The newspaper for retired BBC Pension Scheme members • October 2019 • Issue 5 PROSPERO

TVC VS OUTSIDE PENSION SCHEME PAGE 10 | BBC PENSIONS BBC VOLUNTEER VISITING SCHEME CELEBRATES ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY The annual BBC Volunteer Visiting Scheme (VVS) Conference took place at the start of August, when 90 ‘visitors’ gathered in .

he visitors are retired BBC employees who much-feared . Cheryl explained: ‘Since the last If you’re thinking of drawing a Lasting Power of provide friendship to BBC pensioners aged 70 conference, we’ve recruited 12 new visitors and sent Attorney to keep with your Will, he recommended you Tand above, those recently bereaved or anyone out around 200 letters to pensioners living in the complete the forms online and potentially save in poor health. areas covered by the new visitors. We’ve had a 10% yourself hundreds of pounds. ‘A solicitor might charge response rate, which is around the same level we up to £1,800 for a married couple, but if you do it The aim of the conference is to enhance the visitors’ enjoyed before GDPR.’ yourself it’s less than £100 per person.’ This website understanding of the issues that affect the BBC’s has lots of guidance on how to complete the forms: pensioners, so that they can provide a better ‘service’ The first speaker of Day 1 was a regular, Roger https://www.gov.uk/power-of-attorney to the people they meet. The conference also gives Hatherell, an independent financial adviser, who gave the visitors an opportunity to network with others and a very informative talk about financial planning in later Chair of the Trustees share tips and ideas. life, covering retirement planning, estate planning and The second speaker of the day was Catherine This year was a special for the Scheme – being later life planning. Claydon, the new Chair of the BBC Pension Trust Ltd. This was the first time Catherine had spoken to 25 years since it was first set up. The VVS looks Roger stressed how important it is to have an up-to-date members of the Scheme since she took over the role forward to many more years of providing friendship Will and reminded the visitors that many legal firms from Bill Matthews in January 2019. and support to its pensioners. So far this year, almost participate in Free Wills Month campaign, a charity 1,000 visits have been carried out, and the Scheme fundraiser that takes place in March and September. Catherine explained how changes to the structure of covers 83% of the UK. This idea behind this event is that those taking up the Trustee Board have resulted in three independent Cheryl Miles, the Volunteer Visiting Scheme co-ordinator, the offer will leave a gift in their Wills to one of trustees being appointed to the Board. ‘It’s useful opened the conference and was pleased to report that the selected charities – although they are under to have trustees on a board who are genuinely the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), much no obligation to do so. Find out more at: independent with no association to the Scheme,’ discussed at last year’s conference, had not had the www.freewillsmonth.org.uk she said. Catherine’s first impressions of the Scheme were very favourable. ‘Usually when join a scheme I look at how bad the complaints are, but the feedback I was shown was phenomenal.’ She also rated the executive team as ‘first rate’ and said that while the financial and operational aspects of the Scheme were excellent, it was important not to get complacent. She also commended the Scheme on its member communications, produced in-house by the BBC Pensions Team.

Mystery Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains the letters ABDIJLONR in some order. One row or column contains a five or more letter word, title or name with a BBC connection. Solve the Sudoku to discover what it is and send your answer to: The Editor, Prospero, BBC Pension and Benefits Centre, , Cardiff Crospero devised and compiled by Jim Palm CF5 2YQ by Monday, 4 November 2019. The winner gets a £10 voucher. Many thanks to Complete the square by using the clues; these 1 2 Neil Somerville for providing this puzzle. apply only to words across. Then take these words in numerical order and extract the 3 4 letters indicated by a dot. If your answers are 5 6 R ON correct, these letters will give you a song which was popular in the late 1940s. 7 8 9 D

CLUES 10 11 ILOD 1. Divide (5); 2. Operational support equipment (3); 12 13 3. Not at home (4); 4. Wanders (6); 5. Town in LAOR (5); 6. Day before (3); 7. Suitable (3); 14 15 8. Chicken (3); 9. Biblical character (3); 10. Sun B J 16 17 18 colouring (3); 11. Move faster (3); 12. Cruel marquis BJRA (4); 13. Preposition (4); 14. Canine friend (3); 19 20 15. Pipe cover (3); 16. Auction item (3); 17. Nervous 21 22 DBNL twitch (3); 18. Ruminant (3); 19. Moved fast (3);

20. Measurer (5); 21. On your way! (6); 22. Region (4); 23 24 D 23. South Eastern Railway (3); 24. Wise ones (5) RN A Please send your answers in an envelope marked ‘Crospero’ to The Editor, Prospero, BBC Pension and Benefits Centre, Broadcasting House, Cardiff CF5 2YQ, The Sudoku winner in August WIN by Monday, 4 November 2019. The winner will receive a £10 voucher. WIN was Ms Beryl Miller who correctly £10 £10 identified the BBC connection Mr Robert Cox was the winner from August and the answer was ‘Cruising down was ‘ Quiz’. the river’.

2 Independent living A life less lonely On Day Two, Neil Williams from Care & Repair Dr Debra Morgan, from the Centre for Ageing and told the visitors about the charity’s role in helping Dementia Research, University, has been older people manage life’s transitions – ‘those little carrying out research into loneliness and how it changes that, if not addressed, could lead to longer- impacts mental and physical health. Her presentation PROSPERO term problems’. to the visitors aimed to ‘lift the lid’ on people’s pathways into loneliness and what can be learned He cited ‘the rug’ as a case in point: how many falls Prospero is provided free of charge to retired Scheme from them. are caused by a rug and lead to long-term hospital members, or to their spouses and dependants. admissions and eventually to people being unable to It’s a complex issue, and the paths that lead people to Prospero provides a source of news on former live independently at home. experience loneliness and social isolation can be very colleagues, developments at the BBC and pension Care & Repair provide a free front-end service, where different from one person to another. It could be the issues, plus classified adverts. It is available online they visit older people in their homes and point out result of a single event, such as a bereavement, while at .co.uk/mypension where they could make improvements to help them for others it happens over a period of time. To advertise in Prospero, please see page 12. stay in their homes for longer. ‘You can be lonely even if you have a large network, because it’s not the quantity but the quality of Please send your editorial contributions, Care & Repair connections that is important,’ she said. or comments/feedback, to: There are equivalent services across , Dementia Friends and Northern , although they Prospero, BBC Pension and Benefits Centre, The final session of the conference was a workshop run might work in slightly different ways. Broadcasting House, Cardiff CF5 2YQ by Dementia Friends. This is an Alzheimer’s Society Email: [email protected] Wales: 0300 111 3333 initiative, which aims to create dementia-friendly England: 0300 124 0315 communities where people are more aware of what Please make sure that any digital pictures you send life is like for someone with dementia. You can find are scanned at 300dpi. Please also note that the Scotland: 0141 221 9879 out more at: www.dementiafriends.org.uk maximum word count for obituaries is 350 words. : 03448 920 900 The conference was closed by the BBC Pension Central Square Scheme Operations & Communications Manager Jeff Neil was followed by Alun Jones, BBC programme Webley, who gave a special word of thanks to Cheryl Contents director, who gave the visitors a virtual tour of Central Miles for organising this year’s conference as well as Square, the new Foster & Partners-designed all her hard work in her role as the Volunteer Visiting Scheme co-ordinator. headquarters for BBC Wales. VVS celebrates 25 years 2 The last time Alun stood in front of the audience was four years ago, when the building was only a blueprint, BBC Volunteer Visiting Scheme but now it’s almost ready to open, with cutting-edge The BBC Volunteer Visiting Scheme was set technology fit for a 21st-century broadcaster. up to provide companionship and friendship to BBC pensioners aged 70 and over, those Letters 4-5 One of the first teams to move in will be the BBC recently bereaved, and anyone in poor health. Pensions Team in October, followed by other The BBC currently has 12,843 pensioners who non-broadcast teams before and then qualify for a visit. You may prefer to meet up production staff after Christmas. for a coffee somewhere local. Back at the BBC 6-7 According to Alun, many other tenants have moved into - BBC launches audio trial Even if you have previously declined a visit, other buildings in the area as a result of the BBC taking - BBC secures rights to UEFA Women's you can always contact your visitor through up a prime spot. These include Cardiff University’s Euro 2021 Cheryl Miles to arrange a meeting, especially School of Journalism, HMRC and several legal firms. - BBC monitoring 80th anniversary if you feel lonely. Or you can call 029 2032 2811 An independent consultant has estimated that the BBC - BBC public service voice assistant to find out more. deal has created £1bn in value for the Welsh economy.

