JW
Incredible how far this news has travelled. There is yet another large piece about Moira Stuart's being axed in the Gulf Times (Qatar's largest circulation) today.
In addition, an airline colleague reports having seen the story run in an African newspaper yesterday whilst he was in East Africa.
What a kerfuffle.
In addition, an airline colleague reports having seen the story run in an African newspaper yesterday whilst he was in East Africa.
What a kerfuffle.
MA
No, Moira would bring far too much gravitas to GMTV. Perhaps if News at Ten is revived (which it won't be) then ITN will offer her a job.
The newsreader slot alongside the main presenter on C4 News ?
jrothwell97 posted:
Andrew posted:
Maybe she could move to GMTV, they employ many newsreaders to just read the news. Although her style is quite serious, I'm sure she could manage a bit of banter at the end of the bulletin.
No, Moira would bring far too much gravitas to GMTV. Perhaps if News at Ten is revived (which it won't be) then ITN will offer her a job.
The newsreader slot alongside the main presenter on C4 News ?
HO
That thought had crossed my mind too. I could also see Sky approaching her for Sunrise newsreading duties. Surely another broadcaster has got to nab her if only for the positive publicity they'll gain.
Who ever got her would probably see a big rise compared to the beeb, until the BBC made a public apology and Mark Thompson resigns, but even then many would ditch the bbc, one would hope.
Spencer For Hire posted:
Markymark posted:
The newsreader slot alongside the main presenter on C4 News ?
That thought had crossed my mind too. I could also see Sky approaching her for Sunrise newsreading duties. Surely another broadcaster has got to nab her if only for the positive publicity they'll gain.
AE
Interesting article in today's Guardian by ex-Radio 4 announcer (and Channel Report presenter), Patrick Muirhead.
Farewell Moira, last of the newsreaders
And finally, we're getting reports that the traditional TV newsreader is dead. Yes, in fact I'm just being told that the BBC director general Mark Thompson himself has confirmed that the position of non-journalist presenter has indeed "virtually died out".
It seems that old-school newsreaders lack credibility in the eyes of today's viewers, even when they're much revered, familiar and authoritative. Their role has been gradually usurped by trail-hardened hacks - quite often rather badly.
For Moira Stuart OBE, much-admired fixture of our TV sets for the past 26 years, this is her (heart)breaking story. If only it were otherwise. But Moira is not a journalist and in today's TV newsroom that, alas, simply cannot be. But why not? She ticks all the essential boxes: she is an intelligent and trusted communicator who possesses both gravitas and warmth. She scores well politically as non-male, non-white and non-young. And let's face it she has some great suits.
The irony that the BBC is banishing the larynx on legs is not lost on me. As a former Radio 4 announcer, I was never empowered to deploy my 15 years of journalistic experience while delivering the network's Six O'Clock News. I was there simply to read sonorously from prepared scripts for 30 minutes - no more, no less.
As the World Trade Centre disaster unfolded that fateful September afternoon, I helpfully pointed out to a harried and distracted duty editor that the second tower had been hit, and was told: "You just read the news, lad, and leave us to make the editorial judgments." I left altogether and now enjoy a more intellectually taxing career retailing men's pants in my own little tailor's shop in West Sussex.
It is unclear to me how receiving bullets in Biafra made anyone a better newsreader. I can think of legions of reporters with immaculate journalistic pedigrees who have the broadcasting skills of a minicab controller and should never read the news. That is because newsreading is not journalism; it is acting. The skill lies in telling the story, not reading it.
Yet this is not a charter for dumbing down or positive discrimination. Clearly there are Michael Buerks and bog-standard berks. To my dismay, I was once asked by a black newsreader how to pronounce "ANC". Steve Biko would weep.
Still worse was the regional TV station I worked at where anyone could get on the box if their bust was big enough. In most cases that was much bigger than their IQ. That undermined the message and news must be disseminated convincingly.
So it's farewell to the newsreaders. Above all, John Humphrys will miss Moira. At the end of the Six O'Clock News one evening, with the microphones faded down but the subtitlers still feverishly transcribing from their lips, he said to her: "You're the most sensationally sexy lady I know. The best thing we can do for the next few hours is make mad passionate love in the basement." Indeed, go out with a bang, Moira.
Patrick Muirhead
Quote:
Farewell Moira, last of the newsreaders
And finally, we're getting reports that the traditional TV newsreader is dead. Yes, in fact I'm just being told that the BBC director general Mark Thompson himself has confirmed that the position of non-journalist presenter has indeed "virtually died out".
It seems that old-school newsreaders lack credibility in the eyes of today's viewers, even when they're much revered, familiar and authoritative. Their role has been gradually usurped by trail-hardened hacks - quite often rather badly.
For Moira Stuart OBE, much-admired fixture of our TV sets for the past 26 years, this is her (heart)breaking story. If only it were otherwise. But Moira is not a journalist and in today's TV newsroom that, alas, simply cannot be. But why not? She ticks all the essential boxes: she is an intelligent and trusted communicator who possesses both gravitas and warmth. She scores well politically as non-male, non-white and non-young. And let's face it she has some great suits.
The irony that the BBC is banishing the larynx on legs is not lost on me. As a former Radio 4 announcer, I was never empowered to deploy my 15 years of journalistic experience while delivering the network's Six O'Clock News. I was there simply to read sonorously from prepared scripts for 30 minutes - no more, no less.
As the World Trade Centre disaster unfolded that fateful September afternoon, I helpfully pointed out to a harried and distracted duty editor that the second tower had been hit, and was told: "You just read the news, lad, and leave us to make the editorial judgments." I left altogether and now enjoy a more intellectually taxing career retailing men's pants in my own little tailor's shop in West Sussex.
