01·09·09 Week 35 explore.gateway.bbc.co.uk/ariel PHOTOGRAPH: MARK BASSETT MARK PHOTOGRAPH:

BBC IN THE EYE OF THE STORM AT THE EDINBURGH a TV FESTIVAL Pages 2-3

Our sights set on the future BLUE PETER’S Lucie Harvey gives ◆media student Sachelle Connor a helping hand with the practical side of programme making while sharing her insights into a BBC that is looking to broaden its recruitment pool. The pair are taking part in the BBC Academy’s new Step Up mentoring scheme Page 5

> NEWS 4 WEEK AT WORK 7 OPINION 10 MAIL 11 JOBS 14 GREEN ROOM 16 < 2 EDINBURGH television FestivAl a 01·09·09

TalENT GOES MISSING aS aN

Man on a a BBC’s a crowd mission: James room 2316, White city Murdoch 201 Wood lane, london W12 7ts 020 8008 4228 Managing Editor in online news, stephen James-Yeoman 02-84222 Deputy editors sally hillier 02-26877 cathy loughran 02-27360 Features editor rails Murdoch clare Bolt 02-27445 Senior Broadcast Journalist 02-27630 by Cathy Loughran ‘Rather than concentrating on form the BBC’s chief operating stephen hawkes areas where the market is not offi cer Caroline Thomson ac- Reporters u James Murdoch wasn’t delivering, the BBC seeks to cused him of ‘tilting at wind- laura scarrott 02-84224 done when he accused the compete head-on for audienc- mills, blaming everyone else’: peggy Walker 01-43940 BBC of state-sponsored jour- es with commercial provid- ‘He had no solutions – the usu- Feeling the Production editor nalism, of making a land grab ers to try to shore up support al Murdoch diatribe.’ pain: Robert Peston claire Barrett 02-27368 in online news – so threaten- – or more accurately dampen Were there areas from ing its independence – and opposition to a compulsory li- which the BBC should now Art editor having ‘chilling ambition’ to cence fee.’ retreat, Thomson was asked: Ken sinyard 02-84229 go further. More critical still, Murdo- ‘Not Lonely Planet, nor Ariel online The chairman of News ch said, was the ‘expansion of Radio 2 which is classic BBC de- Alex goodey 02-27410 Corp followed up his scath- state sponsored journalism’ livery of public service broad- Business co-ordinator ing attack in his MacTaggart which was ‘a threat to the plu- casting – very popular but very silvana romana 02-84228 lecture with a call for a cut in rality and independence of distinctive.’ Ariel mail the licence fee. He wanted to news provision, which are so Her ITV counterpart John [email protected] see a BBC that was ‘fl ooding’ important to our democracy’. Creswell said it was a given Ariel online explore.gateway.bbc.uk/ariel the online market – where his In particular he attacked that ‘the BBC distorts every company plans to be the fi rst Radio 2 for targeting 25-40s, market it goes into. It’s not its Bit smutty: to charge for news – ‘much, served well by the commer- fault, it just does. Jeremy much smaller’. cial sector, and the BBC’s ‘Look at BBC Three and Clarkson Guest contributors this week Speaking 20 years after his acquisition of the Lonely Plan- Four…investments of around father Rupert Murdoch at- et travel guide business. £145m for a four to fi ve per- TORIN DOUGlaS, media tacked the British broadcast- Few were surprised at the cent share. That’s just too correspondent looks at the legacy of ing establishment from the Murdoch stance. Speaking big.’ And Dawn Airey, chief ex- channel 4’s Big Brother. p11 same platform, he claimed: from another Edinburgh plat- ecutive of fi ve, thought it was RORy cEllaN-JONES, technology defi nitely time for the BBC to correspondent, wonders whether start closing something down. piracy is a real threat to British tv. p6 ‘Tough love’ was what the cor- pETER BOWES, lA correspondent on pESTON v MURDOcH poration needed. life in the golden state. p15 aS fESTIval HIGHlIGHTS at the Mactaggart dinner – The BBC’s business edi- go, a loud, angry and public reportedly about the behav- tor Robert Peston, in his Ri- bust-up between two of the iour of the BBc – had edin- chard Dunn memorial lec- pain,’ he said. ‘But it’s not ob- service.’ Responding to Mur- BBC Jobs 0370 333 1330 industry’s most infl uential burgh buzzing. ture, could see both sides vious that if you closed down doch’s MacTaggart, BBC Trust Jobs textphone 028 9032 8478 fi gures is about as good as ‘of course we parted on of the BBC v Murdoch ar- BBC news online, the com- chairman Michael Lyons said: BBC Jobs John clarke 02-27143 it gets. good terms. And i didn’t gument over online news: mercial sector would fi ll the ‘The BBC has no choice but to room 2120, White city, london W12 7ts the heated, expletive- explode. We had a boisterous ‘Much of the private sector gap with depth and quali- serve all audiences, but that Advertise in Ariel fi lled row between robert conversation,’ was all peston sees the BBC as crowding out ty, and it might exclude mil- doesn’t mean that it can or ten Alps publishing 020 7878 2314 peston and James Murdoch was prepared to tell Ariel. legitimate commercial play- lions of people who will nev- should seek to squeeze out ers. I feel the private sector’s er pay for an online news other providers.’ www.bbcarielads.com Printing garnett Dickinson group rotherham 01709 768000 Subscribe to Ariel Revealing star pay may destroy market six months: £26, £36, £40 u In Jana Bennett’s books, ment marketplace could not their money is spent’. top stars double what they Ed Vaizey was asked if a twelve months: £50, £60, £68 it would be a form of ‘Sovi- be compared with other pub- ‘The point I was making already get. Tory government would force (prices for UK, europe, rest of world et-style’ oppression, but one licly funded pay. was that setting talent fees ITV director of tv Peter the BBC by law to reveal what respectively) way or another, it is looking ‘The BBC is in entertain- is an inexact process and Fincham argued that percep- it pays its stars. He said that cheques to: garnett Dickinson print, increasingly likely that the ment....it’s a fundamentally because we all operate in a tions had changed on what might be a sledgehammer Brookfi elds Way, Manvers, BBC will be pressured into different role that perform- market place, disclosure of fees were acceptable. He re- to crack a nut: ‘but we want Wath Upon Dearne, rotherham s63 5Dl revealing more about the sal- ers play to teachers and po- individuals would very like- minded the audience that to make it happen’, wheth- tel 01709 768199 aries it pays its biggest stars. licemen. It’s like me talking ly drive up costs. This would ITV, Channel 4 and the BBC er through the BBC Trust or INFORMATION IN AN EMERGENCY At Edinburgh, Ofcom about Tom Cruise’s movie not be in the interests of had bid for Jonathan Ross: ‘It charter negotiations. chief executive Ed Richards deals. It’s a different sector.’ licence payers,’ she said. was a time when commer- Interviewed by Fincham telephone 0800 0688 159 Richards said that public Vaizey described that as What the BBC would cial broadcasters were strong in another session, Ed Rich- ceefax page 159 www.bbc.co.uk/159 expectation might force the ‘an extraordinary argument do was look at publishing and ITV saw Ross at the top ards thought Vaizey might Ariel is produced by internal BBC’s hand and Ed Vaizey, to put forward’: ‘If you pay the ‘block spend’ on talent, of his game but he went get his way: ‘It looks that communications for people at the BBc shadow culture minister, Jonathan Ross £6m, you have which could be meaningful to the under-bidder, so it way to me,’ he admitted. made it clear that a Con- to argue the case.’ In a cli- to people, Bennett said: ‘But seemed like a good deal done ‘We are in a period now that servative government would mate of greater transparen- I think that [revealing pre- [by the BBC]. It now looks like a when the public pay for look for ways to put presenter cy, where MPs’ salaries were senter pay] would destroy piece of profligacy.’ something they expect to pay in the public domain. made public, the BBC had to the market. We don’t want a The former BBC One con- know what it is being used Earlier the director of follow suit, he believed. Soviet-style terror regime.’ troller also sounded a warn- for and where it is going.’ plEaSE REcyclE yOUR cOpy Of aRIEl BBC Vision had crossed Did she really think the Kevin Lygo, director of ing that if transparency was In a new YouGov poll 80 per- swords with Vaizey over the public would not understand television at Channel 4, be- taken too far, and the BBC cent of people thought tv pre- public’s right to know, de- why the BBC had to pay at the lieved the BBC didn’t un- was forced to stop running senters were overpaid, 83 per- bate and understand what levels it does? Bennett said she derstand how ‘dispropor- the race, it would become just cent thought stars pay should the BBC pays its top talent, appreciated that licence pay- tionately rich they are’ but a marginalised educational be made public and only 9 per- with Bennett arguing that ers ‘rightly want more admitted that he would be broadcaster and that would cent thought Jonathan Ross’s salaries in the entertain- information about how prepared to pay a select few be no good for the country. pay was justified.

> ARIEL ONLINE: BBC NEWS AS IT HAPPENS – EXPLORE.GATEWAY.BBC.CO.UK/ARIEL< a 01·09·09 EDINBURGH television FESTIVAL 3 photogr SOUNDBITES nt and dec host spoof contest a ph: RO ph: Older women ‘My Boss (Baby) There is now over £1bn difference

Just Wrote Me B McD between the BBC and the other psbs. a Letter,’ rocks If you value the system there has to O U