Memories 8-10 Available throughout the UK to VOLUNTEER - Bulgarian autocue VISITING BBC pensioners over age 70 - The Museum SCHEME - Nationwide 50th anniversary - A most tricky move Visitors are also - A feud between TVC and Outside Broadcasts Visitors carry ID cards BBC pensioners with them for your security Obituaries 11

Would you welcome occasional contact with Odds & ends 12 former colleagues? We can also offer - Northern Ireland Light Orchestra support during - Classifieds difficult times such as - Caption competition Over 2,000 pensioners bereavement already use the scheme Meet at home for a chat or somewhere public like a Prospero October 2019

coffee shop EE S FF HO The next issue of Prospero will appear O P C in December 2019. The copy deadline Operates from the is Monday, 4 November 2019. Pension and Benefits Centre

Want to know more about what the VVS has to offer? Call the pension service line on 029 2032 2811 or email [email protected]

PROSPERO OCTOBER 2019 | 3 | LETTERS Revising old haunts Heard the one about at Televison Centre I was delighted to read the articles about TVC in the the kangaroo stuck in a lift? recent edition of Prospero. Quite by chance I recently I was intrigued to read Brian Hawkins’ on visited TVC, the first time since it was sold by the the catastrophic opening night of BBC2, when BBC. My granddaughter and her boyfriend decided I much of was plunged into darkness. needed cheering up following the recent loss of my Brian was often the genial and reassuring TM2 dear wife so offered to take me out to lunch at TVC. when I was a fledgling studio director of Choice, What a delightful experience and what a change since the pioneering consumer programme of the 1960s. I started out there as a young engineer in 1969. The night the power failed, 20 April 1964, All the grounds are now landscaped and open to the I was in , in our ramshackle public. Even the fountain is working, which I recall offices at the far end of the 6th floor. Walking was stopped when it started leaking into the VT area. down the back staircase I found myself staring Everything above the ground floor studio level now appears to be apartments, and at the large scenic lift, which was stuck between the ring road where the scenery areas were has now been rebuilt as an outer ring floors. In it was a kangaroo. There may even of very posh (and expensive) apartments. have been two, but I can only remember one. Presumably it was on its way to a studio, with a keeper. Would you believe, whilst walking round I bumped into a lady called Zena who many will remember as the senior receptionist at White City for many years. BBC2 marketing had been centred on a pair of graphic kangaroos called Hullabaloo and Custard, and I suppose their real-life counterparts were to After much reminiscing it was time for drinks and lunch. What was the Spur is make an appearance on opening night. now a hive of activity offering a very upmarket cocktail bar and an assortment of restaurants. We chose the Indian cuisine which was quite excellent. So if any It is such a bizarre memory that I sometimes wonder if I dreamed it. retired colleagues fancy a bit of nostalgia I can thoroughly recommend a visit to Does anyone else remember a kangaroo stuck in the lift at Lime Grove? the old haunts. Edward Mirzoeff Tim Burrell Out of focus shots Nigel’s enthusiasm for local radio was indeed deep and goes back to the earliest We are fortunate to live in an age of High Definition days of the 1970s and the ‘local radio experiment’. He was knocking at the door of giving us superb quality. BBC Radio Durham even as its studios were being created and he was finishing postgraduate work. His instigation of a student radio programme provided first Maybe it’s just me, but why is every other shot on many steps for many who went on to have significant broadcasting careers. I was programmes out of focus? Can someone explain this as I fortunate to be one of them. His love for the medium never faltered and after find it distracting and a strain on the eyes, and add to this the ridiculous retirement he enthusiastically joined the BBC visitor scheme where he was able to background music drowning out the conversation I am trying to follow. share stories and friendships. Brian Tapp John Forrest

explosion, etc. Some of these contain a bar or two of music, but never with any of intrusive music? musical coherence. I don't think so The other category, and the most distracting, is a series of arpeggios and other sound patterns, usually with a synthesized keyboard quality. The material can Following yet more correspondence on music levels, I read a pertinent article in vary, but is always repetitive, and is cut to length as required. It is most usually an August edition of the on this controversial subject. found under the voice-over or narrative of a documentary, then silenced for the Under the heading, ‘The beginning of the end for mumbling’, apparently the BBC personal interviews. It is neutral and bears no relation to the subject. has developed some new technology that will allow viewers to adjust the sound What both of these categories have in common as that they are devoid of any balance to suit themselves. The RT piece adds: It’s only in the experimental original created music, and those responsible for the soundtracks would seem to and is not yet close to being introduced on iPlayer or our TVs at home. be musical technologists rather than musicians. Played at any volume they can I fear this device is the way ahead, but will this gadget solve issues in other, be an irritant. equally important areas? For too long producers have peddled irrelevant music Consider, in contrast, the production of genuine film music. The producer to drown the pictures and cover their lack of expertise. Do current producers not commissions a composer, whose first job is to view the film. The producer realise they are ruining programmes by using wall-to-wall music which regularly then indicates which sequences require music, and what the music should do. fails to match the beautifully-shot visuals? The composer is given the timings and goes away to create a score. Thus far the I’m proud of my 15 years on the staff as film editor which led me into directing needs of the multi-million-pound feature filmmaker and those of the producer of documentaries freelance. In both categories I worked on many programmes that a one-off TV documentary are the same. From then on money obviously takes had no music on their soundtracks. Modern producers seem to give little thought over. Star Wars uses the London Symphony Orchestra for a multitude of to their choice of music, thus the output looks the same regardless of the subject expensive sessions. The documentary producer takes the score to a musician and location. who realises it on a synthesizer. But whether we are talking about the feature film This new gizmo may help with the excessive volume of the music and I’m sure or the documentary, we enjoy a tailormade product, using the work of real the BBC are delighted with their new invention. But doesn’t this format let them musicians (in the case of the documentary only two of them) as much as it uses off the hook? If we are to become dubbing mixers at home, this surely is the talented actors, cameramen and producers. The extra costs, if any, would surely case. The person leading the trials seems to offer a warning when she says: be a fraction of the total budget. Much more importantly, the film would be ‘One blanket solution – say, turning the music down – is not going to work for genuinely enhanced by the freshness of the music, rather than being dragged everyone, and certainly it’s not going to work creatively’. down by its banality.

Paul Foxall Colin Bradbury

THE COMMENTS ON music in the August edition of Prospero are thoroughly COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE music in TV documentaries always seem to be met justified. The sight of hippos paddling through the Okavango Delta was not with the same reply. Music, the producers say, adds to the experience. Opponents enhanced by playing the Blue Danube. May I add that the cash-strapped BBC disagree – music, they say, interferes with and subtracts from it. I suggest that we could possibly save a substantial sum in music copyright by ending the practice? pause for a moment to consider not only the volume, but the quality of this music. There is an art in putting music to film, with many fine examples. They follow well Rodney Mantle tried principles, and it is failure to follow these principles which, I believe, has led to present impasse. Paul Foxall is correct – the BBC has been trialling technology that would The sounds complained about usually fall into one of two categories. The first are allow viewers to adjust sound levels. Turn to page 6 to find out more. akin to effect – the sudden ‘whoosh’, the few bars of an orchestral climax, the

4 Dinky OB vehicles The time zapped my lift Reading of Dick McCarthy’s strange events (August 2019) reminded me of what happened when Doctor Who zapped the lift I was in.

