What makes an important news story?

Last Saturday one story dominated the BBC's news channel. It was about the suitability of two foster-parents to bring up children who are "not indigenous white British." The couple had been deemed unsuitable by Rotherham Council workers, who felt membership of UKIP - which some believe is a racist party - meant they were not the ideal couple to bring up the children.

All day long, and at the start of almost every TV news bulletin that day, BBC News reported that there was 'mounting criticism' of Rotherham Council.

UKIP leader Nigel Farage was asked if politics should be a consideration when children are fostered. He replied "Absolutely not - and certainly not in the case of UKIP. We are a non-racist, non-sectarian political party." He went on to adduce the fact that UKIP's candidate in Croydon North by-election was actually born in Jamaica.

Mr Farage believed it was an example of "the most appalling prejudice."

On Monday it emerged that UKIP's spokesperson for culture, media and sport - who also happens to be the Croydon North candidate - believes that gay people should not be allowed to adopt - he said it amounted to child abuse.

So how much publicity did the BBC news channel give to this story. The answer is almost none at all, although it did eventually make the BBC News website.

Newsround did not report on either the foster case or on the homophobic remarks.

Newsround at 5pm yesterday began with a report about women's equality and the Church of England -

Ricky: First - should women be allowed to become bishops? That's what the Church of England is set to decide within the next hour.

Nel: At the moment women are only allowed to be priests, and there's been a big debate about whether they should be able to take the next step up. Well, I've been looking at both sides of the argument.

(Nel's video report)

Nel: Throughout history women have had to fight to be seen as equal to men. Because of that we can now vote - join the army - we can even be prime minister. One thing women still can't do in England is be a bishop. Well, that all could change today as the leaders of the Church of England vote on the issue. It's 20 years since women were allowed to become priests, and some say there's no reason they shouldn't be allowed to take up the next step.

Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin: We've got a lot of young women growing up in the Church. The message we're giving to them is: we only want you to prepare the altar, put the flowers on, make the tea, clean the church - but that's all you're good for. That is an unacceptable message.

Nel: But many in the Church disagree over the issue.

Nel: Why can't a woman be a bishop or a priest?

Father Paul Plumpton: I believe that a woman can no more be a priest than I can be a mother. It really is as basic to nature and the way God has ordered things as that.

Nel: But they are allowed to become priests at the moment. So what's the problem with that?

Father Paul Plumpton: Not only do we not believe that women can be ordained as priests - or at least we have grave doubts about it - we must have equally grave doubts that they can be bishops.

Nel: Here's how it works. The Church of England has The Queen as its head. It's split into different areas, known as dioceses. Each area is run by a bishop, who's in charge of the priests. The Church of England is part of a wider community - the Anglican Church - which has tens of millions of followers worldwide.

Nel: It may seem surprising that when it comes to being a bishop, men and women are still not seen as equals. But the Church of England is considered to be way ahead of other religions when it comes to giving women more power. If the vote goes through today, it could mean that we see female bishops by 2014.

Newsround bulletin last night at 6.55pm carried the Synod decision -

Ricky: First up - in the last hour, leaders of the Church of England have voted against allowing women to become bishops. The decision has come after a day of debating about the issue. Campaigners needed to win two-thirds of votes, but failed to do that. It's 20 years since women were allowed to become priests, and could be years before they can vote to become bishops again.

The aftermath of yesterday's decision was reported on most of today's' Newsround TV bulletins, where the disappointment of many was made clear. Two of the morning bulletins included a clip of Revd Rachel Weir, who said they'd been campaigning for 15 years. She said there was something badly wrong in the Church of England, because it can't deliver after all this time.

This afternoon Newsround reported that most of the bishops and priests wanted the changes to happen. Newsround reported David Cameron as saying he's sad the Church of England voted not to allow women to become bishops. The 5pm bulletin also included the following clip of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, telling the Synod that the Church risked looking out of touch with modern life -

Rowan Williams: It seems as if we are willfully blind to some of the trends and priorities of that wider society. We have some explaining to do. We have, as a result of yesterday, undoubtedly lost a measure of credibility in our society.

It's Anti Bullying Week, and the first Newsround bulletin yesterday morning began with findings of a survey that kids often pretend to be no good at some subjects or activities to avoid the bullies. The topic was covered in more detail at 5pm

The second story yesterday morning was about religion -

Ricky: A big meeting starts today to decide whether to allow women to become bishops in the Church of England. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, and this man who'll replace him in January, the Right Reverend Justin Welby both believe women should be allowed to become bishops. But it's thought the vote tomorrow will be very close indeed.

The same issue was the lead in all three Newsround bulletins this morning. The first bulletin also included a vicar talking about the issue. (7.40am CBBC) -

Ore: People in charge of the Church of England will vote today to decide whether to allow women to become bishops. There'll be a big debate today followed by the vote, but many in the church disagree over the issue. It's 20 years since women were allowed to become priests, and some say there's no reason they shouldn't be able to take the next step up.

Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin: We've got a lot of women, young women, growing up in the church. The message we're giving to them is: we only want you to clean the sanctuary, prepare the altar, put the flowers on, make the tea, clean the church - but that's all you're good for. That is an unacceptable message.

Newsround also mentioned the issue of women bishops when Rowan Williams was enthroned back in 2003. More recently there was this report from July 2012, and again a brief mention when Justin Welby was appointed.

As mentioned in my previous blog, the lead story on Thursday's Newsround at 5pm was about the Archbishop of Canterbury. Leah said that the Archbishop of Canterbury is one of the most important figures in Britain, and head of the Anglican Church, "which is one of the world's fastest growing religions." Viewers were told that the Archbishop's job is really high-profile, and that "what the Archbishop says and thinks about issues, matters."

Report from Thursday's TV bulletin (BBC One - 5pm) about the new Archbishop of Canterbury

The only Newsround TV bulletin to mention the new appointment was on Friday at 3.15pm in the afternoon (2nd story) -

Joe: Now we told you about this yesterday. The Prime Minister joked it was one of the worst-kept secrets of the year. But this morning it was made official. This man, the Right Reverend Justin Welby, will be the new Archbishop of Canterbury. He'll become the most senior person in the Church of England in a special ceremony in March next year, taking over from Dr Rowan Williams. And today he said it would be a challenge to follow in his predecessor's footsteps.

Justin Welby (video clip): To be nominated to this post is both astonishing and exciting. It's something I never expected, And the last few weeks have been a rather strange experience, to put it mildly.


Newsround web guide to the Archbishop of Canterbury

Lead story today on Newsround 3.15pm TV bulletin-

Leah: First. He's only been a bishop for about a year, but it looks like Justin Welby will take the top job in the Church of England. It's thought that tomorrow morning he'll be announced as the next Archbishop of Canterbury, taking over when the current Archbishop, Rowan Williams, retires next month. Justin Welby has had a very fast rise to the top - he was only promoted to Bishop of Durham, in the north east of England, last year. Now one of the things he believes in is allowing women to become bishops, even though other people in the Church don't agree.

Newsround TV 4.25pm bulletin (2nd story)

Leah: He's only been a bishop for about a year, but it looks almost certain that this man, Justin Welby, will be in the top job in the Church of England. It's thought that tomorrow morning he'll be announced as the next Archbishop of Canterbury, taking over when the current Archbishop, Rowan Williams, retires next month. Justin Welby has had a very fast rise to the top - he was only promoted to Bishop of Durham, in the north east of England, last year. It's a really important job, not just in this country, but worldwide too.

Ben Edson, Vicar of St James' Manchester (Video clip): Although he's based here, his role is across Europe, across Africa, across the entire world. And so when there's problems in those countries he'll often speak about those problems - and speak for the voice of the Church within that place. So he represents me as an Anglican in Manchester, but he also represents Anglicans in Nairobi, in Bulawayo - across the entire world. So he's an important figure globally as well as within this country.

The Archbishop story was also the lead at 5pm on BBC One

US voters reject bigotry

Julie Etchingham, a former Newsround presenter, spoke to some young voters in New York as part of ITV's US presidential election results coverage -


Young voters in New York talk to Julie Etchingham
These voters are clearly passionate about human rights, a subject seldom mentioned on Newsround.

Last night was a historic night, not just because of the presidential election result, but also because we saw there's been a sea-change in the public attitude towards marriage equality. The issue was voted on in four States - Maine, Maryland, Minnesota and Washington.

At last, marriage equality seems to have majority support in the United States - something inconceivable only a couple of years ago.

For the record, here are the items reported by Newsround on 22nd and 23rd October 2012 at 5pm -

Monday 22 October 2012

1) Obama and Romney will go head-to-head for third time on TV tonight

2) Lance Armstrong stripped of all seven of his Tour de France titles

3) Violence in Syria may be spreading to Lebanon

4) Survey (source not given) finds kids want to spend more time with their parents

5) 10-year-old from Wales helped build mini version of solar-powered car

6) Obsolete CEEFAX service closing down



Tuesday 23 October 2012

1) Plans to start killing badgers have been delayed at the last minute

2) Oldest surviving Battle of Britain pilot, William Walker, has died

3) Scouts want to ban all nicknames because they can lead to bullying

4) Species of small wasp might help farmers protect crops from bugs

5) Auction of designer Pudsey Bears to raise money for BBC Children in Need

Newsround at 7.40am this morning included an interesting item about the Mormon religion -

Hayley: There are just four days until Americans vote on who they want to be their next President - Barack Obama or his opponent, Mitt Romney. Now for months they've been crossing the country meeting voters and answering questions about how they think the country should be run. And one of the things that lots of people have been talking about is Mitt Romney's religion. So we sent Leah to find out more.

Leah's video report

According to this Reuters report on YouTube, Romney's ancestors emigrated to America from England.