G welcome on One out Jana Ben- be some access to resources. That A nett and Drag- 2009 LL makes the BBC incredibly vulnerable. ons Den series u With Jay Hunt on the Top-slicing or reduction of the producer Sam agenda, it was always licence fee – it’s going to happen. Lewins to bag a going to be ‘Arlene’, those Dawn Airey, chief executive, five disappointing expenses and wheth- 7th place out of er it was a bright idea It’s speculation, a distraction. eight in the TV’s to be company secre- The more the rumours, the more Got Talent: tary of her husband’s the pressure. Edinburgh tv training company Andy Duncan on reports that Special contest, Bright Spark. he is to leave Channel 4 presented by Well she won’t be Ant and Dec. for much longer, the The Digital Britain report has got Audience BBC One controller four months to get through – there’s favourite was revealed in Edinburgh. a real danger it will run out of indie producer But there had been no Jay Hunt with her time. The Tory party are probably Carolynn Phil- conflict of interest, despite Channel of the Year award sympathetic to quite a lot of it, but it pott, a woman some lurid headlines, as she might not be a priority. who knows had declared her involve- those goodwill gestures John Whittingdale, culture how to keep her ment to the BBC before and with ‘small sums of mon- select committee chairman mouth shut – after leaving to join five. ey’ were ‘economically sen- even when she’s ‘The irony is that I will sible’. The replacement of I think the industry has about two to singing Thank no longer be company sec- Arlene Phillips on Strict- three years to adapt or face its iTunes You For the retary because new regula- ly had ‘nothing to do with moment. And it will take at least Music. tions mean that small com- age,’ Hunt insisted: ‘What that long for media brands to build BBC competi- panies don’t need company people perceive as the rea- credible, truly digital brands. tors fared bet- secretaries.’ son [for substituting Alesha Ashley Highfield, Microsoft UK’s ter in the chan- Had her treatment by the Dixon] and the reason are md of consumer and online, on his nel of the year press been because she was fundamentally different.’ estimate of how long tv has to build awards – voted a woman, interviewer Mar- Gloria Hunniford, Anne successful digital business and avoid for live by del- tha Kearney wanted to know. Robinson, Sue Johnston and the experience of the music industry egates – with That had played a part, Hunt indeed Phillips all had places BBC One taking believed: ‘What’s worrying on BBC One, she added. Everyone in the UK should feel the terrestrial is how many other women ‘If I didn’t want Arlene that they have access legally, across title for the have been put off by this,’ on the channel she would platforms, to any piece of content third year run- she said. not be a regular figure on that is client legal and accessible. ning and the On the silver bangles The One Show,’ she said, add- Roly Keating, BBC director of archive terrestrial pro- and cashmere socks that ing that talks were under content, on his ‘mission statement’, gramme award appeared on her expenses way about how the govern- for release of the BBC archive going to The as gifts, she was ‘relaxed’. ment’s dance champion Apprentice. In daytime tv, where pre- might feature on Saturday I accept this award with gratitude senters are not highly paid, nights in the future. and in contempt of the Murdoch doctrine. Actor Dominic West, accepting the non-terrestrial programme of Be bold... but be careful Top Gear toes line the year award for The Wire. u ‘You can’t not wear a seat- man behind Have I Got News Fellow panelist Jana Ben- u Talking of playing by the barrassed,’ said the presenter The digital switchover scheme – you belt on Spooks but can shoot For You, the atmosphere nett described herself as on rules, the man who was at a Top Gear masterclass. might as well use the licence fee to people in the face….it makes – post Ross/Brand – was the liberal wing of decision filmed drinking at the wheel With a 48 percent female pay electric bills. You’ve crossed the me want to explode with one of ‘retrenchment’ and making. She wanted people in the Arctic, joking about lor- audience, wasn’t it time for Rubicon. One BBC Trust member told fury!’ he worried that a tabloid to be confident: ‘There is ry drivers murdering prosti- a woman presenter, asked me that the switchover scheme was a That was Stephen Fry, agenda was the driver. no substitute for thought, tutes and promoting a Ger- former Top Gear guest driv- ‘strategic error of epic proportions’. ranting in frustration at ‘There is not systemic fail- forms are not a substitute man car ad with the line er Kate Silverton. ‘Seeing Steve Hewlett, writer and what he sees as compliance ure – planes crash – it’s a for discussion.’ ‘Berlin to Warsaw in one tank’ how the chemistry works [be- presenter of Radio 4’s Media Show, gone crazy at the BBC. In wonder Ross/Brand doesn’t On strong language, she says with confidence: ‘I don’t tween us], that would be a dis- arguing that top-slicing of the a video played to a packed happen more often,’ he said there ought not to be think we overstep the mark – aster,’ Clarkson concluded. licence fee has already happened room full of programme said. an abrupt change after the don’t even come close.’ It was still fine to pan in on a makers he lamented a situ- ‘I’m not blaming any- watershed but otherwise, But Jeremy Clarkson does pretty girl in the studio audi- We’re certainly interested ation where excess caution one at the BBC except Mark the yardstick was: ‘Is it think he ‘overdid the smut’ ence, though (cue clip of one): in being in the UK but we’ve about what could now be Thompson. The fish rots going to annoy a lot of peo- in the last series of Top Gear: ‘If ‘About 500 come to my show nothing to announce. broadcast meant that pro- from the head down… Stand ple – is it funny, or real? I’d had to explain it to my ten every week and most are oafs… Johannes Larcher, senior vice ducers were slapped down up to the Daily Mail. The ‘Language is a bit of a year old son I’d have been em- wouldn’t you rather look at her?’ president of international, Hulu. if they allowed criminals tabloid press are the media distraction,’ she added. to be seen using mobile watchdog, not Ofcom. The ‘The audience is more wor- I know what most talent get phones while driving in the BBC should resist.’ ried about the treatment of and the press always overstate cult BBC One spy series. Chairing the session, individuals,’ hence the Hands off our share – sometimes by double. For Jimmy Mulville, md presenter of The One Show Ross/Brand reaction. u The BBC came under director of BBC news, Jonathan Shalit, agent of Hat Trick Productions Adrian Chiles detected ‘lots She cited The Mighty Boosh another attack over ‘mar- admitted that the corpora- and the of problem finders at the and Psychoville and ‘tricky’ ket distortion’, this time on tion found itself ‘between a Paul McCartney would be BBC’ as well as fear among shows like Louis Theroux partnerships, with a broad- rock and a hard place’, with turning in his grave, if the Beatles the ranks. on paedophilia and the side from ITV chief execu- the government urging the had died in the right order. And panellist Ray Snod- adult season on BBC Three tive David Mannion, over its BBC to partner other organi- TV’s Got Talent judge Jimmy Carr, dy claimed that use of ‘Meet as evidence that the BBC video sharing tie up with sations, like newspapers, hit on the performance of Live and Let the Fockers’, ‘Inglourious could still be ‘bold’. newspaper groups. by the recession. Shared con- Die by The Overnights, starring Peter Basterds’ and even ‘bulls- From the floor, Trevor Its deal to share content tent must carry BBC branding Fincham and Krishnan Guru-Murthy hit’ all had to be referred up Barnes of Ofcom agreed with the Daily Mail, Guardian and only cover UK politics, by BBC programme makers: that there was ‘an element Telegraph and Independent business, health and science State-run broadcasting? ‘It’s not Jana’s fault – every- of self-censorship by some made the BBC look like ‘part and technology. Nor can it be If that means Gordon Brown is one’s afraid for their jobs.’ broadcasters’ and said that of the problem, not the solu- commercialised: ‘That fact… coming up with programme ideas, Ofcom had never upheld a tion’ for commercial content says to me that we won’t take that explains Totally Saturday… Furious: breach of the broadcasting providers like ITN. away your market,’ she told Michael McIntyre, warming up the Stephen Fry code after the watershed. In response, Helen Boaden, Mannion. audience for the channel of the year awards

4 News a 01·09·09 Comedy Banker and beekeeper NEWS BITES No criminal proceedings will controller be brought against Arifa Farooq, the BBC journalist arrested to be based among ‘brightest and best’ earlier this month for allegedly using false documentation to secure a job at a Scottish care in north by Sue Llewellyn incredibly impressed by them, view and just 12 were taken on. home during an undercover Cheryl Taylor has been named not just how they performed in The Production Trainee investigation for Panorama. as the first controller of come- The Production Trainee Scheme the selection process but also Scheme involves face-to-face dy commissioning to be based gets under way this week as the the vast variety of things they’ve training, online learning and SIMON DEE, the sixties BBC tv star, outside London. elite class of 2009 begin their 18 done with their lives so far.’ four placements on multiplat- has died from bone cancer. Dee, In her new role Taylor, cur- month training. The 12 recruits This batch of trainees include form programmes and projects who started his career on pirate rently executive editor for out were selected as ‘the brightest a neuroscientist, a banker, a dj across the BBC. Each trainee radio and was the first voice to be of London comedy commis- and the best’ of the 2331 hope- who has released an album and is given a mentor who will see heard on Radio Caroline, presented sioning, will remain in Man- fuls who applied. one who is taking a bee-keeping them through the 18 month the hugely popular Dee Time chat chester but will have respon- ‘We need to encourage a broad course in her spare time. process. show on BBC One from 1967-69. sibility for BBC comedy across range of talent for the future’ The scheme was advertised for There is no guarantee of a job the UK. says Julie Dark, head of opera- just two weeks in March. at the end although many former The switchover Help Scheme Taylor, who takes up her tions, partnerships, schemes and Applicants were whittled down trainees – including Mark has now helped more than 100,000 new post in the autumn, has communications, BBC Academy. to 600 and a rigorous selection Thompson, Nick Robinson, Anne older and disabled people with backed original comedy from ‘Aside from guts and confidence, process began. Sixty were select- Morrison and Stephen Merchant digital equipment, installation the nations and regions includ- the trainees must have a passion ed to attend gruelling assess- – did secure contracts and go on and aftercare. Help Scheme ing Gavin and Stacey, Sunshine, for the media and be capable of ment days where they were put to greater things. The 2008 installations are predicted to be The Old Guys and Life of Riley. inspiring others. Our new train- through a series of tests from intake of 19 trainees are about to over 15,000 per week this autumn Previously head of comedy ees certainly do that. We’ve been which 22 were invited for inter- start their final placements. as the Granada region begins at Hat Trick Productions, she digital switchover on November 4. also co-created Drop Dead Gor- geous and exec produced Worst Kylie Minogue will make her Week of My Life. only live UK performance this year Science presenters get animated singing two songs at Radio 2’s Abba tribute concert in Hyde Park on Sunday September 13. Other While their own wacky was ‘thrilled that those masters wich prostitute murders, which artists featuring at Thank You For End of the inventions are currently on of invention, Wallace and Gromit, shocked the nation in 2006. The Music… A Celebration Of The exhibition at the Science Museum will be bringing science alive for In-house commission Five Music of Abba include The Feeling, dinosaurs in London, Wallace and Gromit have viewers’. Daughters (working title) will be Chaka Khan and Sharleen Spiteri. been lined up to present a new BBC Aardman’s Miles Bullough will factually-based, but told from the The final performance of the One series that will showcase the executive produce Wallace and perspectives of the victims’ fami- Justin Webb has begun his new Walking with Dinosaurs UK machines and gadgetry created by Gromit World of Inventions along- lies and friends. Made with the role as a presenter on Today. The tour, which began on July 1, real life inventors. side the BBC’s Alison Kirkham. co-operation of Suffolk police, it former North America editor joins took place on Monday. Over The plasticine frontman and will also follow the police inves- the team from Washington where half a million tickets were sold his dog – property of Aardman, n Jay Hunt also used the Edin- tigations. he has been based since 2007. for 47 performances which which will produce the series – burgh platform to announce ‘Poignant, human and un- were spread across the coun- will bring their brand of Lanca- a three-part drama serial for flinching, Five Daughters sensi- The final two familiarisation visits try from Glasgow, Newcastle, shire charm and slapstick to sci- BBC One based around the Ips- tively tells the tragic story of the to Manchester are now full. The Nottingham, Sheffield, Man- ence – with the aim of reaching impact of five terrible murders on trips have been running over the chester to Birmingham, Liv- the broadest possible audience. a small community, but most of past year for staff whose jobs are erpool and London. The show Jay Hunt, the BBC One con- all on five families,’ said Kate Har- in-scope to move to Salford and who now moves to the continent troller who revealed her new wood, control- wished to take the opportunity to for an extended European tour signings at the week- ler BBC drama visit Manchester and BBC North. which kicks off in Antwerp on end’s Edinburgh series and Check the BBC North website for September 8. Festival, said she serials. cancellations during September. After starting in Australia in 2007 Walking with Dino- Arqiva, which owns most of the saurs has been seen by almost UK’s tv and radio transmission masts, 3 million people worldwide. has completed its acquisition of the Based on the numbers of tick- technology behind Project Kangaroo. ets sold it is officially the big- gest ‘live’ event that BBC Will Gompertz, currently director Worldwide has ever done. of Tate Media at the Tate, has been appointed arts editor of BBC News. He will start the newly-created role in the next few months.

