BBC to pilot evening news summary

BBC One will pilot a short news summary at 8pm each evening, the corporation has announced.

During the pilot, which will run for four weeks in the Birmingham area starting from Wednesday May 09 2007, three different versions will be tested. These are a 60-second summary with national news; a longer 90-second version with national and regional news and weather and a 60-second version with both national and regional news.

Six O’clock News presenter Natasha Kaplinsky will present the national element of the summary with Midlands Today’s Suzanne Virdee presenting the regional element.

The BBC says the aim of the summary is for it to be an extension to the news portfolio adding value to and widening the BBC’s services and the number of people reached by them.

The service will be evaluated at the end of the trial period.