08-01-2024, 05:57 PM
(08-01-2024, 02:28 PM)Stockland Hillman Wrote: Budget wise, it's already paying 5 presenters a full-time salary consistent with experience and long service, PLUS freelance and acting up costs. Divert those additional costs to producer roles, political producers/reporters will already be at the likely events needing airtime. The additional studio director, production journalists and support for a mon-fri 9-1 shift would come in under 750k (marginal in a £5.7billion pound revenue organisation) a UK feed world still access world content and domestic reporting as now.There are likely some additional costs, but actually getting 'a programme' for a News channel on air is fairly cheap. You could actually have a basic separate UK daytime service - i.e., intros + VTs, live feed coverage (speeches, parliament, press confs, etc.), in studio contributions from BBC reporters - for only a few £m. It's things like external contributors and breaking news flexibility where the non-newsgathering costs start to rack up.
In fact, I've always been very surpised the BBC didn't go more down the 'rolling bulletins' route for the relaunched channel. Not just would it be cheaper, but it's something the BBC was actually a market leader in - they're always good for simple, straight reporting. Breaking news was never their forte, panel discussions are ten-a-penny and the slowed 'analytical' style they've (unsuccessfully) attempted only works as a complement to basic news.