[DTV]

But yes - 9-12 is arguably prime time for UK breaking news and even if no other slots were retained this one should have been, and could probably have been funded by rejigging World so they have one less slot across the day.

The thing, though, about slots and costs is not so much about whether they exist, but the level of content you want from them. Purely in terms of presenters, gallery, duty editor and studio costs, six hours of separate UK content per weekday would cost no more than about £2-3m a year, a tiny fraction of the overall cost of the current news channel.

But to not cost more, such output would have to be almost entirely reliant on content that already existed - VT reports and graphics that would be produced anyway, DtL reports that would be in place anyway and the occasional utilisation of spare reporters already in the building. It wouldn't be terrible, but it would be lesser even than the output that you got in the last days of separation. Extra reporters for extra content, unique location reporting - all that sort of stuff is where the cost really is. Even something as seemingly minor as external contributors can rack up £100ks over the year.

I agree that some degree of separated weekday daytimes would probably have been a more acceptable and sensible compromise, even if likely presentationally duller. But now it's gone and in the current circumstances, I wouldn't bet on such a reversal. - even though relatively low, such levels of expenditure just aren't commensurate to the level of public outcry that has been exhibited so far.