[ViridianFan]

You’ve hit the nail on the head DTV. You can see on here that there are those of us who want/expect more UK focus and those of us who think there is already far too much UK news and it needs a reducing ultimately meaning that the new channel is ultimately meeting no one’s expectations. 

I’ll give them credit that they’ve used to opt out far more than I thought they would, however I do find it irritating that they stick with the one story as that’s the only thing happening. It would be nice to just have a summary or even have the screen similar to when BBC Scotland is off air, with the headlines etc. 

Is would also prefer to have a Uk focuses period in the morning instead of Nicky C as this is often when stories are breaking. 

The news channel does feel much slower. I know it’s supposed to going deeper into the story but it’s really not. 9/10 it’s a very lo my and drawn out conversation which often adds very little for the amount of times spent on it. 

IMO the unhappiness with the presentation and lack of camera angles is in part due to the channel not really being one thing or the other. If the channel had a clear audience it was aiming to target and the pace was picked up you’d deal with the presentation side of things but add that with crashing in and out of programmes, spelling mistakes in the lower thirds it just adds to the negative feelong

[DTV]

You can see on here that there are those of us who want/expect more UK focus and those of us who think there is already far too much UK news and it needs a reducing ultimately meaning that the new channel is ultimately meeting no one’s expectations.

Certainly, the wing-it/half-and-half editorial approach they've gone for has meant that it isn't really one thing or the other and thus falls short for both audiences - even if a widespread abandoning of the channel has thankfully not materialised. There are obviously different perspectives and I appreciate the PSB arguments, but, for more UK content, you need more money and the only source I can reasonably see it coming from is through commercial profitability - which obviously requires a more World-focussed programme. 

With the 'breakout streams', I have similarly been pleasantly surprised with their frequency and feel they're reasonably decent for what they are. I do certainly agree, though, that when they are being broadcast on the channel as a UK opt-out, more thought should be given as to the fact they are replacing standard programming and that some additional structure would help. 

Broadly, I think that news summaries as you suggest would really help across the channel, particularly with programmes like The Context. Ditch the headlines and instead start each half-hour with a 3-5 minute news summary, like Breakfast or News 24 at the BOTH in the early-2000s, and it would make the fact that you are only talking about three stories for the rest of the half-hour stick out less. I think there is a tendency to forget that the two main reasons people watch news channels is to a) catch-up on news when network bulletins aren't on or b) watch a developing/breaking story unfold. At the minute, if you just flick on for a typical 20 minutes, you just aren't going to really get caught up with the news.

[aaron_scotland]

I haven't watched BBC News much since the merger, so popped it on this afternoon to see the coverage of Sinead's funeral.

They cut off the what I assume was UK only feed to join BBC News channel for about 5 minutes, then cut her off mid sentence to rejoin the UK feed... Why oh why even bother.

[oscillon]

I haven't watched BBC News much since the merger, so popped it on this afternoon to see the coverage of Sinead's funeral.

They cut off the what I assume was UK only feed to join BBC News channel for about 5 minutes, then cut her off mid sentence to rejoin the UK feed... Why oh why even bother.

They had an opt-out in the 11am hour, but it was only because they simulcasted a very early One at 11am that ran for 20 minutes, and they had to fill the rest half-hour.

In 12pm hour, as I see it, they did not opt out, but they indeed ditched in and out of the ongoing funeral procession.

[Brekkie]

Broadly, I think that news summaries as you suggest would really help across the channel, particularly with programmes like The Context. Ditch the headlines and instead start each half-hour with a 3-5 minute news summary, like Breakfast or News 24 at the BOTH in the early-2000s, and it would make the fact that you are only talking about three stories for the rest of the half-hour stick out less. I think there is a tendency to forget that the two main reasons people watch news channels is to a) catch-up on news when network bulletins aren't on or b) watch a developing/breaking story unfold. At the minute, if you just flick on for a typical 20 minutes, you just aren't going to really get caught up with the news.

That would make a huge difference - even more so if those summaries could be different for UK/World, even if that means pre-recorded on one outlet.   It's surprising how much info you can get out of a 3-5 minute radio bulletin or even 1 minute Newsbeat bulletin.  Indeed arguably more so as they focus on the key point rather than stretching a story out to 10 minutes with vox pops etc.

