The Ten O'Clock News Hour on BBC News 24

Full story: http://media.guardian.co.uk/broadcast/story/0,7493,1695436,00.html

I wonder what will happen regarding the regional news segment? Surely they're not going to show BBC London News to the whole country? Would 22.25 be a more appropriate time for N24 to cut in and perhaps do a weather forecast? Of course, this would not have been a problem had UK Today still existed!

I can see this working. As it'll be a much better setup than the ITV News Channel had as I assume the 10 will remain in it's studio and N24 will still have its studio ready to roll should news break.

I like the way they're also planning on making it a whole hour rather than just plonking the 10 on and returning to general news at 10.30. It would be nice for the sports bulletin to be branded "Sportsnight" or something like that to make it more individual.

As for opting, I would guess the Ten would finish fairly close to 10.30 to allow N24 and the regions to opt out. N24 could then do a weather forecast. It would also reduce the issue of BBC2 holding Newsnight to start late so it's almost at the end of the 10 headline roundup, the 10 could more formally finish at 10.30.

So, will the extended bit be from N6? (That is the BBC One newsroom, isn't it?) with Huw?

I'm guessing the Ten will not be coming from News 24's set because of the possibility of them moving to rolling news format.

And WBR back at 00.30 - oh how we've missed you!

I can just imagine the cumbersome handover by the "10" presenter at 22:25...

"At this point, we say goodbye to viewers on BBC News 24. Meanwhile on BBC One, it's time to hand over to BBC news teams across the UK, after which I'll be back with an update of the main headlines". Phew!

At least carrying London News on N24 would make life a lot easier...

Why don't they just admit what is blindingly obvious: that this is nothing but a money-saving exercise? There is no advantage at all in simulcasting the Ten O'Clock News; they should just admit that what they're doing, rather than pretending it's an improvement.

I was initially dubious about this plan. But if the 10 simulcast is going to form a part of an hour of in depth news, reports and newspaper reviews on N24 then it actually sounds like a good idea.

How would this save money? Both studios will be staffed, and apart from a few minutes of OB links there is no other obvious saving.

It will save money - and that's quite obviously the ONLY reason they're doing it - as Jane & Chris will only work until 10. They only have to pay for 1 presenter for an hour (and half of that hour he's just covering in case) rather than two presenters. That will amount up to quite a bit per year. There would be other savings as well.

Do people really think that non-freelance news presenters are paid based on the number of hours they work?

Does seem a bit of an odd decision to me - after all, anyone who can get News 24 can also get BBC 1, so why not just heavily cross-promote the 10 O'Clock News on News 24, and keep the services separate?

As has been said, it's difficult to see how this simulcast will actually save any money, unless it's the first, tentative, step towards doing away with the national news from N6, and having simulcast bulletins from N24 at 1,6 and 10 on BBC 1.

I thought most of them were freelance now. Surely Jane & Chris are?


I'd be more in favour of that than News 24 showing 'national' news, but the question is how would they manage during breaking news....?

That's it - I've thought of the solution! The Ten O'Clock news as it is should be scrapped. Instead, a bulletin very similar to the Ten - but with all the usual sport & business inserts, News 24 graphics, ticker etc - would come from News 24 and be simulcast on BBC One. If a big story broke this would be covered and viewers directed to Newsnight at 10.30 which would move it's 11pm news summary to 10.30.

That would be far better to me.