Festival firsts Radio 3’s new autumn drama A record number of BBC films season will include the first have been selected for the two ever dramatisation for radio of key international film festivals Kurt Vonnegut’s classic anti-war this autumn – nine for Toronto novel Slaughterhouse 5, 40 years and three for Venice. after its original publication. The world premiere of Crea- tion, the story of Charles Dar- Bigger choice in latest benefits window BBC Magazines has licensed win’s struggle to write On the specialist factual title BBC Knowledge Origin of Species, opens the The latest package of myChoices bike for them. Four different types 11am-2.30pm at the following to Singapore publisher Regent Media Canadian festival – the first optional benefits goes online this of health assessment are on offer locations: Belfast BH canteen (3/9), who will publish the magazine foreign film to do for years. week and qualifying staff have from Nuffield Health and Kiddi- White City canteen (7/9), Bristol across Asia from September 2009. Stephen Poliakoff’s Glorious 39 until September 30 to apply. Vouchers are catering for parents BH canteen (8/9), Cardiff BH can- and comedy The Boys are Back Options include a revised cycle to who wish to take advantage of teen (9/9), TVC canteen (10/9), BH Twenty-five hours per week of also make world premieres. work scheme with new provider childcare vouchers. Heritage Lobby (14/9), Bush House audio described programmes are The Men Who Stare at Goats, Cyclescheme, health assessments BBC People will also be run- canteen (15/9), Pacific Quay third now available on iPlayer, including about the war on terror, Alex and childcare vouchers. ning a range of myChoice road- Floor, ‘The Street’ (16/9) EastEnders and Tracy Beaker. Audio Cox’s Repo Chick and sword- Cyclescheme use an extended shows throughout September Full details are how to enrol are description relates what is happening and-scorcery epic Valhalla network of over 1400 independ- where you can find out more and available on the myChoices site on screen during the gaps between Rising – will be premiered in ent bike shops which should give meet the benefit providers. http://sites.gateway.bbc.co.uk/ dialogue to aid understanding Venice. staff more choice to find the right Roadshows will run from myreward/myChoices.shtml. for the visually impaired. a 01·09·09 Features 5

The BBC Academy’s new Step Up scheme is helping west Londoners LIFT AS YOU CLIMB BASSETT MARK PHOTOGRAPHS: from less privileged backgrounds to begin Filling in the gaps: Lucie Harvey (right) careers in broadcasting. gives student Sachelle Connor the lowdown Nicki Defago met some on television work of those involved ETH ROBERTS, ASST EDEDITOR,ITOR, BBC LONDON 94.9 STEFAN IS AMBITIOUS and determined to be a Radio 1 dj. At our fi rst meeting he told me he felt it was best not to work his way up, but to try to get his own show straight away. Stefan Arif If a producer’s role is half mas- ter half butler, a mentor’s role is half coach half counsellor. I didn’t want to pour cold water on all that enthusiasm, but it was clear we’d need to tackle expectation management. I helped Stefan make a demo tape and seeing the effort that went into it was humbling. In future I will consider the person behind the tape and try to give feedback rather than just sending a rejection letter. Stefan took on everything I suggested and found his own answers. If he gets his show on Radio 1 it’ll be great, but he knows he needs a Plan B. STEFAN ARIF, 21, PLANETARY SCIENCE GRADUATE, UCL GARETH GAVE TALKS to the whole Step Up group and it was like being in the class when the teacher is your dad – I pretended I didn’t know him but secretly I was proud he was my mentor. I want to be a Radio 1 dj and I want to get there as quickly as possible, so I have this career dilemma: if I get offered my own show on an obscure commercial radio station and at the same time a job making tea at the BBC – which should I take? Gareth wouldn’t give me the answer, but he helped me to see how valuable it is to learn about all aspects of radio. If my career dilemma comes up I’ll take the job of making tea!

LUCIE HARVEY, DEVELOPMENT presenters and when I met Lucie I knew she was DIXI STEWART, EXECUTIVE I listened to her work (as one half of DJ PRODUCER, BLUE PETER perfect, and really cheerful. I always had loads PRODUCER, RADIO 4 DeeKay and Chinners on Roundhouse Radio) I WAS DAUNTED AT FIRST by the prospect of to tell her about what I was doing. My team made I’VE WORKED AT RADIO 4 for years. When and helped her look at jobs she might try for. being a mentor. I knew I’d be expected to take a fi lm about homelessness in the recession I began I called up Woman’s Hour, said ‘you I felt a real pride and pleasure at seeing her control of the discussion and the fi rst time I met which we called ‘Sofa Surfers’. One time we went don’t know me but I’ve got an idea for a fea- progress. ‘Lift as you climb’ is how I think of Sachelle I wasn’t sure we’d have enough to talk out fi lming and the camera broke down – I never ture...’ and got put through to the editor. I’m my part in the scheme. about, but it was fi ne. Being inside TVC was a thought that could happen. not sure you’d get past the switchboard now. unique experience for her and even the things I To work as part of the company for three I had a lot of helping hands and took part in CHINWE OJIELO, 24, INTERN consider routine had a wow factor. It made me months was amazing. I had no idea about any- the mentoring scheme because I believe the AT UNIVERSAL MUSIC realise how lucky I am to have this job. thing at fi rst but now I can phone bash and I BBC should be constantly refreshing its pro- DIXI SURPRISED ME. She could talk about The culture of celebrity is having its impact know that Final Cut Pro is a type of editing soft- gramme-making intake and reaching Professor Green and Skepta and Grime. She and, like a lot of young people, Sachelle wants ware. Lucy got me to watch the News Channel beyond the areas where we usually recruit. knows about 1Xtra and helped me apply for to be a presenter. I was able to give her a practi- for homework and I saw that sometimes the pre- As I got to know Chinwe, who’s passionate a job there – I’ve been trying to get work cal insight into the skills she’d need. When you’ve senters have to keep talking when they haven’t about music, I learned about grime, dubstep experience for more than two years and been in the job for a long time you forget how lit- got any notes. and garage, though she gig- have always been rejected. tle you know when you start out. It hadn’t When I was going on BBC London I wanted to gled at my pronunciation (say Being on Step Up was brilliant – and occurred to Sachelle, for example, that present- tell Lucie fi rst because she’s pregnant and was ‘garidge’ to avoid my mistakes). hard. I was excited walking into Broad- ers have to fi ll sometimes if things go wrong. feeling sick, and I wanted to cheer her up. The To her the BBC is an impen- casting House and I told the security man Sachelle made a programme for BBC London interview was so embarrassing. I kept saying etrable fortress on top of a high why I was there. I thought I knew a lot, but about homelessness and was chosen to be ‘actually’ over and over because I was so nerv- mountain that she’s only just Dixi had so much help and advice to interviewed by Riz Latif about Step Up. When she ous. But Lucie said I did really well. begun to scale. Her confi dence offer I realised how much I had to learn. On texted me to say she was going to be on tv I was was low at fi rst. She wouldn’t the way out, when I talked to the same on my way to the theatre and couldn’t watch until have considered applying for an security man I was quite depressed, but I got into work the next day. When I played the in- ap job before she did he said, ‘hey, you in the BBC now, it’s BBC terview back everyone in my team gathered round Could you be a mentor? Step Up, but she standards!’ After the second week I felt I and watched with me. I felt really proud of her. is the type of was getting somewhere. Can you spare an hour a fortnight to take candidate we Dixi taught me how to spot a SACHELLE CONNOR, 19, MEDIA AND part in community projects in west Lon- should be storytory and pitch an idea, and alsoal o CRIMINOLOGY STUDENT don? BBC Outreach is helping Hammer- looking how, as a radio presenter, I must I NEVER THOUGHT I’d be chosen for Step Up. smith and Fulham Council recruit mentors at. imagine the audience is in the When I got the email saying my application was who can spare an hour every one or two room with me – it’s not like successful I read it ten times to make sure it was weeks for community projects. Email Steve them and us. I do that now on for me. Comber if you’d like to take part. Music lover my radio show and can really I wanted a friendly mentor who works with Chinwe Ojielo hear the difference.

