BBC

Current "BBC World News America" EP and former CBS "Evening News" EP Rome Hartman has an an editorial at Multichannel News on the direction of television news.

Hartman writes, "It is almost impossible to over-estimate the degree to which U.S. news organizations have surrendered editorial judgment to market testing, audience research and the relentless pursuit of eyeballs." Hartman believes this has led to a situation in which wall-to-wall coverage of a celebrity funeral or "playing to one end or the other of the opinion spectrum" has become too common.

"There's a price to be paid for this pandering, of course," he claims, pointing to an ominous Pew Research study of public respect for the media.

"People are smart enough to know shamelessness when they see it," notes Hartman. "They know that stories are chosen and highlighted because someone has decided they'll grab the greatest attention or appeal to a particular point of view."

He adds, "I honestly believe that this trend is the road to ruin for news organizations."

Related: Rome Hartman on the "Fox News-ization" of Media at mediabistro's UGCX.

German-born Matt Frei, who reported from Berlin on the day the Wall fell 20 years ago, returns to his native country to anchor BBC World News America from the historic Brandenburg Gate, tomorrow on BBC America at 7pmET.

We haven't heard from the other networks about whether or how they will mark the one year anniversary of the election of Barack Obama, but BBC World News America is planning three reports on the occasion this week.

The series titled "How Much Change?" begins tomorrow with a look at how the administration is being perceived in the Middle East. Tuesday, anchor Matt Frei returns to Culpepper, Virgina to ask residents if the promise of Obama has lived up to the reality. And on Wednesday, Katty Kay looks ahead to the 2010 mid-term elections.

Update: BBC tells us that they've switched the episode order this week. Frei's Virginia report will air tonight (Monday), while the Middle East report will now air Tuesday.

More details after the jump...

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Rome Hartman, current "BBC World News America" EP and former EP of "CBS Evening News," said earlier this year that he'd been branded the "Howard Beale of Twitter" for his criticisms of it.

Well today, he was moderating a panel discussion about social media and its impact on news at UGCX, mediabistro's user-generated content summit in New York.

Hartman was joined by Scott Karp of Publish2, Michael Meyers from Now Public, and Rachel Sterne from Ground Report as the group talked about trends in news gathering, producing, and publishing in an increasingly interactive news environment.

But the democratization of news coverage may not always be a good thing, Right Rome? "Crowds typically like crap," Hartman says, asking his panelists, "How do you moderate that instinct towards junk?"

"It will probably be something in the middle," said Karp.

Calling it the "Fox News-ization of the media landscape," Hartman says "public cynicism" is due to "a widespread feeling that news organizations -- partly because they have such economic challenges -- have decided that...the chase for audience is more important than an objective decision about which story is worthy."

One attendee asked if Fox News' strategy and users have created the recent "groundswell." More after the jump.

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Contributing Analyst Ted Koppel joins Matt Frei on tonight's BBC World News America for a discussion on the state of security in Pakistan. After today's bombing, which killed at least 41 people, and a string of attacks including an assault by militants on army headquarters in Rawalpindi over the weekend, Koppel and Frei will delve into questions about Pakistan's control over its nuclear weapons.

Former ABC newsman Ted Koppel, who has been contributing to BBC World News America since July as an analyst, will present his first opinion piece on the network during tonight's broadcast (7pmET). The topic — torture.

TVNewser has obtained an early transcript of the segment. "Torture should be, clearly and unambiguously, against the law; as it is for those who safeguard our homes and streets domestically," says Koppel.

"Is it possible that a threat to national security and the lives of many Americans may, at a subsequent trial, be determined to have justified the violation of that law? May a presidential pardon be warranted? Perhaps. But moral clarity and America's standing in the world demand that the burden of proof be on those who can find no alternative to torture."

Former VP Dick Cheney was a guest on Face the Nation yesterday, in a much-talked about interview with Bob Schieffer. Click continued to see the torture-related part of the interview...

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The MediaGuardian reports BBC is cutting almost 90 jobs over the next year.

Today's announcement represents the third year of a rolling programme of cuts in BBC News. In the previous two years costs savings have resulted from the merging of TV, radio and online journalists into the multimedia newsroom and the creation of a single programmes department.

"It is important to remember that this is part of a five-year plan announced in 2007 - of which we are in Year 3 - to improve efficiency and strengthen output across BBC News," said a network spokesman. The BBC is expected to see 2,500 job cuts when the process is finished.

Last month BBC America axed the morning simulcast of the BBC World News channel. The three-hour news block, airing from 6am-9amET, was replaced by lifestyle programs.

But now it appears BBC is reversing course. TVNewser was sent the following email announcing the news block is returning, although an hour earlier:

From: ViewerRelations@BBCAmerica.com
To: [REDACTED]
Subject: BBC World News
Date: Tue, 5 May 2009 14:57:52 -0400

Thank you for taking the time to contact us regarding BBC World News. Over the past few weeks, we've noted the response from our dedicated viewers to the removal of the morning news block. We understand that many of you wish to start your day with the BBC's newscast and we appreciate your loyalty. We're happy to report that after careful review, we've reached a solution that will enable us to reinstate a morning feed - though in a slightly different time slot which is more viable from a business perspective. Beginning Monday, May 18th BBC World News will air weekday mornings from 5-8am EST. We hope you enjoy it.

Regards,

Viewer Relations

BBC World News America anchor Matt Frei is a European in D.C. — and from this perspective he weighs in on the Emo-anchor rise in a column today on BBC's Website.

"The traditional stiff upper lip of newscasters has morphed into a quivering lower lip," he writes.

He brings up the usual suspects — Glenn Beck, Jim Cramer, Keith Olbermann — but also a new one: Ed Schultz. Of Schultz' opening segment Monday: "By the end of it I felt so physically exhausted I had not taken in a single coherent sentence of what he had to say. I think he was angry at the people who were angry with the President."

Frei does note the ratings these cable hosts bring in. "I wish I had that many viewers," he writes. "I am just not willing — or able — to froth at the mouth to get them."

Frei's conclusion: Americans ("more aspirational, optimistic and polite" than Europeans) use these hosts to "exorcise our demons" while staying even-keeled themselves. "When my children see another child crying, bawling and whining in public, they immediately stop their antics. They look on in silent awe," writes Frei. "We do the same."

Ted Koppel will contribute to BBC World News America's coverage of the G20 Summit today and tomorrow, joining anchors Matt Frei and Mishal Husain.

Frei anchors in D.C. and Husain in London. Katty Kay contributes to the broadcasts as well. BBC World News America airs at 7pmET on BBC America and BBC World News.

Koppel joined BBC World News in July 2008.

• Earlier: The three evening news anchors broadcast live from London.