Here is the bad news. Sophie Raworth, Huw Edwards and Kirsty Young make us miserable.

It is not their fault. The bulletins they bring to our television screens are so full of negativity that they can change our mood for the worse.

A study led by Attila Szabo at Nottingham Trent University suggests that watching an average day's events from around the world in a short time triggers depression, confusion, irritation, anger and anxiety.

The answer may lie in a relaxation therapy with a little mood music afterwards to raise the spirits. Perhaps BBC staff could try it, as the research results were announced the day after the corporation's swingeing job cuts led the news.

Dr Szabo and colleagues questioned 170 students to test their emotional state before and after watching 15 minutes from a lunchtime bulletin.

The headlines included Russia's day of mourning after the Moscow theatre siege by Chechen terrorists in which 111 people died, the fire brigades union's call for national strikes, and that taxes were set to rise after a shortfall in public sector spending.

One group of students then underwent a relaxation exercise while another had a 15-minute lecture on research methodology. While both groups had reported negative psychological feelings after watching the news, only the relaxation group exhibited any improvement.

Indeed members were more positive than before watching the news. Dr Szabo, a stress researcher, said: "These feelings arise because so many images in the news are shocking and saddening. A majority of television news stories were negative, depicting issues such as conflict and abuse.

"Unlike newspapers where the reader can choose which story they look at, the television viewer often sits through the whole thing. If somebody is having a hard time in their life, they should probably avoid watching [the] news as those emotions will only be heightened.

"However, in a number of cases, negative emotions could help to shape opinions and prompt action, such as encouraging someone to vote in a particular way."

Dr Szabo, who declined to say which channel was used for his test, doubted whether that mattered. "The majority of the news here and in America and in the western world generally is negative."

And finally, whatever happened to former BBC newsreader Martyn Lewis's good news campaign?