[NickyS]

Is it this coming Monday the BBC News channel will have a spilt feed for UK only past highlighted recently in releation to the election?

There was UK only coverage from 0600-2000 and from 2200-0000 all day on Thursday and Friday.

[radio listener]

My only hope is that the BBC keep Arthur as the theme again and no more of these dirges we’ve had since 2001.

[Luc]

Maybe because despite all of his experience he's actually pretty dry and dare I say too wooden to be anchoring hours of live coverage that requires off the cuff and engaging presentation, rather than linking to packages and conducting short interviews.

Plus I guess broadcasters prefer to have people known for political reporting/presenting fronting elections. I don't think Kay B has actually presented an election for Sky for ages (if ever?) but now she does a Westminster based daily programme it makes sense.

[mark]

Kay co-hosted Sky's election night coverage in 1997 (with Laurie Mayer).

tvark.org 

Sky News Election ’97 | TVARK
Sky's Anchors Lawrie Mayer and Kay Burley present in the studio, with Martin…
  Source: tvark.org

She was also one of multiple presenters in 2010 when they didn't really have a main presenter.

[matthieu1221]

There was UK only coverage from 0600-2000 and from 2200-0000 all day on Thursday and Friday.

How is this going for the teams behind the scenes? Must be a lot of extra work?

[harshy]

How is this going for the teams behind the scenes? Must be a lot of extra work?

I am guessing it’s like the pre merger setup but with less personnel behind the scenes, thanks to their new system they installed in studio E.

[Brekkie]

Maybe because despite all of his experience he's actually pretty dry and dare I say too wooden to be anchoring hours of live coverage that requires off the cuff and engaging presentation, rather than linking to packages and conducting short interviews.

Plus I guess broadcasters prefer to have people known for political reporting/presenting fronting elections. I don't think Kay B has actually presented an election for Sky for ages (if ever?) but now she does a Westminster based daily programme it makes sense.

I wouldn't say he's wooden but his experience lies elsewhere. He was excellent for ITV fronting coverage on location of significant international events (the Iraq War and Tsunami for example) but others were more appropriate choices for domestic political events.

Ultimately Sky can't put all their broadcasters into the one night - they need people to pick up the baton later on Friday. I'd also say they probably should have put Sophie Ridge on the overnight coverage then had Kay Burley take over in the morning on this occassion as it's an election where the main action will be overnight rather than the following morning.

[interestednovice]

So they've put joint feed back in the Studio C for the weekends as well... why?

At a guess, because UK-breakaway opts, during the election period, could happen any time and presumably they keep Studio E for those as the gallery upgrades mean they can operate those opts with a skeleton crew?

Whereas Studio C, with it’s more traditional gallery, perhaps requires more personnel (so makes more sense for the “regular output” of the World feed, and the associated staff, to use that studio & gallery as it’s a planned thing).

[matthieu1221]

I wouldn't say he's wooden but his experience lies elsewhere. He was excellent for ITV fronting coverage on location of significant international events (the Iraq War and Tsunami for example) but others were more appropriate choices for domestic political events.

Ultimately Sky can't put all their broadcasters into the one night - they need people to pick up the baton later on Friday. I'd also say they probably should have put Sophie Ridge on the overnight coverage then had Kay Burley take over in the morning on this occassion as it's an election where the main action will be overnight rather than the following morning.

I'm quite mixed on this too. Kay in the morning just seems 'normal' and I would've preferred them to swap spots but Sophy covered the local election marathon 'aftermath' daytime coverage very well and with a new government likely on the cards there'll be lots to say the day after too.

[Spencer]

My only hope is that the BBC keep Arthur as the theme again and no more of these dirges we’ve had since 2001.

It was used (the David Lowe remix) at the end of the extended Six as part of a montage on the day the election was announced, so it would seem likely it’s going to be used again.