Silverbacks cowed

It's a grand and honourable tradition of R4 Today programme interviews - the just-before-we-close curveball on a new topic in the news.

Sadly, when Mishal Husain this morning questioned North America Editor Jon Sopel in Davos about Trumpery, she didn't finish with "..and just how big a pay cut are you taking ?".  She couldn't either, under current BBC Rules, throw to co-host Sarah Montague. An astute duty editor might have brought an independent presenter on, down the line from some remote radio car - Miriam O'Reilly, say, or Tess Daly - to raise the issue.

The four silverbacks in retreat (many, including Huw Edwards, presume Sopel's strong hair colour is the result of 'product') are said to be Sopel, Edwards, Jeremy Vine and John Humphrys. The Mail believes management are also offering volunteering options to Andrew Marr and Eddie Mair.

Fran Unsworth's new/old News management team got much of their leverage in this issue thanks to John Humphrys crass warm-up of Jon Sopel, in what he thought was a private moment before an open mike, since made public.  Lord Hall needs a big improvement in the reportable position before next Wednesday's DCMS Select Committee appearance, especially knowing BBC Women had told him ten days ago that his PwC report was rubbish.

So Fran's team who have worked alongside these stars over the years have been sent out to call in favours. But what is needed to win Wednesday is not mates doing deals, but a bold statement that, in News, there is a rate for the job - not driven by clearly in-operative market comparators, but set according to hours, commitment, ability, the scale of the job and the thinking required.

More on "Lessons from History" will follow....