THE BBC NEWSPAPER a Before and After – the BBC Belfast Couple Who Lost 13 Stone Page 7 Ph Otogra Ph: C Ph: H Ca Ris P TOUGH Talk on Pay Stick

Home , BBC Hausa, Cat Deeley, Helen Boaden, Julia Somerville, Kim Shillinglaw, Sonia Deol

19·01·10 Week 3 explore.gateway.bbc.co.uk/ariel THE BBC NEWSPAPER a Before and after – the BBC Belfast couple who lost 13 stone Page 7 ph otogra ph: c ph: h ca ris p TOUGH tALK on pay stick

STEPHEN SACKUR locks ◆horns with Mark Thompson at the News Festival, where the HARDtalk presenter asked the dg about executive pay. It was a highly charged session, but there were plenty of other lively moments during two days of discussion and debate Pages 4-5

> NEWS 2-4 WEEK AT WORK 8-9 MAIL 11 JOBS 14 FOREIGN BUREAU 15 GREEN ROOM 16 < 162 News aa 00·00·08 19·01·10 Younge sets early test NEWS BITES a BBC Wales has confirmed that construction of a new drama production centre will start within over bureaucracy months, if planning permission is Room 2316, White City granted. It will be at Roath Basin in Cardiff Bay, forming a base that 201 Wood Lane, London W12 7TS by Sally Hillier United States to become president and general will bring together Doctor Who, 020 8008 4228 manager of the Travel Channel, Younge says it Casualty and the BBC’s longest Editor u He has been back for only two weeks, is ‘not as far on the multiplatform journey’ as running tv soap Pobol y Cwm. Candida Watson 02-84222 but already Pat Younge is on a mission to tack- he had expected. Deputy editor le BBC bureaucracy. ‘I believe that multiplatform is not just op- The BBC has had 56 complaints, but Cathy Loughran 02-27360 The new chief creative officer of Vision Pro- tional but absolutely essential. We’re not as far also letters of appreciation, about Chief writer ductions has asked managers working for him advanced as we should be. A lot of what we call 1984: A Sikh Story, shown on January to examine internal processes and procedures new media isn’t very new any more. You will hear 10 on BBC One. It recounted, through Sally Hillier 02-26877 ‘that are making life difficult and either get me talk about this a lot in the next few years.’ the eyes of presenter Sonia Deol, Features editor them modified or removed’. Along with a greater focus on multiplat- the year the Indian army stormed Clare Bolt 02-27445 It will be ‘one of the first tests’ for his senior form, Younge wants Vision Production gen- the Golden Temple. ‘We took great Broadcast Journalist colleagues, he explained in a video webchat on res to be ‘best in class’. This is the top priority care to ensure [it] was accurate and Claire Barrett 02-27368 Friday, broadcast via the Vision intranet, and he has set the genre heads (comedy, entertain- balanced by including a range of Art editor he has asked them to take it on because he is ment, factual and drama), generating a positive contributors offering differing points Ken Sinyard 02-84229 concerned that paperwork could be hampering reaction in department meetings. of view,’ says the corporation. Business co-ordinator staff as they try to do their jobs and might be a Silvana Romana 02-84228 turn-off for potential employees. How modern society deals with death Ariel mail Recalling his own experiences of having his will be the subject of the Dimbleby [email protected] passport photographed no fewer than three Lecture, to be given by Terry Pratchett times during the appointment process for on February 1 on BBC One. The first explore.gateway.bbc.uk/ariel Ariel online his new job, Younge said: ‘Imagine [what is novelist to give the lecture, Pratchett BBC Jobs 0370 333 1330 involved in] a drama production trying to hire is also known for his campaigning a make-up artist for the day.’ work for Alzheimer’s disease sufferers, There was a time when the BBC could claim after being diagnosed himself in 2007. Guest contributors this week to be the ‘employer of choice’, he explained, but other options were now available and: ‘If we Almost two months after he Alex South, sport reporter at don’t make working for us a good experience, was last seen in public, Nigeria’s Radio Guernsey, joins the squad at good people will choose to work elsewhere.’ ailing president Umaru Yar’Adua Television Centre. Page 14 He believed that support services such as HR, has given an exclusive interview to finance and IT should have to clear ‘the same the BBC Hausa Service. He spoke James Copnall, correspondent in quality bar’ as BBC output. to senior producer Mansur Liman Sudan, explains why it’s not easy to As for his other impressions of the BBC, by phone from Saudi Arabia, cover stories in one of the world’s where he was previously head of planning and where he went in November for trouble spots. Page 15 programmes for Sport before moving to the treatment for a heart condition.

Radio Leicester is investigating the effects of anti-social behaviour Jobs textphone 028 9032 8478 Trust hits back at policy report on communities with a week-long BBC Jobs John Clarke 02-27143 series of programming, which will Room 2120, White City, London W12 7TS culminate in a live debate on the by Claire Barrett would be accountable on day-to-day issues. breakfast show on Friday (Jan 22) Advertise in Ariel The creation of a Public Service Content Trust, featuring Alan Campbell, minister Ten Alps Media 020 7878 2313 u Last week’s Policy Exchange report called meanwhile, would be the external monitor of all for anti-social behaviour, and shadow www.bbcarielads.com for the BBC to stop chasing younger audi- public service spending and service delivery. home secretary Chris Grayling. Printing ences with high spending on popular sports The BBC Trust hit back, saying it had ‘been Garnett Dickinson Group rights, US dramas and big name entertain- focused on protecting the public value and in- TV licensing is launching a new Rotherham 01709 768000 ment presenters. dependence of the BBC against political or com- campaign this weekend. ‘Push Whether the think tank, which has the ear mercial influence. Anyone proposing change to a Little Button’ is designed to Subscribe to Ariel of the Tory party, is of the same mind as BBC the current governance arrangements must encourage people to think about Six months: £26, £36, £40 management should become clearer next demonstrate that they won’t put either that using www.tvlicensing.co.uk for any Twelve months: £50, £60, £68 month, when Mark Thompson hopes to pub- value or that independence at risk’. licence issues. You can buy a licence, (prices for UK, Europe, rest of world lish his strategic review. And it is this docu- The future of the licence fee is among the is- ask a question, change address, bank respectively) ment, which will detail the first proposals for sues a Tory commission, chaired by former dg or direct debit details, or make a Cheques to: Garnett Dickinson Print, programmes and services the dg may scrap, Greg Dyke, is considering. Its findings are also payment online on the updated site. Brookfields Way, Manvers, that may make the more telling contribution due early this year. Wath Upon Dearne, Rotherham S63 5DL to the public face of a future BBC. Whatever its form, the licence fee should be The BBC Trust has launched an eight Tel 01709 768199 Reflecting shadow culture minister Jer- shared, said the Policy Exchange report, with week public consultation on the emy Hunt’s views, the Policy Exchange re- the BBC obliged to ‘bottom slice’ 5 percent of performance of the BBC’s on-demand INFORMATION IN AN EMERGENCY port called for a change in BBC governance. the next settlement (around £175m) for con- offerings, including the iPlayer, Telephone 0800 0688 159 It deemed the BBC Trust ‘ineffectual’ in its tent on other channels. ‘‘The BBC might decide simulcast tv and podcast downloads. Ceefax Page 159 www.bbc.co.uk/159 regulatory role and unable to hold the BBC that investing £20 to £30m in Channel 4 pro- Ariel is produced by Internal to ‘sufficient account’. It should be replaced grammes or E4 might be a better way to reach Communications for people at the BBC with a BBC Joint Board, argued Mark Oliv- the 16-35s with programming of public value run A mile for sport relief er, the report author, to which management than spending £100m on BBC Three,’ it said. Once again BBC staff are invited to enter the spirit of Sport Relief and sign up to run a mile for Happy 30th birthday to Newsnight the charity. Everyone will get an email encouraging them to join A special programme to mark ney. Three of the films, each l The kind of society we the Sport Relief miles, which take 30 years of Newsnight will be of which will be followed by have become, and the impact place across the UK on March broadcast on BBC Two on Sat- a discussion with guests from of the recessions of the 1980s, 21 and will be featured on BBC PLEASE RECYCLE YOUR COPY OF ARIEL urday evening, presented live the worlds of politics and cul- the 1990s and now, the con- One’s The Mile Show. Peter Salmon, from Television Centre by Jer- ture, will explore: sumer boom, the internet director of BBC North, visited emy Paxman. l How politics and political revolution and the growth of Zambia, where he saw some of There will be four short reporting have changed over celebrity culture. the projects funded by money films, presented by key News- the last 30 years The fourth film will look raised by Sport Relief last year. night people from the past and l Britain’s place in the world behind the scenes of Newsnight You can see his blog at www. present, including Kirsty Wark, – from the Falklands to itself, reflecting the changes in bbc.co.uk/blogs/aboutthebbc/ Peter Snow and Martha Kear- Afghanistan tv production over the years.

> ARIEL ONLINE: BBC NEWS AS IT HAPPENS – EXPLORE.GATEWAY.BBC.CO.UK/ARIEL< a 19·01·10 News 3 Energy and commitment in the Year of Science by Claire Barrett the returning Jimmy’s Food Factory, would not have made it onto the The BBC’s Year of Science main channel even a year ago, starts this week, celebrating the believes Shillinglaw, who credits breadth of BBC content and cap- a growing generation of new pre- italising on the subject’s rising senters, including Alice Roberts currency. and Brian Cox, with helping to New landmark series on BBC popularise the subject. Two and Radio 4 will be com- This is not to dismiss past en- plemented by family-oriented deavours, and plans are afoot to shows on BBC One exploring the open the BBC science archive ‘bit Matthew Price with an earthquake survivor science of the everyday. Off-air by bit’ to the public. ‘There are activity will encourage the pub- some great moments – I remem- lic to get hands on with science, ber Tomorrow’s World’s journalistic while partnerships will promote doubt that cds would catch on – both engaging content and new as well as coverage of big events The difficulties of reporting scientific research. such as shuttle launches in the 2010 marks the 350th anniver- early days of space exploration.’ sary of the Royal Society, but this The year of science will put from Haiti after the earthquake is a ‘neat coincidence’ rather more emphasis on partnerships – than motivation for the theme, like the buddy scheme which has Kim Shillinglaw, commissioner paired around 50 programme The collapse of civil systems in News. The only supplies they took egory 1 hostile environment, which for science and natural history, makers with working scientists Haiti, in the aftermath of last Tuesday’s were those they could grab on their means Williams has to sign off on tells Ariel. ‘We do an extraordi- and science organisations. ‘CBBC earthquake, has made covering the way through Miami. every staff member travelling there, nary job of producing and pro- producer Phil Hall, for instance, story much harder for the BBC people As well as reporting on the devasta- and keeping in touch with people on viding science content which is teamed with Anthony Cleaver, on the ground. They already have to tion and the horrors facing survivors the ground is problematic. Williams doesn’t always get noticed or chair of the engineering board contend with the emotional stress of they needed somewhere safe to stay, has only had one direct conversation appreciated. This is a chance to – a slightly unlikely pairing but what they are seeing and hearing – and to find food and safe drinking with Matthew Price, by getting a call say, look at what we do.’ it’s proving fruitful.’ the traumatised people, the stench of water. patched through from an i-phone in The BBC Two trailblazers are Shillinglaw is aware that peo- death, the armed gangs, all in a state They found an hotel which was still the Washington bureau to Price’s US Iain Stewart’s How Earth Made Us, ple are talking more, worrying which was barely functioning before standing, which has now become the cellphone – but most mobiles don’t starting this week and looking more – the BBC Trust is to inves- the disaster. BBC base in Port au Prince. A satellite work. at how geology, geography and tigate the accuracy and imparti- Jon Williams, newsgathering world dish was flown to the Dominican Re- Production teams are liaising with climate have influenced man- ality of BBC science coverage – editor, describes it as ‘the most logisti- public and driven in to Haiti over a dif- staff via satellite communications, kind, and Jim al-Khalili’s History and engaging more on science. cally difficult situation I have dealt with ficult, unsafe road. when they come through traffic to file. of Chemistry. ‘I was gobsmacked ‘The BBC has a critical part to in my four years in this job. There are The BBC has hired armed security And the demand for the story is enor- by how entertaining a story this play in creating a science liter- no phones working, no infrastructure, to watch over both staff and equip- mous, testing the resilience and inge- is,’ admits Shillinglaw. ate Britain. We are committed to no communications, no clean water’. ment in Haiti, such is the danger. It is nuity of everyone involved. Michael Mosley’s History of playing that role energetically.’ Matthew Price was the first British also flying in water, ration packs and Science, told in six parts for BBC journalist to get to Port au Prince, ar- anti-malarial drugs on the charter The emotional pressures of covering Two, will follow. ‘It’s basical- riving with producer Ian Sherwood and planes bringing in new staff, as the situations like Haiti can take a heavy toll, ly the story of knowledge – no Iain Stewart, shoot-edit Chuck Tayman just in time early teams are replaced. Ariel looks at how the BBC helps staff other intellectual discipline presenter of for a live on Wednesday’s Ten O’Clock The BBC has designated Haiti a cat- cope with post-traumatic stress, p10. has done as much as science to How Earth Made make us what we are today.’ Us, on Zinkikra Primetime and popular, Bang mountain in Goes the Theory will be back on Libya U2 and BNP, mistakes were made BBC One in March, with its entertaining live experiments and The BBC’s controversial coverage of from RadioCentre, the trade body for Additionally, the ECU has ruled demonstrations. Shillinglaw was U2 when it launched a new album commercial radio companies, about that the BBC’s handling of a Cold- apprehensive about the reaction last year breached editorial guide- undue prominence for a commercial play tour, which featured the ‘Radio to Bang from the scientific com- lines, an internal investigation has product, the ECU did not uphold Ra- 1 presents Coldplay’ online site, with munity. ‘But we got back noth- found. dioCentre’s complaints about an edi- direct links to the websites of tick- ing but warmth, enthusiasm The Editorial Com- tion of Jo Whiley (Radio 1, et agents, was not in keeping with and praise. The science minis- plaints Unit, has ruled Feb 2009) and a News guidelines on links to external web- ter, Lord Drayson, tweeted that that the use of the sym- Online report of U2’s sites. he was meeting me recently and bol in the graphic ‘U2 = concert on the roof of n The ECU also found that two had back 200 tweets that were BBC’ gave ‘an inappro- Broadcasting House. senior BNP members, who told Radio overwhelmingly positive about priate impression of en- The BBC/U2 tie-in 1’s Newsbeat that England football- the programme.’ dorsement’. was widely criticised – er Ashley Cole was ‘not ethnically There will be Bang specials A pre-recorded in- not just for the album British’, were not given a sufficient- and the return of its roadshow terview between Zane plug but because some ly robust grilling. The BNP pair, who – the free events regarded by 97 Lowe and Bono of U2 was people believed it wrong in an interview last year referred to percent of those who attended for the most part appropriate, but a of the corporation to align itself so the black, London-born sportsman as previously as ‘exactly what the reference to Radio 1 being ‘part of closely to a group whose lead singer, ‘coming to this country’, should have BBC should be doing’. launching this new album’ was not. Bono, campaigns on issues like pov- been challenged more rigorously, it Shows like Bang, alongside But while it upheld complaints erty and climate change. said.

