Change at the BBC News Channel; no change at Newswatch

Samira and Sam

Not everyone is a Beebophobe, and it appears from watching this week's Newswatch that even the BBC News Channel has a devoted following. 

Like a lot of Radio 4 listeners, such people are rather passionate about their channel and aren't keen on change. The latest changes at the channel seem to have particularly irked them. 

They are unhappy that the magazine-style Victoria Derbyshire show has been extended to two hours and are aghast that Newsnight is going to be repeated in full (at around 11.30 pm), straight after being broadcast on BBC Two, thus knocking out one of the late night newspaper reviews. 

The BBC News Channel is becoming less and less of a news channel they complained, and long gone are the days when you could catch up with the latest news every 15 minutes.

The launch of BBC News 24 - with Sarah Montague and a youthful-looking Gavin Esler

The senior editor invited on - Sam Taylor, editor, UK 24/7 & Digital, BBC News - said it was "great" that the audience was telling them what they think about the channel and ended by saying, "We appreciate people's feedback as we try out different things." 

Typically for Newswatch though, he didn't give any ground to the criticisms made. The BBC wasn't just getting it 'about right' for him; it was getting it completely right. 'All's for the best at this best of all possible news channels' was his basic point. It was a classic Newswatch performance from a senior BBC editor.

Samira Ahmed pressed him somewhat on the decision to repeat Newsnight on the News Channel straight after its broadcast. Why, she asked, when there's the iPlayer? His answer was that people who couldn't watch Newsnight at 10.30 might appreciate being able to watch it at 11.30 - which didn't really answer Samira's point. Such people could simply go to the iPlayer.