Completely agree - and I can't think why ITV would set up there own News Channel (as they have ITN) if they didn't have this in mind.
It definitely is a demotion to present on News24 after presenting nationally. Don't get me wrong - it's a great job and I'd love it - and some won't want to do national news on One because they only get 30 minutes per day and some are better suited to rolling news - but Chris Lowe, as you use him as an example, was not wanted on the main bulletins anymore so was moved to News24.
I think that in practice this wouldn't work.
Steve is right. News 24 already tries to be an hour long 6 o'clock news, every hour.
It would be a big put down, being asked to do News 24. On the subject of Chris Lowe, he probably wouldn't want to work for BBC One News.
Sky News @ 10 is an excellent programme and they really have made it the elite programme on Sky News.
The programme was, until the relauch, one of the best 30 min bulletins on TV.
I just hope they make it as distinctive from the regular programmes as it was before the relaunch, it would be a real shame if it was just a 30 min regular style bulletin.
The 'Around the world' section is also very clever and as yet unseen on either the BBC or ITV.
But have a look at the viewing figures. They are always good at 6pm on saturday and sunday.
So perhaps they don't need one after all?
AL
alekf
On the subject of putting the main BBC national news presenters on News 24 - I don't think it would really work either. I think they have to be a little different, distinct, and set apart from the rest of the News24 presenters. When MSNBC launched, they frequently featured the network presenters (such as Tom Brokaw, Katie Couric, and Ann Currey). However, News 24 can be a 'launching pad' for the future BBC national news 'stars.' (eg Sian Williams). This has been done on MSNBC too. Brian Williams is set to be the next anchor of NBC Nightly News and the senior anchor of NBC News. Ashleigh Banfield is set to (according to some reports) become the next co-presenter of the Today show (when/if Katie Couric decides not to renew her contract).
The whole point of the national bulletins are they are 'round-up' bulletins, in particular the 10. It's hard in the format they are in to do Breaking News (it's not the same at Breakfast where it's 3 hours long and much more like News 24 - hence why it can be broadcast on both). Quite often News 24 will lead on a different story than the 10 because it is the news that is breaking but it may not be the most important story of the whole day.
As to whether it's a step down to do News 24 ... ofcourse you have a bigger audience doing the BBC1 bulletins but it can get very boring just reading the autocue. The 1 is the bulletin that has the most 'lives' in it ... News 24 is doing lives all the time which is more of a challenge for the presenters. And long term News 24 will become more and more important. The attitude to the channel within BBC News is changing - it is taken much more seriously now - hence why the channel is used to do specials on BBC1 at short notice.
Yes, I've noticed that!
News flashes on BBC1 tend to come from News 24 these days. Probably because News 24 is already covering the story it is easier for it to carry on rather than gear up N6 and find all the crews who have perhaps popped out to the canteen or something.
One thing I want to know is why at weekends can't BBC ONE take the ormat of Bank Holidays? 10 min summary at 1 followed by short regional round up, 20 min at 6 with main regional news, followed by 10 for 15/20 mins with regional round up? I think this would be much better, as I like to watch North West Today, but have to watch it in the early evening, and if you're out, you've missed it, full stop.
One thing I want to know is why at weekends can't BBC ONE take the ormat of Bank Holidays? 10 min summary at 1 followed by short regional round up, 20 min at 6 with main regional news, followed by 10 for 15/20 mins with regional round up? I think this would be much better, as I like to watch North West Today, but have to watch it in the early evening, and if you're out, you've missed it, full stop.
I would imagine the main reason for no regional bulletin in the late evening is the cost. Basically most regions have one crew to staff the whole day - say a mutli-skilled technical person who films during the day and plays out VT's for the bulletin, most presenters will write much of the bulletin and then you will have a reporter who goes out. To do a late night bulletin say at 2215 would mean another crew and that doubles costs for how many viewers??
SN
Steve Naylor
Yeah, and there just isn't enough news around really to cover on regional bulletins that people care about. If the story is big enough from the regions it will probably get onto the main news.
And on Bank Holidays yes the durations you said Rob are right but they are never in fixed positions.
On bank holidays they should just have regional news after a 15 min 6 oclock news and a 15 min 10 oclock news. not really any need for a 1 oclock on bank holidays.
For some reason, TV networks think that there will be no news for a bank holiday!
Generally, there is nothing of great importance on a bank holiday here in Britain but around the world, things don't stop!
I don't see why you should have shorter bulletins just so you can show a Bond film.
Thats my view anyway.
SN
Steve Naylor
True - and in the modern era the same could be said about the weekend. News doesn't stop at the weekends and many people work.
AL
alekf
On the weekends here the networks will have their half-hour national newscast at 6.00 or 6.30 (assuming there's no sport on).
The cable news networks have very little news on them on the weekends. CNN has the most news programmes on the weekends, but they have a lot of 'feature' programmes and political talk shows. Fox News has some news programmes on the weekend, but they have a lot of 'Specials' and repeat some of their primetime weekday programmes (they're not news shows, but their like talk news shows). MSNBC has no news on the weekend. They only feature sensational 'Dateline' type programmes, biographies (which suck). They do however feature 2 minute news summaries before every hour (until the evening).
News on the weekends is a far worse problem in America than in Britain.
And today is Independence Day in America and CNN is the only network that has normal daytime news programming. MSNBC doesn't have any live news shows all day and I think Fox will have some news programmes in the evening. Oh well.
