The Newsroom

BBC News Journalists to stage 2 48 Hour Strikes

5th-6th & 15th-16th November (October 2010)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
SC
Schwing
Am watching Cup football, was the Landale report current? Could it not have been 'in the can' as the Police interviewing Coulson was an inevitabilty and the report could have been prepared in advance.


Yes, the report was current. Even if it wasn't, the point is moot - Lansdale was live from Downing Street. I doubt that the BBC would have allowed Lansdale to report live without having first amended/updated the a prepared package.

House posted:
I wasn't trying to compare on looks or their profiles, but rather on their more recent track records. If you skip out the GMTV bit, Emma was a relatively high-profile newsreader and presenter on Sky News for many years, which included regularly presenting weekend Sunrise. She was a reporter on the channel before that, a reporter and presenter at CNBC before that and if you go back far enough a producer on BBC News 24 before that! She only became the main business presenter a few months before moving to GMTV - a position now held by former News 24 presenter Anna Jones.

When you bare in mind someone like Sian Williams started as a producer/editor on News 24 (incredibly briefly) before becoming a presenter on the channel, then become a special correspondent and a stand-in for the Six O'Clock News and then moved to Breakfast (I'm missing out some bits, such as a period as maternity cover for Fiona Bruce, for example) then I don't think you can claim Emma Crosby is a more light-weight newsreader than someone like Sian, who is now one of the most senior newsreaders at the BBC.

What I will give you is she joined News 24 as a producer straight out of university (apparently), though I think that says more about the BBC than it does about her.

I'm not saying you can compare Emma Crosby to someone like Nick Robinson or John Humphreys, but to suggest she isn't a credible newsreader is perhaps unfair. I'd really try and avoid thinking she's been tainted by GMTV, too. She was seen as credible and - while clearly very attractive - not the kind of glamorous presenter she may now appear to be before joining GMTV. She was a surprise choice for GMTV too, and many on this forum at the time were hopeful it was a step towards GMTV becoming more newsy and serious.

How wrong we were.


And regarding Kate Silverton, does anyone know if she has an at all credible background prior to News 24? The best I can find is that she trained at Look North, worked at Tyne Tees and then did a whole heap of barely-journalistic work, such as the Heaven and Earth show and The Wright Stuff. Then she went to News 24 and - let's face it - was there a fairly short time (compared to others) before being rocketed onto BBC 1. She seems more presenter than journalist.


I quite agree, House. Many people on here have focussed too specifically upon Emma Crosby's tenure at GMTV; there appears to be an inherent relationship in the minds of many here between GMTV and 'dumbing down' and that anybody who works on GMTV falls under the 'dumb' category. I, too, was hopeful that Crosby's arrival at GMTV would herald a more serious broadcast. It was a shame that it didn't. The problem with this artificial linkage is that it doesn't hold water. GMTV had some of the more credible or experienced journalists in broadcasting at various times: John Stapleton, Lorraine Kelly, Eamonn Holmes and Penny Smith. There has not been anywhere near as much (nor comparable) criticism of Eamonn since his move too Sky. Surely, if the notion of GMTV and lower standards holds true, then people would have been far more critical of Holmes. Equally, when Penny Smith announced her departure from GMTV, many on these pages thought it would be wonderful if she returned to Sky or joined the BBC. If it's a high enough standard for Smith then it should be for Crosby.

One thing that many on here have not pointed out is that Crosby was hired specifically for Sunrise. Whilst everybody has said (in some way, shape or form) that she had a good track record at Sky, was a reasonably big figure, etc., they have all forgotten that she was hired to coanchor Sunrise with Simon McCoy. This was heavily trailed across the Sky network, featured in the Sky magazine and was seen as a way of combatting BBC Breakfast and GMTV. Some of the comments on here have exhibited a surprise at how good Emma Crosby can be. Sadly, that's a far more damning indictment on the people who post on here than on Crosby's skills.

As for Emma Crosby she did well on the 1 and I don't think we'll see her as a regular anytime soon on the main programmes there is an opening on the weekend news. Chris Rogers smooth as always, Peter good the only one who I think could have been better was Anne this morning I just found her hard to conenct to .


Hmmm... I don't mean to pick a fight here, ginofish, but I don't suppose that you remember Anne Davies on GMTV? Too young at the time? I'm just guessing.
WE
Westy2
Link nicked from Digital Spy thread.

http://www.nuj.org.uk/innerPagenuj.html?docid=1796
WA
watchingtv
So could it be Emma and Chris on the 7 - midnight shift, like they did last weekend?


