[JamesWorldNews]

Alastair Stewart update:

x.com 

[News76]

So that’s 2 confirmed (Nancy K being the other). Is Rajini Vaidyanathan another?

I wouldn't be surpised if She was which leaves us with 7 presenter/ correspondent slots left to fill since i there meant to be 10 posts. (technically 2 when the 5 benched presenters get taken into account.) 

[excel99]

This article states there are 8 presenter/correspondent posts
deadline.com 

BBC News Carrying Out Presenter Review As Anchors Remain In Limbo – Deadline
BBC News is carrying out a review to establish whether it needs more presenters …
  Source: deadline.com

(Though I guess there could be 10 overall - 8 in London and 2 in Washington - if Carl Nasman and Helena Humphrey in Washington are included)

[bkman1990]

If Christian Fraser had misgivings about the news channel mergers not working as well as expected. That doesn't sound like good signals are being given to anyone working for BBC News that their job there is going to be secure in the near future. It feels like the BBC News staff are going to be sleepwalking into an existential crisis about it's own viability of staying on air as a news channel as we head into the winter.

[Lester]

I wouldn't be surpised if She was which leaves us with 7 presenter/ correspondent slots left to fill since i there meant to be 10 posts. (technically 2 when the 5 benched presenters get taken into account.) 

... so they've brought in another non-Brit to host a British news programme even though they have 5 experienced presenters on the payroll doing nothing?

[Newsroom]

... so they've brought in another non-Brit to host a British news programme even though they have 5 experienced presenters on the payroll doing nothing?

The whole saga since day one screams of  controversy. How can they possible argue that they wanted faces that the global audience would know when all they've done is recruit new faces that neither domestic or global are familiar with. 

The 5 benched have been delivering world news as far back as I can remember. 

It's utterly vile.

[Brekkie]

... so they've brought in another non-Brit to host a British news programme even though they have 5 experienced presenters on the payroll doing nothing?

I don't know her bio but playing the "non-Brit" card seems a bit ignorant regardless anyway.   She's been a BBC journalist for a long time.

Fair enough to question why the Infamous Five are still being sidelined and why reporters are being used to fill these roles rather than newsreaders.   It does all seem rather questionable though may be a desired move to use more reporters in newsreader roles.   That can be beneficial though seems a requirement difficult to justify in these roles.

[all new phil]

... so they've brought in another non-Brit to host a British news programme even though they have 5 experienced presenters on the payroll doing nothing?

Mate.

[DTV]

... so they've brought in another non-Brit to host a British news programme even though they have 5 experienced presenters on the payroll doing nothing?

British news from British newsreaders.

(Also, at least one of the five 'benched' presenters wasn't born in the UK, not, of course, that that affected her or George Alagiah or Zeinab Badawi's ability to deliver BBC News).

[qwerty123]

I don't know her bio but playing the "non-Brit" card seems a bit ignorant regardless anyway.   She's been a BBC journalist for a long time.

Fair enough to question why the Infamous Five are still being sidelined and why reporters are being used to fill these roles rather than newsreaders.   It does all seem rather questionable though may be a desired move to use more reporters in newsreader roles.   That can be beneficial though seems a requirement difficult to justify in these roles.

The issue isn’t with the particular individuals being appointed but more with whether the process itself is being applied fairly to all individuals and if not whether it is being applied differently due to protected characteristics in an illegal manner.
Given that 74.6% of the UK population are white British the chance of 7 of the 8 currently appointed presenters being from other backgrounds as has occurred is significantly less than a tenth of one percent if it was completely random and whilst journalism has always seemed to attract a more diverse group of people it is not hard to see why some people would be questioning not only whether the hiring process have been entirely merit based but also whether there has been a degree of bias in the process that has led to people from different backgrounds being treated differently.
Essentially the question is not about the presenters themselves but yet again about whether the execs in charge of the merger are behaving responsibly or in a manner which is purposely designed to damage the reputation of the channel.