I don’t remember the date but it was during Jon Pertwee’s stint as . My job as a film traffic supervisor was (among other things) to make sure films got to TK (Telecine) for their bookings, transmissions, transfers or studio inserts. I was interested in the item by Geoff Dawe in the recent issue of Prospero. For information on which films were Geoff was a member of the OB Section of Planning and Installation Department required and when meant a trip each at the time of the production of the first colour OB vehicle. weekday lunchtime to Programme I was a member of the Section when the Department was dissolved as part of Planning on the 6th floor of the main the great cull of BBC Engineering in 1987. When clearing my desk I came across a block of TV Centre, to collect final and photograph of CMCR12, taken in 1955 (top left). My second photo is of a model of revised TK booking sheets. the same vehicle, part of a set of three Dinky Toys made at about that time. On this particular day I did just that, The other two Dinky Toy models are a Roving Eye car (complete with camera and returning to the South Hall lifts where I cameraman (person?) on the roof) and a communications truck with an extending called and entered the lift, pressing ‘G’ mast operated by a small winding handle and a length of BBC waxed twine, the to return to the ground level. The lift travelled down and stopped at the 2nd floor, latter purloined by me when the original cord broke. where Jon Pertwee (aka Doctor Who) stepped in and pressed 4.

Bill Rhodes ‘Going down’ I said. The doors closed and the lift went UP to the 4th floor. As Jon got out, I said, ‘Look, I know you’re a – you don’t have to prove it!’

He replied, ‘I know but it does have its advantages.’ BBC war memorials The explanation: Jon obviously called the lift a moment before I pressed ‘G’, therefore on reaching the 2nd floor the lift was waiting for its next instruction. I was interested to see the letter from Martin Briscoe about BBC war memorials in the August 2019 edition of Prospero. Neville Withers

I must, however, clarify a misunderstanding about the memorials to BBC staff at Caversham Park mentioned in Martin’s letter.

These were not war related, but were memorials to deceased members of Alan Kerridge staff, and in some cases their family members, who had worked at Caversham. Geoffrey Hawkes’ piece on Alan There were dozens of such memorials across the estate. Kerridge rekindled some very vivid memories and inspired me to add a few Before BBC Monitoring and BBC of my own… Berkshire left Caversham Park last year, there was an extensive effort by Al was a one-off, a true individual and my colleague Jan Campbell to one of those characters who gave Tech document all of the memorials and, Ops its unique, quirky flavour. Geoff’s where possible, contact any surviving photograph perfectly captures the relatives to see if they would like to personality of the man: quizzical, take ownership of them. humorous, sidelong. Al was slow of speech but quick of reflex – and brought As a result, the great majority of the his own very personal approach to memorials were collected by relatives. everything he did. As a cameraman he A dozen memorials remained and were removed to the garden of the BBC History of cultivated a practical, sleeves-rolled-up Written Archives Centre, which is in a part of Caversham Park that is not being style, brown thick-soled walking shoes sold by the BBC. BBC TV grounding his spare frame, pencil stub I read with interest your report in Chris Greenway tucked behind his left ear, little tin the August 2019 issue of Prospero sandwich box on standby for the and regret I cannot offer any next break. memories of Mr Jewell.

Alongside his humour – and despite the I was one of the producers in prevailing culture of the time – his BBC TV, mainly in OBs for nature had a contrary streak of the Peter Dimock (I produced the puritan. He never drank, he never swore first Come Dancing programmes, – although he did smoke. Thin, evil- for example) but also for Light smelling, hand-rolled cigarettes – did he Entertainment. For a while I was keep one ready behind his right ear? based in Lime Grove. On his solitary walking and cycling I was one of the first producers trips, he was accompanied by his to work out of Television Centre. portable tape machine and camera, on (I had a caravan as my office, which he recorded at length the sights among the builders’ trucks, as the and sounds around him. centre was being built.) Al loved music and had a particular I left the BBC in 1973 (heading passion for jazz. He once gave me a a team of 28 producers at cassette tape of favourite songs that he Aeolian Hall) after planning the had compiled. Interspersed with Eddie introduction of R1 and R2, for a Condon, Fats Waller and Stan Kenton commercial career mainly in the I was surprised to find the theme song US with EMI, retiring (as Deputy from M.A.S.H. ‘Suicide Is Painless’. Chairman) in the mid-seventies. Maybe I had stumbled upon a sign of a hidden, darker side to the Donald MacLean character of a complex, fascinating (age 93) man. Alan Kerridge was someone who, for a few years, truly lit up my life. I was very sad to hear of his passing.

Steve Cockayne

PROSPERO OCTOBER 2019 | 5 | BACK AT THE BBC THE BBC LAUNCHES ACCESSIBLE AND ENHANCED AUDIO TRIAL The BBC has been testing technology that will allow viewers to tune out background noise while boosting characters’ voices, making programmes easier to follow.

