World News Today is a current-affairs news programme, produced by BBC News that was presented on Friday-Sundays with Philippa Thomas, Karin Giannone and Kasia Madera. Presenters alternated the weekend shifts. It was originally conceived as a morning television show aimed at American audiences, hosted by George Alagiah, but later expanded to six editions a day aimed at different markets. There was then one daily edition only, aimed as an evening news programme for the UK, Europe, Middle East and Africa part-simulcast on BBC Four, BBC News Channel and BBC World News. The programme aired until 20 March 2020.
History The programme originally used the same graphics and music as BBC World, though when The World on BBC Four was renamed World News Today, all editions were given a separate set of graphics and music with three being simulcast in the UK (03:00 on BBC One & BBC News, 12:00 on BBC Two, 19:00 on BBC Four). Since April 2008, the programme used the standard title sequence of the BBC's English Regions, with some graphical alterations and with international images included. The first 30minutes of each broadcast are still simulcast on BBC Four.
As part of a channel refresh on BBC World News, five editions of World News Today were replaced on 1 February 2010 with GMT, Impact Asia now Impact, The Hub (later replaced with Global in 2013), Business Edition (later replaced by Outside Source and World News Today but returned replacing an edition of World News Today under the name Business Live), and a standard edition of BBC World News (replaced by Outside Source in 2014).
These five editions were again relaunched as BBC News Now, Verified Live and The World Today with Maryam Moshiri in 2023 and 2024. While the successor to Beyond 100 Days, The Context continued.
2015 changes On 5 June 2015, a new edition was launched on the BBC News Channel and BBC World News at 21:00BST (summer) or GMT (winter) on Friday–Sunday. Half an hour was dropped in November for the return of Business Edition. This replaced the BBC News at Nine and a standard edition of BBC World News on weekends.
2017 changes Since the inauguration of Donald Trump as US president, World News Today has not been broadcast on Monday to Thursdays. Additionally, beginning at the end of April, World News Today was off air for a number of weeks, a change that was originally meant to be permanent but was later reversed, meaning that World News Today continues to be broadcast at 19:00 UK time on Fridays and at 21:00 UK time Friday–Sunday.
However, the 17 July schedules show that World News Today would return to the Monday-Thursday at 18:00GMT (19:00BST) on BBC Four and BBC World News. Katty Kay and Christian Fraser announced on 100 Days+ that the programme would end on the Thursday.
Between 22 December and 1 January, Beyond 100 Days and Outside Source were both replaced with an edition of World News Today at 19:00 on BBC World News and at 21:00 on the BBC News Channel. On 1 December, PBS America announced that the US network has acquired the rights to simulcast World News Today, starting from 1 January.
2019 changes From 15 July 2019, BBC News and World News were integrated into the BBC's custom font (BBC Reith) and World News Today was given a BBC Reith update. It was first seen at 12:00 on BBC World News and BBC News.
Cancellation in 2020 The final episode of World News Today aired on 20 March 2020 at 22:00 GMT.BBC World News. "BBC World News - World News Today". Accessed 18 April 2023. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/n13xtmwm It was eventually replaced by The World Today with Maryam Moshiri which has a similar remit in 2024. Kacungria, Madera and Giannone still cover the slot as relief presenters when Moshiri is unavailable.
Presenters The remaining original edition shown on BBC Four and BBC World News was presented by:
Years Presenter Current role 2018–present Nancy KacungiraMain presenter2008–present Karin Giannone 2013–present Kasia Madera2009–2017, 2018–presentTanya BeckettRelief presenter 2007–presentTim Willcox2014–present Geeta Guru-MurthyBabita SharmaAlice Baxter2015–presentChris RogersBen Bland2016–presentReged AhmadMaryam MoshiriLebo DisekoNuala McGovern2017–presentSamantha SimmondsDuncan GolestaniLukwesa BurakLucy Grey Celia Hatton 2018–presentLewis Vaughan JonesKrupa PadhyMartin StanfordAaron Safir 2019–present Simon PuseyJames Reynolds
When Badawi presented, the title sequence stated World News Today with Zeinab Badawi. However, when she did not, as she was often on assignment, the titles only showed World News Today, regardless of who the relief presenter actually was. This only happened if she was not reporting from a location on a topic covered in the programme.
Thomas, Giannone and Madera still presented from different parts of the world. Giannone presented from South Africa in December 2013 following the death of Nelson Mandela and during live coverage from the trial of Oscar Pistorius in Pretoria. Madera presented from Poland during the 2015 Polish parliamentary election. Thomas, Sharma, presented from Washington in October / November 2016 for the 2016 US presidential election.
Guest presenters
The list below refers to people who have occasionally presented on an ad hoc basis: 2006–2010 David Eades 2006-2010 Nik Gowing 2006–2010 Lucy Hockings 2006-2010 Lyse Doucet 2015–2017 Sharanjit Leyl 2015–2017 Rajini Vaidyanathan 2016–2017 Jane O'Brien 2016 Clive Myrie 200?–2015 Martine Croxall
Former presenters Years Presenter Role 200?–2012 Kirsty Lang Deputy presenter 2013–2014 Rajesh Mirchandani Relief presenter 2007–2014 Zeinab Badawi Main presenter 2006–2010 George Alagiah Main presenter 12:00GMT 2006-2010 Jonathan Charles Main presenter 12:00GMT 2006–2010 Mishal Husain Main presenter 13:00GMT 2008–2015 Peter Dobbie Relief / main presenter 2015 Dani Sinha Relief / weekend presenter 2014–2015 Adnan Nawaz Relief 2014–2015 Daniela Ritorto2014–2015Christian Fraser2016–2017Tom Donkin 2007–2021 Phillipa Thomas Main presenter 2014-19 / deputy presenter 2013-14 & 2019-21 / relief presenter 2007–2012
References
External links (BBC World News) World News Today with Zeinab Badawi (BBC World News, 2013-October 2014) World News Today (BBC Four)