164 NEWS FESTIVAL aa 00·00·08 19·01·10

Is the BBC too big for its boots? Shadow culture Cover the arts secretary Jeremy Hunt (second left) provokes strong reaction from Wall to Wall’s Alex DG gets Graham, watched by an amused Richard like we report Sambrook and media consultant Steve Hewlett technology The arts ‘shouldn’t be stuck in a another ghetto for pointy headed people’, says the BBC’s first arts editor Will Gompertz. And his role was to get arts more coverage in news broadcasts, offering ‘a little bit of analysis and insight grilling which isn’t part of the correspondent’s role’. Arts coverage in news was currently ‘patchy’ with only the Today programme getting honourable mention. Gompertz contrasted the coverage of the death of on top Jade Goodey with the death of foremost choreographer Pina Bausch, which didn’t make ‘even a three minute piece’ in the bulletins: ‘Because no one was there, fighting that corner, it didn’t hap- salaries pen,’ he said. Panellist Steve Barnett, a government advisor on the film and tv industry, argued that the appointment was ‘Re- Ariel was in the audience as ithian’ in its aim: ‘The BBC is saying, we think arts are important, therefore you managers, staff and guests Packed Panorama’s debated pay, phones, war, house: Jane Corbin Peter local news and that election Mandelson

It’s the issue that won’t go The argument that the away and his encounter with BBC had to compete with Stephen Sackur at the News Fes- the market was ‘redundant’, tival left Mark Thompson in no Sackur claimed, pointing out doubt about the anger among that Channel 4 was current- the ranks over executive pay. ly looking for a new chief ex- Sackur pressed the director- ecutive at a salary of between general on why leaders at the £400-£500,000. BBC should get such big sala- ‘Channel 4 has fewer than ries and asked whether he had 1000 people working for it, Will Gompertz: fighting his corner considered cutting the pay of and you can’t compare the private sector. We are so far be- as the BBC Trust wants me Frustratingly, the same those at the top. two jobs in scale and complex- hind the market.’ to be dg. But if someone says VOIP phones worked ‘fantas- should,’ he said, arguing that a ‘con- Feelings ran high as the ity,’ was Thompson’s reply. The same was true in mar- it’s time for me to go... well, I tically well’ in other organisa- scious decision to elevate arts by giving Hardtalk presenter said he had He believed his pay had ac- keting and communications, won’t bore you any longer.’ tions: ‘We have put the phones them more air time’ amounts to ‘un- received ‘hundreds of emails’ tually gone down in real terms he explained, where BBC peo- It fell to Helen Boaden, on on a network they should nev- natural selection’. from news staff about the mat- since he rejoined the organisa- ple were getting ‘a lot less’ the opening morning, to wres- er have gone on because it’s ‘Should it be the BBC’s job to change ter – some from people say- tion and stuck to his well re- than they could get elsewhere. tle with another issue that’s not robust enough. the national conversation about arts? ing they were so furious they hearsed line that if the BBC (Like PD James, who recently not going away – the trouble ‘We’re learning the hard Shouldn’t it be about news values? Air- wanted to see Thompson leave wanted to be the best broad- quizzed Thompson on the To- with the phones. way that if you don’t invest in time is rationed and the BBC argument the corporation. caster in the world, it had to day programme, Sackur want- The problems, which have the right infrastructure, it all is paternalistic.’ ‘There are huge numbers recruit the best people. ed to know why the BBC need- had journalists tearing their goes wrong.’ Speaking from the floor, Mark of people in the organisa- ‘Suppose we want to get the ed both a highly paid director hair out as connections are The episode had highlight- Thompson said the same debate had tion who think your salary head of HR from a private com- of MC&A and a director of lost and calls fail to transfer, ed ‘the downsides of outsourc- been had about appointing a business [£834,000] is plain wrong and pany…we couldn’t get them communications). could take six months to fix, ing’, although contracting out editor, ten years ago: ‘People said it corrosive,’ Sackur told his boss because [what we offer is] hun- As for Thompson’s own fu- she admitted. ‘Heated discus- support services saved mil- would be boring and they would never in the most highly-charged ses- dreds of thousands of pounds ture, he told the festival au- sions’ were taking place with lions of pounds that would get their stories on the bulletins...and it sion of the news festival. less than people can get in the dience: ‘I will be dg as long Siemens, Boaden said. fund content. emerged as a very fertile area for drama, conflict, for big characters. The arts editor role…is there because we need to find the fertile stories. If we can’t find powerful stories in this field then we Why call me a fixer? I’m a journalist aren’t doing our job properly.’ How do you decide what is important What more should media or- ing association with the BBC journalism…I’ve reported and Brown’s former driver had to cover? Gompertz: ‘That is the knotti- ganisations like the BBC be do- in Afghanistan and was him- filmed undercover, on front suffered years of ‘persecu- est issue facing me. There’s no question ing to safeguard local fixers? self kidnapped for eight days. lines, covering violence and tion’ by the Zanu pf and Maziar that if a major public event happens, like After a year which saw one lo- Something as simple as massacres. I have a master’s Bahari, an Iranian-Canadian a new public building or if Alan Bennett cal BBC freelance producer understanding that in Afghan in international journalism, journalist who had worked dies, we should cover it. killed in Afghanistan and others culture, cancelling an inter- so why am I called a fixer? It with the BBC and Newsweek, ‘But what about when Daniel Baren- kidnapped or in hiding, the fes- view is taken as a personal really hurts.’ Giving local jour- was imprisoned, tortured and boim comes to London’s South Bank to tival was given an insight into affront: ‘The response will nalists equal status, and equal eventually released last year play Beethoven concertos this month? the risks such journalists face, be to blame the Afghan [who credits on air, would make a in Tehran. Is that a news story? I would argue that particularly after the western arranged it]…you’re puppets huge difference, he said. In Bahari’s case, pressure it is. He plays it like no one else in the media moves out, from Afghan working for foreigners and Panellists Ben Brown and from media organisations and world and he’s political and interesting freelance Shoiab Shafiri. you’re against me personally,’ Jane Corbin described in- supporters, including Hilary beyond what he does in music. For me, More collaborative working he told the Survivors session. stances in Zimbabwe and Iran Clinton, had paid off, Corbin that is a major cultural event of our time.’ and less of a ‘them and us’ Shafiri was especially where local colleagues had said. The most dangerous Arts events need to be covered with the culture would be a start, said critical of the term ‘fixer’: ‘I paid the price of working for thing was to allow captives to same commitment as health or technol- Critical: Shoiab Shafiri Shafiri, who has a longstand- have 14 years experience in BBC and other western media. ‘drop out of the news’. ogy, he told his first news festival.

> ARIEL ONLINE: BBC NEWS AS IT HAPPENS – EXPLORE.GATEWAY.BBC.CO.UK/ARIEL< a 19·01·10 NEWS FESTIVAL 5 ph o t o graph Diverse routes in SOUNDBITES : CHRIS CAPSTICK JEFF O JEFF CAPSTICK : CHRIS ‘Let me deal with the handbag’ – Mark Thompson defends for new trainees bosses’ expense claims. ‘No. I’m just as confused as u Helen Boaden formally everyone else’ – Helen Boaden, VERS launched the third Journalism when asked if she knew how to Trainee Scheme, welcoming 15 transfer a call using a VOIP phone. recruits who beat off stiff com- petition for a place (there were ‘I’ve done none. I’m a freelance 120 applicants for each one). broadcaster’ – David Dimbleby, Trainees come from a confessing to Emily Maitlis that wide range of backgrounds, he had ducked out of all the BBC’s including Ross Vetton, who, mandatory training courses. despite being homeless at 16, gained A levels then a law ‘The BBC made a catastrophic degree. Vacation adventures error in getting rid of Moira led him to become a travel Stuart, who is sort of a national guide writer with a deep Zac Brophy and Ross Vetton treasure’ – Ben Brown affection for Africa. He says: ‘While I was focusing on in West London and build There’s a chippiness about people travel and hotels I couldn’t his experience. He spent in the North West…and non-chippier write about the lives of the part of last year running a than me’ – Cheshire-born Nick locals. Everyone in Africa summer school for teenaged Robinson, debating whether the seems to listen to the World Palestinians in the West Tories will have a problem in the Service so I applied to the Bank, and hopes eventually North at the next election. BBC to get the chance to return to the Middle East to tell those stories.’ as an investigative reporter. ‘I haven’t been nipped, Zak Brophy was so The 2010 JTS begins tucked, or filled in and if my determined to break into in March, with the nine wrinkles are showing, I don’t broadcasting he gave up women and six men care’ – Julia Somerville Phone trouble: Felt terrible: his job with the youth completing formal Cojo Helen Boaden Carole Caplin charity Centrepoint to training and multimedia ‘I like it when things go wrong work for community radio placements around the UK. in the studio.’ – David Dimbleby

