Jon Sopel and Emily Maitlis launch new podcast with Global

[DTV]

Someone that has really impressed on me when interviewing basically anyone is - Victoria Derbyshire, I wonder if she may be a potential candidate for Newsnight.

I think, though might be wrong, that she did present the odd edition a few years ago. Derbyshire's a good call and it's probably more in her wheelhouse than her current role.

People tend to overlook radio when it comes to TV appointments, but many of the other contenders are surely from the Radio 4 stable.

[Andrew]

I think she did her first one a few weeks ago.

It would be a better fit than her current role, which is basically occasional BBC News at One’s and various random news channel shifts including weekends. I’m not entirely sure she seems very comfortable reading straight bulletins like the One.

[Andrew]

With all these leavers from the BBC, at least we will still have Ben Brown
https://twitter.com/benbrownbbc/status/1...90528?s=21

[Omnipresent]

Victoria Derbyshire is a strong contender for Newsnight.

I did feel Emma Barnett sometimes wasted opportunities in interviews by going straight for the jugular.

This could also put Nick Watt in a good position to be BBC Political Editor - he seems able to cover a wide range of stories without getting into trouble.

One thing you can say about Global is they do mange to keep these negotiations confidential, compared to how the BBC leaks like a sieve.

[Moz]

How long ago did Emma Barnett leave? Is she still doing Woman’s Hour?

I think Victoria Derbyshire would be great and deserves it.

[scottishtv]

People tend to overlook radio when it comes to TV appointments, but many of the other contenders are surely from the Radio 4 stable.

Shhh, don't say that. Of course he's done Newsnight already, but I like Evan Davis on PM - he's really managed to get a few politicians tied up in knots with their own words on some big stories lately.

Of course, many cross between TV and radio now as a matter of course. For example, I was really impressed by Simon Jack presenting on Today this morning on a big news day (co-presenting from Salford, incidentally). He's also excellent as explaining complex business stuff in an accessible way on the main TV bulletins.

I don't think the BBC need to worry too much, they will attract talent.

I would probably be a bit more depressed if I was trying to follow a 'traditional' career path in commercial radio and wanted to move up the ladder to hit the big time. It seems a couple of the big radio groups are now only interested in poaching already established big names from the BBC. However, this isn't a radio thread (or forum) so I'll shut up now...!

This could also put Nick Watt in a good position to be BBC Political Editor - he seems able to cover a wide range of stories without getting into trouble.

I'm not sure Nick's style is quite right for the BBC One bulletins - he's great for people that like the nitty gritty detailed analysis, but might seem a little too much on the political geek side (in a good way!). Still, who knows? Andrew Marr was quoted in papers saying the Political Editor job was "Sopel's to lose".

[Steve Williams]

How long ago did Emma Barnett leave? Is she still doing Woman’s Hour?

She stopped doing Newsnight to concentrate full-time on Woman's Hour.

[Newsroom]

People tend to overlook radio when it comes to TV appointments, but many of the other contenders are surely from the Radio 4 stable.

Shhh, don't say that. Of course he's done Newsnight already, but I like Evan Davis on PM - he's really managed to get a few politicians tied up in knots with their own words on some big stories lately.

Of course, many cross between TV and radio now as a matter of course. For example, I was really impressed by Simon Jack presenting on Today this morning on a big news day (co-presenting from Salford, incidentally). He's also excellent as explaining complex business stuff in an accessible way on the main TV bulletins.

I don't think the BBC need to worry too much, they will attract talent.

I would probably be a bit more depressed if I was trying to follow a 'traditional' career path in commercial radio and wanted to move up the ladder to hit the big time. It seems a couple of the big radio groups are now only interested in poaching already established big names from the BBC. However, this isn't a radio thread (or forum) so I'll shut up now...!

This could also put Nick Watt in a good position to be BBC Political Editor - he seems able to cover a wide range of stories without getting into trouble.

I'm not sure Nick's style is quite right for the BBC One bulletins - he's great for people that like the nitty gritty detailed analysis, but might seem a little too much on the political geek side (in a good way!). Still, who knows? Andrew Marr was quoted in papers saying the Political Editor job was "Sopel's to lose".