It is unclear to me how receiving bullets in Biafra made anyone a better newsreader. I can think of legions of reporters with immaculate journalistic pedigrees who have the broadcasting skills of a minicab controller and should never read the news. That is because newsreading is not journalism; it is acting. The skill lies in telling the story, not reading it.
Yet this is not a charter for dumbing down or positive discrimination. Clearly there are Michael Buerks and bog-standard berks. To my dismay, I was once asked by a black newsreader how to pronounce "ANC". Steve Biko would weep.
Still worse was the regional TV station I worked at where anyone could get on the box if their bust was big enough. In most cases that was much bigger than their IQ. That undermined the message and news must be disseminated convincingly.
So it's farewell to the newsreaders. Above all, John Humphrys will miss Moira. At the end of the Six O'Clock News one evening, with the microphones faded down but the subtitlers still feverishly transcribing from their lips, he said to her: "You're the most sensationally sexy lady I know. The best thing we can do for the next few hours is make mad passionate love in the basement." Indeed, go out with a bang, Moira.
Patrick Muirhead
SI
4000 out of a population of over 60 million. Those feelings run deep! I am sure the BBC will take loads of notice to spend over the odds on a 20 years past it's heyday Australian soap!
On the Moira front, she was so sidelined anyway I do not know why they could not have left it how it was!
Anne MacKenzie Fan posted:
I see that over 4,000 have signed a petition to keep 'Neighbours' on the BBC. I wonder how many would sign a petition to keep Moira Stuart on our TV screens? 
4000 out of a population of over 60 million. Those feelings run deep! I am sure the BBC will take loads of notice to spend over the odds on a 20 years past it's heyday Australian soap!
On the Moira front, she was so sidelined anyway I do not know why they could not have left it how it was!
LO
4000 out of a population of over 60 million. Those feelings run deep! I am sure the BBC will take loads of notice to spend over the odds on a 20 years past it's heyday Australian soap!
On the Moira front, she was so sidelined anyway I do not know why they could not have left it how it was!
I think you have misunderstood who the petition is aimed at, its not the BBC but Freemantle, and that is over 4000 signitures in only 4 days.
Anyway on the Moira front, i think if a petiton was set up then there woul be some high profile names on that list as well as the general public, i would like to think that a petition for Moira would do just as well, hell i would sign it.
sibye posted:
Anne MacKenzie Fan posted:
I see that over 4,000 have signed a petition to keep 'Neighbours' on the BBC. I wonder how many would sign a petition to keep Moira Stuart on our TV screens?
4000 out of a population of over 60 million. Those feelings run deep! I am sure the BBC will take loads of notice to spend over the odds on a 20 years past it's heyday Australian soap!
On the Moira front, she was so sidelined anyway I do not know why they could not have left it how it was!
I think you have misunderstood who the petition is aimed at, its not the BBC but Freemantle, and that is over 4000 signitures in only 4 days.
Anyway on the Moira front, i think if a petiton was set up then there woul be some high profile names on that list as well as the general public, i would like to think that a petition for Moira would do just as well, hell i would sign it.
ST
4000 out of a population of over 60 million. Those feelings run deep! I am sure the BBC will take loads of notice to spend over the odds on a 20 years past it's heyday Australian soap!
On the Moira front, she was so sidelined anyway I do not know why they could not have left it how it was!
You have completely missed my point. If people feel the need to complain - it does get noticed.
I agree with your thoughts about Moira; however, my fury is with the Director General and his handling of this affair.
But I should make it completely clear that I would not advocate a march or rally at Television Centre to keep Moira with BBC News - I think that would humiliate her more than the crap from Mark Thompson's dish!
sibye posted:
Anne MacKenzie Fan posted:
I see that over 4,000 have signed a petition to keep 'Neighbours' on the BBC. I wonder how many would sign a petition to keep Moira Stuart on our TV screens?
4000 out of a population of over 60 million. Those feelings run deep! I am sure the BBC will take loads of notice to spend over the odds on a 20 years past it's heyday Australian soap!
On the Moira front, she was so sidelined anyway I do not know why they could not have left it how it was!
You have completely missed my point. If people feel the need to complain - it does get noticed.
I agree with your thoughts about Moira; however, my fury is with the Director General and his handling of this affair.
But I should make it completely clear that I would not advocate a march or rally at Television Centre to keep Moira with BBC News - I think that would humiliate her more than the crap from Mark Thompson's dish!
DU
What a mess! I just wish they leave Moira Stuart alone and let her read the news. 
She was really good at doing the Weekend bulletins, she presented all the bulletins on BBC One during the World Cup final last year and did some Saturdays after that.
So what if she aint a journalist, she did the job well and she did do interviews with reporters and correspondents(maybe not with key political people etc) , but isnt that enough for doing the Weekend news? She has perfect speech, doesnt wave her hands about annoyingly like the others and shows a nice smile at the end of the news.
End of an era
She was really good at doing the Weekend bulletins, she presented all the bulletins on BBC One during the World Cup final last year and did some Saturdays after that.
So what if she aint a journalist, she did the job well and she did do interviews with reporters and correspondents(maybe not with key political people etc) , but isnt that enough for doing the Weekend news? She has perfect speech, doesnt wave her hands about annoyingly like the others and shows a nice smile at the end of the news.
End of an era
JP
Any reason why Moira cannot do Saturday and Sunday morning live on Sky? (Apart from not having a contract with them!!)