6 Features a 01·09·09

If new fi lm Avatar is the ‘future of cutting 3D cinema’, television is keen edge to give its viewers RORY an extra dimension CELLAN-JONES Nightmares about piracy Homing LET ME TAKE YOU INTO the mind of any senior fi gure in the television industry, and show you their recurring nightmare. It features a man with a black eye patch, and maybe a hook instead of a hand, and he’s running off with in on 3D the industry’s few remaining profi ts. Having heard tales from friends in the on a European funded project size, and thus avoids the music industry about what the pirates have called 3D4YOU. ‘We’re looking issue of knowing which screen done to profi ts there, nervous tv execs fear at the different ways 3DTV could size you’re fi lming for.’ the same is about to happen in their back yard be broadcast,’ says Thomas. ‘In- It could be an expensive fad, or The threat illegal fi le-sharing poses to any stead of broadcasting a left and it could revolutionise our home kind of online business model has raced to the IMAX chain begin to screen fi lms right image, the project is look- viewing. What matters most the top of the movie and television industries’ by Reece De Ville in polarised 3D, at the same time ing at using one image and a though is the quality of content. agendas. Faster broadband speeds have made horror made a comeback with eve- depth map (closer parts of the ‘I’d be thrilled to see the it possible for those who used to swap mu- APRIL 1953, and audiences are ryone from a hockey masked Jason image appearing darker than early moon landing shots in 3D,’ sic online to download the latest Hollywood screaming in their seats as Vin- Voorhees to Jaws proving that you those further away). says Thomas, ‘to get a feel for how blockbuster or that missing episode of Lost. cent Price brings the dead back to could stay out of the water, but it ‘This allows a receiver to space looked like. Something out The government has been lobbied for fi rmer life in House of Wax. Fifty six years certainly wasn’t safe to go back into generate a pair of stereo imag- of this world, giving you the feel- action against illegal fi le-sharing – with some later, and on August 21 2009, the cinema. And now, in the 2000s es, tailored to a given screen ing of actually being there!’ success. Last week it beefed up its Digital Britain thousands of people are queuing with surround sound and High proposals to include measures to cut off the all over the world to get a glimpse Defi nition proving web connnections of persistent fi le-sharers. of what is being referred to in the more affordable, But here’s a question - is the tv industry’s industry as a ‘game-changer’ – James Cameron’s QUICK GUIDE TO 3D fear of fi le-sharing grounded in reality? Fig- James Cameron’s Avatar. Avatar fi lm en- ures from an outfi t called Big Champagne, Two separate screenings, but ters the fray as ‘the by Graham Thomas, R&D principal technologist which measures fi le-sharing activity, show both as important as each other. future of 3D cinema’. that plenty of people are downloading mov- Warner Bros’ House of Wax intro- But with excitement Stereoscopic 3D is all about sending two pictures ies – in the fi rst half of 2009, Watchmen was duced audiences to the ‘golden levels building for rather than one – one to the left eye and one to top of the illegal download list with over 17m era’ of 3D cinema. The next three many years, could the right eye. There are three stages: the capture, people viewing it. Big US series Heroes was years saw characters previously a fi lm like this ever how you transmit it and how you display it. downloaded by 54m internet users, closely confi ned to the screen come leap- live up to its hype? followed by Lost with 51 million downloads. ing out, resulting in an increase R&D principal The best known 3D display systems in use are: But relatively few people go online to in violent popcorn spillages. And technologist Graham Thomas says: Anaglyph: These use coloured glasses to pick up a single colour grab popular British programmes like Coro- in the years that followed, slash- ‘Compare the evolution of black for each eye, so separating the colour-coded left and right images. nation Street or ers and stalkers would poke their and white to colour and stand- But you end up with a picture that has impaired colour defi nition. Relatively Strictly. Even instruments of terror out of the ard defi nition to High Defi nition football, jeal- screen, Alfred Hitchcock would in terms of what gets added to the Shutters: These glasses have an LCD sheet and an optical receiver few people ously guarded shoot Dial M for Murder in 3D and experience.’ that picks up a signal from an infra-red LED transmitter somewhere by rightshold- Disney would also screen produc- The next few years will offer in the theatre. This synchronises the switching of the glasses with go online to ers, isn’t getting tions in the new dimension (Dis- up an interesting dilemma to the the digital projection output, so when the left eye is transparent, the quite as big an ney Pixar recently announced that fi lm industry. 3D is coming home, right eye is opaque, and a 50th of a second later they switch over. download illicit online all future productions would be with several major broadcasters The glasses need batteries, are expensive and can break. audience as you created exclusively in digital 3D). involved in producing and screen- popular might think. Very It’s fair to say that 3D cinema ing 3D content – some using tra- Polarised: This uses two projectors rather than one, with a polaris- few bothered to may have taken off in the 1950s as ditional Anaglyph methods to ing sheet on each (more commonly seen in IMAX and digital cinema British shows download unau- an industry reaction to the rise of screen previously unseen archive screenings). A single high-frame-rate projector with a switched thorised copies television, and its peaks have tend- footage and others looking to use polariser can achieve the same effect and some fl at screen displays of May’s Champions League Final. It seems live ed to coincide with advancements existing HD technology to broad- have polarising parts built in. They can give clear images with negli- programmes are still social occasions, shared in home entertainment. As vhs cast 3D images. BBC Films are pro- gible cross talk (where the wrong image goes to the wrong eye). But around the tv rather than at the computer – and Betamax revolutionised home ducing Street Dance, their fi rst they cost many thousands for a good sized screen. and they have a pretty limited shelf-life. entertainment, the 1980s saw the 3D feature, and R&D are working One British programme did however stick out. The latest series of Top Gear has been getting good broadcast ratings – and it’s a popular illegal download too. In the AN UPDATED VERSION of the iPlayer back to 800Kbps or even 480Kbps if they couple of days after the July 19 edition was A click from designed for use on the PS3 games console have insuffi cient bandwidth. broadcast, around 300,000 people found it goes live on Thursday, September 3. Anthony Rose, future media controller, on the internet and downloaded it. But just PS3 users will be offered one-click access vision and online media group, promises it 4 percent were to UK computers, and nearly the couch to the iPlayer to launch video directly into will ‘dramatically improve the iPlayer expe- half were in the US – where the programme full-screen mode from the console’s cross- rience on PS3’. had not yet been broadcast. media menu bar. ‘Take this opportunity to connect your The lesson? Popular tv will be popular on gets iPlayer The update also offers BigScreen iPlayer – computer’s video out to your tv set and use many platforms – legal and illegal. And when a user interface that better scales to fi ll the our BigScreen interface to play your favour- people want your product badly enough, PS3 screen when set to 720p or 1080p out- ite programmes on demand from the com- they will use whatever means they can to to gamers put mode. fort of your couch,’ he says. get hold of it. So maybe television execs Enhanced bitrate technology also means PC users can experience the BigScreen need not worry so much about those chaps PS3 users can take advantage of near-tv qual- iPlayer at http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/big- with the skull and crossbones fl ag after all. ity 1500Kbps H.264 streams or opt to drop screen. Rory Cellan-Jones is technology correspondent a 01·09·09 Features 7 blogbites @ Monday week work Monday’s quote of the day ‘Hedgehogs. Why can’t they just share the hedge?’ – this, folks, has been judged the fun- niest joke of this year’s Edinburgh Fringe. The winning joke was a one-liner from London comedian Dan Antopolski. Magazine Monitor bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/

Tuesday Victory or heist at the Oval? Fast gaining traction in certain corners of the Australian media is the theory that England has just staged the ‘Great Ashes Heist’: that Andrew Strauss and his team were a pretty average outfit who won the series through time-wasting, dodgy umpiring, the assistance of foreign-born players and a doctored pitch at the Oval. Just as the CIA tried to see off Fidel Castro with exploding cigars, the ECB tried to kill off Australia’s hopes of regaining the Ashes by ordering up an exploding pitch. So for the more populist wing of the Australian press, Bill Gordon, the groundsman at the Oval, has become public enemy number one; the cen- tral figure in a carefully planned conspiracy. Nick Bryant, sponsored reporter, Sydney bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/nickbryant/ CAMERAMAN JOE COOPER, presenter Joe powered car. After nursing the story since included director Jonathan Bigwood, com- Wednesday Crowley and producer Jane Goddard made the beginning of the year Burnett broke the pleted live links and provided material for pro- Reporting Afghanistan sure they packed their wide-brimmed hats record last week, reaching an average speed grammes including Blue Peter, South Today If you’re a nervous flyer, the descent into Kan- and factor 50 sun cream before leaving BBC of 139.84mph. Because of strict security at and Breakfast. They’re now back in South- dahar Airfield is probably not for you. Minutes Southampton for the salt fl ats of California. the site, which is used by the US military and ampton editing footage for a half-hour docu- before we’re due to land – in the dead of night The team fl ew to LA Edwards Air Force Base to by Nasa to land space shuttles in emergen- mentary for BBC Two that was commissioned – the lights on our RAF plane go off and our watch local man Charles Burnett attempt to cies, they had to be cleared to fi lm there by off the back of their coverage. It is expected to helmets and flak jackets go on. Just a precau- break the world land speed record for a steam the Pentagon. The four-man team, which also tx in the autumn. tion, we’re told. Welcome to Afghanistan. The number of British deaths in Afghanistan since the war began in 2001 had now passed the 200 mark. With that toll rising at an alarm- FACT OF LIFE CHANGING PLACES ing rate, and with Afghans voting to elect a new president, BBC Radio 5 live wanted to see ◆ UP TO 54 MILLION people worldwide are ◆ NICK WALLIS (pictured) joins Southern Counties as Surrey’s new for itself what was happening - how the war expected to watch tv on their mobile phone breakfast show presenter. He joins the station from Radio 5 live.... against the Taliban was being fought and what this year with this fi gure expected to reach Radio Berkshire’s drivetime producer ANDY STEVENSON takes life was like for some of those at the sharp end. 300 million by 2013. Research found that 20 a break from the station for four months to work on Sports Liam Hanley, assistant editor percent of people questioned watched tv Personality of the Year. Mid-morning producer ANTHONY WOOTON bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/ on their phone every day and more than half covers his leave... PA to head of audience services and watched at least three times a week. operations, JAYNE DE VILLE, becomes PA to the head of legal Thursday News and sport content proved particularly and business affairs. She is replaced by CAT BARNES... Jay-Z ft. Rihanna and Kanye West – ‘Run This popular with people tuning in during their EMMA SCHOLES has been appointed Northern Ireland’s Town’ lunch breaks and when travelling. multiplatform brand executive... If I had to give five stars to a song this year without actually hearing it, this would be the one, hands down. I haven’t been this ex- cited about an artist line-up, since Elton John teamed up with Blue. When the royal family COMING UP LEARNING CURVE SHAMELESS PLUG of Hip-hop and R’n’B get together, you’d think there’d be no point in writing a review, just ◆ Controller of BBC One Jay Hunt and former ◆ NICK HAYLAND, INTERIM ASSISTANT label it with ‘Guaranteed Number 1’, give it five controller of CBBC Anne Gilchrist have TREASURER, WORLDWIDE stars and send it on its way. But for the sake commissioned THE LOST CHRISTMASES I will be running the Nottingham half marathon of objectivity and the possibility that Fraser for tx in 2011/2012. The family drama on September 13 and the Berlin marathon on would never let me near the Chart Blog again, follows character Anthony, played by Eddie September 20. I’ve been running on and off for a I’ll carry on. All I’ll say is, it’s going to take Izzard, who transforms fi ve people’s lives number of years but the Berlin marathon will be something serious to convince me otherwise. on Christmas Eve. Made by Impact Film and my fi rst as well as the fi rst time I’ve returned to Grant Television the 90-minute programme will be the city since serving there as part of the British bbc.co.uk/blogs/chartblog/ exec produced by Sue Nott. Army in the mid 1980s. It was the opportunity to run for Shelter that triggered my marathon Friday ◆ JUNIOR MASTERCHEF is set to give young entry. Shelter is a housing and homelessness Is cheating a central part of sport? cooks the chance to show off their culinary charity which is close to my heart because for On Breakfast today the Rugby Football Union skills on CBBC next year. The show will see ◆ IF YOU’RE A PROGRAMME MAKER and six months, when my par- told us about their plans for cleaning up their nine-12 year olds compete for the title of Jun- want to fi nd out how MC&A will help you to ents lost their jobs as game. The recent Bloodgate scandal exposed ior MasterChef 2010. The 13-part series will be reach your audience, Never Stop Learning publicans, my fam- the darker side of rugby, and showed us the made by Shine Television and exec produced has lined up department director, Sharon ily were effectively extent to which a team could go to gain an un- by Bridget Banton. It was commissioned by Baylay, to answer your questions. homeless and ended fair advantage. Diving in football; match fixing former channel controller Anne Gilchrist. Baylay, who joined the BBC earlier this up living in temporary in cricket; performance-enhancing drugs in all year, will provide an insight into the chal- accommodation. sports – are sports fans used to all this now? ◆ A third series of THE ARMSTRONG AND lenges of her new role and discuss how I’m raising funds to help Should people be more realistic and adjust MILLER SHOW has been commissioned for the BBC successfully communicates with people in similar circum- their expectations? Or should we continue to BBC One by channel controller Jay Hunt. The its audiences. The event will be held on stances to those I found get indignant every time it happens? sketch show, which moved to the BBC from September 15 in the Media Centre Board- myself in as a child. George Edmonds, assistant editor Channel 4 in 2007, is expected to tx in autumn room between 1-2pm. All donations gratefully bbc.co.uk/blogs/fi velivebreakfast/ 2010. The exec producer is Simon Wilson and To sign up visit tinyurl.com/nslevents received www.justgiv- the series will be made by Toff Media. ing.com/nick-hyland 8

