BBC drops nightly newspaper review

The BBC has announced that the twice-nightly newspaper review on its UK TV news channel will air for the final time on 2nd January 2023.

A press release issued a short time ago said the changes were part of plans to create a digital-first BBC.

During the summer, the BBC announced plans to merge the BBC News Channel with its international equivalent. It’s believed the merger will result in the loss of 70 jobs, including 14 presenter posts.

Various media commentators have questioned the BBC’s ability to adequately cover UK breaking news on the new TV news channel post-merger.

In August, BBC News presenter Martine Croxall warned about the potential impacts of the channel merger in a series of tweets. One of the tweets suggested the paper review would be a casualty. The tweets were deleted within hours.

The statement issued by the BBC at 4.45pm today:

“Earlier this year we announced our plans to create a digital-first BBC that is the best live and breaking news service in the world – serving our audiences across web, apps, iPlayer and a new single 24-hour BBC News channel, bringing together the UK and international channel.

“As part of these changes there will be some scheduling changes and some items may move, or be provided in different ways across the BBC channels. From 3 January The Papers will no longer run as a regular segment on BBC News, and instead we will continue to feature paper reviews and stories throughout BBC programmes including:

• BBC Breakfast
• The Today Programme
• Politics Live
• Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg
• BBC News Online

“We think it is important to feature newspapers and will also continue to invite editors and journalists from across the industry to discuss the news and important issues of the day across the BBC channels.”

BBC press release

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