recent episode of the BBC One What’s new? medical drama was Our technology adds two things to the Athe first to be produced with process of making and watching a TV the new feature. We caught up with programme. The first occurs after Ward, the brains (and ears) filming, when the audio mixing takes behind this project. place. At this point each sound, or group of sounds, has an importance Can you sum up the project? level attached to it (stored in metadata) In Casualty A&E Audio the A&E actually by the dubbing mixer or producer. stands for ‘Accessible and Enhanced’ audio. In this project we are trialling a The other part is the new slider, added new feature that allows you to change to the online media player, called the the audio mix of the episode to best Narrative Balancer. This is what’s used suit your own needs and preferences. to personalise the mix. At one end of background music and all the other accessible audio solution we developed the slider all the objects are the same At the right-hand side of the slider, sounds. However, this makes trying to needed to enhance the dialogue. level as they are in the original you get the same mix as heard on TV. change the volume of the individual However, there is also some core broadcast mix. At the other end is a At the left, the dialogue is enhanced elements, like dialogue, nearly information that’s carried in non-speech simplified mix with louder speech and and some of the other sounds are impossible. It’d be like trying to take the sounds: consider the gunshot in a quieter. You can adjust between these only the most important sounds to the eggs out of an already baked cake. ‘whodunnit’ or the music in the film two extremes to get the right balance narrative. The viewer is then able to Jaws. Without these important sounds, of dialogue, important sounds and adjust between these two mixes to find Object-based audio sends all of the the story wouldn’t make sense. From atmosphere for you. the balance of dialogue and other elements separately, with instructions this we start to build a hierarchy of sounds that they prefer. on how to play the separate elements, Why have you made this? known as ‘metadata’. In our cake analogy, sounds. Speech is at the top, followed Behind the scenes, the player is looking Our hearing is very personal and we this would be like sending you the by non-speech sounds that convey core know that not everyone wants the same at where you have set the slider and for ingredients and the recipe rather than elements of the story, and finally thing out of TV audio. The perfect every group of sounds, either turning the finished cake. This means that when atmospheric elements. Our technology cinematic mix for one viewer might be their volume up or down based on its your device reassembles the soundtrack, uses this idea of how important a sound too loud, or too busy, for another. For importance. But for the user, it’s as what you hear can be tailored to you. is to the story to make personalising many people, the level of background simple as changing the volume. audio simple, whilst ensuring that the What were the challenges? sound in a TV programme can make story always makes sense. Can you tell us a bit more about understanding the dialogue difficult, Not all sounds in a TV or film the technology? particularly for viewers who have a soundtrack are created equal. In almost The Casualty trial ended on At BBC R&D we’re researching the next hearing impairment. We designed this all programmes, the dialogue conveys 31 August but we’ll keep you updated generation of audio for broadcasting feature to allow viewers to personalise much of the story, so we knew any on future developments. – we call it object-based audio, and their listening experience: enhancing that’s what this new feature is based on. some aspects of the audio mix and reducing others so that they can get Currently, we transmit our programmes BBC Monitoring celebrates its the most out of TV dramas, tailored to as a single pre-mixed stream. This their hearing needs. includes vision, speech, sound effects, 80th anniversary BBC Monitoring is a unique institution which grew out of a partnership BBC secures rights to between the BBC, and the UK and US Governments in a very different media age, during the Second World War, where people chosen for their languages UEFA Women's Euro 2021 skills listened into foreign media to track what was broadcast during the conflict, by both enemies and allies. It proved such a fount of information that The BBC announced that is has secured the Winston Churchill himself requested a copy be sent directly to him every broadcast rights to the UEFA Women’s morning during the war years, with a special teleprinter link established in Euro 2021. We’ll be bringing extensive 10 Downing Street to speed up reporting. coverage of every game from grounds throughout England across TV, radio and It has continued to re-invent itself for each successive generation, but the analysis online. The announcement follows on and understanding the teams give us has never been more relevant than it is now. from our coverage of the record-breaking Since the war, Monitoring has continued to serve a vital and specialised FIFA World Cup 2019 in France, which purpose picking up on breaking international stories before anyone else, such saw England reach the semi-finals. as the crashing of flight MH17 in 2014, and lending the kind of in-depth insight A massive peak TV audience of 11.7 million tuned in to watch the Lionesses take to developing stories that can only be accrued through constant watching and on USA in the semi-final – making it the highest TV audience of 2019 so far. listening. The tournament reached more than 28.1 million people on TV alone, eclipsing the In the last 80 years, Monitoring have moved from headquarters in Eversham, 12.4 million record set in 2015. to Caversham, and now to London, with 12 international bureaux, including in Barbara Slater, Director of BBC Sport, says: ‘At the start of this summer, we wanted Kiev, Delhi, Jerusalem and Kabul. They work in more than 100 languages with to shift the dial on women’s football and I feel the phenomenal coverage from an archive stretching back to 1939. France has done just that. The BBC’s sport portfolio continues to go from strength As technology has evolved over the years, it has transformed everyone’s lives to strength and we’re thrilled to add the 2021 Euros to that.’ as media organisations can communicate with their audiences more quickly This year, our audiences will have continued access to women’s football TV coverage than ever before. This change in the way we communicate has also with a match streamed from each round of the Women’s and the transformed BBC Monitoring from a small operation of 30 people to a much Women’s Football Show. There will also be live women’s FA Cup football from the larger, much more sophisticated global organisation with international semi-finals and final as well as major international fixtures. partnerships and operations.

6 DEVELOPING A NEW PUBLIC SERVICE VOICE ASSISTANT FROM THE BBC

needing someone else’s permission to build in a In a conversation with the BBC’s new voice certain way. It’ll allow us to be much more ambitious and more experimental in the content that teams can assistant ‘Beeb’ (a working title), Jeremy create and the ways in which we help people to find Walker, one of the team building it, explains the best bits of the BBC for them. Beeb: So where would I find it? Is there a new device a bit more about what it is and why the people will need to get? Jeremy: No, we’re not creating any devices of our BBC’s doing it. own. Right now the focus is on building it and piecing together the first experiences while we figure out the best ways to provide it to people. We’ll know more on that soon. It’s being built to work on any voice-assisted device (smart speaker, mobile, TV or anything else) so ultimately we’d like to make it as widely available as possible. However, we would need the device manufacturers to let people have access to it.

Beeb: Ok, sounds like you have a lot to do… when is this thing meant to be ready?

Jeremy: Yeah, there’s a lot to do – but we’re aiming to make a first version available next year. It won’t be the finished product – we’ll constantly improve it.

Beeb: It does sound pretty exciting but it also doesn’t sound like what people think the BBC does?

Jeremy: Yeah, it’s funny that. Because this is exactly what the BBC does. The BBC helps all of us better engage with the world around us. It helps to inform, educate and entertain each of us. And it’s always done this by pushing hard to pioneer new ways of doing those things. At the beginning the best way to do that was to produce the nation’s only reliable radio content, then TV. Then BBC News Online. Then the BBC led the way in on-demand video with iPlayer and BBC Sounds is starting to reinvent what we do for music, radio and fans in the UK. Earlier this year we reached a point where 21% of UK Jeremy: Ok Beeb, I’ve got to go to Cardiff for work, Beeb: Wait, that does sound interesting. So the BBC is adults claim to have a smart speaker in their home. can you help set me up with some and a building its own voice assistant? That’s one in five people with a voice assistant in their playlist for the train? Jeremy: Ah, yeah. How else would I be talking to you? house. And I’d wager near enough 99% have one in Beeb: Absolutely, we’ve got the episode their pocket on their phone… Beeb: But I don’t get it, how would this voice assistant you wanted to to a couple of weeks ago, the rest We are entering into an assistant-enabled age. work? How different is that from talking to Alexa now? of ‘ at ’ you were listening I can already ask Alexa to play BBC programmes and I Whenever there have been marked shifts in the to and there’s a new ‘Power Down’ playlist from Annie can stream BBC radio on Google Assistant. way that we consume content or understand the Mac if that’s interesting? What’s happening in Cardiff? world around us, the BBC has been at the forefront Jeremy: That’s right, over the last two years the team Jeremy: Playlist sounds good, let’s stick with that lot. of figuring out what those shifts mean for public have built out experiences on Amazon’s Alexa and service values and for how we should enable The trip to Cardiff is to kick off the next phase of the Google, and they’re really good. They’ve even won a everyone, not just the ‘techies’ to explore their product development work we’re doing around the bunch of awards for their children’s experiences. world in new ways. BBC’s voice experiences. We’re finally getting close to a place where people will be able to talk directly The BBC has a long history of tech innovation in the That’s what the BBC does and that’s what we’re doing to the BBC and we’ll be able to understand what UK, but in this area we’re at the behest of huge by building a BBC assistant. US-based tech companies. We pioneered TV in the they’re saying. Beeb: Alright, alright, but you never answered my UK, as the world started to embrace it. At the advent question though, why are you going to Cardiff? Beeb: Ok, but why would you want to do that? of the Internet, we made sure there was a trustworthy, The teams are in , and London but Doesn’t the BBC just make TV programmes and stuff? quality website where the public could access news. not Cardiff? Jeremy: Of course it does, but it also does so much And now – as a fifth of UK adults have voice-enabled more. It also makes world-leading radio programmes. smart speakers and it becomes the next technology Jeremy: Oh right, sorry. I’m going to Cardiff to help with the audio collection. It creates and curates live events, music festivals, and that could change how people find and consume major films. It also makes all of that online content. content – we are innovating in this space, too For this thing to work for everyone the assistant will As well as fascinating programming around issues and We also know that people who use voice assistants have to recognise everyone’s accent to accurately topics ranging from The Blues to Blue Planet, from are concerned with how their data is being used – understand what each of us is saying. So a few of us top Grime acts to . Not to mention up to especially around things like targeted advertising. are off to help gather different audio samples from different parts of the country and from people with the minute news and weather right around the world. By building a BBC assistant, we can build an assistant And Killing Eve and Strictly and, and, and… different accents all over the UK. We’ll start in BBC that is trusted and puts audiences at its very heart. offices and then build a basic model that way. That’s a hell of a lot of stuff to work your way through. It will serve up what people want to watch or listen to Assuming that works, we’ll continue to refine it. And if you’re a licence fee payer you should get the – from across the BBC – from iPlayer to BBC Sounds, best out of the full breadth of the BBC right? I know News to Sport – on smart speakers, our website, apps Beeb: So what’s this assistant thing going to be I struggle to keep up. We want to help everyone get and TVs – and free of commercial interests. It will called then? the most they can out of the BBC. allow us to have the creative freedom to experiment Jeremy: Urm…isn’t your name a potential giveaway? That means giving them a little assistance. It means and try out new ways of connecting with people Beeb: Ok…Beeb. giving them a voice assistant. through conversation. We move quickly in rather than