Story retold: Robert Seatter wants to present the BBC’s past in a new way LIVES UNI W

OUT WITH THE OLD BBC History gets a makeover

‘It was terribly brown,’ story, and what do they tell us confi des Robert Seat- about our future as well as the ter. ‘I told the designer past,’ says Seatter. ‘I’m inter- I of the new site, ‘I don’t ested in the impact of the BBC want any brown.’ But although on people’s lives and how it’s the revamp of BBC Heritage made a difference.’ also demanded a name change The focus on innovation as well as a new lick of paint, has been carried over to Wood the head of BBC History has future key anniversaries. NortonNorton found accomodation for relocated staff plans for his department to October’s 40 years since the be much more than style over beginning of Monty Python substance. will be reframed in terms As well as upcoming educa- of the BBC as the home of Heroes at home are celebrated in BBC One’s tional initiatives and collabo- anarchic comedy, while next rations with the National year’s 25 years of EastEnders World War Two series, as Adam Bambury reports Media Museum, the BBC His- and 60 years of The Archers tory website has been anniversaries will be looked remade with a host of new at in the context of ground- features. An anniversary of breaking soaps – each time he week of from that small idea, just one programme remi- the week section – painstak- the historic programmes are SeSeptemberptember 7, BBC One is going to be niscing about what it was like, on to somethsomething ng ingly planned for the year examined in terms of their E dedicated to one thing – World War Two. much bigger: a series across a whole week at ahead – contains short clips legacy, neatly linking them to But viewers bracing themselves for a stern-faced 9.15am coupled with the drama Land Girls at and memories, while the ani- the present day. black and white onslaught of tanks, charts and 5.15pm as well,’ says Keelan. mated timeline lists ten And every week an item politics can relax. As the time slot suggests, this is The series will be present- innovation moments for each from the BBC collection is going to be war with a human face. ed by Welsh mezzo-soprano decade. It’s all part of Seat- displayed in the online gal- Rather than taking on the likes of seminal docu- Katherine Jenkins. Not an ter’s plan to recast the BBC’s lery, in an effort to make the mentary series The World at War, the fi ve episodes obvious choice you may think, history as one of innovation: 3500 item collection more of The Week We Went to War instead focus on what until you hear about her ‘I’ve deliberately and provoca- coherent and accessible. ‘The life was like on the home front, using the oral his- extensive charitable work fl y- tively said that, rather than vision is to tell our story in tories of the remaining survivors to paint a picture ing into war zones to entertain having a cosy Aunty history. terms of key objects that of life in the face of adversity. British troops, earning her the But it’s not just about tech- represented innovation, had ‘We’ve got people who lived through the Blitz title of the new ‘forces sweet- nology, it’s also about creative signifi cance for audiences or and were bombed out of their homes, as well as heart’ – originally held by Vera formats and relationships with tell a pertinent story,’ says lighter stuff,’ says Liam Keelan, controller of day- Lynn. Jenkins will be joined by audiences.’ Seatter. He is looking to time. ‘For example, toys just didn’t exist in the television veteran Michael On September 1 BBC His- grow the collection and is way you imagine. Pre-war they were made with Aspell, himself an evacuee dur- tory is holding a seminar asking for suggestions as to tin and rubber, but then that all had to go to the ing the confl ict. exploring the day that WW2 what should be saved – any- war effort, so it was about what you could do to Though other celebrities will broke out – from the unique thing from John Sergeant’s make your own toys for your children. It’s inter- be brought in to relive their perspective of the BBC. It is costume from Strictly to esting going back into that world – it’s not a part wartime childhoods – acting as the latest anniversary to be something sober from News. of the history that I feel I’ve really seen. a potential point of entry for given special treatment by The object itself can be mun- ‘It’s about everyday heroes,’ he continues. ‘We today’s young people who can Seatter, who is in the process dane, it’s the story behind it don’t hear that much about the people who were wonder ‘what if it was me?’ – of ‘reinventing’ History, broad- that counts. Email Robert if left at home. What they went through, the spirit the bulk of the programming ening its exposure and, in his you have any suggestions for of coming together, and the amazing acts of hero- shirks fame and fortune to fi nd words, ‘inspiring audiences the collection, or if you have ism are just as relevant for today’s generation as compelling stories from every- with the story of their BBC’: an anniversary that you’d like any.’ day existence in a time of utter ‘I’ve been looking at a few key to see covered. The Week We Went to War started life when uncertainty. anniversaries and saying okay, bbc.co.uk/historyofthebbc Finestripe, a small indie from Scotland, got in what do they tell us about our Adam Bambury touch with an idea for a programme on the The Week We Went to War, anniversary of the outbreak of WWII. ‘It went BBC One, September 7-12 9 MAGINED IN WAR

BBBBCC Monitoring which kept tracks on broadcasts from around the world

Bomb site: aftermath of the BH explosion BOMBS, BEDS AND BULLDOG SPIRIT The war couldn’t stop the BBC making its programmes

up the sound of the blast. But Belf- out from the theatre stage. Staff who timetime documents and pho- rage, covered in dust and soot, read remained at Broadcasting House often P tographs have been pub- on regardless. ate, slept and worked within the walls lished online by the BBC Archive in its Whole departments were evacu- of the BBC. The Radio Theatre World War Two collection, which also ated out of London. Music went to became a dormitory, in which a cur- features rare recordings of historic Bedford, and Drama and Variety tain separated the sleeping quarters of radio broadcasts. Ariel has been were based in Bristol until that city the men and women. doing its own digging through the too came under fi re, and Variety was Preparations were made for Bristol archive and we’ve unearthed some transferred to Bangor in North Wales. to become the centre of operations fascinating facts about life at the BBC This made programme making and if broadcasting from London became during the confl ict. scheduling more diffi cult, and was impossible, including plans to build an The London Blitz started on Sep- often unsettling for the individuals emergency base in a disused railway tember 7, 1940, and weeks later concerned. Variety staff in Bangor tunnel. Areas of the tunnel would Broadcasting House took its fi rst were made to feel unwelcome by the serve as dressing rooms, studios, hit. A delayed action bomb crashed locals – possibly on account of their control rooms, and a canteen, storing through a window on the seventh quirky personalities and dress sense. three months’ food supplies. The tun- fl oor, and came to rest two fl oors In London the Criterion Theatre nel was declared structurally sound down in the music library. Moments became the base for the BBC’s Empire after being tested by the entire BBC later, as fi remen rushed to the scene, Entertainments Unit. Here the staff symphony orchestra (100 instrumen- it exploded, killing seven people. worked, ate and slept, sleeping in the talists) at full blast. Bruce Belfrage was reading the news dressing rooms and cloakrooms on at the time, and his microphone picked makeshift beds, while broadcasts went bbc.co.uk/archive

