably have no idea about even the most basic details of what the show will be like.

We don't know how true yeh rumours are but I'm glad the BBC won't now to have make him Marr's stand in or consider giving him Question Time, there are many other presenters at the BBC who are better place and better able to do that and in fact there are people who I think would be better suited to Newsnight.

The benchmark of success is important there. Any show on ITV will be compared in ratings terms to Marr, and written off as a disaster in the newspapers. It's one of those situations where people complain that ITV doesn't do certain things anymore but if they do people still don't watch. Like on the occasions when ITV don't televise live coverage of various news events.

Imminent announcement apparently,

BREAKING (finallY): Robert Peston to be confirmed as ITV political editor and Sunday show host this afternoon http://t.co/B8OOgdHJIZ

— jane martinson (@janemartinson) October 7, 2015

Robert Peston confirms his departure from the BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-34463444?ocid=socialflow_twitter

Just waiting on an official announcement from ITV/ITN now...

Done ...

So you may have noticed that I am off to another place.
I don't think this is my last blog post here, but I did want to say something a bit more personal than normal on this occasion - which is that working for BBC News has been the high point of my working life.
Its unrivalled commitment to objectivity, seriousness and relevance is a beacon. And its journalists, editors, producers and cameramen are world class.
Television is a team game. I want to thank all my brilliant colleagues who for the past 10 years have routinely, through their thorough professionalism, transformed my pig's ears into almost-silken purses.
I've never had a dull moment since I joined. I will miss the BBC terribly.


from ……..

NEWS on BBC.CO.UK
07-Oct-2015 @ 14:25

Confirmed by ITV

Absolutely thrilled to announce that @Peston joins @itvnews as Political Editor, and presenter of ‘Peston on Sunday’

— Geoff Hill (@geoffhillITV) October 7, 2015

... and the formal ITN press release

is here ……..

PRESS-RELEASES on ITN.CO.UK
07-Oct-2015 @ 14:58

Peston replacement?

Interested to hear your thoughts.

Worth noting that the figure quoted has since gone down...
"Journalist to quit as BBC economics editor to take up role putting him head-to-head with Andrew Marr – reportedly earning up to £350,000"
Article: http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/oct/07/robert-peston-confirmed-itv-political-editor-sunday-show-host