Stephen Cole joins al-Jazeera

Well-known, but not particularly well-loved. With the exception of Adrian Finighan (who's really a BBC World face), none of the other departures will be especially missed by many. Jones was nice but bland, Hayton was dull and stuffy, and Cole is just plain shît.

Erm, no, I don't but then we aren't talking about me, are we. AFAIK, the Emir of Qatar wouldn't be too keen on hiring someone in my line of work.

I also had no idea about the salary and associated bonuses that AJ were offering. I still think it says a lot about the journalists there if they are prepared to put money over the stuff they are actually reporting.

Yeah, true.

As an aside to this, it'll be interesting over the next couple of years (if AJI succeeds) what Murdoch decides to do.

He is well known to be worried that he doesn't have an international news channel on the scale of CNN/BBC World/AJ, and with France apparently finally getting round to launching this French/English/Arabic ''French CNN'' he might get even more jealous.

Theoretically, if he were to combine the resources of all of his assets - Sky News, Fox News, Star News, plus reporters from the various newspapers, etc. then he'd easily have enough journalists around the world to provide something close to comprehensive. Personally, I think it would've been more logical to brand all his channels under one name, but it's a bit late for that.

What makes you think the BBC were likely to be paying him anything in 2006?

It would seem that his contract has ended, or that it will end towards the end of the year.

You are speaking from a personal perspective. The likes of Anna Jones, Philip Hayton, Stephen Cole have helped to establish the channels identity, without them it's suffered. I used to be an avid viewer of News 24, now I find myself dipping in and out on Sky, and News 24 when I know there is someone I can associate with the channel, like Hill, Amroliwala, Mahwhinney and Eakin. Some of the new faces on News 24 are just appalling, uncharismatic and boring to watch, especially Kate Silverton.......I'll never forgive her for being the reason why Phil left. News 24 should do themselves a favour and bring over some of World's faces,authoritive, friendly and trustworthy.

Oh yes I forgot TVF's BBC mafia- anonymously bitching about the alleged bitchiness of Cole's attitude to colleagues.

Because that makes perfect sense.

Must be quite gutting for you to see him move onto a high profile, clearly very well paid job.

I think that's a rather odd statement. You don't know the full ins and outs of it clearly, the point is that Philip Hayton couldn't gel with her because maybe she had less journalistic experience than he. And wasn't it HIM who said "I don't like you" to her?

And Dunedin, sort yourself out. Your comments are becoming wildly sweeping and moronic. What makes you think that his contract didn't run out, or maybe the BBC forecast he was going to AJ? Get a grip, and get your head out of your arse.

He actually stormed off before shouting "I'm not working with her, It's me or her!"

I was disgusted with the very public way Hayton conducted his "frustration" but simply put it was a clash of old school and new presenting. He took her to task on the informal and relaxed nature of her presentation.

I'm sorry- sort myself out??

Have you read the abuse Cole has received on this site from anonymous 'BBC employees'?

It's been an absolute disgrace, and to quote you- "moronic".

Why do you assume (like Noggin) that his employment would be terminated?

I'm merely stating the obvious- the default position- that he's a BBC employee who's going to make a tidy sum moving to AJI.

Sure go ahead with your crazy conspiracy theories and wacky ideas about how terrible he is to work with (TBH I'd be more annoyed working with people who use a message board to anonymously slag off people they work with- that's pretty p*ss-poor cowardice).

But don't call me moronic for not assuming a currently employed member of the BBC staff wouldn't have been employed in the next few months...unless you genuinely believe noggin has inside BBC HR knowledge?

If so, I pity you.

Stephen Cole has not been a BBC Employee for quite a while.

He has been doing freelance work as a presenter for click Online but, strikes apart, thats about all.

I think that the infomation provided to this forum over the years by its many members inside the industry has earned them a little respect. If you really want to find out what Stephen Cole is like, read the article he penned for the Daily Mail. It kind of sums the man up.