Sleeping on the job: radio drama beds down at Broadcasting House 10 Opinion/Analysis a 01·09·09 MADE IN THE UK aview I have looked after many of the ELLIS PETE production a reality. comedy shows that come from I’ve spoken a lot about en- beyond the M25. As executive couraging new companies editor, out of London, comedy because we recognise that to commissioning, the main are- Only funny increase national and regional as I have been concerned with production we must see a rise were the North and the three na- in the number of indies oper- CATHY LOUGHRAN tions. In addition to liaising with ating out of London. Of course regional in-house production in London? the more established practi- teams, the brief also includes tioners also play a vital role. We We all speak the comedy proposals from any out- receive a stream of great ideas of-London indie, be they in Bris- from veteran outfits such as Red same language tol, Brighton or Birmingham. Don’t make (Manchester) The Comedy Unit When I started the job in (Glasgow) and Rollem (Leeds). Maybe it was recessionary gloom, perhaps 2005 there seemed to be a huge We are also delighted that Craig the uncertainty of what’s coming next, or maybe mountain to climb – both in Cash, one of the driving forces it was just a community of fewer high grade luv- encouraging comedy produc- me laugh behind The Royle Family has just vies than usual and more hard-pressed troops tion in areas where there was started Jellylegs in Manchester, putting two fingers up to the world, the rules little or no activity and also in In the last of our out-of-London and Ruth Jones of Gavin and Sta- and everything, that made this year’s Edinburgh countering the perception that cey has set up her own Welsh tv festival such f***-ing good entertainment. comedy from the nations and series, newly appointed controller production company, Tidy, with For anyone who was counting, over three regions was the poor relation producer David Peet. days there must have been more F-words than of the more sophisticated and of comedy commissioning Cheryl In-house, there is plenty a full series of The Wire. Kicking off with crea- glamorous London product. going on too. Comedy North, the tor of The Wire David Simon’s ‘F*** the Casual Less than a year later I took Taylor explains why comedy is BBC’s Manchester-based comedy Viewer’ session, we moved to Roly Keating’s over from Lucy Lumsden, the production unit, works in close re-named ‘Who’s F***ing Archive is it Anyway?’ controller of comedy, who went ahead of the game in rooting partnership with the BBC writ- via a high-speed, expletive-spattered knock- on maternity leave. This helped production in nations and regions ersroom to encourage new tal- about with f***ing life-long partners in crime, to build my own strong and, ent and, a few years ago, a writer- Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson and series producer hopefully, enduring relation- in-residence bursary scheme was Andy Wilman, to that f***ing spectacular spat ships with channel controllers set up with BBC Northern Ex- between Robert Peston and James Murdoch. and other key personnel in Lon- posure, offering £6000 a year to Even when it came to the serious stuff, the C- don. I believe these relationships fund a writer to spend two days a word provided some of the most fun of all. Or as have been enormously helpful week with Comedy North, devel- one mock-weary producer put it: ‘Compliance in countering the perception oping ideas across the networks. is the new rock ‘n roll.’ He was queuing down a that commissioners resident in corridor in Edinburgh for the festival session the nations and regions don’t Unique potential that promised to find necessarily have influence when In only a few years the depart- There out if creativity and it’s crunch time. ment has established a real north- originality was be- ern presence in the BBC’s comedy must have ing stifled by over- Reaping dividends output and has become a beacon zealous policing of In the past the advantage some- of encouragement for other re- been more programme content, times lay with the bigger Lon- gional departments. Why does including for F-words. don-based companies, some of that matter? Comedy is a key gen- F-words Despite having whom were criticised for win- re in representing and promot- compliance in the ning regional commissions by ing cultural diversity, and some than a full title, it was a stand- opening temporary regional of- of the most memorable sitcoms ing room only event - fices. Having a commissioner have reflected that, from Carla series of granted, with the based outside London has helped Lane’s Bread to Graham Linehan’s The Wire added draw of come- to dispel these fears. Part of my Father Ted. More recently Gavin and dian Frank Skinner job has been to work closely Stacey has done wonders by pro- and Hat Trick’s Jimmy Mulville on the panel. with untested independents and moting Wales and, in particular, Beyond talk of regulations, there was unsti- to steer them through the grit- Barry Island where I hear tourism fled creativity and originality aplenty in Edin- ty process of development. Rath- has increased hugely as a result of burgh, starting with the TV’s Got Talent special. er than leaving them to struggle the show. Producer Carolynne Philpott’s almost certainly with guidelines, I could talk to The BBC, with its network of bankable talent for singing Abba with her mouth them face to face and customise national and regional produc- closed made her a worthy winner. (Although as the process to find the precise tion centres, has the unique lead vocals/guitarist, Jana Bennett makes a great level of help they needed. It may potential to reflect humour by director of BBC Vision.) make the development process tapping into tomorrow’s genera- And finishing with Michael McIntyre’s award slightly longer but it reaps div- tion of comedy performers, writ- ceremony, in a change of format, which went idends in the long term. ers and producers across the UK. down a storm. (His BBC One show Live from the An example of two indies We recognise that tickling the na- Apollo is officially number one on iPlayer.) new to comedy production (but tion’s funny bone isn’t something By his own admission, not a great one for both recipients of BBC indie that can only be done from an of- humour, BBC Four controller Richard Klein nev- development funding) are Chan- regional shows on screen from of shows felt like a real achieve- fice in London. Nor can comedy ertheless brought his own brand of originality nel K and Freeform. Both sent more established sources. For ex- ment, not least because all of be straitjacketed by regional quo- to a closing session. Interviewer Ray Snoddy in promising early drafts of ample, the 2008 Christmas line- them are perceived as genuinely tas or diversity targets. introduced Klein as ‘one unusual bunny’ – and projects and I have been able up saw Wallace and Gromit from funny first and regional second. As comedy commissioner my the BBC’s ‘only self-exposed Tory in the up- to meet them regularly rather Bristol, The Royle Family from This situation also creates prime concern is to find shows per ranks’. Klein is a man with no guilty viewing than possibly just twice a year if Manchester, the return of Rab C a virtuous circle. When I start- that are funny. If they can be secrets (he never watches Big Brother and only I was based in London. Nesbitt on BBC Two from Glas- ed, it was sometimes difficult funny with an authentically north- glimpses Strictly when his eight year old daugh- Both companies have had se- gow and of course the triumph of to mount studio-based sitcoms ern, or Scottish, or Welsh accent, ter insists) and is truly open to hearing different ries commissioned in 2008 (Gem- Gavin and Stacey on BBC One from outside London or Manches- then so much the better. My job is voices with views that don’t get much of an air- ma Factor and Lunch Monkeys) and Baby Cow Manchester. ter as the required technical in- simply to make it as easy as pos- ing on his channel. the general feeling is that these Perhaps most striking of all fra-structure didn’t exist. Now, sible for comedic geniuses from ‘You don’t hear voices that say Castro was might not have happened with- we have had not one but two because of the increased activ- every corner of the UK to beat a a bad thing and capital punishment might be a out the dedicated support of a mainstream shows from Scot- ity and interest, there is a bur- path to the BBC’s door. Their side good thing,’ Snoddy reminded him he’d once regional commissioner. land on BBC One (Life of Riley and geoning of facilities as well as of the bargain is to make us laugh said. However, it is not just the new The Old Guys) and this is a first personnel and possibilities. It is – wherever we live. An entertaining prospect? Possibly not. A or the risktakers who work in the for Scotland as their stalwart, now possible to find the facili- Cheryl Taylor takes up her new space to watch? Certainly. regions. Increased development Still Game, has always played on ties, crews and talent across the post this autumn. Read her full Cathy Loughran is deputy editor of Ariel has (thankfully!) heralded more BBC Two. This wonderful slate nations and regions to make essay at bbc.co.uk/madeintheuk

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Leaving home: Tv that turned the Presenter Davina McCall welcomes mail house upside down Noirin after her eviction Initial thoughts from the I wonder if decisive Land Girls pro- Media correspondent Torin Douglas current series ducer Erika Hossington’s decision to looks at Big Brother’s legacy use the script writer’s initials on the Home Guard’s sleeves, rather than their location, (Ariel, August 25) TEN YEARS AGO, on the eve of the fi rst Big Brother way television was made... and watched. Millions came after having decided to watch series, Peter Bazalgette showed me round the Big of viewers tuned in night after night, week after the Walmington-on-Sea Home Guard Brother house for the Today programme. We thought week – and some all day too, on the internet. in action? the programme would be signifi cant. No one fore- Big Brother turned ordinary people into The armbands worn by the pla- saw just how big it would become. celebrities – most notably Jade Goody – thanks toon in Dad’s Army have similarly Recorder running, the man who brought the pro- partly to the tabloid newspapers, which turned read ‘CP’ – in honour of David Croft gramme to the UK talked me through all the rooms, the housemates into soap opera characters, and Jimmy Perry – for more than 40 pointing out the dozens of cameras that would record devoting pages every day to the latest goings-on. years. the housemates’ every move. ‘Even It turned tv’s traditionally Tim Matthews in the bathroom?’ I asked, think- fallow summer months into multimedia producer, news ing Radio 4 listeners might choke The tabloids ratings heaven for Channel 4 on their muesli. – and also hooked the elusive How innocent it all seems devoted pages to younger audience. Fast ride now. In the fi rst series, the big Channel 4 – and its sis- With reference to Kevin Stanley’s let- news story was Nasty Nick’s cheat- the goings-on ter channels – will look ter (August 25), the online booking ing – making notes about his very different without it in tool provides a cost effective method rivals, when pencils and paper 2011. The C4 head, Julian gust until Christmas. This symbiotic relationship for booking cabs and helps to reduce were banned. The fi rst nudity didn’t occur till Bellamy, has smartly positioned the move as a between tv and the tabloids, mutually dependent the cost to the BBC of a telephone series two, when schoolteacher Penny managed to huge creative renewal – freeing up 200 peak- – the one feeding the other – is one more legacy service. The additional cost of £4 or drop her towel in front of the camera, prompting time hours and £50m a year to make other pro- of Big Brother. £6.50 (depending on when the book- the immortal comment from one of the teachers’ grammes, particularly new drama. With the Will another broadcaster pick it up, say Sky, ing is made) for telephone bookings unions, ‘We wouldn’t advise any of our members independent sector currently in the doldrums, or Living or fi ve? It still makes a profi t for Chan- refl ects the cost of providing a tel- to appear naked on television’. he says it could be a useful shot in the arm. nel 4, even on reduced ratings. Much depends ephone service. Ten years on, Big Brother has changed the land- The Sun and the Daily Mirror abandoned Big on the price – and whether production compa- Urgent bookings are not affected scape of television – and, arguably, society. Many Brother a couple of years ago, hastening its rat- ny Endemol can form a win-win partnership as by how they are made – One Trans- blame it for dumbing the medium down. Oth- ings decline. They now devote pages to Saturday it did with Channel 4. port will always try to allocate an ers claim it has opened it up, to a wider range of night reality entertainment shows, The X Factor Or might the producer simply turn broadcaster urgent booking as soon as possible. voices and lifestyles. Either way, it changed the and Strictly Come Dancing, which run from Au- and set up a Big Brother channel itself? Jamie Hindhaugh head of sourcing, logistics IT COMES HEN UNC W THE CR H... TO ...you want Bob Bradley. He comes into his own during tough times with tight budgets because, as a composer, he has to be more inventive than ever. And there’s nothing Bob likes more than being inventive. At Audio Network, it’s always about the quality of the music so that suits us fine. We knew that if we asked Bob and a couple of others to come up with a selection of tracks called “Credit Crunch”, we could rely on them for some brilliant interpretations.

To hear those tracks,go to; www.audionetworkplc.com/playlists/credit-crunch

Bob doesn’t care about the crunch. As long as he gets the credit.

