[Radio_man]

Ultimately here though the big issue is how the supposed "merger" was handled.   It wasn't a merger, it was a takeover by BBC World with an effective closure of UK operations and the presenter choices back that up, along with the channel only opting out for UK stories rather than sometimes it being World opting out for international stories which may not be top of the UK news agenda.

If it had been World's operations folded into those of the UK they would have got away with it, in the UK at least.   Really though the concession here is that daytime hours should have always been given a stronger UK focus and as posted previously in theory that should really be possible and is a question of will as much as it is finances.

On your first paragraph here - Martine made this point on twitter last autumn when the plans were first announced - of course managers and the official press releases disputed it was a closure of the UK News Channel and a World takeover, but Martine was ultimately right.

Evenings and overnights are US and Asia focussed, there's no reason why mornings cannot be explicitly UK focussed, even if they keep the rotating cast of presenters for the morning shifts.  Broadcasting an opinionated radio phone-in on a rolling news channel is not providing UK focussed news coverage, however it is spun by managers.