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BBC boss defends TV news channel merger

Posted on 12th January 2023 by The Clean Feed Team
Last updated on 12th January 2023 Filed under News

The director-general of the BBC Tim Davie has said that whilst it’s “obviously sad” that three long-standing news presenters have opted to depart the organisation the current level of “management inefficiency” needs to be addressed.

Yesterday, Deadline reported that BBC News presenters David Eades, Joanna Gosling and Tim Willcox have opted to take voluntary redundancy.

The news came as the BBC continues the phased implementation of a merger of its international and domestic TV news channels. The official start date for the new channel is believed to be some time in April, though the on-air launch is expected to be low-key.

In July, the BBC announced plans to merge the two TV news channels, as part of its new digital-first strategy. Over 70 posts are believed to face the axe as a result.

Davie told the Public Accounts Committee: “There is a degree of management inefficiency, in my view, and it is not right, and no one in the world is running completely separate operations in this way.

“Now linked to that, I think that it is obviously sad when people decide to take VR and leave, but you need less presenters and I think that is appropriate.

“Sorry to be blunt. I think we are in a position where we are going to make changes. Some people will leave the BBC, some people will stay. Actually so-called churn in the newsroom is very low historically.

“You talk about three outstanding presenters who have chosen to move on, that gives opportunities and allows people to move through the organisation.”

Mr Davie said he not believe the BBC needed “two completely separate operations” and that their merger plans weren’t just about “digital evangelism” but “based on where the audience is”.

He added: “We don’t think it is efficient. We think it is absolutely appropriate to make the changes to close the independent operations and run it as a more integrated operation. That does not mean the channel is the same. That would be absurd.”

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PICTURED: BBC director-general, Tim Davie. COPYRIGHT: BBC.

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Tags: BBC, BBC News, BBC News Channel, BBC World News, Tim Davie

Dates for the Diary

21st January 2023: BBC Look North (Hull) moves to temporary studio to allow for studio upgrade.

24th January: the first stage of the BBC’s transition to HD-only broadcasting on satellite begins.

- BBC One South HD launches.
- BBC One Northern Ireland and BBC Two Northern Ireland go HD-only.
- BBC One Nightlight will appear on channel 101 on older, SD-only satellite receivers in South England and Northern Ireland. This is an SD-only version of BBC One, with no local programming.
- BBC News SD, CBBC SD and BBC Three SD will migrate to 12422H..

February 2023: new set for BBC Midlands Today goes live.

13th February 2023: Sky Kids launches.

Q1 2023: BBC Chameleon branding introduced on air for BBC Weather, CBBC and CBeebies.

April 2023: BBC News Channel and BBC World News merge.

November/December 2023: World Radiocommunications Conference (WRC-23).

Q1 2024: SD versions of BBC channels close on satellite.

2024: BBC Four and CBBC go online-only.

2024: BBC Radio 4 Extra goes online-only.

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