For more information contact Scott Pearce on 020 7 242 2311 or [email protected]

12 Classified 020 7878 2314 a 01.09.09

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Telephone Karina 07919 006361/ so some rooms let. £90pw rates for BBC staff email bedroom in lovely, quiet 020 8997 7665 house F/F permit parking. [email protected] inclusive. 020 7639 5598 [email protected] £210pw. Available garden flat by Brockwell Park, sharing with Ealing W13 Spacious 12 September. Telephone Modern 1 bed apartment. W12 lovely one/two bed East Devon house, sleeps 4. BBC producer who’s furnished studio flat in quiet 01225 445221/07968 047639 Acton Vale (W3). Opposite flat £1,080pcm. 31 August. £500. Fab area. working abroad until house near shops/transport. Virgin Active, close to See www.cobboldroad. Email www.devoncottage- Accommodation. October. 30 minutes BH, Suit non-smoking female. BBC. Concierge service. weebly.com. Contact Rachel bryher.co.uk Shepherd’s Bush. Great 45 minutes TVC. Email Available now for approx 6 Furnished. £250pw. 07778 500421 double room, ensuite Hannahwilliamson885@ months. £600pcm inclusive. Call Neil 07725 416677 Fabulous! hotmail.com. Telephone bathroom. Storage space. Telephone 020 8998 0334 W12. Single room, upmarket bigbarnholidayindevon.co.uk 07515 945473 Share kitchen sitting/dining Notting Hill top floor duplex house. £525pcm includes Fulham. Double bedroom, room. Immediately available. one minute walk Electric bills. Negotiable. Ibiza 6 bedroom hilltop Central London, W1. Sunny big house, married couple £650pcm inclusive. Cinema. Large double [email protected] pool cancellation bargain room with south-facing and dog. Monday/Friday bedroom, terrace, balcony, 12,19, 26 September Telephone 020 8740 4746 terrace in Georgian house for £450pcm and/or £540pcm fantastic views. From W12. Two double bed 01993 831021 or email [email protected] non-smoking professional all week incl bills. Telephone October. £390pw. furnished maisonette 00 34 971 197416 near shops, tubes and 07812 164582 07810 808150 with balcony. Convenient Acton, W3, Poets Corner. swimming pool. Easy BBC Italy, Le Marche. Restored 2 double bed part-furnished for Shepherd’s Bush. access. Monday to Friday let Hoxton Square, Shoreditch. Perivale houseshare, tube 200yr old farmhouse. Rural flat with garden to rent for 6 £1,200pcm excluding bills. only (no weekends). Highly 2 bedroom flat with opposite, 12 minutes White setting. Pool. Sleeps 8+. months from end September Email sophie.crocker@gmail. recommended. £545pcm. beautiful quiet private City. BBC housemates. 50 minutes airport. 09. Rent £1,100pcm excl com. Available September Robert 020 7262 6308 garden. Fantastic location, Bedroom overlooking garden www.villagelsi.com bills. More details here near transport, markets, £365pcm. Telephone . http://bit.ly/hptVm perfect Chiswick. Bright furnished galleries, bars/restaurants 01895 634610 Mevagissey, Cornwall for White City, TVC or BBC in double room with own and the City. Available 31 Lovely, modern, decorated 4634)68= to high standard, 2 double town. Call Hannah on bathroom for rent in sunny October, un/part furnished. Richmond Hill “Alberts” bed, 2 bath, well-equipped 07905 419857 immediately house. Share with female £1,650pcm + bills. 2 bedroom cottage. - WiFi, iPod/iPhone dock, owner. Close to river and matthewstuttard@talktalk. Unfurnished. F/F kitchen. 2 properties for sale in widescreen, Freeview. House Apartment-sit/rent in restaurants. £650pcm net 07960 243895 10 minutes BR/tube. N/S. lovely family home, Poets incl. Good transport links. Chorlton, Manchester under with garden and decking, £1,050pcm. Please call overlooking village and Corner, Acton. Open plan Available immediately. Immaculate 2 bedroom 3 miles from Media City. 2 020 8876 3892 (eves) surrounding hills. Prices living, dining, kitchen, maple Aisling: 07979 591850. ground floor flat in Ealing. bed award winning duplex [email protected] apartment with 2 balconies depending on season. floors, Italian bathroom with £1,250pcm exc all bills. Shepherd’s Bush large, £210,000. 3 bed Victorian Call Jane 07809 598041 underfloor heating, sunny Available September. sunny room at top of house. Chiswick - single room to let Telephone 07843 435199. end terrace off Beech bedroom overlooking garden. Share bathroom and kitchen . in shared house with garden Email [email protected] Road. £285,000. Contact Montpellier France Free parking. 5 minutes 2 domesticated others. £500 Luxury 17th-century £400 per month inclusive [email protected]. by car White City. Near inc bills. WiFi. Telephone apartment. Website call 07774 692864 Kensal Green. Lovely 2 bed Telephone 07956 909904 tubes, overground, buses, garden flat. Newly decorated. 07903 521726 www.placecanourgue.com restaurants, parks. Single Chiswick to rent. Sunny Available end September. non-smoker. Rent negotiable. Short term rent. Ladbroke For sale with no upward North Devon. Just available. double room. Private £340pw. 07971 878472 chain, was £625k now Judi 07972 307775. 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Telephone overlooking garden Manchester/Sheffield, Porto Roma beach, Zante, Brook sharing with friendly and shower, share of 07989 949790 £365pcm. 01895 634610 gardens to front side and Greece. Wonderful luxury BBC professional. Large spacious lounge and dining rear plus small orchard and holiday suite right on the double, ensuite in 2 bed area. £250pw inc all bills Stunning 2 bed flat to let B&B London 020 8840 1071 allotment, exquisite views beach. Website flat. Less than 2 miles from (inc WiFi and Sky TV) Call NW6 - www.timsflat.com of surrounding countryside www.deepbluevilla.gr Television Centre! £160pw Ramona 07884 073085 or B&B London/Bucks homes Stunning 2 double bedroom and the infamous Snake Judi 07887 543223 email ramona.dagama@ Remote, luxury, Scottish inexpensive, flexible. maisonette in Barnes SW13 Pass, Glossop SK13, ideal talk21.com idyll in Ayrshire hills. 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Ads, Ten Alps Publishing Ltd, 9 Savoy Street, London WC2E 7HR To place an ad online go to www.bbcarielads.com a 01.09.09 14 Jobs See Attachment 

                           Three’s                               company                             Nicola Lawrence,                Radio York news editor,                 takes on the tv beast                       DOING THINGS IN THREES evidently suits me: swim-          ming, cycling and running in my latest hobby, triath-              lon; online, radio and tv in my career so far.     The web is where I began, joining the BBC from      the fl edgling Channel 4 News website to work on the       new local websites in England. Then I moved into         radio – becoming the programmes sbj at Radio York. So          when the offer of an attachment at Look North in Leeds      appeared, I grabbed it.            I learnt such a lot working in the Leeds tv news-        room and thoroughly enjoyed it. Early on, I had to start              thinking ‘pictures’ rather than words or sounds.          Plus I got to grips with what a big beast televi-       sion can be. I was accustomed to the independence        and agility you have working in local radio and                                                                                                                                               online. However, I learned how working in a bigger   tteam am – with everyone v ryon pullinpulling totogether ther to get t a propro-             gramme or bulletin on air – has advantages. That          post-programme sense of relief doesn’t really hap-         pen in local radio when the next bulletin’s no more        than 55 minutes away.         A bigger newsroom and bigger patch meant the       opportunity to work on bigger stories. My strengths            lie in outputting and nothing topped the adrenaline       of producing the 15 minute lunchtime programme.         I’m now news editor at Radio York, on another    attachment. There’s no doubt that my time in tv         has infl uenced the way I do my current job. Shar-           ing material and resources makes sense to me –      by avoiding duplication we now use more of our     reporting effort to originate more stories. Only this              week we used the tv sat truck to provide a two-way into       our lunchtime news bulletin. Technology’s also mak-         ing this easier with the development of Davina, which          already allows us much more access to material        gathered by network television -- and will soon give            Radio York journalists easier access to all the mate-       rial by our television colleagues in Leeds.            I think my love of threes means I’ve got a round-     ed approach to what we do at BBC York. I appre-         ciate the particular pressures that apply to work-        ing in each medium – and know that small acts of           helpfulness to colleagues can go a long way.               And as for the triathlon – it’s a case of enjoying     all three disciplines, and executing them equally badly...         Been anywhere nice? Send your attachment                          stories to Clare Bolt                                                                 

a 01·09·09 What am I doing here 15 PHOTOGRAPH: MARK ROBERTSON MARK PHOTOGRAPH: BELINDA ARTINGSTOL foreign SPECIAL bureau FEATURES PRODUCER CUMBRIA PETER BOWES CORRESPONDENT LOS ANGELES