PROSPERO OCTOBER 2019 | 7 | MEMORIES BULGARIAN AUTOCUE Back in 1987 I was working in Presentation at TVC and had answered a request for studio directors to help with the general election.

he actual job in question was on Some days beforehand, there had been They produced their script. Helpfully, we had full-size A4 sheets with longer the day after the election, when a big briefing session in the Bridge they had brought a number of copies. lines of text on them. I am sure the Tvarious countries from around Lounge, where representatives from the Less helpfully, there were four A4 text would have been too small to read wanted to report back on various countries had been assembled. pages, densely typed in the Cyrillic even if we had managed to feed it into the results, and the BBC had offered script. Apart from the fact that the autocue. At the briefing it had been explained, Presentation Studio B as a resource. no-one could read it, clearly the A4 among other things, that autocue The producer had to be in the gallery sheets would not fit on the autocue. The International Control Room at TVC facilities would be available, and scripts with us, in order to tell us when to It appeared that the presenter would would feed the report directly back to could be typed up on the day if run the video inserts or cut to one of simply have to read from the script the relevant country, via the Eurovision required. However, if the script was in a the captions, since we of course placed on the desk in front of him, circuits, where it could be recorded for non-western alphabet, the BBC would had no idea where we were in the which would have been, well, less a later broadcast, or in a few cases not have facilities at TVC for typing this programme. So far so good. Just one than . They both looked go live. up, and that therefore they needed to problem remained. rather downcast. bring their script already typed up on The BBC would provide all the staff and The cameraman operating the the narrow strip of paper that would fit Luckily, given the limited time to come resources needed for what should be camera that was pointing at the script the autocue machine, and the required up with a solution, an alternative idea fairly straightforward sequences – pinned on the wall had absolutely no dimensions of this strip were explained. presented itself. mostly one person to camera, plus a idea how the written script he could few graphics and short video inserts. On the day the turnaround in the studio We pinned the four sheets of script see in the viewfinder corresponded to was pretty quick. As I recall, each vertically on the wall of the studio. what the presenter was saying, since country had a total allocation of 45 There was a spare studio camera, which – like the rest of us – he couldn’t read ...if the script was in a minutes in Pres B, including set-up. was given the job of pointing at the Cyrillic script. So he would not be script, and we fed that camera into a able to tilt down to follow the I am no linguist, and so I had invited my big Prowest monitor, which was presenter’s words. non-western alphabet, brother – who worked as a translator positioned immediately below the lens and spoke quite a few languages – to Luckily my brother piped up at this the BBC would not of the main camera. The presenter come into TVC for the day, just in case I point and said that he could read would now be able to see the script, have facilities at TVC found myself in deep linguistic waters. Cyrillic script; so he got the job of albeit just below the camera lens. But standing in the studio, and as the for typing this up Well, we had a number of western that was a whole lot lot better than the presenter read the script from the European countries that did their bit, script being down on the desk, and Prowest monitor, my brother ran his and everything went smoothly. They all certainly the resulting eyeline was The main BBC graphics for that election finger down the script on the wall, and spoke perfect English as well. Then pretty good. were the computerised fly-around the the cameraman followed my brother’s came the Bulgarians. Houses of Parliament, which I am sure I guess we might have been able finger, thus keeping ‘Bulgarian autocue’ many of you will remember. Quite a There were two of them, a presenter to feed the script camera directly in perfect sync. few people wanted to use these as and a producer, and they had planned into the autocue monitor, but time Maybe some Prospero readers were in part of their report, plus captions and quite an ambitious piece, including a was tight, and also the normal autocue Pres B that day and remember it? sometimes extra video clips of couple of VT inserts. Moreover, they system only has three or four words on their own. would be going live on Bulgarian TV. a line. We needed a wider image, since Hendrik Ball

A visit to The Radio Museum, Watchet A couple of us oldies had a terrific time spotting things at The Radio Museum Watchet that we had actually used.

It is open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays (except by special arrangement), from 10am to 5pm.

Many of the items on display are early BBC equipment and ephemera, some rescued from the Washford station before its re-engineering in the late 1970s, along with a collection of , and related artefacts and literature. Nationwide – 50th anniversary Perhaps Prospero readers might look through their ‘stuff’ and see if any Half a century ago, at 6pm on 9 September 1969, the red lights were should be safeguarded for the future in the museum? You can find out more at switched on in Studio E, Lime Grove and Michael Barratt announced, www.orbem.co.uk/misc/washford.htm ‘It’s time to go Nationwide.’

Robin Hicks For 14 years the programme became a BBC1 early evening rock, often attracting more than 10 million viewers.

To celebrate the 50 years since that first edition, 60 of the original team gathered at a Thameside restaurant to raise a glass to the programme that was as much loved behind the camera as it was to the millions at home.

Michael Barratt, now 91, led the celebrations as presenters, producers and the film team recalled the days that were such an important part of their professional BBC lives.

Ronald Neil

8 A MOST TRICKY MOVE

by Richard Mayhew-Smith

There are incredible things you learn and stumble across, on a TV filming shoot. History comes into it all right, as you shall see.

So, to answer the question in this case of ‘Why?’ we have to look back to the great industrial achievements of the land, going back many centuries well before the church was built.

In what I believe romantic call ‘the mists of time’, great swathes of trees grew up and then fell down or were cut down.

