BBC News channel urged to maintain 'depth of stories'

This article was migrated from an old version of our website in 2025. As a result, it might have some low-quality images or non-functioning links - if there's any issues you'd like to see fixed, get in touch with us at info@journalism.co.uk.

The BBC Trust is urging the broadcaster's rolling news channel to maintain "the range and depth of stories covered" while playing its "part in delivering the savings needed by the new licence fee settlement".

The governing body has today published its review of the BBC News channel and BBC Parliament .

As part of the Delivering Quality First cost-cutting proposals, the executive proposed that the BBC News channel "consolidates activity" and "focuses on the main breaking news stories, while continuing to provide coverage and context from BBC specialists where appropriate".

"This would require a reduction in the built/non-live content, which often occupies the 'back half hour' on the channel."

The trust endorsed the "direction of travel" but urged BBC bosses to maintain the "range and depth of stories".

The governing body has made three changes to the licence requirements of the rolling news channel, which has an annual budget of £45.5 million, including to no longer require a news presenter at the scene of breaking international news stories.

"The news channel service licence will no longer require the service to co-present its rolling news output from the scene of international stories. In future, decisions on how to present international stories will be based solely on editorial merit rather than a specific service licence requirement," the Trust ruled.

The other licence changes include removing "the requirement to provide 'business and personal finance news' every hour".

The Trust's review found one in five UK adults watched the BBC News channel in the 2010/2011 year, with the "busy news year" – a year which included the UK riots and uprisings in the Arab world – having a "dramatic impact" on viewing figures, "a fact that has contributed to the record reach levels".

The research found "50 per cent of adults rating the BBC News channel best for continuous news; this compares with 23 per cent for Sky News".

The report states: "Some people believe Sky News to be quicker in breaking stories first. Equally, though, many people believe that the BBC News channel must be more mindful of accuracy – speed should not take precedence over getting the story right. We have seen no evidence that suggests the news channel is failing to deliver breaking stories to people in a timely manner."

The BBC governors also urged the executive to "ensure that efficiency savings, the integration of the World Service and the development of closer links with Global News are delivered in such a way that the news channel can continue to deliver the high-quality international news that audiences expect.

"The planned changes to the BBC’s news operations ... represent both a challenge and an opportunity for the way in which the news channel covers world affairs – as they do for other BBC news outlets."

The governing body asked the executive to "return to the Trust in 2014/15 to report on progress in the integration of Global News and the World Service, with a focus on how this is affecting audience perceptions of the BBC’s offer".

The review of BBC Parliament, which has an annual budget of £2.2 million, found the channel also has "record audiences", of 1.4 per cent of the UK population.

It found" "The only consistent area of dissatisfaction expressed by audiences during our review revolved around the navigation of live coverage. Live and lengthy debates and committee hearings were difficult for people to follow in full because of their busy lifestyles."

The review advised "the channel to better explain the likely schedule of events and coverage during the day, updating information as and when it changes, either verbally or via on-screen graphics".

The channel will seek "to improve links with other BBC services, by providing, for example, shortened links (URLs) on screen so that people can use their computers or mobile devices to quickly access relevant contextual and factual information on Democracy Live during debates".

Staff at the channel has already begum to "evolve their approach", according to the report.