[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.