It is a region of great wetness, with three bridges over the river Bilina linking the earliest populations. Consequently, you had the perfect conditions for the formation of peat, which later was compressed into a The camera crew had not really The church had to be carefully melded young form of coal – lignite. believed that their supper the previous onto a huge concrete collar at the base This is where the foundation of much of evening was to be a fish dish of carp, then supported from there up to the Czechoslovakia’s industrial might has after a long and needling day trying to vaulted ceiling. Once stable, the whole come from and from more mature coal achieve an overview of the country’s structure had 53 metal trucks slipped fields, too, it can be said. medical achievements. But reluctantly underneath, and it set off along they ate that carp. (They like their red sturdy rails. Once the mining for lignite began in meat, the ravening camera crews do.) Most around the church, it meant many As the church went over one set of rails buildings had to be pulled down to A surreal sight they were taken up and bolted onto the make way for the mines. Not the Early in the morning, as we were pathway in the front of the church’s church, however, since it was and still is getting booted up to go filming, we progress, saving money in terms of one of the marvels of the region. looked out of the window of the hotel buying more trackway! and saw the lovely local golden However, as the mining engineers The whole moving enterprise took six here was the time when the camera church across the road set off and crept up on Most, taking away the months, inch by inch. crew and myself were eating at start moving. lignite to the factories, they thought one of Ernest Hemingway’s old That is what we were goggling at – the about taking the church apart, stone by T Yes – some of the camera crew were favourites, La Bodeguita del Medio, in great golden edifice on the move. stone and numbering the pieces and quite certain this was indeed so Havana, Cuba. It’s where he drank his putting the whole lot back together while others doubted their senses, What an undertaking! mojitos – the rum-and-mint tipple he in a new spot, like a Brobdignagian quite rightly. loved. His daiquiries he drank at the No real wonder that we found it hard to jigsaw puzzle. Floridita, as we all know. Slowly, slowly the church seemed to be see if the church was actually moving The engineers decided that despite the inching forward, defying the laws of since its speed was just a few centimetres This was a celebration dinner as we huge problems it was easier to pick the physics, engineering, and the real world an hour. Snails travel faster. were wrapping and moving on the next whole jolly lot up and transport the in general. People were still walking by day, so there was an air of fiesta and But we were all agreed, the camera crew church as one piece. on the pavement taking no notice. . and myself. The question was: why on Maybe all our sins had caught up with earth in Most’s name would you do this? So eventually, after many months of Tucking into a lamb stew, the sound us, and this was the sign that should planning, the church made its teetering recordist picked out a superb piece of Why? pour repentance into our craggy hearts. way across town and was plonked down spinach. ‘Nice,’ he said, trying to cut the It’s true that over the years planners and half a mile away (or rather, inched juicy stalk. Could it be the carp taking its revenge? builders have found that sometimes, down, everyone trying not to sneeze, But no knife penetrated, for this was Again, as over the menu in our stew whatever the cost and time, there just one supposes). not what it seemed. in Cuba, we were startled and are no sensible alternatives to moving Years of repairs and fitting out followed, discombobulated (the only word that a complete structure. I held the steaming morsel up, and you and the church is now once again the will really do). know, the shock of seeing writing, with Engineers, plotting the future shapes pride of Most, being used for not just the restaurant’s name upon it on the The church of the 16th century Kostel and movements of the planet’s objects, church services but also, in the unfurled ‘leaf’, gave myself and the crew Nanebevzetí Panny Marie, or Church of have come up with dozens of answers basement, an exhibition area for a north of five a tremendous start. the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, to altering their position. Bohemian gallery and public space. really was on the move. It was a green-coloured thick paper Even the huge statues of the Very brave and very impressive, we all menu that had fallen into the lovely The hole story Pharoahs at Abu Simbel on the river decided, looking through the windows stew and become macerated and soggy Engineers of Most had plotted this shift Nile in Egypt were sliced into great in that hotel in Most in 1975. – just like spinach. The waiter said he for seven years, I discovered later. blocks, transported to a site away What could the clever engineers of the wondered if the cook had just got fed The whole thing is now recorded in from the rising waters of the river country come up with next? Of course up with life and threw in the menu as a the Guinness Book of Records as the after a dam was put in place, and there’s always the statue of King makeweight for being underpaid. heaviest building ever moved on rails, then reconstituted. Wenceslas, maybe, wanting a quick at nearly 13,000 tons deadweight. About a year after the Cuban episode, There is even one recorded case in the move away from the hubbub of in late 1974, I was with a camera The preparation work for moving the USA where an enormous office building central Prague and off to the peace crew in the small town of Most in church lasted seven years, as it was also was moved – with all the people inside it. of the hills… then-Czechoslovakia. Most is found in necessary to demolish all houses in the transfer path and fill in a great hole in the northwest part of the Czech Richard Mayhew-Smith was a producer/director with BBC News TV at Ally Pally the ground that was originally an Republic between the Krušné Mountains and then White City, from 1964-1976. and the Czech central highlands. opencast mine. PROSPERO OCTOBER 2019 | 9 | MEMORIES A FEUD BETWEEN

TVC AND TVOBS Events We have had some fantastic events already this year, with by far and away the most popular being the September trip to the Supreme Court with 55 The article about spaces being filled! In this instance BBC Club was able to increase the amount of spaces available to MCR21 in the last issue accommodate all those interested. Although such trips are available to all retired BBC Club members of Prospero reminded (and their guests), those who are members of the Prospero Society do get a week’s priority booking Roy Bradshaw of as well as discounted rates. This means that on trips with limited availability such as the October occasional disputes visit to the Royal Chelsea Hospital, those who are not members of Prospero may well miss out. BBC between Television Club’s Prospero Society is totally separate from this newspaper and is available for retired BBC Centre and TVOBs. Club members to join at a cost of £15 per year.

round 1960 I was the sound supervisor of In early November there is a guided tour of MCR15 (for the technically minded, a 3-camera Parliament planned, followed by a matinee to see AOutside Broadcast using 3-inch image a musical version of the Ealing Comedy classic, orthicons, with a 2-group, 10-channel sound desk plus ‘The Man in the White Suit', starring Stephen an auxiliary 4-channel sub-mixer). Mangan and Kara Tointon.

There was a current affairs programme that went out December sees the popular Christmas lunch at live at 7pm from Television Centre, and the production BBC Club W1, where we open the Club exclusively team thought it would be a good idea to do the for our retired members. Why not reminisce over programme from the restaurant area at the top of the I was busy at the desk dealing with these problems lunch and catch up with old friends – or make Post Office Tower. when I was asked to pass the message to the crew some new? The Regent Street Christmas lights that the food and drink being supplied was for the I am guessing MCR15 was chosen to do this as we had have been far superior to those on Oxford Street production staff and their guests, not the engineers. a de-rig kit that would allow us to take all the of late – here’s your opportunity to see what you Diplomatically I explained I was too busy to do that. equipment out of the vehicle and reconstruct it at the think! This even must be pre-booked and details top of the tower, which was still under construction. Eventually the production staff and their guests are available in the Prospero newsletter, via email descended from the ‘studio’ to gather around the or on the BBC Club website. This meant carrying the equipment in and sharing a refreshments table set up just behind the control desk. very small lift with bags of cement etc, up to the floor If you would like more details about any of our Now remember we are in what is basically a circular below the restaurant area. This was to be the control trips, including how to book, the BBC Club Retired brick and glass tunnel where every sound that was room, while the cameras were on restaurant level Members and Prospero Society newsletter is made reverberated around the loop. So while we were above and acted as the studio. available to download at bbcclub.com/connect/ trying to line up with TVC and check talkback and prospero/newsletters Both levels were like a doughnut made of brick and etc, we were basically in the middle of a glass – there were no soft furnishings to absorb cocktail party. BBC Club members will have a copy emailed to sound, but more about that later. them and Prospero Society members can receive the newsletter via post; please call 0208 752 6666 We got everything rigged and ready for the OB director or email [email protected] to update your email to arrive at 11am just to check the facilities for an address or to join the Prospero Society. afternoon rehearsal. He arrived late at about 2pm, as there had been a dispute over whether the programme Retired members’ lunch at should be directed by a studio or OB director. This is now available EVERY DAY from 12 noon to 2.30pm at BBC Club W1 adjacent to New OBs had won the debate, but when the director arrived Broadcasting House. You can pick up your he still didn’t know what was in the programme. This complimentary copy of the Radio Times here too. situation was still there at 4pm when we were sent One course £6.00, two courses £7.50. (BBC Club away to find somewhere to eat and be back by 5pm members only, excludes Christmas menu.) to set up and be ready for a rehearsal at 6pm. Photography Club When we got back there were dozens of people The Photography Club has a new committee and around, mostly having no practical input into the A complaint to the senior engineer brought a lots of new ideas! Featuring photo-walks and programme and generally getting in the way. sergeant-major-type shout for quiet which was workshops every month, preparing for the Annual respected by all but a small party around a rather The idea behind the programme was that the Exhibition is very much the focus in the coming senior member of staff, so the demand for silence was presenter would stand with his back to the window months so why not visit their website to see what put more forcibly. I don’t know of any major outcome with London at night as a backdrop behind him. is on offer?bbcclub.com/connect/photography from this approach. As anyone will know who has looked out of a window Film Screening Club at night from a well-lit room, all you see are your We got the programme out somehow, and with luck With a new home in a private screening theatre in own lights. the studio staff went home realising that outside central London and a new screening time of 7pm, broadcasts weren’t quite so easy as studio productions. The lighting engineer was having real problems. the Film Screening Club has bought some exciting One suggestion was that we paint the names of the As an aside, MCR15 was also used for Come Dancing, titles to its members in 2019. Still to come in buildings on the windows to show where they were if the forerunner of Strictly Come Dancing. Where it was October is ‘The Woman in the Window’, with we could see them. Patience was being stretched for a competition between two dance halls in two separate ‘Ad Astra’ and ‘Terminator – Dark Fate’ following in everyone. The presenters quite naturally wanted to towns, with the judges based in the studio, it was a November and December. FREE to Film Screening have the same facilities as they had in TVC, and one complicated job to ensure everyone could see and members. bbcclub.com/connect/film-screenings asked where he could see VT. He was told to go down hear everyone else. in the lift, walk to Oxford Street and catch the number The sound crew was myself and my assistant, and we 87 bus back to Lime Grove. would rig the PA, TB for the floor manager and spot 020 8752 6666 Eventually we were getting somewhere but there was operators, and mics for the presenters, audience and, still the problem of setting up communications of course, the band. This has little to do with the [email protected] between TVC and the Post Office Tower. dispute situation, but it amuses me slightly when I and talkback had to be checked as well as microphones, hear the sound supervisor on Strictly has 10 BBC Club Broadcast Centre, BC2 B3, as slowly the format of the programme emerged. microphones for the drum kit alone. 201 Wood Lane, London W12 7TP