I see what you mean by the reference to being sightly geeky, but he's way down the Geekometer than Peston who's become more and more incoherent the longer he's on air. Nick Watt clearly also has a fat contacts book, I think he's be ideal.

[boddington]

I think Nick Watt would be a very good choice for political editor, personally, and have always enjoyed his reporting / analysis on Newsnight.

[Brekkie]

With all these leavers from the BBC, at least we will still have Ben Brown
https://twitter.com/benbrownbbc/status/1...90528?s=21

Luckily there seems to be no quotas on the number of Ben's presenting BBC News.

[Bluecortina]

I know there was the tweet about Emily Maitlis working on something in the US, but her protracted absence from Newsnight over the last month or so was clearly a sign that this was something more significant.

A 10-part documentary on America for the Beeb, which presumably is still going ahead. I know Jon has removed the ‘BBC’ from his twitter handle, but Emily’s tweet made clear she’s leaving later this year. I assume they’ll want to close out Americast before they go, and it’s possible Emily will return to Newsnight briefly before she departs given this new role isn’t in direct competition with her current work (think: Marr and Mair both remained in their roles for months after announcing they were joining Global).

Given that it’s reported Sopel wasn’t in the running for the Sunday morning slot and also doesn’t seem to be a favourite to join Today or any of the other big programmes, you have to wonder what the BBC were planning to do with him next. If he didn’t become political editor, would he simply have returned to the News Channel or World News like Carrie Gracie did? Would he have become the latest broadcaster at the BBC to ‘float’ between programmes (like Clive Myrie)?

This move allows them to do stuff they love, with greater editorial and creative control. I think in truth, though, they must either have grown tired of BBC management and/or have doubted the Beeb’s future. Going from a lead presenter on BBC election coverage and a nightly news and current affairs programme to doing a daily podcast and weekly LBC show? Hmm.

As for the gaps they leave behind at the BBC.........already filled, I guess.

Sopel, perhaps. But the BBC are running low on broadcast journalists who know how to forensically interview at a high level. Emily Maitlis was, in my view, one of the last knock-out presenters in that respect (I’d put Emma Barnett and Mishal Husain in the same boat). They have a thousand people who can adequately present Newsnight, but very few who could do the Prince Andrew interview, especially once the likes of Eddie Mair had gone.

Someone that has really impressed on me when interviewing basically anyone is - Victoria Derbyshire, I wonder if she may be a potential candidate for Newsnight.

I’d keep my eye on Cathy Newman.

[JK1985]

As mentioned before on here, the annual disclosure of BBC salaries for the big earners had hit BBC News presenters the most, as nearly all of their salaries are funded through the licence fee proper, which is why so many BBC News presenters are always on the list.

Moving to Global or any commercial operation means no salary publication, which has to be a nice incentive to leave. Graham Norton said one of the main reasons he left BBC Radio 2 was down to the salary publication. He is now at Virgin Radio, and apparently is paid a lot more than he received at the BBC.

[Richjj1978]

Thinking laterally, there is quite a lot of space becoming available shortly on various national digital radio multiplexes.

Just a wild idea, but, maybe Global are looking to use some of their newly acquired and relatively expensive talent (and the popular, but currently non-broadcast podcast content) for a new station.

[Jeff]

Surely the BBC now has to be very concerned (if not alarmed) about the sheer number of high-profile talent who've decided to leave the corporation over the past few years?

Are you joking? This is exactly what they want. They have been offering voluntary redundancies for a while now. They have far too many people on big salaries.

Offering voluntary redundancies and not wanting a procession of high-profile names to leave (especially when most of them are leaving for one of your radio rivals) aren't two mutually exclusive concepts.

In other words, it's possible for the BBC to want to 'shed' people on big salaries whilst not having a cavalcade of people leaving to join Global/LBC.

[MrUdagawa]

I'd be amazed if the new Marr slot wasn't filled by a woman. Ousting Rayworth for a man would not be a good look.

In terms of the Maitlis and Sopel move, interesting to note that their new podcast is produced by Dino Sophos' new production company - the guy who created and exec produced Newscast and Brexitcast, so he probably had a lot to do with their poaching/leaving.