‘WE GOT a lot of flack for the baseball cap. It wasn’t a great disguise, A little local difficulty but you’d be surprised how well it worked’ – John Simpson’s producer A DISCUSSION ABOUT alterna- ITV had also decided that sav- Oggy Boytchev on disguising tives to ITV regional news pro- ings of less than £8m were not Simpson to report undercover duced more questions and hur- enough to persuade the compa- from Zimbabwe in 2008. dles than answers. ny into a resource sharing part- Now the chosen bidders nership with the BBC. ‘I didn’t think it was going to are in place to run pilots for ‘The sums didn’t add up for take off, so I went out for lunch the government’s proposed ITV but the idea [of sharing with a colleague and we spent independent news consortia, routine diary stories and studio the entire time talking about would the plan be workable, facilities] was still on the table,’ French politics’ – Peter Mandelson, TV debates split vote asked Radio 4’s Jane Garvey? said David Holdsworth, BBC describing the day of the Labour ‘Not in its current form,’ said English regions controller. party’s failed leadership coup. Among politicians and leaders’ ‘style or demeanour’ turnarounds from a Conserv- Ian Squires, director of ITV re- The panel contemplating the the media, the jury is out on would count more than any er- ative government, shadow cul- gions and current affairs. ‘It ‘death’ of local news did agree ‘This GUY is an a*** hole. I’ve what televised debates will rors made on camera, and he ture secretary Jeremy Hunt as- needs to be properly funded, that the BBC should not be left been with him all week and he do for the next election. agreed with Finkelstein that sured his BBC audience from with a master contractor and as sole provider. But there was hasn’t got a clue’ – Ben Brown, Take Peter Mandelson, who the Nick Clegg factor could be another festival platform, al- a direct relationship between no consensus about the qual- recounting a description of himself predictably attracted a packed the most crucial of all. though the BBC Trust’s days ITV and the service providers.’ ity that viewers would accept, by a BBC fixer called ‘Dragon’ in house at the festival: ‘They will As the format of the debates would clearly be numbered. The ITV man was no more opti- with Squires doubting that a Sarajevo, to Serbian troops who make a big difference and the continues to be thrashed out, While his party wanted to mistic about the Conservatives’ lower grade experience would were holding the pair at gunpoint. rest of the campaign will mat- Question Time host David Dim- give the executive board more suggestion for 80 city stations: get an audience and Bob Satch- It worked. They were released. ter relatively less,’ he predict- bleby told the festival they had strength they would not act ‘Transponder costs would be well, of the Society of Editors, ed. ‘People think of the pres- to be interactive: ‘There’s no before charter renewal, and prohibitive, at £500,000 each a arguing that they might, if ‘I think that [appointing older idential debates in the US as point in having an audience would work with the trust and year. We may as well carry on they were getting stories they female newsreaders] is killing two plastic, razzamatazz, photo op- that just sits there,’ he said. the board to reach an interim as we are.’ most wanted to know about. birds with one stone, if you’ll excuse portunities, but…they get into Wouldn’t the tv debates arrangement. the expression, because I’ve been told the stuff of policy.’ trivialise the political process, Debating whether the BBC that some of the younger women are Cue former Labour home he was asked. After all, we’re is ‘too big for its boots’, Hunt no bloody good’ – Kelvin McKenzie secretary Charles Clarke, on not electing a president. ‘But saved his fire power for an at- Twitter: pros and cons an election-themed panel with we are,’ Dimbleby said, ‘that’s tack on the cost of the move to ‘There was no role model for her. Times leader writer and Con- what politics has become. Salford, asking why it would u ‘People don’t wake up and ering information, but it was We have moved on now… I really servative advisor Danny Fin- Leadership is everything.’ not break even in its first year: check the BBC and CNN any also difficult to verify.’ don’t think that will ever happen kelstein, BBC political editor If Labour don’t stop the To- ‘I think it pretty obscene what more. They go to Twitter or Fa- Social media can help tell to a spouse again’ – former guru to Nick Robinson and controver- ries, there would be no hasty it is costing the licence fee pay- cebook for links to stories oth- better stories, especially from the Blairs, Carole Caplin, confessing sial former Number Ten advi- er,’ he argued, admitting that er people have posted,’ said authoritarian regimes, the that she ‘felt terrible’ for her part sor Damian McBride. the project was now too ad- Persian TV presenter/produc- panel agreed, but traditional in the bad press that Cherie Blair The debates on ITV, Sky and vanced for his party to put it er Pooneh Ghoddoosi. ‘Their media isn’t dead. Social media attracted while at Number Ten. the BBC would ‘not be a mo- into reverse. attitude is, if it’s important just represents ‘an extra layer’, ment that changes anything’, Then more reassurance: enough it will come to me.’ said Nic Newman, FM&T con- This year’s news festival award they would be ‘about rein- a future Tory government Was Twitter the tinder- troller, journalism. winners, recognising special forcing views about the candi- would ‘fundamentally’ sup- box that sparked the ‘green But beware: as social me- contributions in their areas, were dates’, Clarke said. Finkelstein port multi-year settlements of revolution’? In 20 days there dia becomes more powerful, Emily Jones, Aine Hynes, Chip agreed: ‘Even the Kennedy-Nix- the licence fee, Hunt reiterat- were over 2m tweets about government and industry will Hutcheson, Laura Kuennsberg, on debate didn’t make much ed: ‘We don’t want BBC News Iran. Ghoddoosi says no. start positioning themselves Jo Floto and Howard Benson. The difference to the polls,’ he re- to feel that the way they cover ‘When there’s a circle of cen- much more in terms of con- team award went to SCAR. minded the session titled ‘Can politics might affect that.’ sorship you get closer any trol and exploitation, warned Watch festival sessions at Emily Maitlis quizzes Labour stop the Tories?’ Just as well to have that on means you can. Twitter was William Dutton, Professor of http://news.gateway.bbc. David Dimbleby Robinson believed the party the record. very helpful in terms of gath- internet studies at Oxford. co.uk/newsfestival/

6 Features a 19·01·10 photograph

Late night gordon : anna reviewers ‘happy’ to go to Glasgow by Cathy Loughran

If you’re going to relaunch a long-running, late night strand in a new place, on a new set, with a new name, in a new longer format…you need to do it in style. An hour- long Obama special probably fits the bill. That’s what the arts programme formerly known as Newsnight Review has planned this Friday when the first edition of The Review Show comes live from Pacific Quay’s news studio – in the vanguard of programmes moving out of London, following the network supply review. The more intimate set will subtly reflect the Glas- gow city skyline, but presenters Kirsty Wark and Martha Kearney stay the same and many of the familiar News- night reviewers, including Mark Kermode, Germaine Greer and Tom Paulin, will be making the journey north. Fab four: Dominic Bird ‘Our spikey regulars are happy to travel. There’s with (from left) Coleen a real excitement about the new show,’ says execu- Flynn, Harriet Chalk tive producer Liz Gibbons. ‘But in the longer, weekly and Martha Howsden 45-minute format there will be opportunities to expand the line-up, with four guests instead of three.’ It will remain largely a discussion based show with vt inserts, but with more scope to go beyond new work and explore topics in terms Kirsty Wark of their wider cultural impact, she says. Single sub- promises ‘a ject programmes will also ‘Guerilla’ tactics be part of the mix. feisty cast’ ‘And we’ll move away from just detached critics for the first and bring in more artists as advocates of their own edition from work, like Newsnight Review pay big dividends did with Richard Dawkins Pacific Quay on his Darwin book,’ says giving 16 year olds the vote would refresh Gibbons, who has commit- By focusing their energies on a single channel, a democracy. ted to the Scotland move for a year. Her new team of small development team has done the business The ‘A-team’ idea was kick-started assistant producer Maurice O’Brien and researchers by Vision’s former chief creative officer Dawn Elrick and Tamsin Curry are all Glasgow-based. Peter Salmon, who thought in-house pro- Don Coutts (After Dark) will studio direct. by Cathy Loughran the world’s most challenging environ- duction was ‘missing a trick’ by not win- The move will mean closer links with The Culture ments. The six-part series will be on air ning more commissions from a channel Show, already part based in Glasgow, and the expanding They might not look like a ‘guerilla’ this spring. that was on a roll. BBC Scotland arts slate under BBC Scotland’s newly ap- squad, as Peter Salmon christened them, In production this August, from Lon- He persuaded Jon Beazley and Tom pointed creative director of arts David Okuefuma. Imag- but their revolutionary tactics have paid don entertainment, will be another six Archer, controllers of entertainment ine makes the move to PQ in June. off big time for BBC Three. parter, which follows the professional production and factual, to co-fund Kirsty Wark promises a ‘feisty cast of commentators’ In the year since factual entertain- and private lives of a group of young doc- the unit. Senior development produc- for Friday’s special. Her guests include Bonnie Greer ment editor Dominic Bird and his three- tors over the first four months of their er Harriet Chalk was recruited from and New York novelist Hari Kunzru to debate the cultural woman development team came togeth- careers. Newly Meds will be on Three lat- Mentorn, producer Martha Howsden impact of a year of the Obama presidency on US news, er, their tally of in-house commissions for er this year. also joined from the indie sector and satire, the internet and African American identity. the channel totals an impressive 23 hours If fat shows sound like a BBC Three assistant producer Colleen Flynn from – four series and two single documenta- staple, controller Danny Cohen was con- in-house entertainment. The Review Show, BBC Two, January 22 ries – across factual, entertainment and vinced that a single observational doc ‘We were just too unfocused in-house current affairs. about Steps singer turned fitness guru to really concentrate on winning the busi- Instead of being genre-led, as most de- Claire Richards and her postnatal bat- ness,’ admits Salmon, director of BBC velopment is, the four have focused all tle to get her figure back, was an original North. their energy and ideas on BBC Three, its enough idea to green light. That’s now in ‘That’s where Dominic’s guerilla unit audience, their lives, loves and aspira- production with London factual. came in – passionate about BBC Three, tions. If that sounds simple, it’s a fairly big In the pipeline is a four-part series judged on whether they were a success on break with tradition. about – yes – obesity, again from London that channel alone and made up of peo- ‘Format entertainment might have factual. ‘This is a tough subject to crack, ple who were likely to live and breathe people who specialise in Saturday and find a new approach that feels like it its output.’ nights, but for both in-house and in the has got BBC Three values,’ Bird says. ‘So Danny Cohen, whose audience has independent sector, this is a new way of this is international and about improving grown ten percent in the last year, says thinking,’ says Bird, who also exec pro- people’s lives, rather than just going for the team experiment had already ‘mas- duces Dragons’ Den. shock value.’ sively exceeded expectations…and the ‘If we’d ended up with a couple of pi- The team developed a further pre-wa- journey’s not completed’. lots we’d have been pleased, so the results tershed pilot series, on order from enter- The team agree that the single chan- tainment, and their first commission, nel focus is a ‘luxury’ in the sometimes All set: Kirsty Wark so far are exciting.’ scattergun commissioning environment: and exec producer Among them is World’s Toughest Driv- broadcast last year, was from current af- ‘It gives amazing creative freedom,’ Liz Gibbons ing Tests, from Manchester entertain- fairs. Too Young to Vote saw Melissa Suff- ment, which will see two as yet unnamed ield (EastEnders’ Lucy Beale) touring the Chalk says. ‘This is one job you just don’t celebrities taking the wheel in some of UK and Europe to investigate whether turn down.’ a 19·01·10 Features 7

T-shirt hero: Sophie Okonedo The other face of plays the complex title role apartheid fight She’s a controversial figure, so a new film on Winnie Mandela would always be a challenge, Clare Bolt reports

In the 1970s, people knew about Nel- fusion around her in son Mandela through Winnie – the face South Africa – she’s of the struggle against apartheid while a moving target. he was imprisoned. As the years unfurled But the people she became seen as a liability, a woman who know her who endorsed the barbaric practice of all say she is re- ‘necklacing’ and was implicated in the markable, char- kidnapping and murder of 14 year-old ismatic, unforget- activist Stompie Moeketsi... table...in that sense For writer/director Michael Samuels, she is a truly dramatic the contradictions of Winnie’s life were character.’ the attraction.. The film takes iconic mo- ‘I was fascinated by her trajectory,’ he ments and subverts them. Man- told the audience at the screening of Mrs dela’s ‘long walk to freedom’ from Mandela, which tx’s on BBC Four on Jan- Victor Verster in 1990, shown from uary 25. ‘We require our heroes to be two Nelson and Winnie Mandela Winnie’s perspective, becomes more dimensional, but Winnie is not black or ambivalent. white.’ Sophie Okonedo, who plays the With the benefit of dramatic protagonist, identifies her neither as a ‘There’s a lot of hindsight, we know she is having victim or a hero: ‘She’s all of it,’ she says. an affair, we have seen her exposed The idea for the film – shot on loca- confusion around her... to the terrors of the South African state tion in South Africa – stemmed from a in her husband’s absence – and we see conversation between exec producer she’s a moving target’ flickers of rage, sorrow and defiance on Roy Ackerman from indie Diverse, and her face. then commissioner Richard Klein. ‘We a South African casting agent and they There is no attempt to palliate Win- were talking about big icons – people of said, this is not going to be easy.’ nie’s crimes. There are extenuating cir- whom a lot is expected and the pressure Critics have already picked up on the cumstances, yes, but the film portrays of expectation is too much,’ Ackerman fact that the leads are British, although her as having an innate aggressive streak: says. ‘Winnie was the Che of the 70s, the Ackerman reasons that they didn’t come as a child she attacks her sister with a face of the struggle – at university eve- to the parts with loads of baggage. rock: when she is courting, she punches ryone had her face on t-shirts. It was in- They didn’t approach Winnie herself her future husband in the guts. credible that no one had told her story. – rumour has it that she has her own, ‘It’s probably more sympathetic to- It’s like a Greek tragedy.’ authorised film in the pipeline. ‘It took wards her than I felt at the start,’ Sam- He always thought it was a dangerous a long time to get there... we went out uels admits. ‘It’s not hagiographic. project. ‘What right did British people and met lots of people who knew Win- Ultimately we have to base it on research, have to tell this story for a start? We had nie,’ Ackerman says. ‘There’s a lot of con- but it has to work as a drama.’

