BBC Radio 4 News

George Hill · Wed 02 May, 2012 16.17

I thought I would create a thread to discuss the many news programmes on BBC Radio 4. My starting observation is that Ben Wright is now Chief Political Correspondent for the stations, having replaced Gary O'Donoghue, who in turn replaced Norman Smith. Any ideas what happened to O'Donoghue? Did he just go back to being an ordinary political correspondent, or has he left the BBC?

George Hill · Fri 04 May, 2012 13.07

George Hill wrote:I thought I would create a thread to discuss the many news programmes on BBC Radio 4. My starting observation is that Ben Wright is now Chief Political Correspondent for the stations, having replaced Gary O'Donoghue, who in turn replaced Norman Smith. Any ideas what happened to O'Donoghue? Did he just go back to being an ordinary political correspondent, or has he left the BBC?

O'Donoghue reporting on the News at One today so he hasn't left the BBC. That makes it just as puzzling why he is no longer in the senior role.

m-in-m · Fri 04 May, 2012 19.53

As an aside. When BBC Radio 4 has a sports news reader are they now based in Salford?

George Hill · Fri 04 May, 2012 20.24

m-in-m wrote:As an aside. When BBC Radio 4 has a sports news reader are they now based in Salford?

I think for the weekend news bulletins they are in Salford, but are not announced as such. The only week day programme that includes sport is Today, and the sport for that is still made by the programme in London.

m-in-m · Fri 04 May, 2012 23.36

George Hill wrote:
m-in-m wrote:As an aside. When BBC Radio 4 has a sports news reader are they now based in Salford?
I think for the weekend news bulletins they are in Salford, but are not announced as such. The only week day programme that includes sport is Today, and the sport for that is still made by the programme in London.

Thanks. That seems logical. The same as sport on Radios 1 and 2 are produced by dedicated staff.

George Hill · Mon 07 May, 2012 08.23

The today programme is being presented by John Humphrys in Athens and Evan Davis in Paris this morning. I think this is the first time I have heard both presenters out of the studio on the same day.

m-in-m · Mon 07 May, 2012 09.00

George Hill wrote:The today programme is being presented by John Humphrys in Athens and Evan Davis in Paris this morning. I think this is the first time I have heard both presenters out of the studio on the same day.

What happens in the unlikely event that the lines to both go down? Would we just have Rory Morrison reading the news and linking to sport and weather?

George Hill · Mon 07 May, 2012 17.30

m-in-m wrote:
George Hill wrote:The today programme is being presented by John Humphrys in Athens and Evan Davis in Paris this morning. I think this is the first time I have heard both presenters out of the studio on the same day.
What happens in the unlikely event that the lines to both go down? Would we just have Rory Morrison reading the news and linking to sport and weather?

Well Tanya Beckett was on business this morning (I don't remember hearing her on the programme before) and Rob Bonnet was on sport. I guess either of them would be considered experienced enough to cope with a news interview or two until the line was fixed.

m-in-m · Mon 07 May, 2012 19.49

George Hill wrote:
m-in-m wrote:
George Hill wrote:The today programme is being presented by John Humphrys in Athens and Evan Davis in Paris this morning. I think this is the first time I have heard both presenters out of the studio on the same day.
What happens in the unlikely event that the lines to both go down? Would we just have Rory Morrison reading the news and linking to sport and weather?
Well Tanya Beckett was on business this morning (I don't remember hearing her on the programme) and Rob Bonnet was on sport. I guess either of them would be considered experienced enough to cope with a news interview or two until the line was fixed.

With Tanya and Rob I'm sure if the line hadn't returned they would have managed well - though content may have been the bigger problem. I'd imagine all these things are planned for to a sensible level.

Pete · Tue 08 May, 2012 08.47

Please be careful with the direction this thread is going in. You know exactly what I mean.

xx

George Hill · Sat 02 Jun, 2012 17.08

Glen Campbell, from BBC Scotland, presenting Saturday PM tonight. I have heard him on doing this once before I think - but an interesting choice as a stand in. I wonder if he will make the move to network at some point. Certainly, he has been impressive in anything I have heard him do before.