World Business Report

I happened to be watching BBC World today and caught an edition of World Business Report and I was shocked at how much the programme has gone downhill. Going back 10 years or so, there weren't that many editions of WBR a day but they were quite substantial... there were always two 30 minute editions at 05:30 and 21:30 GMT, the latter of which was co-presented from London and Washington. And throughout the day on BBC World there would be a handful of WBRs in 15 minute slots, which would invariably last about 10-12 minutes.

Fast forward to 2012 and the flagship 21:30 edition has totally gone. It used to be a really lively show and was pretty much THE business programme to watch on TV. It's been replaced by a 30-minute Business Edition, which contains less business news than WBR did and much more 'normal' news. So, that one's been totally watered down.

Moreover, the rest of the editions of WBR on BBC World have somehow shrunk to a mere 8 or 9 minutes and contain little more than one or two stories and a quick look at the markets!! Even the WBR at 05:30 GMT (during the old The World Today slot) has been slashed to this length, and that was always a good edition too once upon a time when it was presented by the wonderful Tanya Beckett.

What's even more disturbing is that I've noticed a trend towards over the top, Americanised presentation during WBR programmes. OK, Aaron Heslehurst has always been unique but even the likes of Jamie Robertson, who was always rather stilited, have become more informal and 'chatty' in presentation style, much akin to CNN. I really don't like it.

Is it just me who wonders what the heck the BBC has done to this once great programme? What I really can't fathom is that this downhill trend has come at a time when business, economic and financial news is more important than ever before, so shouldn't WBR really be front and centre nowadays?

One good thing... thank goodness the traditional iconic theme tune remains. I think I'd pack up watching it if that is ever dropped

The 05:30 edition is still by far the best, but then again, that 5am hour for me is the best overall. There is a biz round up at :10 and then the paper review after the WBR itself.

Furthermore, there is quite a reasonable business round up during the 11:30 news edition and also in the second edition of GMT at 12:30. However, neither of these are strictly WBR editions, but rather business segments within the bulletin.

Apart from the above, the rest of the business coverage on World News is, as you correctly point out Rob, sparse and disappointing.

I know we've had this discussion before and possibly cumulatively, World has as many Biz minutes per 24 hours as CNN or Sky, but there isn't a long enough vehicle on World to allow proper in depth analysis of the business agenda. Sky has JRL. CNN has WBT, plus a few other avenues.

In this day and age where business and economics news and events worldwide will have a direct impact on all of us, I find it quite incredible that the BBCs flagship international channel is flat when it comes to business coverage.

A lot does depend on who presents too. Even if squeezed into a seven minute slot, some can make it interesting, whereas others are almost absent from the screen.

A pity.