Does it matter who reads the news? It may seem like a stupid question. News presenters are not personalities. As long as the presenter is acceptable and doing their job professionally, should it matter?
The truth is it does.
Regular presenters build up a relationship with viewers – if nothing else, regular presenters become a familiar part of the everyday lives of viewers.
Even if presenters are not marketed or promoted as such, they are part of the programme’s brand.
So, having said why presenters matter is it time for the BBC to look again at the rota for the main BBC One news programmes.
The rota seems to have become rather random.
The absence of Huw Edwards, the death of George Alagiah and the impact of the major changes to the BBC News Channel all seem to have played a part.
There are nights when the Six and Ten share a presenter – and nights when they do not.
There is no sense of a relationship between particular news programmes and presenters – some seem as likely to do one programme as another.
And some unfamiliar faces are presenting the weekend lunchtime bulletins.
It is time for consistency to return – a smaller team of familiar, recognisable faces.
When the BBC overhauled news programmes in 1999, the rota was simple.
- Anna Ford usually presented the One with Darren Jordan usually covering on other days.
- Huw Edwards was the face of the Six with Fiona Bruce in the chair on Fridays.
- Peter Sissons and Michael Buerk continued as the presenters of the Nine.
These changes were also a reminder that presenting is a precarious occupation. Martyn Lewis left and a number of others either returned to reporting or stopped presenting regularly.
I’d suggest the following rota.
The One and the Six should share the same presenter. There should be only two people allowed to front the programme regularly.
Two presenters should be devoted to the Ten, taking it in turns to present across the whole week.
The weekend lunchtime and early evening bulletins should also have a dedicated presenter.
This would mean a smaller team of familiar faces and would also allow the Ten to maintain a degree of a distinct personality.
There would, inevitably, be difficult choices if fewer people were given presenting shifts and some would be disappointed. But such is the nature of what should always be a prestigious, high-profile role.
Presenting the news is not a personality contest. But viewers like familiarity.
Having fewer presenters would mean a stronger brand image.
Presenting the news on BBC One network should always be an honour, not a matter of balancing the rota.
Acknowledgements
PICTURED: BBC newsroom. COPYRIGHT: BBC.