[cando]

The investigation into recruitment found that claims by some of the five that they were promised a job on the merged service was unfounded.

The rest of the article is a confusing mess, with one "BBC insider" saying that the five would be given presenting work to avoid litigation.
While another "BBC insider" says that this would be against internal BBC HR rules.

[harshy]

The investigation into recruitment found that claims by some of the five that they were promised a job on the merged service was unfounded.

The rest of the article is a confusing mess, with one "BBC insider" saying that the five would be given presenting work to avoid litigation.
While another "BBC insider" says that this would be against internal BBC HR rules.

Does that mean they will do other presenting work elsewhere on the bbc like Holly Hamilton presenting Sunday Morning Live?

[Reith85]

I have access to it, and in essence it summarises what we already know, speculating that since recent events there is now a need for more presenters and they will come back.

The BBC officially refused to comment; meanwhile the internal investigation, it is confirmed, found no wrongdoing on the part of the BBC.

Yes, that article tells us hardly anything new, other than some speculation that the "benched" presenters may be returning to the BBC in some capacity.

[Radio_man]

Deadline has summarised the article here - but it still doesn't look like there's much urgency to get the 5 back on screen.

deadline.com 

BBC “Plans U-Turn Putting Sidelined Female Presenters Back On Screen” – Deadline
Five female presenters, comprising more than 100 years experience, have been off…
  Source: deadline.com

[Keith]

Deadline has summarised the article here - but it still doesn't look like there's much urgency to get the 5 back on screen.

deadline.com 

I imagine that with the BBC may decide it's better for those 5 to return to roles on screen, rather than continue to pay freelancers.

After all in the next year BBC News are likely to have additional costs this year as it is, in the form of UK and USA elections. This combined with a lower than hoped for licence fee increase makes it daft paying for staff who presumably have 'on screen salaries', but aren't appearing on TV due to a dispute. In addition one of the five presenters originally appointed has since left.

Also, on the national news front the past year has sadly seen the death of George Alagiah. Additionally, it seems unlikely that Huw Edwards will return to presenting BBC News. Cost savings aside, this presumably means that one additional permanent presenter is required, though they may end up being based in Salford.

It wouldn't entirely surprise me if BBC News announce a 'UK politics today' type programme to cover the election campaigning/build-up, featuring one of these presenters. Similarly, a dedicated programme for a round-up of the US elections featuring one of them. I could imagine using them for dedicated programing rather than rolling news as a way for the BBC to save face.

[Stuart]

Yes, that article tells us hardly anything new, other than some speculation that the "benched" presenters may be returning to the BBC in some capacity.

I worked in HR for many years. It's important to remember that staff issues, be they disputes, complaints or concerns are never discussed outside an organisation and in many cases you can even breach your own contract of employment by discussing your own case either during or after the event.

Anything said now can only ever be speculation or supposition.

Let's just look forward to their return to our screens one way or another.

[Chud]

I imagine that with the BBC may decide it's better for those 5 to return to roles on screen, rather than continue to pay freelancers.

After all in the next year BBC News are likely to have additional costs this year as it is, in the form of UK and USA elections. This combined with a lower than hoped for licence fee increase makes it daft paying for staff who presumably have 'on screen salaries', but aren't appearing on TV due to a dispute. In addition one of the five presenters originally appointed has since left.

Also, on the national news front the past year has sadly seen the death of George Alagiah. Additionally, it seems unlikely that Huw Edwards will return to presenting BBC News. Cost savings aside, this presumably means that one additional permanent presenter is required, though they may end up being based in Salford.

It wouldn't entirely surprise me if BBC News announce a 'UK politics today' type programme to cover the election campaigning/build-up, featuring one of these presenters. Similarly, a dedicated programme for a round-up of the US elections featuring one of them. I could imagine using them for dedicated programing rather than rolling news as a way for the BBC to save face.

There’s definitely space in the schedule for them, hopefully we will get some regular presenting shifts now.

[ginnyfan]

Well, just replace current 10 freelancers who are all over the schedule, with these 5, and they'll be set for good. Once the things settle in we'll probably see more of them than ''chief presenters'' , as usual.

[qwerty123]

There’s definitely space in the schedule for them, hopefully we will get some regular presenting shifts now.

Honestly there might be space for some of them but there certainly is not space for 5 full time presenters, especially if they want to keep any of those who have stepped up over the past year to even remotely on side.
The current situation (once Maryam starts on the 18:00 shift) has a mix of reporter-presenters, correspondents and freelancers covering 2 shifts per day Monday to Thursday, 3 shifts on a Friday, 4 shifts each day at the weekend and 4 flagship slots per week with no fixed days. This is a total of 23 shifts per week that are not covered by either the chief presenters, Sally Bundock who appears to have a separate agreement, and studios outside of the UK.
If each of the 5 women were to present an average of 3.5 shifts per week that would be 17.5 of the 23 shifts being covered by them leaving only 5.5 shifts per week for (at least) 3 currently appointed reporter presenters and everybody else within the corporation who would see being returned to their substantive duties as an effective demotion and who would therefore be much more likely to seek employment elsewhere and many of whom are the potential next generation of lead presenters.

[qwerty123]

Well, just replace current 10 freelancers who are all over the schedule, with these 5, and they'll be set for good. Once the things settle in we'll probably see more of them than ''chief presenters'' , as usual.

Is there even 10 freelancers who are regularly appearing on the channel (as opposed to people covering news channel shifts on top or instead of other contracted roles within BBC News)?
Lauren Taylor and Tadgh Enright are almost certainly freelance and Lewis Vaughan Jones, Samantha Simmonds and Lukwesa Burak may well be but almost all of the other faces appear to be either be BBC staff who are presenting news channel shifts on top of other lower profile duties and who presumably wouldn’t be best pleased at effectively being demoted or appear so infrequently to be essentially irrelevant (as there will almost certainly always need to be a small amount of freelance cover due to unexpected absences and on location assignments).