Sky News (DStv 402) is changing its daytime line-up, adding correspondents, giving Kay Burley the The Kay Burley Show during the afternoons and adding former ITV News anchor Mark Austin as the news channel says its going for anchors "giving their own 'take' on the day's stories" to give Sky News more personality.
The Kay Burley Show with Kay Burley will now run four days a week from Mondays to Thursdays between 15:00 and 18:00 South African time.
Sky News says in a statement that "as well as covering the breaking news, Kay’s show will deliver her own perspective on the day’s stories, with interviews, quirky off beat stories and spiky opinion and debate, challenging the status quo and reflecting the views of the United Kingdom audience."
The News Hour with Mark Austin, shown Mondays to Fridays at 18:00 (South African time) will provide "a round-up of the day’s news for the teatime audience, with a recap of events plus analysis from Sky News’ expert correspondents and interviews with the key players at the centre of the day’s stories," says Sky News.
Also joining the team are a number of new correspondents who will bolster Sky News' specialist reporting.
Jason Farrell moves from Westminster to become Sky News' first home editor, covering stories affecting the United Kingdom audience. Beth Rigby becomes deputy political editor, while Nick Martin takes on a new role, reporting on politics but from outside the Westminster bubble.
Rowland Manthorpe is Sky News' new technology correspondent, Kate McCann joins the political team from The Telegraph and Martha Kelner is leaving The Guardian to become Sky News sport correspondent.
The Times former defence correspondent Deborah Haynes is joining Sky News as foreign affairs editor.
"With a fast growing digital audience on the Sky News mobile app, our viewers know what’s making the headlines. But what they want is more appointment-to-view shows," says Cristina Nicolotti Squires, Sky News director of content, in a statement on Monday announcing the Sky News programming changes.
"Kay and Mark are experienced news presenters, each with their own ‘take’ on the day’s stories. Embedding them more firmly in our schedule gives us a chance to give Sky News more personality and more editorial heft at a time when being a trusted news brand has never been more important."
Jonathan Levy, Sky News' director of newsgathering, says "the appointment of these great reporters not only boosts our specialist journalism, but is also a strong signal of how Sky News is in better shape than ever. Our future looks bright and it’s great we’re attracting top talent from across the industry".
