Listen carefully to the next BBC radio news bulletin, for history has been made. Brainstorming by the corporation’s finest minds and detailed audience research has finally solved the question of where the word “news” should be introduced.

The change will affect news bulletins across all its radio channels. Stephen Mitchell, the head of BBC Radio News, explained: “Until last week a bulletin on Radio 4 would be introduced with the words, ‘BBC Radio 4, the news at two o’clock’. It would conclude with the words, ‘BBC Radio 4 News’.

“Now, however, we have changed the script slightly and you will hear ‘BBC News on Radio 4. It’s two o’clock’ at the start of the bulletin and ‘BBC News on Radio 4’ at the end.”

As more than 2,000 BBC staff await the news that they are to lose their jobs, they can celebrate a small piece of broadcasting history which will surely rank alongside the work of Marconi and Edison.

Mr Mitchell has assured listeners that the alteration “had not been made lightly”. He writes on the BBC’s editors’ blog: “We did audience research into the new script and people told us they were quite happy with this sort of wording. They felt it added authority and credibility.”

However, the listeners appear instead to have poured scorn on the rebranding. “The fact that anyone at the Beeb spent time contemplating this change makes me very angry,” wrote Kendrick Curtis in reply to Mr Mitchell’s blog. “What a waste of my licence fee.”

Seamus McNeill wondered: “How many high-level meetings were held to make this momentous change which has absolutely no relevance to the listener?” Simon Shaw added: “Why does this remind me of the scene in HitchHiker’s Guide to the Galaxy when the Galgafrinchans are reinventing the wheel on prehistoric Earth and their top priority is what colour should it be?”

The controversy could not have come at a more embarrassing time, as Mark Thompson, the Director-General, presents his cost-cutting plans to the BBC Trust today. Star presenters and 150 executives will be told of the result tonight, with a public announcement tomorrow.

Radio and television news is expected to bear the brunt of the cuts along with factual and children’s programmes, documentaries and websites. There was speculation that the bulletin rebranding was an attempt to “clarify” the work that the news department is doing in order to avoid cutbacks. A BBC spokeswoman said last night: “There’s been a massive proliferation of news providers over recent years. The BBC owes it to audiences to make it clear when and where its world-class journalism can found.”

Five hundred jobs are expected to be lost in news, 80 in sport and several hundred in the BBC’s factual division. There will also be cuts in Scotland, Wales and online. Up to 1,000 jobs are to be created in other areas, but the BBC could still be facing industrial action by staff before Christmas.

It is also likely that Television Centre in Shepherds Bush will be sold. Mr Thompson has to plug a £2 billion funding shortfall because the increase in licence fees was lower than expected.

The right image

— BBC One spent £1.2million rebranding the channel last year

— Eight 30-second films, costing £150,000 each, featured surfers, stunt motorcycle riders and hippos

— Seven other films, known as idents, were produced, taking the campaign budget to £2.25 million

— The previous “dancers” series, which appeared on more than 43,000 occasions since 2002, cost £700,000 for six films

— BBC Two spent £700,000 this year revamping its onscreen image for the first time in six years

— In 2005 the BBC spent £76.1 million on on-screen promotions, marketing, consumer research and publicity

— The spinning globe first appeared as the BBC’s on-air symbol in 1964. It underwent nine incarnations before being reborn in 1997 as a red and yellow hot-air balloon

Source: Times archive

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