New format for Newsnight from 28th May

The date of the controversial changes to Newsnight has emerged. Schedules reveal that the programme will be shortened on 28th May.

It will run for 30 minutes with the weather following. The next programme will start at 11.05pm.

The revamped programme will focus principally on interviews and discussions. There will be less dedicated reporting.

The changes are known to have been controversial within the BBC.

Newsnight had retained its own dedicated reporting team unlike other programmes.

Falling viewing figures, changes to the way news is consumed and the state of BBC finances led to the cuts.

One important question of course is whether the new format will succeed or simply seem like endless talk.

It will be worth keeping an eye on the ratings.

One sad thing though is that such a significant change to a programme which once played a big part in maintaining the BBC’s corporate reputation is almost going under the radar with politicians and the public.

Newsnight was once seen as important to the BBC’s reputation with so-called opinion formers – politicians, senior journalists, those who had the ear of people in high places.

That was one reason for the huge internal row in 1988 over whether it should get a fixed starting time of 10.30pm.

Of course, the focus is increasingly on online and on-demand content. Journalists are expected to work across all platforms as appropriate.

Will the kind of original journalism and analysis which Newsnight has produced with distinction survive on other platforms?

This needs proper monitoring.

The name has survived and a late-night interview and discussion programme may well find an audience.

But the kind of journalism the programme championed must survive too. 

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