BBC Belfast pair discover a diet which leaves them full, fitter and eager to spread the word It’s all a big weight off Campbell’s mind

by Claire Barrett great fan of, so long as I do it their way.’ It’s encouraged Campbell to develop his cu- It’s January, and the gyms are bursting linary skills. ‘We have quite a few dinner parties like belts after a Christmas feast. We’re sworn off and cook as we would eat. Our friends can’t be- chocolate, have resolved never to touch another lieve we’ve lost so much weight eating so much.’ mince pie and resisted any inclination to take a He has also started exercising; swimming dai- tipple with teetotaller-like zeal. ly and going hill walking with his daughter and Like many others, BBC Belfast’s Camp- son-in-law who, after being introduced to the bell Lawley indulged in a ‘mad greedy’s diet, lost 11 stones between them. Christmas – big style’ and is getting back ‘It’s not what’s in your stomach; it’s what’s on track now the licence to binge has in your head,’ believes Campbell, who reckons been revoked. ‘I know exactly how to his slimming success has cost him a fortune in do it,’ says the community bus driver new clothes. ‘Anybody can do it, but they have with the conviction of someone who Big plans: the couple one month before the diet to want to. It has totally turned our family out- has shed eight stones in the last cou- look around.’ ple of years. misation’ programme. ‘The hardest part was going Carol, meanwhile, is recovering from her The former 19 and a half stoner de- to a slimming class. It’s a guy thing, I suppose.’ first hip operation, having lost the necessary five Slimming cided to battle the bulk when his wife As the only man at the first group meeting, stones. Her husband – who shed his first seven champs: Carol, a BBC Northern Ireland events Campbell challenged the consultant, who insisted stones in just eight months, dropped from a 46 Campbell and organiser, was told she had to lose five that nothing – including alcohol – was off menu. to 30 inch waist and was a 2008 Slimming World Carol have stones before undergoing double hip re- ‘I set out to prove her wrong,’ he laughs, ‘but I lost man of the year semi-finalist – says he only want- had to splash placement surgery. ‘I just needed that eight pounds in the first week eating more than ed to give his wife some moral support; they were out on new nudge,’ says Campbell, who joined his ever. It’s more about how one type of food works never slimming rivals. ‘It wasn’t about competi- clothes wife on a Slimming World ‘food opti- against another. I can even eat chips, which I’m a tion... but I know she hates me for it.’ 8 BBC IN ACTION GOOD FOOD

Whet your App-etite with recipe suggestions for the BBC’s Good Food App that lone duck breast in the freezer, we still man- week@work u Week@Work’s resolution aged to find a selection to eat fewer ready-meals of recipes to cater to our in 2010 was given a boost fussy palates. It’s a shame RESOURCE OF THE WEEK this week with news of BBC the app doesn’t allow you Worldwide’s Good Food to change the number of With election fever creeping up on us, said: ‘We’ve had an overwhelmingly positive reac- Healthy Recipes App for people you’re cooking Week@Work thought you might find the BBC’s tion from journalists, political observers, academics for (four seems to be the Democracy Live website a useful resource. The and casual users as well as politicians themselves. standard) but overall it is site (launched in November 2009) provides ‘The General Election is very likely to heighten reasonably easy to navi- unparalleled access to live and on-demand video interest in politics and we hope people will find what gate and you can build a coverage of the UK’s national political institutions they’re looking for in Democracy Live.’ list of your favourites. For and the European Parliament. Its innovative In addition to live and on-demand coverage, De- those of you on calorie ‘speech-to-text’ search system (which also works mocracy Live features a Historic Moments section counting diets, be aware in Welsh) allows you to search the video archive containing video of memorable political events over that it does not give nu- for specific topics and content can be embedded the past two decades. tritional information, but in other websites. You can find the site at we’re told that this will be Mark Coyle, Democracy Live’s launch editor, www.bbc.co.uk/democracylive included in a future update, though sadly they won’t be adding any new recipes. Week@Work will attempt to fend off the Janu- ary blues by road-testing the suggested chocolate brownie recipe, although the iPhone/iPod touch. we have to admit to being Boasting 120 recipes to slightly dubious about the keep you eating healthily inclusion of mayonnaise in from breakfast to dinner, the ingredients list... you can search by ingredi- The Good Food Healthy ent – useful for using up all Recipes App is available for those bits at the back of £2.39 from the App Store the fridge. on iPhone and iPod touch We’ve had a play, and or at itunes.com/app- despite there being no store/. Radio fans were spoilt for choice last week as a number of big shows took to the airwaves. Richard B acon’s new afternoon SHAMELESS PLUG show on 5 live got off to a strong start with Tory leader David Cameron in the hot- Simon Hailes, who sadly died of bone seat on Monday. In this picture, Richard is in conversation with D Corporate Media marrow cancer when we anny Cohen, con- Relations Manager were ten. troller of BBC Three. Last year I set myself the This year I felt ready to Listeners have the opportunity to peer challenge of running a challenge myself to go the half marathon and was distance and have set my overwhelmed by the sights on the marathon.

support from my BBC I’m running it for Children M photograph: colleagues who helped me in Need because lots of raise over £1000 for Great children face huge obsta- CHANGING PLACES WHAT to wear an orange shirt but I Ormond Street Hospital. I cles early on in life wheth- don’t think it would go down really wanted to help them er through illness, abuse, u After almost 40 joins BBC Sheffield as TO WEAR that well. AR as they provided a huge homelessness or depriva- years of loyal service, their new Doncaster K B A amount of support to my tion and Children in Need local radio engineer district reporter… Gavin Ramjaun Where have you taken SSE friend Andrew Dokleman gives them the kind of extra Roger Crick presenter/ inspiration from? TT support that the state can’t (pictured) is retiring Louise Katz is correspondent, I’d like to say from something always provide. from BBC Radio leaving her role as sport and news out of GQ, but people I’ve only been running Stoke... project director might think I’m a prat! for just over a year so the in global news to Where did you buy My colleagues all dress marathon is really quite Bright young thing become Academy the outfit you’re impeccably; Simon Jack daunting, but doing my bit Matt Edmondson partner – projects… wearing in the and Huw Edwards always to help young people who joins Radio 1 to talk photo? have amazing suits. need it will make all entertainment and Charlotte Riley I got the suit a those hard training showbiz on Fearne leaves her role while ago from Are you experimental in miles worthwhile. Cotton’s Friday show… in the internal M&S, the shirt is your style? My fundraising communications from Thomas Pink Absolutely. Yellow target is £1500, Sharon Mair has production team (the stripes sold it, jumpers are the way but I’m not just been appointed at the BBC to make and it doesn’t strobe forward. I still need to begging people to the new role of friends with Mickey on camera), tie from convince my girlfriend to sponsor me, I’m editor, Olympics Mouse and co. at M&S and shoes from that this is trendy. also baking and sell- and commonwealth Disney… Reiss. ing my ‘famous’ car- games for BBC Have you had any fashion rot cakes each week at Scotland… Do you have to dress a nightmares? White City and organ- particular way for work? Erm, yes. When I was at CBBC ising some charity Charlene I certainly do. For sports a stylist ‘advised’ me to sporting events. Prempeh joins the news I have to wear jacket, try these ridiculously tight All sponsorship BBC as research trousers, shirt, smart shoes BRIGHT RED skinny jeans. gratefully communications and tie – and with Breakfast Oh dear. received. manager… pretty much the same – although sometimes I don’t Whose wardrobes would Freelance wear the tie if it’s a lighter you most like to rummage reporter story. I try and match colours through? Alice together, which can be a Will Smith, Brad Pitt, David you can donate here: http:// Griffin fashion faux-pas. I would love Beckham and George Clooney. tinyurl.com/runSimonrun>

IF YOU HAVE A suggestion FOR who or what should be in WEEK@WORK PLEASE Email kate arkless gray 9

BBC IN ACTION M photograph:

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TT What we’ve found while trawling the blogs this week

Almost Feel It’s OK To Write About Summink Else Today If there is a Brekkie groove, I do believe we have found it. So one week down and who knows how many to go. I can’t tell you by the way how much I have enjoyed reflecting on all the different opinions and crits people have had regarding our new slot. A few years ago I wouldn’t have had any of it and just buried my head in the sand, alienating any future potential audience but now, if we can get ‘em - we want ‘em, so why not listen to what everyone has to say ? Chris Evans, Radio 2 breakfast presenter http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/ chrisevans/2010/01/almost_feel_its_ok_to_ write_ab.shtml

E20 on EastEnders In comments on my E20 blog post ‘Boilerplated’ asks, why are you still peddling the myth that ‘old fogies’ can’t cope with computers? The BBC is not perpetuating the myth that older people can’t cope with computers – we are trying to do the exact opposite. True many parents and grandparents were Radio fans were spoilt for choice last week into the studio and watch all the action using computers in the work-place before as a number of big shows took to the about allowing the listeners to eavesdrop anyone thought about having ‘a computer thanks to a set of high-tech webcams Nick Duncalf during his bulletin airwaves. Richard B acon’s new afternoon on a live radio studio. T in every home’. We have a commitment to that are installed in the studio. T he reaction I’ve (watch the clip of him squirming on the show on 5 live got off to a strong start he four- seen on Twitter is that people really enjoy digital inclusion (it’s actually part of the camera set-up produces a live video feed 5 live website). with Tory leader David Cameron in the hot- seeing what the guests are getting up to broadcast on the station website and is BBC’s charter) and to reach audiences who seat on Monday. In this picture, Richard is during the news and travel bulletins– peo automatically vision-mixed by software - Richard Bacon is on air Monday-Thursday do not have access to the internet. We point in conversation with D anny Cohen, con ple seem to find that strangely hypnotic.’ - that picks up which microphone is in use. from 2-4pm on 5 live and you can check audiences to where they can get access troller of BBC Three. On Thursday the cameras proved their Richard says: ‘ out the highlights in the amusingly titled to the internet and where to get help in Listeners have the opportunity to peer The cameras are great - worth when studio guest Cat D it’s not about making a tv programme, it’s eeley took ‘Bacon Bits developing their online skills. it upon herself to tickle travel presenter ’ podcast on the 5 live website bbc.co.uk/5live Seetha Kumar, controller, BBC Online http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/ bbcinternet/2010/01/e20_on_eastenders_

