[mouseboy33]

Well this doesnt look good. Deadline.com has an exclusive about the pressure the government put on the BBC to investigate/contain the Huw Edwards to debacle. I cant see him coming back from this to a prominent role.

t.co 

Huw Edwards: How Government Piled Pressure On BBC To Grip Crisis – Deadline
Huw Edwards is in talks over his BBC future, as Deadline reveals emails showing …
  Source: deadline.com

[Brekkie]

I don't think it's any surprise though I'm not sure that email is the smoking gun they perhaps think it is. Even with their supposed independence from government an email from DCMS about the matter being investigated whilst perhaps overstepping their role isn't surprising.

Where I suspect they'll be far more questionable requests of the BBC would be over communications over the Gary Lineker affair before that.

[steve]

No, that email which is from a civil servant not a political figure, doesn't really seem to warrant the story/headline they've attached to it. Given they go on to talk about more specific speculation, which is not appropriate for here, it strikes me slightly as a hook they've tried to shoehorn in to give the story more 'substance'.

[Matrix]

Well this doesnt look good. Deadline.com has an exclusive about the pressure the government put on the BBC to investigate/contain the Huw Edwards to debacle. I cant see him coming back from this to a prominent role.

t.co 

I mean, the reality is that the email (from DCMS) was designed as a 'we've expressed our concerns' type response if the relevant Minister / SoS needed a line for media rounds. 

As for the article itself, there's nothing terribly new in there - including the line around contingencies being considered around an election (but just for the record, these conversations will - and do - routinely also happen in case, for example, a senior figure has a serious bout of a tummy bug. So: it's probably no great surprise that Edwards's situation isn't clear but I wouldn't overread the election planning stuff (for my two pence).

[Keith]

As for the article itself, there's nothing terribly new in there - including the line around contingencies being considered around an election (but just for the record, these conversations will - and do - routinely also happen in case, for example, a senior figure has a serious bout of a tummy bug. So: it's probably no great surprise that Edwards's situation isn't clear but I wouldn't overread the election planning stuff (for my two pence).

I think the uncertainty around when the next general election will be is a major factor in planning for it possibly without him. That could happen in Spring 2023, Autumn 2023, or even as late as Jan 2025 (or hypothetically much sooner). If the election was to occur between now and early Spring then it's quite possible he may not have yet returned to work. Also, they may wish to have more than one main presenter for the coverage going forward, given that it spans many hours.

I think the only reasonable certainty is that for the next election studio B will be used.

[interestednovice]

I agree with all of this!

Firstly, you would expect emails like that to be sent about all sorts of things - if nothing else, as others have said, so the government can legitimately look like they are doing something. It also sets up the idea that ministers can say “that’s a matter for the BBC, but we have expressed our concerns”: basically two birds with one stone as they claim both that they are on top of it and, simultaneously, that it’s not really anything to do with government.

Studio B is almost certain to be used, as it’s easy to set up for an election mode with limited set modifications similar to how they add in features for Laura K’s Sunday programme. I would expect graphics templates and so on to be ready now in case an election is announced at short notice.

I also think the black straps on the NC looked far better, but another thing which is far worse than previously is the single line strap. The graphics were so much more informative before. To have a headline burnt-in to your TV with a huge red strap is, I agree, an insult to the viewer.

[harshy]

They can keep the red graphics just bring back the contextual info underneath it eliminating the issue with putting too many words onto one line.

[interestednovice]

That is a major problem with the single line. It is either so short and basic it becomes an irrelevant waste of space (such as “Biden speech on Inflation Reduction Act”) or too long that it doesn’t fit and looks a mess.

*Not a real headline, just an example.

[m_in_m]

BBC News at Six from Hull with Reeta joined by Coletta Smith but also Louise Lear on location with the weather. Sophie in the studio for the other news.

[Rolling News]

BBC News at Six from Hull with Reeta joined by Coletta Smith but also Louise Lear on location with the weather. Sophie in the studio for the other news.

Coincidentally, the ITV Evening News have also sent their weather lady out on location (to Cambridgeshire).