I think actually Chris could take it to 10 or 11pm including the News on BBC One at 10pm, then as scheduled talking books at 10.30pm followed by 11-12midnight World News, did that not happen last night iirc
DA
Dave Founding member
Not sure if it has been mentioned over the past 43 pages (life it too short to check, so apologies if it has!) but have seen that BBC Arabic is off air, has it been like this since the strike started?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/arabic/tvandradio/2009/06/090629_tv_livestreaming.shtml
NG
noggin Founding member
House posted:

When you bare in mind someone like Sian Williams started as a producer/editor on News 24 (incredibly briefly) before becoming a presenter on the channel, then become a special correspondent and a stand-in for the Six O'Clock News and then moved to Breakfast (I'm missing out some bits, such as a period as maternity cover for Fiona Bruce, for example) then I don't think you can claim Emma Crosby is a more light-weight newsreader than someone like Sian, who is now one of the most senior newsreaders at the BBC.


Slightly mixed up chronology there. Sian was actually a launch presenter on News 24 (1600-1900 weekdays ISTR with Gavin Esler?). Prior to launch she was due to be a Strand Editor or Asst Editor on the channel - but was persuaded to move in front of camera. To reach Editor or Asst Ed level you have to be a very experienced production journalist - and Sian was. (ISTR that she had worked for at least 10 years as a reporter and producer in local and network radio - including stints as a producer on Today and WATO. AIUI she joined the BBC straight out of Uni)

Quote:

And regarding Kate Silverton, does anyone know if she has an at all credible background prior to News 24? The best I can find is that she trained at Look North, worked at Tyne Tees and then did a whole heap of barely-journalistic work, such as the Heaven and Earth show and The Wright Stuff. Then she went to News 24 and - let's face it - was there a fairly short time (compared to others) before being rocketed onto BBC 1. She seems more presenter than journalist.


Wouldn't disagree with a word of that.
AN
Andrew Founding member
Rod McKenzie was reporting on Newsbeat earlier.

A 5 minute bulletin to of the hour bulletin from Sheffield is still being provided today on BBC Radios Leeds, Sheffield & York.
MI
m_in_m
Rod McKenzie was reporting on Newsbeat earlier.

A 5 minute bulletin to of the hour bulletin from Sheffield is still being provided today on BBC Radios Leeds, Sheffield & York.


Rod often voices reports for Newsbeat/1xtra News at the weekends. He may perhaps do occasional turns as duty editor.
GI
ginofish
Schwing"pid="685999 posted:
Hmmm... I don't mean to pick a fight here, ginofish, but I don't suppose that you remember Anne Davies on GMTV? Too young at the time? I'm just guessing.


On the contrary Scwhing I have no plans to pick any fights with you, Yes I will admit I am too young to remember Anne on GMTV, However I know of her work on the programme and I know she is well established However since I have not seen her properly before I didn’t think about who she was I judged her on how I felt and I just don't think weekend breakfast is her thing to be honest. I find she came across uncomfortable at times and I don't think she had a very good On-screen chemistry with Charlie. Don't get me wrong she was better than the likes of Louise and Sonia Deol but I would like to see her on a weekday edition I think she would be better on the sofa and the format.
CY
cylon6
I think Emma Crosby is a good newsreader and she was also good on Sky News. It's a shame that GMTV appears to have tarnished her in some people's minds.
DS
Dan S
I've seen Anne Davies before on East Midlands Today and I agree with some (not ginofish) that she isn't a bad presenter, although this morning she did look quite uncomfortable (agreeing with ginofish there) which obviously meant she was brought in at the last minute (bear in mind she hasn't been on national television since she left GMTV almost 10 years ago)

And at times Charlie Stayt did seem really pissed off with her! Though I suppose that's just typical Charlie!
GI
ginnyfan


One thing that many on here have not pointed out is that Crosby was hired specifically for Sunrise. Whilst everybody has said (in some way, shape or form) that she had a good track record at Sky, was a reasonably big figure, etc., they have all forgotten that she was hired to coanchor Sunrise with Simon McCoy. This was heavily trailed across the Sky network, featured in the Sky magazine and was seen as a way of combatting BBC Breakfast and GMTV. Some of the comments on here have exhibited a surprise at how good Emma Crosby can be. Sadly, that's a far more damning indictment on the people who post on here than on Crosby's skills.




Exactly, most people posting seem to only remember her as a business reporter for Sky and then a GMTV presenter forgetting all the years of rolling news she did at Sky. That experience has to show and it did yesterday.
DV
dvboy
I've seen Anne Davies before on East Midlands Today and I agree with some (not ginofish) that she isn't a bad presenter, although this morning she did look quite uncomfortable (agreeing with ginofish there) which obviously meant she was brought in at the last minute (bear in mind she hasn't been on national television since she left GMTV almost 10 years ago)

And at times Charlie Stayt did seem really p*** off with her! Though I suppose that's just typical Charlie!


I can't imagine she enjoyed a last minute night in a hotel or early drive down to London.

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