Baroness Trumpington's posts, page 16

Regional opt-outs

Many years ago, the regular complaint about Rep Scot was that it only cared about Glasgow stories. One day, just after a fresh round of complaints about this, I was standing in the Glasgow newsroom when a trio of Fire Engines went noisily past on their way down Queen Margaret Drive. One of the newsroom hacks glanced up from his paper and said "there goes tonight's lead story". He was only half joking!

They manage a much better spread nowadays. Also, don't forget that Radio Scotland listeners do get local news opts.

Accidental DVE move during Life Begins

I believe they have just commissioned Series 2. Good news!

Not only is Caroline Q very good, but it's great to see Frank Finlay again, with a very touching performance as the elderly gent suffering the onset of Alzheimers.

I'm also enjoying No Angels on C4 just now. Expected to hate it, found I don't!

Accidental DVE move during Life Begins

I was in London at the start of the week, watching ITV1 via Sky Digital, enjoying the excellent Life Begins (Caroline Quentin = very impressive). Just after the halfway break, it looked as though someone in the network gallery was rehearsing the End Credit DVE move on Programme rather than Preview. (Picture squashed into screen left, to reveal Now/Next/Later caption). It was quickly corrected.

Was this a London only problem, or did anyone see it anywhere else?

The Impressionable Jon Culshaw

Please, please, please NO !!

One of the nice things about the show, in my opinion, is that it doesn't have an audience braying all over it. I hope it'll encourage more programme makers to dispense with the Studio Audience.

Cartoon Network

I wish they'd run Cow and Chicken again. Funniest thang I ever did see in a long, long time!

BBC News Thread

I don't normally see the 1 bulletin, but I caught it on Monday and was surprised to see Darren J working with a really untidy looking laptop in front of him. The power and network cables were untidily draped off the side of the desk and the lid of the laptop had at least three labels on it. One looked like one of those "identifiable equipment so don't nick it you slag" stickers! It looked really messy.

I'd have assumed these machines would be permanently rigged as part of the set. Are they not?

New Look BBC National News

I think the remix of the intro music is very good. Now all they need to do is get the presenter to speak at the right point in the music and they'll have cracked it!!

The Brit Awards 2004

Unusually for me, I spent the day at Earls Court, watching rehearsals and recording. Apart from reminding me what an old fogey I really am, a couple of bits did impress me. Duran Duran were very good. Beyonce was really flat and dull at rehearsal but really pulled out all the stops for the actual show. Quite liked the Black Eyed Peas - they had great musicians. Before the (c)rappers turned up, the band were playing the backing track on its own for sound mixing checks, and they were great.

Rocking' witcha Baroness

Major Problems at Radio 1

Radio 1 is on VCS Dira. Radio 2 has no computer playout system yet. Just a mechanical set of CD Jukeboxes fed to the 3 main studios. Jingles for R2 come off Minidisc, music off CD or the Jukeboxes. Radio 2 will go onto VCS in the next year or so.

Major Problems at Radio 1

Not exclusively, but that's usually the only "live" Radio2 show to come from that one. It's booked out by the Wright show from about 12pm on weekdays, to give them time to do all the prerecorded bits (most of the show then!!)

Major Problems at Radio 1

Radio 2 has 4 studios in regular use. The one in the picture of Sara Cox is the one Sarah Kennedy, Ken Bruce and Richard Allinson (late show) normally come from. Terry Wogan, Jeremy Vine and Drivetime come from the twin one across the corridor. Another one does Steve Wright, and the 4th does News. Recordings and shows for other stations go on during the spare time in each studio.

News Rant (all channels)

No, it's not just you!!

It's symptomatic of the sickness that is Rolling News. Just keep plastering the stuff on the screen, keep waffling on, even if there's nothing to waffle about. Uninformed speculation? Get it on! Half assed theories? What are you waiting for?

The convenience of always-on News may be a good thing, but in my opinion its effect on the overall quality of News has been drastic.