Numerology

Some figures:  BBC News has briefed that the changes announced yesterday will save £7.5m. Last year's spend on News and Current Affairs was £342m; no forecast for News is published in the Annual Plan for 2023/24, but this looks like a 2.2% cut. 

BBC News online last year reached 1 in 3 of the adult population each week. Overall, BBC News services are used by 8 in 10 of UK adults each week. 

The BBC Annual Report says that average News page views per day in 2022 were 5.7m; within that figure, views to 'live pages' had doubled within a year. But remember, they don't disclose average page views per user. In the past month, this blog has averaged 10 views per user. 'Live pages' during the day clearly attract news junkies who come again and again, and BBC News, whose share of the online market is strong but static, have clearly banked the house on this. 

At 11.45 the live Gaza page was being used by 13,000. The live Cop 28 page had 3,500.  The Covid inquiry live page had 21,000.  ITV News has no 'live pages', but it does have a 'rail' on current news stories on ITVX, and a promise of more 'showcase' live windows on the portal. The BBC iPlayer has no 'rail' for News, but a 'rail' of documentaries.  Sky News has two live pages: one, from its Politics Hub, on the Covid inquiry and one on the weather. 

As Newsnight loses its investigative operations, remember Director of Nations Rhodri Talfan Davies is using money taken from local radio to fund 11 investigative reporting teams across England, to be staffed by 71 new journalists.