10 | OBITUARIES

In the 1970s she was a director on the America series Mona was always very active in the local community in From country girl with Alistair Cooke and on Royal Heritage, for which East Sheen in SW London and she was able to give to West End girl her films were on Victoria and Albert and their her time and energies as a Liberal Democrat councillor contribution to the Royal Collection. until near the end. Hers was a stunning victory in 2018 Norah Curtis, who died on 20 June in the Richmond Council elections, winning a seat in a 2019 aged 91, enjoyed a long and Ann Turner always showed kindness and sensitivity to ward that had always been solidly Tory. varied career at the BBC, followed those with whom she worked and took delight in their by more than 30 years of active and happiness and reasons for celebration. I will never forget the sympathy and support Mona gave us when she was a school governor with our local rewarding retirement. In retirement she lived at South Cerney in Gloucestershire comprehensive. Our daughter was subjected to Born in rural Oxfordshire in 1927, where she raised funds for the National Art Fund, nightmarish harassment and bullying in the school, Norah began her 43 years with the travelled and made a short film about the village in including an assault by a mob of girls hurling homophobic corporation in 1944 with a series of which she lived. abuse, plus numerous phone calls threatening sexual secretarial jobs in the local area (the BBC had offices David Heycock violence (necessitating a police phone tap). Mona’s at Woodeaton Manor) that contributed to the war handling of this tricky situation was exemplary, giving effort. In the late 1940s, she moved to the capital – a human face to the school while others hid behind quite a change for a country girl – and occupied rules and regulations. It spoke volumes to see how sad similar posts at many central London premises. OB organiser my daughter was when I told her Mona had died. Her hard work and commitment to the BBC meant Friends and colleagues will be Mona was always good company, with strong opinions, that by the 1960s she was managing a secretarial pool sorry to hear of the death of forcefully expressed, and it was always a pleasure to at BBC Publications in Marylebone High Street, where Jean Gilbert at the age of 94 see her socially. She exuded positivity and can-do she remained for the rest of her career. She then years. She had moved from optimism along with great integrity, qualities that she supervised the Data Preparation Unit and Control ‘The Bush’ to a nursing home in consistently brought to her work in the BBC. Section, supplying daily updates to systems handling Devon a couple of years ago to gave extraordinary support to Mona in her final, the huge volume of schools publications, the be close to her daughter, Marian, cancer-afflicted months, also helped by their much- emerging BBC Books market and associated accounts but had lived around the comer from Kensington loved children Polly and Amy and their five grandchildren. and advertising departments. As technology moved House where she worked most of her BBC time in from paper tape to magnetic tape, then online, TelOBs Programme Department. Giles Oakley Norah’s department was at the forefront of some Jean started in the mid 1960s in the OB Group major changes in data processing. Organiser’s office. In the late 1960s the system changed Meanwhile she still found time for voluntary and and a new post of Organiser Resources was created Brilliant linguist recreational pursuits. In the early 1980s she offered by Peter Dimmock, the Group Organiser post being Efim Slavinsky was born in the her services to the Westminster GLAD Club for the dropped. Jean became Secretary and then Assistant USSR in 1936 and grew up in local disabled, only to find she was running the club to the Resources Organiser. She bought into his new Kiev. He studied English at after just a few weeks due to the organisers’ flowchart system really large boards which covered Leningrad University and departure. For the next 30 years she baked cakes, the office walls. They covered the current month’s as recognised as a highly organised outings and bingo sessions, also helping the deployment of OB facilities, as well as the next two gifted linguist. local allotment group, all with great success. In months, thus providing efficient and economic use. addition, Norah regularly played and She liaised with OB Engineering at Acton and the regions After he graduated, he made and was extremely active in the ABS broadcasting to keep the information up to date. Her office became friends with many poets, union until her retirement in late 1987. a must-view place for Sports producers, with their need novelists and musicians, some of whom became for short notice commitments, especially for football. leading dissidents. Among these he is still a legend. In recent years, Norah continued to support her local Head of Sport, Brian Cowgill, was a regular visitor. He also befriended visitors from the West. church, the Prospero Society and the BBC Pensioners’ Association. She remained fond of a glass of gin or a In 1979, however, the system was reorganised again. His lifestyle and his friendships led to his arrest half of Hook Norton bitter until the end. Norah died Again Central Planning had taken OB Planning and and imprisonment. Even after over a year and a half after complications allied to Parkinson’s following a OB Group was divided into two separate departments. in prison, his movements were restricted. He was, fall at her care home near Victoria. She’ll be greatly The post of OB Resources Organiser was scrapped in spite of his Jewish heritage, refused permission missed by all her old colleagues. and Jean moved back to the Sports Department. to emigrate. She was, however, a vital part of what became known Eventually, in 1974, he left the USSR. After more than Don Smith & friends as the golden age of TelOBs. a year in Rome, he came to London to join the BBC Jean was very popular at Kensington House and she in 1976. In , Efim’s colleagues soon had the knack of knowing how to find her Resources recognised that his Russian language was BBC producer of films Organiser wherever he had disappeared to! outstanding. His knowledge of Russian – and English – literature was phenomenal. The filmmakerAnn Turner, who Her move to the West Country enabled her to be close has died aged 91, was likened by to her growing family. She had two grandchildren, He got great satisfaction from translating scripts into Kenneth Clark to the ‘senior tutor six greatgrandchildren and even three great- excellent Russian, and from reading these, without at a ladies college’. They met in the greatgrandchildren. artifice, at the . With his devotion to Russian 1960s while making Civilisation, writers and poets, he made exceptionally creative literary She died with the knowledge that she was much the first colour series for the BBC programmes. He wrote and narrated features about loved and will be greatly missed. in which Ann Turner directed the numerous authors. In his features on contemporary fourth film, ‘Art, The Measure of All Things’, on the John Jones poets, of which he was very proud, some read their own Florentine Renaissance. In addition to that one film she poetry. He was often given Russian scripts to check. was responsible for all the stills in the series, having He would unerringly excise what was superfluous, learnt how best to use close ups and camera movement. Remembering shorten lengthy passages, and correct punctuation. Clark said that ‘Ann may have been patronised by With many of his colleagues Efim had good and close the series producer Michael Gill but she was the Mona Adams relations, and would never speak ill of anybody. He had person on whose knowledge and organisation the I knew Mona Adams, an outstanding TV researcher unquestioned authority and could not have been more series most depended’. who has died aged 78, for over 40 years, having highly respected. He was, says one, a pleasure to meet It cannot have been easy for her to direct and take charge worked with her husband Bernard on Whistle Blowers at work, the very best of people. of an all-male film unit but she did so with quiet authority. in 1979. I first got to know Mona from her frequent After he retired, he often spoke of those years as phone calls to the office, giving me my first exposure The daughter of Dr Terence and Audrey Turner, a gifted ‘the Golden Age’. What he never said – with typical to her forceful personality. I remember Bernard once amateur artist and pianist, Ann was involved for most modesty – was that, in creating this golden age, patiently guiding her by phone at her insistence to of her life in BBC documentary films on the arts. After he had himself played an important role. locate some sellotape at home. taking a degree in History and English at St Andrews, For his wife, Alina, for his sons, Michael and Daniel, she worked at first in Bath for the costume historian, Mona was born in in 1940 and always had a and for his many friends, he was the most Doris Langley Moore. Moving to the BBC she worked strong Northern Ireland accent. Having worked on the intellectually brilliant, most widely knowledgeable, for Huw Wheldon, who edited and presented Monitor, Belfast Telegraph, where she met Bernard, she joined most deeply civilised, most openly hospitable, most the first television arts programme in the late 1950s the BBC in the 1960s and worked on many flagship wickedly humorous of individuals. and early 1960s and for which she contributed to series, including The Sky at Night, Doctor Who and Efim Slavinsky died on 13 August at the age of 82. items on British art at the Venice Biennale and the Only Fools and Horses, for which she famously photographer Don McCullin. devised the sequence that ended the final episode. Peter Udell

