Radio 1 and 1Xtra share news

Andy23Andy23 Posts: 15,925
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I don't know if this is going to be a regular thing but BBC Radio 1 and BBC1 1Xtra are now sharing news at weekends

Newsbeat bulletins are being simulcast on both stations meaning the DJs on both stations have to make sure the bulletins start dead on half past the hour

It sounds ok on Radio 1 but sounds a bit odd on 1Xtra as they are using the 1Xtra intro at the start but then the newsbeat jingles and beds throughout the bulletin

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  • wns_195wns_195 Posts: 13,562
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    There should be more news-sharing on the BBC's national stations. Radio 2, Radio 4 and 5 Live should all share news at the top of the hour, and Radio 3 should take the same bulletin when it does news.

    I think the Asian Network and 1 Xtra should have different bulletins, as both stations are aimed at specific ethnic communities so should be covering items of specific relevance to the communities they serve.
  • Dr BobbinsDr Bobbins Posts: 324
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    wns_195 wrote: »
    Radio 2, Radio 4 and 5 Live should all share news at the top of the hour, and Radio 3 should take the same bulletin when it does news.

    This is obvious a crazy idea. The news agendas of the named stations differ, not to mention the presentation style.
  • Martin PhillpMartin Phillp Posts: 34,810
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    I wonder if R2 and 6 Music will have a similar arrangement for news provision at weekends in the future?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 12
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    Andy23 wrote: »
    I don't know if this is going to be a regular thing but BBC Radio 1 and BBC1 1Xtra are now sharing news at weekends

    They shared news last weekend as well. Not sure if that was the first. It must also sounds a bit odd on 1Xtra that the 1030, 1130 and 1230 bulletins on a Sunday can't be introduced with the news readers name as Radio1 is pre recorded; and so the news reader is required to name check themselves.

    I can see that there is probably a cost saving here, but if they are going to do this long term for weekends then surely a new package of beds and intros is needed suitable for both stations. Also I think a package was introduced with Newsbeats' reporter X - but that doesn't work on 1Xtra surely.
  • Andy23Andy23 Posts: 15,925
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    m_in_m wrote: »
    They shared news last weekend as well. Not sure if that was the first. It must also sounds a bit odd on 1Xtra that the 1030, 1130 and 1230 bulletins on a Sunday can't be introduced with the news readers name as Radio1 is pre recorded; and so the news reader is required to name check themselves.

    I can see that there is probably a cost saving here, but if they are going to do this long term for weekends then surely a new package of beds and intros is needed suitable for both stations. Also I think a package was introduced with Newsbeats' reporter X - but that doesn't work on 1Xtra surely.

    I noticed that on 1Xtra they still introduced the presenter at 10.30, so it sounded even stranger. By 11.30 they'd realised

    There was also a bit of fun at 12.30 yesterday as Vernon had to play the intro twice as he'd gone to the news too early

    As 1Xtra is 'BBC Radio 1's sister station', maybe they should just brand their news as Newsbeat and use the same jingles?
  • AsaAsa Posts: 402
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    m_in_m wrote: »
    It must also sounds a bit odd on 1Xtra that the 1030, 1130 and 1230 bulletins on a Sunday can't be introduced with the news readers name as Radio1 is pre recorded; and so the news reader is required to name check themselves.

    Ahh, so that's the reason. I thought the pause at the end of a couple of the bulletins on R1 was just Sara (or the producer) being a bit slow on the button!
  • SteveBentleySteveBentley Posts: 2,003
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    Andy23 wrote: »
    As 1Xtra is 'BBC Radio 1's sister station', maybe they should just brand their news as Newsbeat and use the same jingles?

    It's not that difficult to have the newsbeat studio do the bulletin dry, the R1 studio puts the newsbeat bed behind it and the 1xtra studio puts their bed behind it?

