The Newsroom

Tim Sebastian

(August 2012)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
IT
itsrobert Founding member
I was just searching through The Times Digital Archive (as suggested in the World Flags thread to locate old BBC World schedules) and I came across this interesting snippet of information:

Quote:
A leading BBC foreign correspondent, Tim Sebastian, is leaving to become diplomatic editor of Channel 5 News. Mr Sebastian, who was worked in Moscow, Washington and Eastern Europe for the corporation and currently presents Newsdesk , the BBC World channel's morning news show, will start his new job next month.

"BBC man changes channel." Times [London, England] 18 Jan. 1997: 14. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 30 Aug. 2012.


I take it this move didn't come off? Channel 5 News launched in March 1997 but I'm sure Sebastian was the launch presenter of Hard Talk on BBC World, which started in 1997. Or did he leave for Channel 5 only to quickly return to the BBC?
MA
Markymark
itsrobert posted:
I was just searching through The Times Digital Archive (as suggested in the World Flags thread to locate old BBC World schedules) and I came across this interesting snippet of information:

Quote:
A leading BBC foreign correspondent, Tim Sebastian, is leaving to become diplomatic editor of Channel 5 News. Mr Sebastian, who was worked in Moscow, Washington and Eastern Europe for the corporation and currently presents Newsdesk , the BBC World channel's morning news show, will start his new job next month.

"BBC man changes channel." Times [London, England] 18 Jan. 1997: 14. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 30 Aug. 2012.


I take it this move didn't come off? Channel 5 News launched in March 1997 but I'm sure Sebastian was the launch presenter of Hard Talk on BBC World, which started in 1997. Or did he leave for Channel 5 only to quickly return to the BBC?


I was involved building the original C5 News studio/newsroom at 200 GIR. I do recall seeing Tim Sebastian there, but I don't ever recall seeing him actually on air once the service launched.
IT
itsrobert Founding member
Ah, that's interesting. If that article is correct, he must have started at Channel 5 News during in February 1997, which would be when you saw him during the set-up stage? According to a516 in another thread, Hard Talk launched on BBC World some time in or after March 1997. So, if he was indeed the launch presenter of HT (I'm sure he was) then he must have been quickly lured back to the BBC, maybe even before Channel 5 News launched?
MA
Markymark
itsrobert posted:
Ah, that's interesting. If that article is correct, he must have started at Channel 5 News during in February 1997, which would be when you saw him during the set-up stage? According to a516 in another thread, Hard Talk launched on BBC World some time in or after March 1997. So, if he was indeed the launch presenter of HT (I'm sure he was) then he must have been quickly lured back to the BBC, maybe even before Channel 5 News launched?


Yes, I was there Nov 96 to March 97. He wasn't the only BBC news 'talent' I saw there, (who also never made it air)

Wink
IT
itsrobert Founding member
Markymark posted:
itsrobert posted:
Ah, that's interesting. If that article is correct, he must have started at Channel 5 News during in February 1997, which would be when you saw him during the set-up stage? According to a516 in another thread, Hard Talk launched on BBC World some time in or after March 1997. So, if he was indeed the launch presenter of HT (I'm sure he was) then he must have been quickly lured back to the BBC, maybe even before Channel 5 News launched?


Yes, I was there Nov 96 to March 97. He wasn't the only BBC news 'talent' I saw there, (who also never made it air)

Wink


Arggh, such a tease.................... Laughing
MI
Mike516
Tim was the launch presenter of HARDtalk.

According to IMDb, Richard Attenborough was the guest of the 31st March 1997 edition of HARDtalk. 31st March 1997 was the first weekday after the clock change; so the first Monday of the new BBC World schedule.
GE
Generic
1997 "seems" too recent for the programme. I remember it starting in N1 against a black cyc and a circular desk.
GE
Generic
One interesting HardTalk was when Tim interviewed the Russian who years earlier was responsible for having him deported from Russia....
IT
itsrobert Founding member
Generic posted:
1997 "seems" too recent for the programme. I remember it starting in N1 against a black cyc and a circular desk.


No it was definitely 1997. I'm sure they marked their 10th anniversay in 2007 if I remember correctly. And, you're not wrong about it starting in N1... but remember, BBC World didn't move to N9 until 1998.
GE
Generic
itsrobert posted:

No it was definitely 1997. .


Sorry Robert, what I meant was its been such an institution that 1997 "seems" too recent, although I know it is the correct date.
GE
Generic
itsrobert posted:


No it was definitely 1997. I'm sure they marked their 10th anniversay in 2007 if I remember correctly.


I was there for Tim recording several PTC's for the anniversary. At the end I jokingly "thanked him" for coming for the audition and that we would "let him know"..........
IT
itsrobert Founding member
Ah I see you what you meant. Sorry about that Embarassed

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