[Keith]

That would make a huge difference - even more so if those summaries could be different for UK/World, even if that means pre-recorded on one outlet.   It's surprising how much info you can get out of a 3-5 minute radio bulletin or even 1 minute Newsbeat bulletin.  Indeed arguably more so as they focus on the key point rather than stretching a story out to 10 minutes with vox pops etc.

From my memory of watching BBC World News in January whilst in France I seem to recall the back-half hours were roughly...
News sting > 30 second summary of the main headlines > Ident/caption introducing (pre-recorded) programme > Weather bulletin.

As far as I can from comparing www.bbc.co.uk  and www.bbc.co.uk  since the merger these back-half hour programmes have almost all gone from the weekday (UK) daytime schedule. Exceptions being at 10.30am for HARDtalk when the UK is watching Nicky Campbell, and 5.30pm for Focus on Africa when UK has more 'Verified Live'.

BBC News Europe - Schedules
This is the daily broadcast schedule for BBC News Europe
  Source: www.bbc.co.uk

BBC iPlayer - Error
Watch live BBC TV channels, enjoy TV programmes you missed and view exclusive co…
  Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Arguably if they reinstated a few more back-half hour programmes during weekday daytimes for non-UK viewers then it would enable a more UK focused half hours chunks.

Also, it might help if the 'Around the UK' filler was replaced with something similar to the English nations roundup we got on Breakfast during the local strikes.  There was a surprising amount of regional headlines fitted into just a few minutes.  Whilst the filler gap is much shorter quite a few UK headlines could still be included. It could also be pre-recorded and only updated every two/three hours using a separate presenter from a locked off camera.  I'm not a huge fan of the 'single random UK feature' that currently appears.

[m_in_m]

That would make a huge difference - even more so if those summaries could be different for UK/World, even if that means pre-recorded on one outlet.   It's surprising how much info you can get out of a 3-5 minute radio bulletin or even 1 minute Newsbeat bulletin.  Indeed arguably more so as they focus on the key point rather than stretching a story out to 10 minutes with vox pops etc.

I find radio news bulletins are incredibly well packed for stories. The five o clock bulletin on Radio 2 is a great example. 

This lunchtime I turned to Radio 4 for the news at 1300 because TV couldn't offer me anything due to football and the combined news channel.

[Rolling News]

I wonder why Verified Live is coming from E one or two afternoons a week? Not that I’m complaining, but it just seems weird as why can't they do this EVERY afternoon, instead of random days?

[UTVLifer]

Probably either because of yet more technical issues with Studio C, or to allow problems to be fixed

[ViridianFan]

Certainly, the wing-it/half-and-half editorial approach they've gone for has meant that it isn't really one thing or the other and thus falls short for both audiences - even if a widespread abandoning of the channel has thankfully not materialised. There are obviously different perspectives and I appreciate the PSB arguments, but, for more UK content, you need more money and the only source I can reasonably see it coming from is through commercial profitability - which obviously requires a more World-focussed programme. 

With the 'breakout streams', I have similarly been pleasantly surprised with their frequency and feel they're reasonably decent for what they are. I do certainly agree, though, that when they are being broadcast on the channel as a UK opt-out, more thought should be given as to the fact they are replacing standard programming and that some additional structure would help. 

Broadly, I think that news summaries as you suggest would really help across the channel, particularly with programmes like The Context. Ditch the headlines and instead start each half-hour with a 3-5 minute news summary, like Breakfast or News 24 at the BOTH in the early-2000s, and it would make the fact that you are only talking about three stories for the rest of the half-hour stick out less. I think there is a tendency to forget that the two main reasons people watch news channels is to a) catch-up on news when network bulletins aren't on or b) watch a developing/breaking story unfold. At the minute, if you just flick on for a typical 20 minutes, you just aren't going to really get caught up with the news.

At the moment any additional funding is only really going to come from the BBC world side. I do worry with the whole review of the license fee. That’s of course a whole other discussion, I just don’t feel massive reassured that there is a team there ready for battle, it feels more like a roll over and accept but we shall see. 

Id forgotten about those morning summaries on breakfast with Moria. In a way it was very like a radio news bulletin. It was a shame when they got rid of those as you got a good overview of that mornings stories within 5 mins.

I couldn’t agree more with your last point. When I think back to when I get the channel was it’s best was in the news24 days, when they had the promos about headlines every 15 mins. Must be about 2003 as it was clamshell era. The channel worked because it was always flipping between summary of headlines, couple of stories in depth summary of headlines, news in brief. You actually got a lot of information.