    Or move the 1xtra news to be on the hour - that's the original reason why Radio 1 has its news on the half hour, so it could be done using the same studio/newsreader as Radio 2's news on the hour.
  • GarethHarrisonGarethHarrison Posts: 2,114
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    Asa wrote: »
    Ahh, so that's the reason. I thought the pause at the end of a couple of the bulletins on R1 was just Sara (or the producer) being a bit slow on the button!
    No, that's because Sara's Sunday show is a pre-record, so the show is timed to hit the news at exact times.
  • Andy23Andy23 Posts: 15,925
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    Asa wrote: »
    Ahh, so that's the reason. I thought the pause at the end of a couple of the bulletins on R1 was just Sara (or the producer) being a bit slow on the button!

    There were a few car crashes when this first started with the newsreader either running over and under, but they seem to have it seemless now, give or take a second or two

    It'd be fun to see Moyles do a weekend show and have to hit the half hour dead on (although Moyles is very unlikely to cover a weekend show)
  • TomDaOneTomDaOne Posts: 11,541
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    Andy23 wrote: »
    There were a few car crashes when this first started with the newsreader either running over and under, but they seem to have it seemless now, give or take a second or two

    It'd be fun to see Moyles do a weekend show and have to hit the half hour dead on (although Moyles is very unlikely to cover a weekend show)

    He used to do the Saturday 10am to 1pm slot.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 12
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    Andy23 wrote: »
    There were a few car crashes when this first started with the newsreader either running over and under, but they seem to have it seemless now, give or take a second or two

    It'd be fun to see Moyles do a weekend show and have to hit the half hour dead on (although Moyles is very unlikely to cover a weekend show)

    I think Moyles would either always hit the time spot on every time - when he wants to he does perfectly, or he would deliberately always miss it.
  • Mapperley RidgeMapperley Ridge Posts: 9,922
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    Or move the 1xtra news to be on the hour - that's the original reason why Radio 1 has its news on the half hour, so it could be done using the same studio/newsreader as Radio 2's news on the hour.

    That sounds like a better idea than sharing the bulletin - it wouldn't matter if they were a few seconds early or late and would allow specific branding within the bulletin. But as others have suggested, it's a cost saving measure and most listeners won't notice the difference,

    However, I do think it would be a good idea to brand the whole service as Newsbeat. It's a strong name and one associated with the target age group/
  • Mapperley RidgeMapperley Ridge Posts: 9,922
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    I wonder if R2 and 6 Music will have a similar arrangement for news provision at weekends in the future?


    Doubtful - the bulletins on the two stations have different presentation styles and news agendas. And on overnights I believe the R2 newsreader also does 6 Music on the half hour - and writes the bulletins themselves. Lean times off peak - but not a bad gig for those who do it.
  • Mapperley RidgeMapperley Ridge Posts: 9,922
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    wns_195 wrote: »
    There should be more news-sharing on the BBC's national stations. Radio 2, Radio 4 and 5 Live should all share news at the top of the hour, and Radio 3 should take the same bulletin when it does news.

    I can see your logic in saving money but let's be realistic.

    Radio 2 is a concise headline service which aims to be all things to all people - a bit like IRN - so it wouldn't fit with...

    Radio 4, which is an all talk in depth news service, with longer voice pieces and clips. You might argue that whilst the BBC would save money, it would be doing a dis-service to listeners of both stations. And sharing with Five Live wouldn't work...

    ... because Five LIve is just that. On occasions the news is delayed because of breaking coverage or sports events - but you still get the headlines/bulletin shortly after. So you'd still have to prepare and read a tailored bulletin and staff it accordingly.

    Technically you could have a service like ABC News in the States, which used to provide two or three versioned bulletins each hour - one "straight", one "light" and one "headline/lifestyle". But that would only work if you had enough affiliates, so you'd have to include BBC Local Radio (they'd love that) and possibly Scotland, Ulster and Wales.
  • GarethHarrisonGarethHarrison Posts: 2,114
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    Sounded a bit amateurish on Radio 1 just now - Sarah Cox (who now appears to be doing her show live each week now) played the news jingle and apologised for being slightly late for the news, then it came out of the news jingle into the middle of one one of the stories. I'm assuming the bulletin had already started because 1Xtra was taking it as well?
  • Andy23Andy23 Posts: 15,925
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    Yes I heard that as well, at least we know Sara is now live!

    It'll be interesting to see how Edith and Jo cope with this next week
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