Ferret moving backwards

Here comes the choreography of the DQF reverse ferret.  DG Mark Thompson gets to send an all staff email on the items being "re-thought", ahead of formal publication of The Trust's Interim Conclusions, after 2pm.

Thommo says 'The Trust has endorsed the great majority of our proposals...There are a small number of areas where they have asked us to look again at our plans and see if we can make changes.'

So The Trust wants a re-think on afternoon sharing on local radio, 'although it recognises that in some areas this might still be the best option'; a review of local radio newsroom staffing levels; and some protection for off-peak specialist programmes.

Also on the "To Be Resucitated" list: The Trust wants the Executive to reconsider the reduction in the number of regional editions of Inside Out, on BBC 1; and it wants a re-think on plans to de-commission 5Live Investigates.

The DG estimates re-instating these cuts means the BBC will have to find savings of £10m elsewhere. That seems a reasonable total figure - the Local Radio "scope" cuts were estimated at £5.3m by The Trust. But it's not a total reversal - the original DQF cuts faced by local radio, in scope and "efficiency". added up to £15m.  So my guess of cuts "halved" might be about right....