VARIETY, they say, is the spice of life. I am just about to go to Las Vegas to fi lm a story about the local economy and interview former Bros star Matt Goss about a new show he is opening at one of the casinos. A few weeks back I awoke with a rock jabbing into my back and my right foot poking out of the fl ap of a tent in Yosemite National Park. I was there for World News America, Today and the news website to cover a story about California’s giant trees. In between times, the death of Michael Jackson resulted in a rollercoaster of events and 20-hour days. Variety indeed. But that is the beauty of being based in LA – a beach town with Hol- What does your job involve? Did you like presenting? Where do you live? way that I had a different view of lywood in its backyard and deserts, forests Doing things that daily and weekly I ended up going back to Barrow Carlisle. I walk to work past the London once I’d been there, I think and mountains all within a two-hour drive. programmes can’t do. I look after to co-present the breakfast show cathedral and the castle every people will have different opin- The big stories, like Jackson, happen all of the long term things like from there, while the other pre- morning. No traffi c jams. I hate ions of the north in general when and we deal with them. But the features, Children in Need, Sport Relief and senter, Richard Nankivell, was in the gym so when I moved back Salford opens. like the tree story, are enriching and more projects that come up from spe- Carlisle. We did that for four years. here from Barrow I deliberately rewarding. There is far more to working cial features in London. Locally, It was really successful because chose to live somewhere that was Have you ever been on tv? in here than showbiz scandals, red carpet we also do our own special pro- we had great chemistry. I still cover a good walk from the offi ce. It’s a I was a contestant on 15-to-1 in glitz and Beverly Hills makeovers. gramming, outside broadcasts for presenters when they’re off. friendly and buzzy city. People are the late 80s. We watched it at Researchers and documentaries. Basically I’m often surprised by it. university when we should have believe the chang- in charge of anything that takes a You’ve done a lot of jobs on the been working. I was fourth, so just Grey skies ing climate is slowly bit longer to put together. It was station then? Were you affected by the Carlisle missed going into the second half killing some of a trial but it was surprising how Well I came back to Carlisle to fl oods in 2005? of the programme. and smog Yosemite’s famous quickly the list of stuff for me to present the Drive show in 2001, I wasn’t home at the time, but my trees. They have do built up. I’ve been doing it for then worked in management, and house was fl ooded. I watched the Are you a quiz queen? come as tagged and mapped fi ve years. then went back to presenting. So footage on the News Channel but I’m good at general knowledge. thousands of them apart from sport, I think I’ve done the helicopter shots stopped just Our Radio Cumbria team won the a surprise and intend to hand What are you working on at the everything! That’s why I’ve stayed before it got to my house. The fol- Rotary quiz recently. The trophy’s over their project to moment? here for so long. Every few years lowing morning the street was in reception. People often come to tourists the next generation The Health, Wealth and Happi- I do something different. I like to dry but everyone’s furniture and and ask me things in the offi ce, of botanists. ness Roadshow. Traditionally we keep things fresh. belongings were outside. You especially about Cumbrian land- As a one-time biologist, who switched do the county shows, and play to could hear Radio Cumbria all down marks or its history. careers early in life, it made for a fascinat- a very rural audience and often What’s been your favourite? the street from car radios. I took ing story, in an idyllic setting. to the same people. Most of the Without a doubt, it’s what I’m do- the radio car down there and did Are you a Rotary Club member? The Golden State is the most popu- population in Cumbria is urban so ing now. I love the variety. Some- interviews with my neighbours. Yes. I was interviewing two people lous in the US. If California were a country we wanted a way to get into those times I’ll be out reporting, other I was out of my house for 10 who had started a new club here it would be the eighth largest economy in communities. times I’ll be setting things up, or months. We got a gold Sony award and they asked me if I’d thought the world. It also has a governor, in Arnold meeting the public. It’s fantastic. for our coverage. of joining. I said no because I Schwarzenegger, who is rarely out of the What happens on the roadshows? thought Rotary members were headlines. He appears to be most at home There are a range of stalls, cook- Do you miss presenting? How do you think the MediaCi- all old men in suits. Most of them when dealing with natural disasters. Wild- ery demonstrations and dancing. I don’t. People see presenting as tyUK development in Salford will are, but they’ve been accepting fi res keep us busy on a regular basis and People end up staying for hours. the pinnacle, but I always saw affect you? women for quite a long time. It’s we are constantly on tenterhooks for the All our feedback has been posi- myself as a journalist who hap- I think it’s a little far away, but just some clubs don’t actively en- next big earthquake. Experts say there is tive. People want us to do more pened to present sometimes. we’re interested in what’s going courage women to join. I ended up a 99.7 percent probability that California of these events. The NHS stands, When I stopped presenting full on, and people are talking about going along to a meeting because will experience a magnitude 6.7 or larger which were offering blood tests time I was more than ready to try it. I’m sure people from here will I wasn’t quick enough to come up earthquake in the next 30 years. and advice, were mobbed. We’ve something else. want to work there. In the same with an excuse not to. Thanks to the movies and television already done two roadshows, and everyone thinks they know Los Angeles. have another one in Barrow in But you enjoy it now? But it often fails to live up to expectations. September. Oh yes. It’s a mixture of social June Gloom, the local term for the grey CV events and charity events. We skies and never-lifting smog that herald Have you always worked at Degree: History at the University of York. Postgraduate raise money for eradicating polio, the start of summer, comes as a surprise Radio Cumbria? diploma in broadcast journalism from Preston. wheelchairs for Africa, and work in to tourists. This year June was colder than I All my BBC life, yes. I started as the local communities. It’s a world can ever remember in LA. the Barrow reporter, then moved First job: Presenting Nosh ‘n’ Slosh – a food and drink wide organisation, with a British My partner and I came here for a change into production there, and then slot on the uni radio station, and painting industrial arm, and then we’re just one part of scenery and an adventure. We thought to producing in Whitehaven. Then fuses in a factory. of the Cumbria Lancashire district. we’d stay for a couple of years. Little did I I started standing in for one of Career highlight: Dressing up as Pudsey bear for the In 2011 I’ll be the president of our know I would become a US citizen, live on a the presenters. When she left I 2009 Radio Cumbria charity calendar. club. ranch in the canyons and have a llama as a got her job presenting a magazine pet. Actually, Arthur the llama protects my programme. Interview by Peggy Walker brush-eating goats from hungry coyotes. But that’s another story. > CONTACT PEGGY WALKER TO SUGGEST A COLLEAGUE FOR THIS FEATURE 16 a 01·09·09 green room ▲ THE ARIELAT0R WE HEAR THAT. . . A weekly take on life at the BBC: KEEPING UP WITH THE BBC News Channel’s rebrand has yet to pen- ▲ who’s up, who’s down, who’s off etrate the corridors of power at competitors Sky. UPSIDE Simon Every Tuesday pressurised Sky News execs attend ▲ Waldman’s career a meeting titled HTN24, which stands for How To is obviously on the THE JONESES Nail News 24. Perhaps HTNTBBCNC won’t fi t in their ▲ up judging by a Then: The Joneses relaxing at home busy diaries… cheerful email he ▲ received last week RADIO 2 may have had a Beatles Bank Holiday, but from the BBC Tal- Radio Merseyside decided to spurn their county’s ent Bank. ‘Further native sons by cheekily fi lling their Monday playlist ▲ to your interest in with the fab four’s arch rivals – The Rolling Stones. a career with the BBC, your details have Old big-lips and co were wheeled out to bookend ▲ been identifi ed as suitable for a talent all hourly news bulletins with their particular brand bank of applicants for roles we anticipate of swaggering rock and roll. But why the Rolling ▲ we may be recruiting for in the future,’ Stones? ‘Why not the Stones?’ said unrepentant read the email, informing him that if any managing editor Mick ▲ suitable roles became available they Ord. ‘They’re still would get in touch. Good news, particu- hugely popular ▲ larly in this diffi cult climate, except for and their career one thing – Simon already has a role at the has lasted four ▲ BBC, as morning editor for news, and has THE NEW RUGBY union season will did post-match interviews and going times as long been here for 30 years. Perhaps his recent have an extra edge for Radio Leeds back to the Radio Leicester studios as the Beatles. appearance in Ariel wearing a glamor- sport bj Gareth Jones, as he goes to record his match report,’ reminisc- You never ▲ ous yellow sou’wester has convinced HR head to head in the commentary box es Gareth. It seems he’s still grateful know, it might that Simon has front of camera talents he against his Dad – Radio Leicester’s for this early work experience, as he persuade Mick ▲ could be utilising as well… Tigers expert, Bleddyn Jones. Leeds even says he’s hoping for a draw so and the gang Carnegie’s promotion back to the Pre- they can both go home happy. Jones to play live in the ▼ DOWNSIDE Radio Solent producer Neil miership means the two clubs, and so Senior isn’t quite so easy going, but city for the fi rst time Sackley got in the thick of the action by the two Joneses, will clash. win or lose they will ‘share a pint at in more than 40 years. ▼ joining his nau- Jones Junior says it’s his Dad who gave the end of the day’ – bringing an air of Well, maybe…’ tically minded him the rugby bug in the fi rst place: authority to the time-honoured tradi- ▼ presenters Robin ‘I remember as a child helping him tion of post-match pub THE EXQUISITE sense of desolation that arises Knox-Johnston carry his radio equip- analysis that when you go to open your carefully assembled and Shelley Jory ment into the Wel- will have drink- packed lunch at work, only to realise that it is still ▼ to compete in the ford Road ground, ers earwig- sitting at home in the fridge, is enough to reduce Cowes-Torquay- standing next to ging over their even the most hardened optimist into paroxysms ▼ Cowes race, or CTC, him while he beers. of bitter laughter at the cruel game that is life. on August 29. Far Kudos then to the good samaritans at Manchester ▼ from a leisurely cruise, the CTC is billed as NBH who spared a home-luncher from such indig- ‘The greatest offshore powerboat race in nity last week when his lunchbox was discovered ▼ the world’. Though we’re sure Neil had fun sitting abandoned on top of his car and handed bouncing across the sea, he also had to into the security offi ce. Security put out a call ask- ▼ undergo gruelling training to ensure he ing anyone with the particular registration number was up to the challenge, including the no- to get in touch to claim their box which, our mole ▼ torious ‘dunk test’. According to Shelley, informs us, was ‘massive, and full of fruit and nuts’. this involves ‘being put into a simulator Possibly the only time a car registration number in a swimming pool, turned upside down, featuring in a security announcement was a good And now: Still squabbling over the sports section ▼ drowned, and taught how to survive’. Not thing for the car owner? ▼ much fun then? ‘The dunk test was quite scary,’ admits Neil with admirable reserve. Win tickets to the A level playing fi eld European premiere As easy as B, C, D? John Hand EARWIGGING gets back in the classroom of Creation PAUL BETTANY and Jennifer Connelly star as OVERHEARD Charles Darwin and his wife Emma in Creation, a new fi lm about the naturalist. Directed by John AT THE BBC Amiel, Creation charts Darwin’s formulation of his seminal work On the Origin of Species and the ensuing confl ict between faith and reason that …So she’s lost a threatens to tear his marriage apart. BBC Films in association with Icon Film parrot and seven dogs… Distribution are offering readers the chance to win tickets to the European …Pulleys are the way forward… premiere of Creation on Sunday Sep- BBC NEWSROOM SBJ JOHN HAND grade Italian A-level to his CV. Hurrah! tember 13 at the …He’s big time – small time… decided the only way to fi nd out for But what about the exam question Curzon Mayfair in …This is not to embarrass you, but would you sure whether A-levels are getting everyone’s asking – are 21st Century London. To enter easier was to sit one – 20 years after A-levels really easier than they were to win one of two know who this is?... passing fi rst time round. John chose in the Eighties? pairs of tickets, tell a subject he knew nothing about, Ital- John now feels fully qualifi ed to give us which fi lm Paul …It was all going well, then the Cyberman ian, and enrolled in a weekly evening the defi nitive answer: ‘Given that I Bettany starred in couldn’t get his helmet on… class. In 1989 John passed history, was just doing a couple of hours in a as naturalist and maths and English, with a B, C and a D. night class each week, it looks like it’s surgeon Stephen …I’ve had enough of vicars… And 20 years later he has successfully fair to say they are.’ Maturin? Email ariel competi- maintained his average, adding C- Pens down. tions by September 7.

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