PROSPERO OCTOBER 2019 | 11 | ODDS & ENDS ‘Flowers of Antrim’ – a tribute to the Northern Ireland Light Orchestra Since no recordings of this great orchestra existed in the public domain, the NDO project decided that they would try to remedy that. They have produced a double album with 56 excellent tracks, available to the public.

The BBC Northern Ireland Orchestra was formed in the 1920s as the Belfast Wireless Symphony Orchestra and renamed the N.I.O. in the mid-thirties.

This 35-piece orchestra gave at least one broadcast every day. While its repertoire and the baton passed to Kenneth Alwyn in 1969. Eric Wetherell became the final was essentially of classical works, it was sufficiently versatile to play whatever conductor of the orchestra in 1976. was required, and so sometimes played light music and show selections too. The orchestra was disbanded upon the outbreak of war in 1939. Within a few years, the BBC had decided that the regional orchestras were an expensive luxury. The BBC felt that their style of music was ‘not in keeping with the With the disbandment of the orchestra, David Curry, requirements of the early eighties’ and a move was made to disband this and other a leading authority in Irish folk music, set about forming regional orchestras. The Northern Ireland Orchestra was eventually absorbed by his own ensemble, which he called The Irish Rhythms the Orchestra. Orchestra. This was in effect an augmented ceilidhe band and therefore played predominantly Irish music – much We visited Belfast in August 2019 and presented BBC Belfast with its own unique of it arranged by Curry himself, and is featured in the copy of the CD set, and attended a recording of the Ulster Orchestra – so the new CD set. music has come full circle!

In 1949, the BBC decided to re-establish a staff More information can be found at: www.northerndanceorchestra.org.uk. orchestra in Belfast, this time to specialise in light music. It was decided that the Irish Rhythms Orchestra should become the nucleus of the new BBC Northern Ireland Light Orchestra, initially comprising 16 players but increased to 21 in the early 1950s. CONTACTS It would be an understatement to say that the orchestra experienced teething troubles, as its standard of playing apparently fell well short of what the BBC Queries Prospero Society is supported by expected of one of their staff orchestras. According to the BBC files, it was For benefit and pension payroll queries, BBC Club funds so as to make events compared to a ‘third-rate pit orchestra’. call the Service Line on 029 2032 2811 affordable. If you would like an It was decided to send senior conductor, Vilem Tausky to Belfast to help resolve or email [email protected]. application form, please contact: the problems. He did just that and the orchestra built a fine repertoire of quality Prospero Gayner Leach, BBC Club, BC2 B3 light music. To remove a name from the Broadcast Centre, 201 Wood Lane, David Curry retired in 1965 and Arthur Anton was invited to conduct the orchestra distribution list, ring the Service Line London W12 7TP for three months whilst a new permanent appointment was made, and despite on 029 2032 2811. Prospero is provided Tel: 020 8752 6666 having to do several broadcasts per week in Belfast, he still managed to fit in free of charge to retired BBC Scheme Email: [email protected]. programmes with his own orchestra in London. During this period he used his own members only. Prospero is also available repertoire for much of the time, using an accordion instead of a brass section. on audio disc for those with sight BBCPA impairment. To register, please ring The BBCPA was founded in 1988 to The new conductor of the orchestra was Terence Lovett, a classically orientated the Service Line. Alternatively, it is promote and safeguard the interests musical sophisticate. Some changes were inevitable; the size of the orchestra was also available online at bbc.co.uk/ of BBC pensioners. It is independent increased from 21 to 30, with a view to the orchestra playing more classical music. mypension, under ‘Documents’. of the BBC. For details of how to Lovett eventually dropped the word ‘light’ from the orchestra’s title; despite this join, see the panel on page 5 or BBC Club change, the orchestra still participated in some light music programmes, download a membership form regularly contributing to Radio Three, and did twice weekly concerts on The BBC Club in London has a retired at bbcpa.org.uk. Radio Four (formerly the Home Service) of mostly light classical music. membership costing £3 per month or £36 per year. Members can also add When Terence Lovett left the orchestra in 1968, his place was taken by Stanley friends and family to their membership Black. Sadly film and recording commitments forced him to resign after a year for a small additional cost. Regional CLASSIFIEDS clubs may have different arrangements. Please call the BBC Club London Menorca. Lovely detached villa in Es office on 020 8752 6666 or email Castell. Sleeps 2–7. Private swimming Caption [email protected] for details, pool. Air conditioned. Close amenities. or to join. Brochure: 01621 741810. Or visit competition Benevolent Fund www.menorcaholidayvilla.co.uk This is funded by voluntary The winner of a £10 shopping Collection of books about BBC contributions from the BBC and its voucher is Colin Prior with the history for sale including 30 purpose is to protect the welfare of caption ‘Do you think anyone will guidebooks from 1928 onwards. staff, pensioners and their families. notice if I nick his wallet?’ Grants are made at the discretion Details: [email protected] of the Trustees. They may provide North-West . Well equipped assistance in cases of unforeseen 2-bed, 2-bath furnished flat with sea financial hardship, for which help views in unspoilt Galicia. £70,000 from other sources is not available. WIN o.n.o. Contact 0117 9622790. £10 Tel: 029 2032 2811 Prospero Society Prospero Classifieds, BBC Pension Prospero Society is the only section and Benefits Centre, Broadcasting Post your entry to Prospero by of the BBC Club run by and for retired House, Cardiff CF5 2YQ. Monday, 4 November 2019. BBC staff and their spouses. Its aim Please enclose a cheque made payable is to enable BBC pensioners to meet to: BBC Central Directorate. Rate: Or, you can email your entry to The picture shows Hugh Bonneville on a social basis for theatre visits, £6 for 20 words. In a covering letter, [email protected], with ‘caption as Ian Fletcher and Sarah Parish as luncheons, coach outings, etc. please include your pension number. competition 5’ in the subject line. Anna Rampton from the BBC-based Please include your BBC pension comedy series W1A. number. Good luck! Designed and produced by Wordshop - 908837 12