BBC director general involved in effort to stop Robert Peston quitting for ITV

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/oct/02/bbc-director-general-robert-peston-itv-newsnight

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As the BBC’s economics editor, Robert Peston is used to talking about supply and demand.

But now he is the one in demand, with even BBC director general Tony Hall becoming involved as the corporation tries to persuade him not to move to ITV News to become its rival’s political editor.

Having been offered the job by the BBC’s commercial rival, Peston is understood to be weighing up a counter offer by the BBC.

Related: Robert Peston lined up for political editor role by ITV

It is thought to include presenting one episode a week of BBC2 current affairs show Newsnight, in addition to continuing as economics editor.

According to one insider, Hall has been in communication with director of news James Harding about Peston.

It is no surprise given that Hall was once the BBC’s head of news and that Peston is one of the BBC’s most colourful characters, as well as one its most well-known and respected journalists.

Peston’s scoops include the collapse of Northern Rock.

However, as Peston makes his decision, one source said he may want more assurance than one episode of Newsnight given the question mark over the programme’s longevity raised by the potential extension to BBC1’s 10pm bulletin to 10.45pm or 11pm.

The movement of any of the BBC or ITV’s key faces is like 3D chess, with the movement of one having a knock-on effect.

The opening at ITV came after its political editor Tom Bradby was announced as the lead presenter of News at Ten, which is due to be relaunched mid-October.

There has been speculation that Bradby’s move itself followed discussions about him becoming the BBC’s political editor, which was vacated after it was announced that Nick Robinson was moving to replace Jim Naughtie on the Today programme.

Robinson was subsequently replaced by Newsnight presenter and chief correspondent Laura Kuenssberg but BBC insiders said it is no secret that Peston would like to move into covering more politics or presenting more documentaries.

Another option might be to stand in for Andrew Marr as the main cover for his Sunday morning BBC1 show.

It has also been suggested that one next step could be to replace David Dimbleby on Question Time when he decides to step down, although Robinson is thought to have been executives’ favourite for the role for some time.

The BBC declined to comment.

ITV News spokesperson said: “We’re in the middle of a recruitment process for the ITV News political editor role so we won’t be commenting on speculation.”