photograph: M photograph: your_comment.html

1ST YEAR Disability on Glee AI scores Already rather popular in the US and down AR @WORK under, Glee, a teenage musical sitcom, is just K B Great British Railway Journeys, now steaming into its now hitting UK screens for the first time. A A SSE third week, has been steadily gathering a loyal and doting sort of modern day Fame, the show is set TT Adam Heayberd, audience. in an American high school and is based Researcher, The 20-part series on BBC Two, Mondays to Fridays at around an underdog glee-club. It prides Question of Sport 6.30pm, reached its highest AI of 89 on Friday, when itself on representing difference. The club presenter Michael Portillo went to Clyde Valley apple even includes a wheelchair user. Or does it? What’s surprised you orchards and scaled the Forth Rail Bridge. The episode also Actor Kevin McHale, who plays all singing, most about the BBC? attracted the biggest audience of the series, hitting 2.23m all dancing, wheelchair using geek Artie It amazes me how many on Tuesday and Friday, exceeding the channel timeslot Abrams, is not disabled himself. With more different courses are average of 1.93m. and more pressure being put on television available to us both The series runs over four weeks with each week covering a and film companies to use disabled actors online and face-to-face. different railway journey in the UK. in disabled roles, disabled people saying it’s It goes to show that the Many viewers are heaping praise on Portillo as a presenter, akin to blacking up etc etc, you can imagine BBC really does like to ‘Fab - more Portillo please!’ said a female fan, 40. it caused a bit of a stir when Glee first aired invest in its employees Viewers also commented on the quirky nature of some of last year in the US. by encouraging them to the features: ‘Before the start I couldn’t have cared less Emma Tracey, assistant producer on Ouch! continue learning new about Eccles cakes but that little interlude was a gem,’ said a http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/ouch/ things. male viewer, 65. MOT failure rates released What been the most important/ And your best moment/worst The government agency which oversees useful thing you’ve learnt in the moment? the MOT system has backed down after 18 year? The best moments for me have months and released data which shows how I believe I have a much better been meeting various sports often different makes and models of cars understanding of targeting heroes both past and present. and small vans fail MOTs. audiences since joining as As a triathlete myself it was This means that car and van buyers will now a researcher for A Question great to get Alistair Brownlee have access to the detailed MOT records of Sport. I am constantly on the show and, as a boxing of individual models, including reasons for encouraged to take part in fan, meeting David Haye was failures. It follows an a FoI request made by development meetings too fantastic but more recently the BBC in July 2008. which is a great way of learning shaking hands and chatting with Martin Rosenbaum, Freedom of Information how executive decisions are Henry Cooper, the man who specialist made as well as improving my floored Mohammed Ali http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/opensecrets/ own editorial judgement. was pretty special. 10 Opinion/Analysis a 19·01·10

With the horrors of the Haiti Dealing with trauma: earthquake an urgent reminder of the stresses BBC staff can face at work, a revamp of trauma it’s alright to be upset support services is underway

by Sue Llewellyn through horrific events are af- training aims to identify those leagues need to talk to some- fected by them – including who are not coping after po- one. Ward-Lilley welcomes the ‘Looking back I knew that I journalists – and that is some- tentially traumatic events. ‘We culture change in news and had probably needed help for a thing Richard Sambrook, di- do have a counselling service if says she hopes to see a wide while,’ says former Baghdad rector of global news, says we people need it,’ says Dr Thomas, take up for the level 1 train- bureau chief Patrick Howse, should not be embarrassed ‘but the worst thing is to make ing course. ‘We need more peo- ‘but I just wasn’t prepared to about. ‘We have gone a long people think they need it imme- ple in the bureaus and regions admit or accept it.’ way to de-stigmatising trau- diately.’ Generally he says peo- to be part of this network and Howse’s stiff upper lip re- ma and we now recognise that ple just need to talk through spread the word.’ action to the traumatic expe- it doesn’t just affect people in their experience first and to ‘But it’s not just about riences that he, and his team, war zones but also people in process it: ‘It’s a bit like wax- news,’ says Dr Thomas, point- had faced in Iraq was not un- cutting rooms or having to at- ing your car before washing it. ing to the recent incident in common and he readily ac- tend gruesome court cases. It Waxing is good but you’ve got Tanzania where the CBBC Seri- knowledges the massive person- can affect all sorts of people in to wash off all the muck first.’ ous Explorers guide was killed by al consequences of keeping a different ways so managers and Howse believes that having an elephant. ‘News is the big- lid on his emotions. colleagues need to be trained to a trained colleague to talk to gest area most likely to have ‘My 20 year marriage near- spot the signs.’ would be a fantastic first step. problems because of the stories ly failed and my teenage daugh- Hostile environment train- Without such a network he says they cover, Haiti being a good ter, who was going through a ing was introduced in 1991 and the only conversations he had example. Even those on the in- difficult phase, was not helped it was a natural progression to process his experiences were take desk back home who have by me being on a hair trigger to include a section on PTSD with his team on the ground to look at horrifying images shouting and sobbing.’ says Sarah Ward-Lilley, manag- or with ‘gruff Australian cam- can be affected.’ It should have been obvious ing editor, news, ‘so journalists eramen where we sat togeth- He continues: ‘But it could to everyone who knew him that know what to expect, what to er and described in detail what be anybody on any production he was struggling. The signs look out for and where to get Patrick Howse with the shell which just missed him bits of a human looks like when like Richard Hammond’s Top were clear if you knew what to help’. smeared up a tree – really viscer- Gear accident, investigative doc- look for: anxiety, short temper, Now this trauma awareness al conversation which I couldn’t umentaries or the reporting of panic attacks. ‘I had a flashback training is being extended be- possibly have with my family or troubling court cases.’ during a morning meeting,’ he As home affairs correspond- says, recalling the horrors of ent Alison Holt knows only too the devastating market bomb ‘It seemed ‘Talking it well: ‘Some of the details like which killed 147 people. ‘I in the Baby P or Victoria Clim- could hear them all screaming Iraq was through is bie cases are just so appalling- and smell the smell. I was over- ly distressing that you can’t whelmed and really struggled leave those things behind,’ she to pull myself back.’ normal, important, says. ‘They’d come back to me at home or when I was with my A normal reaction everywhere you can children. Talking it through But the final straw for Howse with colleagues is important came after a direct hit on the else was leave it at because you’re processing it Baghdad bureau which nar- and hopefully you can leave it rowly missed killing him. ‘Four and not take it home. I don’t days later I was back in Eng- abnormal’ work’ want to pollute someone else’s land and went to get my hair mind.’ cut. I was sitting there when yond news to include training with my bosses.’ the barber asked me if I’d been for all staff who might be ex- Dr Thomas stresses the key Talk to each other anywhere interesting recent- posed to potentially traumat- to developing a successful BBC Holt believes the way forward ly. I felt my face flushing and ic events at work in the UK or Trauma Support Network is in with trauma is in setting the started sweating so I tore off abroad or on a more person- having ordinary members of tone and giving colleagues the apron and ran out.’ As al level. staff who are not only trained room to talk. ‘It should become he rushed home he passed a Previous models of dealing What will the stresses be of reporting from Haiti? to identify trauma but who are our habit as an organisation to school sports day and heard with trauma such as critical in- also familiar with the workings look out emotionally for the a starter pistol go off. ‘There cident debriefing or ‘sending of their particular department people around us,’ she insists, comes a point where you just in the counsellors’ have been and are known to their peers. ‘and it needs to become sec- lose track of everything,’ he shown to be ineffective and Trauma ‘In the last couple of years ond nature to check on our col- says. ‘It seemed like Iraq was even potentially harmful, ac- recognising we’ve been rolling out trauma leagues.’ normal and everywhere else cording to chief medical officer A traumatic incident can be any event that’s outside awareness for managers,’ ex- Howse would agree and was abnormal.’ Dr Colin Thomas. ‘People need an individual’s usual experience, with the potential to plains Ward-Lilley, ‘and the next admits that although his Until relatively recently no- to be prepared for trauma and cause emotional, psychological or physical harm. step is to build a trauma net- experiences in Iraq were body talked about PTSD or the to understand that it is a com- ‘Previously the Dealing with Trauma course was very fo- work.’ Spreading trauma aware- deeply traumatic he says the emotional impact on journal- pletely normal and natural re- cused on news but the emphasis has changed and we can ness to staff is a key step and worst thing he had to deal ists working on difficult sto- action to feel bad for a while now deliver it across the board,’ says occupational health this will be achieved via a Lev- with was the Jamie Bulger case ries and the whole subject was afterwards,’ he explains ‘It’s manager Lai Kuen Wong who is co-ordinating the train- el 1 course that is open to any- when he was a young journal- somehow taboo. World affairs a process that you have to go ing programme and support network. ‘It can apply to any one. Secondly, anyone who has ist. ‘It was really gruesome and correspondent Allan Little once through – a bit like grieving – traumatic situation at home or abroad and so we are hop- done level 1 and who shows a extremely difficult but I was admitted that until someone and if you don’t then it can be ing to see a lot more people take up the Level 1 course. willingness and an aptitude to lucky at the time because North he worked with was killed he a problem.’ We are also very keen to identify those who could be- get trained to the next level can West Tonight was a very close had viewed PTSD as an ‘indul- come Trauma Support Network facilitators.’ become a Trauma Support Net- knit team and we helped each gent, nancy-boy thing’. At the Identifying need Dealing with Trauma (Level 1 - 01HAS094) work facilitator. other. I’ve always thought of time of writing, Little was re- Dr Thomas is spearheading a re- learn.gateway.bbc.co.uk/courses/coursedetails. that as the model of the way porting from Kabul on the lat- vamp of BBC training courses aspx?courseID=8741 Culture change a BBC team should be – look- est Taliban attack. for dealing with trauma. Based For more information contact These people will form the ing after and out for each other It is now widely acknowl- on a Navy model called TRiM, or [email protected] or on ext 83269 Trauma Support Network and and perhaps just being there edged that people who live Trauma Risk Management, the will be available when col- to give a hug.’

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Week point licence. A licence won’t be required Most press stories on Chris Evans tak- if watching programmes after they ing over from Terry Wogan claim that We should claw back our cuts from the fat cats have been broadcast. he will be inheriting an audience Re Ariel Online’s ‘tough questions for Thomp- A second vote condemning budget reductions of eight million listeners. This is, of son on pay’ story: Journalists at World Service in BBC News and linking them to fat cat salaries Alice Feinstein, editor Any Ques- course, eight million for the whole tions?, adds: It was not clear from week – probably up to two million of news and current affairs – part of BBC News – was passed by an even bigger majority: 97.3 what Daniel Hannan said that he was the same people for each day. held a referendum before Christmas on fat cat percent. acting illegally. However Jonathan Why are radio audiences weekly salaries in the BBC. 95.6 percent of NUJ mem- We reckon that eventually up to £8 million of Dimblebly did challenge him on the figures, while television audiences bers (turnout 69 percent) called on the DG to unacceptable cuts in the news budget could be implications of what might happen if are measured per programme? Very everyone didn’t pay their licence fee. reduce his salary to five times the BBC median reversed if top salaries were reduced to a level confusing and, dare I say it, very mis- leading. (abt £183,000) in an effort to restore staff trust more commensurate with public service values. William G Stewart in his leadership. Mike Workman, NUJ FOC at World Service NCA These fullish things producer/presenter The decision to replace individual bins with communal hub bins was David Bunker, head of research, erage week – but we don’t talk about unlikely to listen to BBC WS. We can still PC you supposed to encourage us all to re- Vision, replies: No attempt to be mis- listening to a particular show on a It clearly shows ignorance of the Was anyone else astonished that the cycle (January 12). If we’re doing our leading – it’s a function of both the particular day because we don’t have station and its multitude of pro- Tory MEP on a recent Any Questions on part, facilities need to be more reac- different ways of collecting audience data that granular and it’s also not grammes and the sophistication and Radio 4 declared he no longer paid tive in emptying the bins more than data and the different ways in which as relevant as the Terry Wogan audi- intelligence of an obviously discern- his licence as a political gesture, now once a day. people listen to the radio/watch tv. ence will dip in and out from day to ing Emmy award winning Ameri- using his computer to watch tv, and The fact is that by around 3pm, the For television we have audience day and within a day. can actor, who also happens to be that no one pointed out to him that general waste bin in our hub is over- data for individual programmes from So Chris Evans will be inheriting a successful producer, a prominent he was still legally obliged to pay a flowing to a sickening degree, with BARB and that’s how people tend nearly 8 million ex Terry Wogan lis- member of a women’s political com- licence for his receiving equipment, teabags and food containers spilling to watch them – as individual pro- teners – just not all at one time. mittee and a Unicef goodwill ambas- tv set or otherwise? onto the work surfaces and the floor. grammes. We therefore talk about sador. Rob Champion As all bins have been removed the audience to a particular pro- Our global perspective is much drama serials from desks, the likelihood is that the gramme at a particular point in time. Cool inclusive valued around the world – it’s ach- bins also contain tissues that people For radio we have figures across Re The Arielator in last week’s issue: ingly inclusive. Pipa Doubtfire, head of revenue man- have blown their noses into. timeslots and averaged across a long- How patronising, both to SJP and to Be honest – have you ever tuned agement replies: If anyone watches The health and safety issues on er period. So we know that in an av- those of us at World Service, to infer in Ariel staff? You’re in for a treat. television programmes on a compu- this alone are a cause for concern. erage quarter 7.8m people listen to that the likes of someone who fre- Deborah Mackenzie ter (or any other device) as they’re Jim Sangster Terry Wogan at some point in an av- quents ‘achingly exclusive’ venues is World Service newsreader/presenter being shown on tv, they will need a BBC Archive 12 Classified 020 7878 2313 a 19.01.10

