R2OK!

mark occomore · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK

The BBC director general, Mark Thompson, today signalled the death knell for traditional newsreaders and any potential return for Moira Stuart.
Mr Thompson said the newsreader role, filled by someone who specialises in presenting bulletins, had "virtually died out" at the BBC.

He added that the BBC now used journalists across all its news programmes who could switch between the role of presenter and correspondent.

Mr Thompson was speaking before the Commons culture, media and sport select committee, where he found his appearance overshadowed by the ongoing row over the axing of veteran newsreader Stuart from her Sunday AM slot on BBC1.

Newspapers, led by the Daily Mail, have campaigned for Stuart, 55, to be re-instated, accusing the BBC of ageism and sexism in its decision.

Mr Thompson told MPs that, even though Stuart was a "valued member of staff" and "much loved" by the public, BBC news services now required more from a presenter.

"The simple thing I can point to is that BBC news has changed somewhat over the years and the traditional role of a newsreader as opposed to a correspondent or news presenter has virtually died out across BBC services," he said.

"We tend to use journalists across all our programmes and on News 24 to read the news headlines."

However, Mr Thompson added: "I would want to refute the suggestion that ageism or sexism or racism are factors in the present decision."

Conservative MP Nigel Evans described the decision to "sack" Stuart as "appalling", and asked Mr Thompson if he had been contacted by the BBC Trust on the matter.

"Has anyone phoned you to say you are mad and that you have an ageist policy about newsreaders at the BBC?" he asked.

Mr Thompson said he had not, but expected to brief BBC Trust members on the situation at their next meeting, which is tomorrow.

"The new charter says the trust should not get involved, particularly before the event, in management decisions," he added.

"Once you start getting trustees involved in how you treat members of staff they become managers themselves."

Mr Thompson said talks were still ongoing with Stuart - who has been a regular face on BBC News since 1981 - about her future.

He also praised her non-news presenting roles such as the recent slavery special about William Wilberforce.

"When she does programmes beyond the news, she shows the range of her talents," he said.

"The question of what happens to Moira in the future is something we are still discussing with her. I hope we can reach a satisfactory solution to this."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Media Guardian.

gfloyd · Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2007 7:06 pm Post subject:

More's the pity. I would like the BBC to go back to splitting the news from the comment & analysis shows. Most of the news is not strictly "news" anymore. Its either comment, speculation or scare mongering.
_________________
His name was ernie ........ and he drove the fastest milk cart in the west.....

Toggy tea slurper · Guest

I wish they wpould go back to the 'old fashioned' way of just reading the news without all this reporting from the scene, sensationlised rubbish.

Also bring back the sticky magnetic weather symbols Laughing

they were great.

Cherskiy · Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2007 7:44 pm Post subject:

gfloyd · Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2007 8:07 pm Post subject: