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Timeline: 2023 Week 13


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A round-up of the week’s stories and observations.

Monday 27th March

1.30pm BBC News at One appears late on the BBC News Channel

Today’s BBC News at One failed to appear on the BBC News Channel until four minutes into the programme.

UK viewers instead received the live news programme intended exclusively for BBC World News, presented by Martine Croxall.

At 1.04pm, the scheduled signed version of the BBC News at One was abruptly put to air.

VIDEO: BBC News at One fails to appear on the BBC News Channel until 4 minutes into the programme. Presenter: Martine Croxall. TX DATE: 27th March 2023. COPYRIGHT: BBC.

5.30pm BBC News provides more information about their new “single news channel operation”

The BBC has issued a press release detailing some of the changes viewers can expect on its TV news channel, from 3rd April.

On that date, the UK BBC News Channel and the international equivalent BBC World News, will formally merge to become a single operation, branded BBC News.

The main points:

  • Five recently appointed chief presenters will anchor programmes on the new channel: Matthew Amroliwala, Christian Fraser, Yalda Hakim, Lucy Hockings, and Maryam Moshiri who will be joined by Sumi Somaskanda in the US.
  • Changes will be phased in over the coming months. Adjustments will be made along the way.
  • There’ll be a new look programme from Washington, broadcast overnight in the UK. Singapore-based live programming will continue outside core UK hours.
  • “In the coming weeks”, BBC Radio 5 Live’s Nicky Campbell Show will be broadcast to viewers in the UK.
  • From next week, Newsnight will be broadcast on the UK version of the channel. BBC Breakfast, BBC News at One, BBC News at Six and BBC News at Ten will continue to be simulcast on the news channel.
  • “In the coming months”, there’ll be new single story live streams which audiences will be able to watch on the BBC News website and on iPlayer.

EXTERNAL LINK: Our single news channel operation.

7.30pm Wrong camera shot at the start of this evening’s Sportsday

There was a minor blip at the start of this evening’s edition of Sportsday, when the wrong camera shot was put to air.

An issue regular viewers of the News Channel will be familiar at the start of live news programmes, where incorrectly programmed automation has sometimes resulted in a presenterless part of the studio appearing on air.

VIDEO: incorrect camera shot at the start of Sportsday. TX DATE: 27th March 2023. COPYRIGHT: BBC.

Tuesday 28th March

2pm More UK-specific news needed on new BBC News channel

BBC insiders claim management has realised the merged news channel will not have enough UK-specific output and are contemplating an increase, according to reports in Deadline.

The publication also claims a number of familiar presenting faces will have no on-screen role from next month.

EXTERNAL LINK: BBC News Channel to bench seasoned presenters from next week as output is relaunched.

Wednesday 29th March

10.15am Culture Secretary green lights renewal of Channel 3/5 licences

The Culture Secretary has confirmed she is allowing Ofcom to proceed with the renewal of the Channel 3 and Channel 5 licences.

ITV, STV and Channel 5 have until the end of next month to apply to renew their licence.

The current licences expire at the end of next year.

Courtesy @a516digital.

Thursday 30th March

12.30pm Final edition of Outside Source to air this evening

Presenter Ros Atkins has confirmed on Twitter that this evening’s edition of Outside Source will be the last.

“Just over 9 years ago, we launched Outside Source. For better or worse, it was our effort to do TV news differently. As you can see, at the start we were reporting on Ukraine & Russia, just as we do now. Well, today is our final edition. Join us later one last time if you can.”

Ros later posted a clip of his final sign-off on the programme:

2.30pm Latest BBC News technical mishap causes headlines to be paused

Whilst we realise BBC News staff are under more pressure than ever (cutbacks, staff reductions, channel mergers etc), there comes a point when the volume of technical mishaps starts to affect perceptions of the brand.

And there have been a lot of on air cock-ups in recent months.

VIDEO: technical problems disrupt 2pm programme opening headlines on BBC News Channel. Presenter: Martine Croxall. TX DATE: 30th March 2023. COPYRIGHT: BBC.

6pm BBC South presenter Anjana Gadgil tweets about cuts protest

BBC South Today presenter Anjana Gadgil has tweeted that she won’t be presenting the programme this evening as part of NUJ action in protest at proposed cuts to local BBC services:

“I won’t be presenting @BBCSouthNews this eve. Along with @NUJofficial colleagues across the country we’re refusing to act-up in senior roles due to the way cuts are being made to local BBC services. I’ll still report/present other progs. A freelancer will present the 1830 instead.”

UPDATE: there have been similar tweets by regional TV news presenters in other BBC regions.

10.30pm Late delivery Question Time trail fails to appear on BBC One North

Not for the first time the late delivery trail for Question Time failed to appear on BBC One North, just ahead of the BBC News at Ten.

VIDEO: late delivery trail for Question Time fails to appear on BBC One North. TX DATE: 30th March 2023. COPYRIGHT: BBC.

Friday 31st March

10am RTÉ confirms closure of LW 252 service

RTÉ has announced that the long wave transmission of RTÉ Radio 1 will cease in April.

  • The LW transmitter accounts for 2.5% of RTÉ’s energy use (€250k, potentially rising to €400k next year).
  • RTÉ Radio 1 will still be available in the UK, on Sky, Freesat and Virgin Media.

EXTERNAL LINK: RTÉ Radio 1 long wave 252 service to end next month.

10.15am BBC confirms review of social media guidance is underway

The BBC has confirmed the appointment of John Hardie – former CEO and editor-in-chief of ITN – to head up a review of how its social media guidelines should be applied to freelancers.

BBC Director-General Tim Davie announced the review earlier this month.

The review is expected to be completed by the summer. Changes to guidance will then be published.

EXTERNAL LINK: BBC launches review into social media guidance for freelancers.

3.45pm NUJ announces second BBC Local strike

NUJ BBC journalists in England have announced a second 24-hour strike from midnight on Friday 5 May to coincide with the reporting of local election results, over cuts to local radio.

EXTERNAL LINK: Second BBC strike over cuts to radio will coincide with local elections.

6pm BBC Four U-turn on the cards potentially, reports Deadline

The BBC is holding internal discussions about the possibility of reversing closure plans for BBC Four, according to Deadline.

BBC Four managed double the audience of BBC Three in February, with only a quarter of the budget of the youth-oriented channel.

No decisions yet though.

EXTERNAL LINK: BBC considers U-turn on closing BBC Four.

Sunday 2nd April

11.45pm Technical problems cause Newsday to decamp to smaller set

The 11pm BST edition of Newsday was forced to move to an alternative studio because of technical problems in their main studio.

Presenter Karishma Vaswani confirmed the temporary move on Twitter:

“Hi there! Not a new studio, that’s our studio B set in Singapore. We had some technical difficulties so we did the show at 11pm UK time from there – but we are back in the normal studio at midnight. Thanks to the amazing studio crew in Singapore for their tech magic!”

VIDEO: Newsday temporarily broadcasting from Studio B in SIngapore. Presenter: Karishma Vaswani. TX DATE: 2nd April 2023. COPYRIGHT: BBC.

RELATED ARTICLE: Timeline: 2023 Week 12.

RELATED ARTICLE: Timeline: 2023 Week 14.

Acknowledgements

FEATURE IMAGE:

PICTURED: Sportsday studio. COPYRIGHT: BBC.