BBC house share Perivale tube nearby, Double room for rent. Shepherd’s Holland Road studio, 5 minutes walk Lovely double room in light flat Room to rent in beautiful E1 flat. 12 minutes White City. BBC housemates. Bush. 5 minutes to BBC. Share w/3 to Shepherd’s Bush station (Central line). in Hammersmith. Near shops and 1 minute to Whitechapel tube station *366)28 Single bedroom £295pcm. Telephone girls 20-25. All work in music. Must Separate kitchen. £900pcm including transport links. Spacious sitting room, 1 minute to Sainsbury’s close to Brick 01895 634610 be reliable, tidy, aged 23-30. Available bills. Telephone 07810 400926 shower room, bathroom, kitchen, 2 Lane/Spitalfields/Liverpool Street. 2 beds, 2 bathrooms, garage and 7 February. £509pcm + bills. Email balconies, lift and communal garden. Ex Communal roof terrace. Non-smoking. garden flat. 5 minutes walk from TVC. Big, bright, furnished garden flat. [email protected] local authority. Share with 1 professional £160pw. Contact Owen on Huge double room with balcony on Available immediately short/long term 2 double bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen/ female. Non-smoker. £680pcm, all incl. 07877 613192 or Hampstead Heath. £160pw. Telephone rent. Contact [email protected] dining and living area. Close to White Ealing flat single room available. Call Katy on 07881 622797 [email protected] 07817 593354 City/TVC (ten minutes by bus) and £354pcm plus shared bills. Sharing with Acton Lane, Chiswick. Light and airy Bakerloo line (20 minutes to Oxford two other BBC employees. Clean and Luxury room to rent Macfarlane Road Share eccentric flat in Shepherd’s modern one bedroom ground floor flat. Circus). £1,280pcm including utility bills. quiet. Off street parking. Email Shepherd’s Bush W12. Large room Hunt Close 2 bed/bath flat £400pw. Bush with two relaxed creatives. Large £1,100pcm. Available 1 February Details Jan 07834 845524 [email protected] £650pm bills included share kitchen, 2 End January. Telephone 07976 209351 airy room, charming Edwardian terrace. and pictures at http://web.me.com/ shower rooms, TV Freeview. WiFi. Fridge. Outdoor space. 8 minutes to BBC. rfgibb/234/ActonLane.html or call Birmingham. Large double room Ealing. Lovely brand new one bed flat. Non-smoking. Contact Pete 07970 £650pcm. Telephone 07896 159350 07778 198106 in terraced house, sharing with one Good road close to transport and local 074627. Email [email protected] other. £340pm inclusive except phone. amenities. Easy access to TVC, 12 Large, newly built and beautifully Telephone 07779 821659 minutes to Paddington by overland train. furnished 1 bed flat split over 2 Maida Vale W9 3SP. Room to let in Acton. Lovely room to rent in a house levels. W6 9NH. On the doorstep are Shepherd’s Bush. Walk to work. close to transport, local amenities Available January 2010. Long or short family house. Suit pied-à-terre. Doors to Chiswick. Lovely, light double room in term let. £1,200pcm. Email: mcole@ Riverside, St Peter’s Square, local shops patio, kitchen, bathroom. £105pw incl. Unfurnished room available in charming and easy access to TVC. Available and restaurants, Ravenscourt Park and terrace house, sharing with 1 other. January. Long or short term £500pcm. friendly flatshare by Stamford Brook salans.com or telephone 07946 610526 Telephone 020 7289 3082 tube. 2 professional flatmates (one BBC). Stamford Brook station. Rent £1,150pcm. Large kitchen fully kitted. Available (nr A40, Chiswick, Ealing). Email East Acton. Cosy 2 bedroom flat, Telephone 07733 186642 immediately. Contact Una 07834 763721 [email protected] £620pm plus bills. Available immediately. Monday to Friday, 8 minutes walk Emily [email protected]. Telephone plenty storage. Easy access to TVC. from Ealing Broadway, furnished 07808 268202 Available January. Minimum 6 months double bedroom, large wardrobe, own A lovely large studio flat in Ealing Short let 4 bedroom house in let. £1,200pcm ono, excl bills. Vanessa Large room in shared first floor flat in flat screen TV, shared living room and Common. £750pcm. Please contact 5 minutes walk to central Wimbledon Park. Available 25 January Chiswick single room to let in shared 07595 585572 West Acton. kitchen, available from January, £450 Mira on 07710 040581 and Piccadilly/District Lines. Sharing – 18 April. £2,200pcm inclusive of WiFi, house with garden £400pcm inclusive including bills. Call Zoe 07540 535382 gas, electricity. Email christine.schams@ call 07774 692864 Flat for rent 1 bedroom. Brondesbury. with two other girls. Approx £420pcm B&B London/Bucks homes. Nearest tube stations Kilburn (Jubilee excluding bills. Available now btinternet.com. Telephone 07985 218926 Newly decorated 1 bed flat in Belsize Inexpensive, flexible. line. 6 minutes walk) and Queen’s Park 07917 698982/07957 578796 Clapham double bedroom for rent Park. 3 tube stations within 5 minute Telephone 020 8840 1071. (Bakerloo line 8 minutes walk) as well Email [email protected] in charming flat. Beautiful views of walking distance, Available now. £375pw. Common. Close to tube. £750pcm. as No. 98 bus right outside, straight to Call Pat 07875 413085 Spacious room to rent in flatshare Oxford Street/Holborn. £250pw. Light and London Bridge. Furnished double room in Kensal Rise. £596pcm, excl bills. Barnes/Mortlake 2 bedroom flat, sunny Website www.spareroom.co.uk available for up to 3 months. Excellent ref:780276 modern with great views across London. Contact Tal 07852 485415 garden. Close river, train, buses to Central Heating. Wooden floors. transport links. £600pm including bills. Percy Road W12. Single room. Monday Hammersmith. £200pwk. Telephone [email protected] to Friday. N/S F. £350pcm incl. Cosy cottage near Padstow. Sleeps 5. Call 07968 766730 or email 020 8789 3334 Telephone 07912 476536 Website www.forgecottagecornwall.co.uk [email protected] Telephone 07903 141845 Walthamstow. Furnished one bedroom From £290pw. flat close to tube/BR. £600pcm excluding Beautifully furnished one bed flat with Hammersmith Grove W6. Spacious, Rooms available Manchester. Large bills. Off street parking. Telephone garden, Kennington. Available February, Delightful 1 bed Bayswater flat fully furnished studio flat, mezzanine Lovely double room available close luxury house. Walled grounds, secure 01688 302558 March, April. Discounted rate £250pw. available end January. £1,400pcm. level bedroom area, separate kitchen, to Blackheath, sharing with married parking, large communal dining, sitting, Email [email protected] See alanpearce.com/flat built in wardrobes. 10 minute walk couple. WiFi/satellite etc. London Bridge utility areas. Heaton Moor, all amenities. to TVC, Hammersmith/Goldhawk 12 minutes by train. Charing Cross Train station 2 minutes. MCR centre/ World Cup 2010. Extremely well located Beautifully refurbished S/C flat near Double room in lovely flat, White City. Road tubes. £825pcm excluding 20 minutes. £128pw/£550pcm. Mobile airport 10 minutes, near motorways. 3 bed house, with pool, for rent. See Westbourne Grove, F/F. £390pw http:// £650pcm including bills. Telephone bills. Available immediately. Email: 00 234 803 403 0132. Email Rent £500pcm viewing email www.houseinfresnaye.com. Call Malcolm www.wix.com/sappho/Flat 07950 263285 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Lyons 07973 308063/020 8780 0988

