BBC1 to broadcast daily 8pm news bulletin - lasting just one minute

The 8pm programme, aimed at younger viewers with a short attention span, is likely to be presented by Natasha Kaplinsky, the glamourous newscaster who appeared in Strictly Come Dancing.

She hosted a pilot of the programme in the Midlands area.

The announcement of the mini-bulletin led to renewed claims that the BBC is dumbing down its news coverage.

To be launched in the autumn, it will run every week night on BBC1 and contain a rapid rundown of the day's events.

The aim is to tackle a decline in young viewers for television bulletins.

Critics have accused the BBC of pandering to the "lowest common denominator" by condensing the news into 60 seconds and ignoring its remit of providing context for important stories.

The corporation has previously come under fire over the news bulletin on BBC3, which also has a 60-second format.

Channel 5 also runs short news summaries during the evening.

After the BBC1 trial in the Midlands some viewers criticised the programme's celebrity-focused element and the apparent trivialising of stories.

One posting on the BBC's website said: "It was embarrassing and insulting to watch Natasha Kaplinsky segue into the latest on Madeleine McCann with, 'Still no good news from Portugal, I'm afraid'.

"It assumed its audience was too stupid or indifferent to care unless presented as though Kaplinsky was chatting to us in a bar."

BBC director of news Helen Boaden said: "If BBC News is not going to slip into a service for the Saga generation, it needs to connect deeply with the young while being confident enough not to feel it is simply led by them."

Tory MP Philip Davies, a member of the Commons culture, media and sport select committee, has been critical of the plans, saying they "treat everyone as if they are thick".

Others have said it is another sign of the BBC's obsession with younger audiences.

Crimewatch presenter Nick Ross quit after 23 years when the BBC said it wanted to make the show more appealing for youngsters.

The corporation also axed Gloria Hunniford's Heaven And Earth religious programme for shows skewed towards a younger audience.

A BBC spokesman said: "This is the first additional news on BBC1 since 1984 - how can adding news to the channel be dumbing down?"