BBC house share Perivale tube nearby, Double room for rent. Shepherd’s Holland Road studio, 5 minutes walk Lovely double room in light flat Room to rent in beautiful E1 flat. Fabulous west Wales cottage Romantic cottage in SW France sleeps Zakynthos (Zante) self catering Damian Segal property renovations. Piano for Beginners! *366)28 12 minutes White City. BBC housemates. Bush. 5 minutes to BBC. Share w/3 to Shepherd’s Bush station (Central line). in Hammersmith. Near shops and 1 minute to Whitechapel tube station 4634)68= rentmaesgwyn.co.uk 4 adults. Outstanding guestbook, bargain cottages 2 minutes from quiet beach. Quality renovations and extensions www.easypiano.webs.com Single bedroom £295pcm. Telephone girls 20-25. All work in music. Must Separate kitchen. £900pcm including transport links. Spacious sitting room, 1 minute to Sainsbury’s close to Brick Bergerac flights. Website From our guestbook: “A fantastic holiday carried out by reliable, tidy and friendly Eva 07905 243403 01895 634610 be reliable, tidy, aged 23-30. Available bills. Telephone 07810 400926 shower room, bathroom, kitchen, 2 Lane/Spitalfields/Liverpool Street. France. Three Valleys. 2 cosy www.maison-bb.com in the most beautiful location!” professionals. All trades in house. Free 7 February. £509pcm + bills. Email balconies, lift and communal garden. Ex Communal roof terrace. Non-smoking. Sapphire painters and decorators 2 beds, 2 bathrooms, garage and 3,000+ sq ft. Executive home for sale apartments in converted barn, idyllic www.daphnes-zakynthos.com or call estimates. References on request. 020 8239 1148. See website garden flat. 5 minutes walk from TVC. Big, bright, furnished garden flat. [email protected] local authority. Share with 1 professional £160pw. Contact Owen on in a very private part of Cheshire, easy hamlet near St Martinde Belleville, Maria at +30 26950 35319 Contact Damian. Telephone Huge double room with balcony on for full details. Website Available immediately short/long term 2 double bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen/ female. Non-smoker. £680pcm, all incl. 07877 613192 or commute to Manchester. For photos slopes only 5 minutes away - sleeps 6/8 Ski train tickets. 4 return tickets for 020 7727 7575 or 07961 357119 Hampstead Heath. £160pw. Telephone www.decoratorsouthlondon.com rent. Contact [email protected] dining and living area. Close to White Ealing flat single room available. Call Katy on 07881 622797 [email protected] and details visit www.hatched.co.uk/ &10/12. Website www.chaletmarmotton. Ski train Ashford/Moutiers, departing 07817 593354 City/TVC (ten minutes by bus) and £354pcm plus shared bills. Sharing with property_details.asp?id=2151 or call com. Telephone 07711 898723 Saturday 13 February, returning Saturday ;%28)( Gary MacBride carpenter and builder. Tibetan healing and relaxation Acton Lane, Chiswick. Light and airy Bakerloo line (20 minutes to Oxford two other BBC employees. Clean and Luxury room to rent Macfarlane Road 07788 564865 20 February overnight. £1,196. Contact Website www.winnlimited.co.uk. Reliable exercises. Classes on Monday evenings, Share eccentric flat in Shepherd’s modern one bedroom ground floor flat. Circus). £1,280pcm including utility bills. quiet. Off street parking. Email Shepherd’s Bush W12. Large room FREE week in a cosy Suffolk cottage, [email protected]. Telephone and Experienced. Telephone W6. Website www.bodhi-yoga.co.uk Jan 07834 845524 [email protected] Hunt Close 2 bed/bath flat £400pw. £650pm bills included share kitchen, 2 Bush with two relaxed creatives. Large £1,100pcm. Available 1 February Details wood fires, farm walks, health spa a 07703 648282 Working holiday as a volunteer 07932 766170 End January. Telephone 07976 209351 shower rooms, TV Freeview. WiFi. Fridge. airy room, charming Edwardian terrace. and pictures at http://web.me.com/ minute away in return for cat sitting. 3 mornings per week in Bali, teaching Birmingham. Large double room Ealing. Lovely brand new one bed flat. Non-smoking. Contact Pete 07970 Outdoor space. 8 minutes to BBC. ,30-(%=7 rfgibb/234/ActonLane.html or call 25 February – 6 March possibly longer. visual communication to local adults who Get into shape this New Year! Get in terraced house, sharing with one Good road close to transport and local 074627. Email [email protected] £650pcm. Telephone 07896 159350 Eileen 07712 674040 Villas. Holiday villas and apartments in personal training from a world class 07778 198106 Large, newly built and beautifully speak English. A great opportunity to de- other. £340pm inclusive except phone. amenities. Easy access to TVC, 12 France and Italy. Website athlete and get the body you crave! Email furnished 1 bed flat split over 2 Algarve sunshine @£25 per night for up stress, lots of sunshine and good cultural Telephone 07779 821659 minutes to Paddington by overland train. Maida Vale W9 3SP. Room to let in www.deckchairvillas.com [email protected] for special BBC Acton. Lovely room to rent in a house levels. W6 9NH. On the doorstep are Shepherd’s Bush. Walk to work. to 4! http://cli.gs/pMLBHX experience. For further details. Website Available January 2010. Long or short family house. Suit pied-à-terre. Doors to Further Afield hand picked places Telephone 01773 850111 offers close to transport, local amenities Riverside, St Peter’s Square, local shops Unfurnished room available in charming www.media-courses/bali and easy access to TVC. Available Chiswick. Lovely, light double room in term let. £1,200pcm. Email: mcole@ patio, kitchen, bathroom. £105pw incl. to stay for gay travellers and their friendly flatshare by Stamford Brook salans.com or telephone 07946 610526 and restaurants, Ravenscourt Park and Telephone 020 7289 3082 terrace house, sharing with 1 other. Au revoir winter, bonjour spring and January. Long or short term £500pcm. friends.Website www.furtherafield.com Independent financial advisers for tube. 2 professional flatmates (one BBC). Stamford Brook station. Rent £1,150pcm. Large kitchen fully kitted. Available summer. Romantic cottage sleeps 4 (nr A40, Chiswick, Ealing). Email all your financial needs. £620pm plus bills. Available immediately. East Acton. Cosy 2 bedroom flat, Telephone 07733 186642 Monday to Friday, 8 minutes walk immediately. Contact Una 07834 763721 adults in sunny SW France. Website *367%0) [email protected] Website www.tjal.co.uk. Emily [email protected]. Telephone plenty storage. Easy access to TVC. from Ealing Broadway, furnished www.maison-bb.com Winter breaks on north Wales Email [email protected]. 07808 268202 Available January. Minimum 6 months double bedroom, large wardrobe, own Iceland. The fly drive of your life... coast. Lovely barn conversion, A lovely large studio flat in Ealing Short let 4 bedroom house in Telephone 01923 333199 let. £1,200pcm ono, excl bills. Vanessa Large room in shared first floor flat in flat screen TV, shared living room and Beach house featured in Coast ATOL. protected 6190. Telephone fully furnished with all mod cons Adjustable sofa. £50.00 ono. Collect Common. £750pcm. Please contact Wimbledon Park. Available 25 January 07595 585572 West Acton. 5 minutes walk to central magazine. Beach 100 yards. Sleeps 6. 01773 853300. Website (including broadband) to let a mile only 07841 474815 Mira on 07710 040581 Chiswick single room to let in shared kitchen, available from January, £450 – 18 April. £2,200pcm inclusive of WiFi, and Piccadilly/District Lines. Sharing Winchelsea Beach, East Sussex. Email www.icelandholidays.com from Abersoch on the beautiful Llyn Manchester. Outdoor personal training house with garden £400pcm inclusive including bills. Call Zoe 07540 535382 gas, electricity. Email christine.schams@ Flat for rent 1 bedroom. Brondesbury. with two other girls. Approx £420pcm [email protected]. Telephone Peninsula. Set in a quiet location with professional fully qualified Level 3 B&B London/Bucks homes. call 07774 692864 btinternet.com. Telephone 07985 218926 Nearest tube stations Kilburn (Jubilee excluding bills. Available now 07880 702959 Italy, Le Marche. Restored 200 year old overlooking fields in a former Instructor. Service delivered at location Inexpensive, flexible. Newly decorated 1 bed flat in Belsize 7)6:-')7 line. 6 minutes walk) and Queen’s Park 07917 698982/07957 578796 farmhouse. rural setting, pool, sleeps 8+ farm complex a mile from the sea. convenient to you. Specially designed Telephone 020 8840 1071. Clapham double bedroom for rent Park. 3 tube stations within 5 minute (Bakerloo line 8 minutes walk) as well Beautiful Tuscan farmhouse near 50 minutes from airport. Website Walking, fishing, surfing and golf programme to suit your fitness and diet Email [email protected] in charming flat. Beautiful views of walking distance, Available now. £375pw. Common. Close to tube. £750pcm. as No. 98 bus right outside, straight to Call Pat 07875 413085 Spacious room to rent in flatshare Barga (sleeps 8). Private pool. www.villagelsi.com nearby. Sleeps up to 8. Available now. requirements Wesite London Bridge. Furnished double room Adrian Silk Solicitor. Specialist in family Oxford Street/Holborn. £250pw. Light and in Kensal Rise. £596pcm, excl bills. Spectacular views. Website Call 01444 482677 email www.fitnesspinnacle.com. Barnes/Mortlake 2 bedroom flat, sunny Website www.spareroom.co.uk available for up to 3 months. Excellent law. Phone 020 7266 5070. Website ref:780276 modern with great views across London. Contact Tal 07852 485415 www.montate.co.uk [email protected] Contact Glenn on 0800 862 0298 garden. Close river, train, buses to Central Heating. Wooden floors. transport links. £600pm including bills. Percy Road W12. Single room. Monday Lake District. Pullwood Bay, Ambleside, www.adriansilksolicitor.co.uk to Friday. N/S F. £350pcm incl. Hammersmith. £200pwk. Telephone Call 07968 766730 or email [email protected] Exmoor National Park. Beautifully Windermere’s exclusive lakeside 5 star Cosy cottage near Padstow. Sleeps 5. Telephone 07912 476536 A tax return to complete? Let us help! 020 8789 3334 [email protected] Telephone 07903 141845 Walthamstow. Furnished one bedroom located, secluded Exmoor stone cottage, apartments and woodland cottages. Low Website www.forgecottagecornwall.co.uk For all taxation and accounting services flat close to tube/BR. £600pcm excluding full facilities, sleeps 5. Website season rates apply. Book online or call From £290pw. contact Anthony, Wells and Co, Chartered Beautifully furnished one bed flat with Hammersmith Grove W6. Spacious, Rooms available Manchester. Large bills. Off street parking. Telephone www.venfordcottage.co.uk 01539 433333. Email info@pullwoodbay. Winter sun. Small charming bush Accountants. For free initial consultation garden, Kennington. Available February, Delightful 1 bed Bayswater flat fully furnished studio flat, mezzanine Lovely double room available close luxury house. Walled grounds, secure 01688 302558 com. Website www.pullwoodbay.com camp in southern Gambia, just call Alan Wells on 020 8455 7733. Email March, April. Discounted rate £250pw. available end January. £1,400pcm. level bedroom area, separate kitchen, to Blackheath, sharing with married parking, large communal dining, sitting, Fabulous Farthing Cottage is a quaint 15 minutes stroll to lovely secluded [email protected] Email [email protected] See alanpearce.com/flat built in wardrobes. 10 minute walk couple. WiFi/satellite etc. London Bridge utility areas. Heaton Moor, all amenities. 2 bedroom stone property in idyllic Remote, luxury, Scottish idyll in beach. Safari style tents with proper to TVC, Hammersmith/Goldhawk 12 minutes by train. Charing Cross Train station 2 minutes. MCR centre/ World Cup 2010. Extremely well located Corfe Castle, Dorset, and is the ultimate Ayrshire hills. Aga, log fire, endless beds. Birdwatchers paradise. Beautifully refurbished S/C flat near Double room in lovely flat, White City. Road tubes. £825pcm excluding 20 minutes. £128pw/£550pcm. Mobile airport 10 minutes, near motorways. 3 bed house, with pool, for rent. See country, coastal break. Dogs welcome. walks from front door. Sleeps 6 Great value, unforgettable holiday. Camilla. Transcription service. Website Westbourne Grove, F/F. £390pw http:// £650pcm including bills. Telephone bills. Available immediately. Email: 00 234 803 403 0132. Email Rent £500pcm viewing email www.houseinfresnaye.com. Call Malcolm Telephone: 07517 238629. Website adults + 4 children. Website http:// thegambianhideaway.com. Call www.transcription4uinlondon.com. www.wix.com/sappho/Flat 07950 263285 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Lyons 07973 308063/020 8780 0988 www.farthingcottage.com wwwtheowlhouse-scotland.co.uk 07758 223312 Please call 020 8977 4078

To place a classified ad in Ariel please telephone 020 7878 2313 or email [email protected]. Alternatively, you may post your ad to: Ariel Advertising, Ten Alps Media, One New Oxford Street, High Holborn, London WC1A 1NU To place an ad online go to www.bbcarielads.com 

14 Jobs See Attachment  Mr Sport              comes to                                    town                      Radio Guernsey’s sport               reporter Alex South,             spends time with the              big players at TVC                   I really didn’t know what to expect from my      one week ‘In Sport’ attachment. I chose to spend              it at Television Centre working for tv sports news     as my family and I are keen to move to the North         West and the relocation to Salford would suit us       down to the ground. I was nervous walking into    the office, which is a little bigger than I’m used to           back in Guernsey, but it didn’t take long to settle          in, especially with the editor Owen Williams tell-        ing all and sundry that I was mister sport in the                                                                                                                                                        Channel Islands and an expert on Final Cut Pro               (the editing software they use at BBC Sport).             Despite my big build up I felt, for the first few     days at least, like I was back on work experience.      When I get told someone is ‘shadowing’ me I tend        not to be filled with happy thoughts, especially         if I’m busy. But if the sports news guys felt like             that they didn’t let it show. By Wednesday that      had all changed and I was actually doing the job.     Thrown in at the deep end covering the Champi-     ons League. It was sink or swim time and with a        little help from the ‘back row’ team I just about         stopped myself from going under, putting out a      package on Rangers’ defeat to Sevilla. From then     on I felt much more useful, helping cut together         pieces for the weekly sports programme on a Fri-     day and generally trying to do as much as I could.          I spoke to the sport presenter Sean Fletcher on     my last day and he told me that four years ago he also did an In Sport attachment. His was slightly     longer than mine at four weeks but it proved that there is a history of people coming on a short loan   before making the switch permanently. I’d like to    think that in the next year I could, thanks to In    Sport, follow that same well trodden path.      Been anywhere nice? Send your attachment   stories to Clare Bolt

     

14 OCTOBER 08 ARIEL a 19·01·10 What am I doing here 15 photograph: paul elton paul photograph: On Twitter you are @jiminthe- morning how did that come about? We were keen to let people know what goes on behind foreign the scenes and invite them to participate. I was scepti- cal about Twitter at first but it kind of took off, and now I’ve got about 1800 people fol- bureau lowing me and a tremendous amount of traffic and comments or ideas for news stories and guests comes from Twitter. We probably get more useful stuff from there than from texts and emails. James Copnall Do you think other BBC outlets should use it more? correspondent, Sudan Yes, but you’ve got to do it right. The potential is huge if The urban sprawl often known col- you make it work for you and lectively as Khartoum is actually three you get it right. It’s all about cities. Khartoum itself radiates out from being the person you are but the old British-built centre, past the in 140 characters, and people airport and through posh new suburbs either like you or they don’t. on tarmac roads that weren’t there five years ago. You can sense the oil wealth You seem to have mastered in the thrusting 4x4s, even if most still social media but are you natu- travel in shared minibuses or three- rally social? wheeled motorised rickshaws. Not hugely, no. A lot of peo- To the north of the Blue Nile, a vast ple in radio are hermits really. sluggish expanse of water, is Khartoum There’s a need to be liked and North, or Bahri. To the west, just past all you have to do is be some- the point where the Blue and White Niles one’s mate for three hours. meet, is Omdurman, the most populous You put your life on the air city in Sudan. and people feel they can call Sudanese are and talk about absolutely unfailingly polite. anything, daft or serious. There is a real Every time I go for a jog, shouts What did you want to be when sense of living of encourage- you grew up? ment follow me: I didn’t have any real idea, in a crucial ‘White man! Good! I just wanted to get out of Welcome!’ When school. Without any par- to be a radio person, be natu- moment of Sudanese of- ticular ambitions I stum- ral, be the person you are. history fer greetings, in bled into radio and 30 Jim Hawkins English, it is often years later I’m still here. So what does the real Jim in a charming rush: ‘How are you? Fine?’ Hawkins do when he’s not on with no pause between the sentences. But How did you get started in mid-morning presenter, the radio? the hospitality cannot hide real problems. radio? On Wednesday afternoons I vol- For four decades in the half-century since I worked on university ra- bbc radio shropshire unteer at the Severn Hospice. I Independence, the Muslim North and the dio and when Coventry’s work in the appeals department non-Muslim South have been at war with new commercial radio station Where do you find these people? So what is ‘Free For All Friday’? and host events for them. I am one another. The splits are over religious, came looking for people to All over the place. Every week We never set anything up also a keen cyclist and photog- cultural, ethnic and ideological differences join I said yes and stuck at it. I sit on a bench somewhere for Friday mornings, every- rapher and I collect old radios. – as well as the neglect of the desperately for an hour and all sorts of thing comes in from listeners under-developed south. Southerners, in- What is it about radio that you people come and talk to me via phones, texts, emails and How did you get into that? cluding the millions in Khartoum, bitterly really like? and I record it. I once had a Twitter. So it’s whatever peo- I started off trying to track resent the form of Sharia law in force in the It’s fast, it’s immediate and 19 year-old Mormon mission- ple think we should be talking down the same HMV record north, in which alcohol is illegal and wear- it’s intimate. You’re talk- ary on his first ever visit away about, what’s on their mind, player that mum used to own. ing ‘indecent clothing’ in public is punish- ing to one person all the from home and as he was try- what they want us to chase Now I’ve got dozens of radi- able by up to 40 lashes. time and it has the possibil- ing to convert me I was try- up, what they need help with. os from the 1940s to 1970s, a In January 2011 the South will vote on ity of making a difference. ing to ask him questions. But most days the content of couple of dozen tape record- whether it wants to be independent. We encourage and celebrate the show is, to a greater or ers from the 1950s to 1970s, Another civil conflict continues in Dar- people who make a positive What makes good local radio? lesser extent, user-generated. wind-up gramophones, record fur. Although the fighting has died down, difference to their lives and A sense of community and players, turntables, sever- more than two million people are still dis- to other people’s. I guess we being part of it. It’s a two-way Is being a good radio presenter al hundred 78s dating back placed. try to make the world a bet- thing with the people that you a difficult skill to master? to the late 19th century and Covering those stories isn’t easy. A travel ter place at 12 noon than it serve and remembering that I was really terrible when I start- 500 of the first LPs released in permit is needed for Darfur, and that depends was at 9 that morning. you do serve them. Putting the ed but have got the hang of it the UK from 1950s onwards. on the authorities’ mood. In the South, which audiences first, caring about now. I was trying to sound like It’s all got a bit out of hand is run by the Sudan People’s Liberation Move- That’s very optimistic isn’t it? what they think, not just filling other people but it’s all about and I never did find an identi- ment, and where everyone seems to listen to Most people are mostly good, the slots in the appropriate way. being yourself. Don’t try cal record player to mum’s. the BBC, the issue is logistics. Jonglei state most of the time. That’s the is the size of Bangladesh but has only 50 standpoint we start from, and What are you really proud of? kilometres of roads usable all year. This year we use the phrase ‘hats off to CV This is my 30th year in the more people have been killed there, in inter- humanity’. We’re fed up with - business and the thing that ethnic fighting, than have died in Darfur, says negative whingeing attitudes, Degree: Briefly studied English and American Litera means so much to me eve- the UN. they make the heart sink. So ture at Warwick University before dropping out to ry day is putting on my BBC The challenges are huge – and there is a we’re upbeat, positive, cele- work in local radio pass. Every morning I put it real sense of living in a crucial moment in bratory and glass half full. on and I think wow, I work history. As the country builds past Darfur This doesn’t mean we’re blink- First job: Pianist in a hotel restaurant for the greatest broadcast- peace talks and next April’s elections, the ered or Pollyanna about what Career highlight : Winning a Silver Sony Award in er in the world and I’m so first since 1986, towards the referendum the world’s actually like, but we 2002 for my show ‘The Baldy Brothers’ chuffed about that. I love it. that could result in a new country being just like to celebrate other peo- Oscar, aka ‘Comedy dog’, and two cats. born, it is a fascinating place to be based. ple who are doing good things. Family: Interview by Sue Llewellyn

> CONTACT SUE LLEWELLYN to suggest a colleague for this feature 16 a 19·01·10 green room ▲ THE ARIELAT0R WE HEAR THAT. . . A weekly take on life at the BBC: nEWS FESTIVAL SPECIAL ▲ who’s up, who’s down, who’s off David Dimbleby revealed that he’d never been Sometimes Capturing theto a training session at the BBC because he was UPSIDE ▲ working at the BBC a freelance. ‘I don’t bother with all that,’ the can have unexpected maverick told Emily Maitlis when discussing his ▲ benefits. For ba Panna broadcasting career. Not so – a mole tells us Mawji this now in- Dimbleby did, in fact, attend the Safeguarding ▲ cludes being personally ice age Trust course and rather relished ‘being around invited to the London all the young people…who weren’t at all re- residence of the ‘Mozart spectful to him’. ▲ of Madras’, composer and musician AR Rah- Separated at birth: the BBC’s new arts edi- ▲ man. The unlikely friendship began in February tor, Will Gompertz (right) and Bill Nighy. 2008, when Asian Network secured an interview ▲ with Rahman. When the team arrived, the first thing Rahman said was, ‘Are you Panna Mawji?’ ▲ Panna wasn’t there, but the composer sung the ba’s praises, admiring her persistence in secur- ▲ ing the interview and her genuine manner. This month, a year later, Rahman sent Panna an email saying he was in town for two days and ▲ happy to do another interview, but on one condition – that she was there this time. ‘Stonehenge! Where the demons up the schedule and began right away. ▲ ‘AR Rahman is the greatest ever legend to over dwell, where the banshees live and ‘It was an opportunity too good a billion people in India and they would do any- they do live well,’ Spinal Tap famously to miss,’ explains series producer ▲ thing to catch a glimpse of him,’ says Panna. sang of Britain’s most iconic prehis- Cameron Balbirnie. ‘How else could Some entertaining badinage between Prince ‘And here he was expressing his desire to meet toric rock arrangement. But while it we transport Neil into the sub-arctic of Darkness Peter Mandelson and Politics Show ▼ me – I was humbled and speechless.’ may be a damn good song, the band world of ice-age Britain?’ presenter Jon Sopel: ‘Did you deliberately put She and presenter Gagan Grewal took up the sadly failed to provide much well The team duly mobilised through me in a shaky, unstable seat?’ asked Mandy. ▼ invite, and the interview went out on Asian researched information about the the blizzards to Wiltshire to get the ‘I feel like I’m going to fall on to the floor.’ ‘Ah, Network’s AR Rahman day last week. ‘He was a monument other than asserting that shots. ‘Freelance cameraman Pat but you’d pick yourself up again, wouldn’t you,’ great host,’ remembers Panna. ‘He even intro- it’s a place where ‘a man’s a man,’ and Acum promised that his mother of a Sopel quipped, without skipping a beat, as the ▼ duced me to his wife.’ ‘children dance to the pipes of Pan’. 4x4 could make it through anything,’ secretary of state smiled benignly. ‘And that’s So thank the horned one for new says Cameron. ‘But director Simon why you get your vast salary.’ ▼ downSIDE BBC Two series Stonehenge Britain, Winchcombe wasn’t quite so certain Snow Watch host which will tell the story of pre-historic of production’s people carrier.’ More festival revelations from David Dimble- ▼ Chris Packham has Britain from the times of the earliest The shoot was deemed a success, by: he used to write Margaret Thatcher’s name had to censor himself nomadic hunters through to the Ro- providing an unlikely start to produc- at the top of his notes because he was prone to ▼ because he fears for mans. The team planned to start shoot- tion on the new series. We just hope forgetting her name mid-interview, and – un- his job. Packham told ing with presenter Neil Oliver in the they didn’t rope in any poor extras in helpfully, for a host of Question Time – he ‘finds it ▼ the Sun last week that Spring, but due to the snow they tore loincloths. difficult to stop people talking’. Clearly not a nat- he had signed a deal ural tweeter, he was still delighted that the con- to continue fronting the Watch-branded nature troversial Nick Griffin QT had been the world’s ▼ shows for another two years, but joked, ‘That’s most tweeted subject on Twitter the next day. if I don’t do anything to blow it. So I think I’ll lay See inlay for details His son-in-law had culled a few gems for his ▼ off panda-bashing for a while.’ He wasn’t refer- amusement, Dimbleby said, including hero- ring to an outlawed sport enjoyed only by the Senior network producer met in 1989, when Orinoco Flow grams from three fans who separately tweeted: ▼ super-rich in deepest China, but to his some- Annette Bartholomew is in the was in the charts. Annette inter- ‘I’d like to have DD as my grandfather…I want him what controversial suggestion that pandas album charts – without singing a viewed Enya for Radio Guern- for my husband… I want him to have my babies.’ ▼ should be left to die out because they’ve ‘gone note. She features in the sleeven- sey and the two kept in touch. Would never have happened to Robin Day. down an evolutionary cul-de-sac’. otes of the latest Enya compila- ‘I directed Enya singing in tion, thanked by the singer along Gaelic a few years later for BBC with a host of famous folk. Television. It was fun but ‘I was stunned at being challenging to be directing Win Investigative EARWIGGING mentioned and didn’t ex- in a different language,’ pect it all,’ says Annette. she says. Thankfully Enya Film Week tickets OVERHEARD AT THE BBC The multi-million selling had written the lyrics The Centre for star and producer first phonetically... Investigative Jour- …Can you make that monkey nalism is host- clap to the music, please?… ing London’s first Investigative Film …‘We need a volunteer for Week from Febru- going to Cardiff. Anyone?’ Win The Boys Are Back the book ary 2 to 6. Taking place at City Uni- ‘I can go as long as I can In 2001 journalist Simon Carr pub- Simon Carr is currently a parliamen- versity, the event come back’… lished his debut novel, The Boys are tary sketch writer for. Email ariel will showcase six Back In Town, a moving yet humor- competitions by January 25. of the best inves- …This dump of yours is noisy and smelly… ous account of life as a single father tigative films and following the death of his wife. Now follow each with a Q&A session with the film- …I just don’t think North of Watford is for the critically acclaimed book has makers. Films on offer include the UK premiere me… been made into The Boys are Back, a of Gunter Wallraff: Black on White (pictured) and film starring Clive Owen which charts a screening of Panorama’s Undercover Nurse. We …Call me so I can flirt with you… his successes and failures in recon- have a pair of week long passes to the festival necting with his two young sons. The to give away. To enter to win them, answer this …I was dreading carrying me double yolkers film is out on January 22, and we have question: In April 1957, Panorama screened a spe- down the road… five copies of the novel to give away cial programme about the harvest of what crop? courtesy of BBC Films. To enter to Email ariel competitions by January 25. …Can I un-pop your balloon?… win one, tell us which newspaper tinyurl.com/cijfest > IF YOU HAVE A STORY FOR THE GREEN ROOM, CONTACT ADAM BAMBURY